Big Time Gaming Slots: Bonanza, Megaways and Bonus Gambles
Big Time Gaming slots helped make Megaways one of the most recognisable formats in online gambling. Bonanza gave players falling symbols and a growing bonus multiplier. Extra Chilli added a gamble that could take away the free spins you had just triggered. These are games that people still talk about years after release.
BTG’s catalogue goes further than Megaways, though. Danger High Voltage and Lil’ Devil use fixed ways, Chocolates builds around special boxes, and MONOPOLY Rush Hour puts a board around the reels. Here is how those games work, with RTP, volatility and maximum wins, followed by newer additions to the Extra Chilli and Millionaire series.
Published: May 8, 2025. Updated: October 18, 2026.
About Big Time Gaming
Founded in Australia in 2011, Big Time Gaming became known for developing reel mechanics that other studios went on to use. Evolution completed its acquisition of the company in June 2021, and BTG continues as a slot brand within the group.
A big part of its influence comes from licensing. You can play a game built on a BTG mechanic without playing a game developed by BTG. The studio’s own releases also cover different formats, including Megaways, fixed ways, ExtraWays and newer Megapots features.
How Megaways Works
Megaways changes the number of symbols counted on the reels from one spin to the next. Matching symbols usually connect from left to right on consecutive reels, regardless of their height. The number of ways is calculated by multiplying the symbol counts across the reels.
On a six reel layout with seven symbol positions counted on every reel, the calculation is 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7 × 7, giving 117,649 possible ways. Different games use different layouts and limits, so that figure does not apply to every Megaways release.
More ways describe more possible symbol combinations on that spin. They do not automatically mean a higher RTP. The symbol probabilities, payouts and bonus rules determine the game’s mathematics. Our guide to RTP in slots explains why the percentage and the result of one session can be very different.
Megaways first appeared in Dragon Born, before Bonanza made the format much more widely recognised. Bonanza then combined it with Dual Reactions, where winning symbols are replaced by symbols moving down from above and across the extra reel.
Are All Megaways Slots Made by BTG?
Other developers license the Megaways mechanic for their own games. Pragmatic Play used it for Great Rhino Megaways, while Red Tiger developed Gonzo’s Quest Megaways. Neither game becomes a BTG release simply because it uses that system.
The developer still determines the features and game math around the licensed mechanic. Two games can show the same maximum number of ways and have different RTPs, bonus rules and volatility.
Big Time Gaming Slots at a Glance
This comparison brings the main specifications together before the individual games. Paid modes can have different RTP figures from ordinary spins; those details appear in the game descriptions below.
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Max Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanza | 96.00% | High | 26,000x |
| Extra Chilli | 96.42% | High | 16,877x |
| White Rabbit | 96.42% | High | About 17,420x |
| Millionaire Megaways | 96.30% | High | 20,000x |
| MONOPOLY Rush Hour | 96.51% | Medium to High | 28,600x |
| Danger High Voltage | 96.22% | Medium to High | About 15,746x |
| Lil’ Devil | 96.43% | High | About 100,504x |
| The Final Countdown | 96.65% | High | About 36,000x |
| Spicy Meatballs | 96.57% | High | About 55,210x |
| Chocolates | 96.67% | High to Extreme | 32,040x |
| Extra Chilli More Chilli | 96.39% to 96.45% | Very High | 30,000x |
| Millionaire Megapots | 96.50% to 96.58% | High | 91,000x |
Maximum wins are multiples of the game’s base stake. RTP configurations and available features can differ, so check the rules inside the version you open.
Five BTG Games in Detail
These five games show how differently the studio can use reactions, bonus gambles and board features. Their individual rules matter more than treating the whole catalogue as one type of slot.
1. Bonanza Megaways
Bonanza put BTG’s Megaways and Dual Reactions combination in front of a much wider audience. Its six reels can produce up to 117,649 ways, with carts adding symbols above reels two to five.
Wilds appear on the extra reel and replace regular symbols. Winning symbols disappear, then replacements arrive from above and from the carts. That reaction system can produce several consecutive wins within one paid spin.
Four scatters spelling GOLD award 12 Free Spins, with five extra spins for each additional scatter. During the feature, three stacked Free Spins scatters on the carts award five more spins, while four award ten.
The bonus multiplier starts at 1x and increases by one after every reaction, carrying forward through the feature. The multiplier can keep increasing; the game’s payout limit still applies. A bonus also needs winning combinations to make use of the multiplier it builds.
Bonus Buy RTP: 96.11%. Where available, the listed purchase awards 12 Free Spins for 90x the base stake.
2. Extra Chilli Megaways
Extra Chilli takes the reacting Megaways setup into a Mexican market. Its horizontal extra reel adds symbols to reels two to five and hosts the wilds. Winning symbols disappear and new ones move into place for another reaction.
Three HOT scatters trigger eight Free Spins. Each additional scatter adds four. Before those spins begin, you can collect them or use the Gamble Wheel to try for more, up to 24 spins.
The first gamble is 50/50, with later wheel stages using 60/40 odds in the player’s favour. A failed gamble can forfeit the feature before a protected stage is reached. Those are odds for the gamble itself, rather than a promise about the payout of the free spins you end up with.
During Free Spins, the multiplier starts at 1x and grows by one after each reaction. Extra Free Spins scatters can also land on the extra reel. The newer Extra Chilli More Chilli changes the bonus setup further, as covered below.
Bonus Buy RTP: 96.54%. The listed buy awards eight Free Spins for 40x the base stake, where this option is available.
3. White Rabbit Megaways
White Rabbit uses five reels and an Alice in Wonderland theme. The base game reaches 16,807 ways, while the expanding bonus reels can take that figure to 248,832.
The Caterpillar can randomly add up to four Bonus Wilds with 2x or 3x multipliers. When several participate in a win, their multipliers combine by multiplication. Three Rabbit scatters on reels two to four trigger 15 Free Spins.
In the feature, a Cupcake splits into two symbols and adds one position to its reel. Reel heights carry forward between spins and can reach 12 symbols. A fully extended reel becomes a Queen’s Reel, with more wilds and Red Queen symbols, and activates the clock for extra spins.
Clock awards can add three to twelve spins, with up to five reel extensions triggering these awards. The feature can reach 75 Free Spins in total. White Rabbit 2 continues the series, but its rules should be read separately from the original.
Bonus Buy RTP: 96.42%. The listed entry is 100x the base stake for 15 Free Spins. Versions with Feature Drop can reduce the displayed entry price as BTG coins are collected.
4. Millionaire Megaways
Millionaire combines six reacting reels and a horizontal extra reel with the presentation of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Wilds appear on the extra reel, while three or more Millionaire scatters lead to the Hot Seat before Free Spins begin.
The 12 rung ladder offers 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25, 30, 40 and 50 Free Spins. Extra scatters move the starting position higher. The gamble includes safety nets associated with the ten and twenty spin awards, affecting what is kept after an unsuccessful attempt.
The 50:50 lifeline removes two answers, Phone a Friend indicates the most likely answer and Ask the Audience shows the answer probabilities. You select A, B, C or D and confirm the gamble, or collect when that option is offered. This is a gamble with displayed odds; general knowledge does not determine which answer the slot awards.
Free Spins use a multiplier that starts at 1x and rises by one after every reaction. Three scatters on the extra reel add four spins, while four add eight. The newer Millionaire Megapots adds a separate collecting feature to the series.
Bonus Buy RTP: 96.32%. Listed options are ten Free Spins for 75x the base stake or twenty for 150x, subject to availability.
5. MONOPOLY Rush Hour
MONOPOLY Rush Hour uses 256 ways to win and a board feature. It is a different format from the variable Megaways setup used in Bonanza and Extra Chilli.
Each base game spin starts the four tokens in the corners, with houses and hotels randomly placed on the board. Dice move the corresponding tokens, and every three spaces travelled add one to the token’s multiplier. Starting multipliers can receive random boosts up to 500x.
Properties can hold up to four houses or a hotel, which counts as five houses. Chance and Community Chest can move tokens, award a prize or trigger 12 Free Spins, with six extra spins for each additional trigger. Token positions and multipliers carry forward during that feature.
Utilities pay the token multiplier times the stake. Train stations can add 1, 3, 7 or 15 spins, depending on how many tokens land there. Upgrading all properties to hotels activates a multiplier boost of 50x to 250x for each token. This progression happens inside the feature; base game token positions restart on each spin.
Bonus Buy RTP: 96.58%. Power Play RTP: 96.55%. Power Play costs 8x the base stake and guarantees a dice roll. Other MONOPOLY releases include MONOPOLY Megaways, MONOPOLY TapCards and MONOPOLY Deluxe, which use different formats.
Five More BTG Slots Worth Mentioning
Music, wild multipliers and unusual symbol features give these games their own character. Several use fixed ways or ExtraWays, showing another part of the catalogue beyond Megaways.
6. Danger High Voltage
Danger High Voltage uses 4,096 ways and the Electric Six track as part of its identity. Two different bonus rounds offer a choice of wild features and multipliers, including a mode built around sticky wilds. The soundtrack slaps hard!
7. Lil’ Devil
Lil’ Devil pairs music from The Cult with a 4,096 ways layout. Angel Wild multipliers combine across the middle reels, and the two bonus choices handle sticky wilds and reactions differently. Collecting hearts unlocks Heartstopper enhanced versions of those features.
8. The Final Countdown
The Final Countdown takes its name and soundtrack from Europe’s song. The space setting surrounds a 4,096 ways game with two bonus choices, cloning wilds and sticky multiplier features. It belongs to BTG’s fixed ways catalogue rather than its Megaways titles.
9. Spicy Meatballs
Spicy Meatballs uses Wild Meatball multipliers that increase as the meatballs move down through reactions. Five reactions in the base game trigger eight Free Spins, with another spin for each reaction beyond the fifth. Every free spin begins with a Wild Meatball, and the triggering multipliers carry into the feature.
10. Chocolates
Chocolates uses ExtraWays and Sticky Boxes. Boxes reveal extra chocolate symbols, while Golden Ticket Wilds multiply the wins they participate in. During Free Spins, the boxes stay on the reels for the rest of the feature. The format can reach 65,536 ways to win.
Newer Releases in Familiar BTG Series
The studio has revisited both Extra Chilli and Millionaire with additional bonus mechanics. These are separate games with their own rules and specifications.
Extra Chilli More Chilli
Introduced in September 2026, this sequel adds four possible Chilli Bonuses: Duplicate Wild, Increased Ways, Double Multiplier and Chilli Wild. They change wild placement, symbol coverage or the multiplier used during reactions. A Chilli Bonus Respin can also trigger in the base game.
Three HOT scatters award ten Free Spins with one Chilli Bonus. Extra scatters can add more bonuses, up to all four. The gamble wheel offers a chance to add bonuses before the spins begin. Power Play costs 5x the base stake and increases the frequency of Chilli Bonus Respins.
Millionaire Megapots
Presented in March 2026, Millionaire Megapots combines up to 200,704 Megaways with the Hot Seat gamble and a Hold and Spin feature. Six or more coins trigger three respins, which reset when new coins land.
Coins can carry prizes, multipliers or Megapots icons. Three matching icons award the corresponding Mini, Midi or Mega prize. Those prizes change from spin to spin. Filling every position doubles the Hold and Spin bonus. The Hot Seat remains a separate route to as many as 50 Free Spins.
Bonus Buy Options Compared
A bonus purchase pays for entry to a feature. The amount returned still depends on the feature’s outcome. These options may be unavailable in some markets, and Feature Drop discounts can change the displayed entry price.
| Game | Cost | Starting Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Bonanza | 90x base stake | 12 Free Spins |
| Extra Chilli | 40x base stake | 8 Free Spins |
| White Rabbit | 100x base stake | 15 Free Spins |
| Millionaire Megaways | 75x or 150x base stake | 10 or 20 Free Spins |
| MONOPOLY Rush Hour | 110x base stake | 12 Free Spins |
| Extra Chilli More Chilli | 100x base stake | 10 Free Spins with a Chilli Bonus |
| Millionaire Megapots | 65x, 125x or 250x base stake | Hold and Spin, 12 Free Spins or 20 Free Spins |
Volatility and What Happens to the Balance
A game can have a large maximum win while most sessions finish nowhere near it. Several BTG games put a lot of attention on bonus multipliers and retriggers, but reaching the bonus does not guarantee a large return either.
The cost also changes when you activate a paid mode. A spin costing five or eight times the base stake uses the balance faster, even if the number shown as the base bet stays the same. Compare the actual cost per spin before treating two modes as equivalent.
Our RTP simulator demonstrates how short sessions can differ despite sharing a theoretical RTP. It uses a simplified model and does not reproduce the math of a particular BTG game.
What Works and What Can Be Frustrating
The studio’s strength is the variety of mechanics: reacting reels, expanding bonuses, wild multipliers, quiz presentation and board features. The musical games also have an identity that is easy to recognise without another complicated feature menu.
The frustration comes when a feature takes time to arrive or ends without the combinations it needs. Waiting longer does not improve the next independent spin. Discipline can limit what you spend, but it cannot change the game’s RTP or make a large win arrive on schedule.
My Take
My experience with Big Time Gaming is simple. This is one of the most influential providers in modern slot history. A lot of players love them because they offer real big win potential, and that is exactly why BTG is so popular among bonus hunters and high volatility fans.
They are like a band that created a new music genre. Before BTG, most slots felt predictable to me. Then they introduced Megaways and changed everything. Suddenly, reels were expanding, win ways were exploding, and volatility went through the roof. As a player, I respect that. They pushed the boundaries of what a slot could be.
Games like Bonanza became timeless classics. Extra Chilli is still on popularity lists after all these years because of its brutal volatility. You either love it or hate it, especially because of the gamble feature for free spins. There is no middle ground.
From a gameplay perspective, BTG is a mixed bag. The screen design is usually solid. Graphics look modern. Animations are clean. Everything feels technically polished. But the gameplay itself is often very basic. You spin. You wait. You hope. Not much is happening most of the time. There are no deep feature layers, no complex progression systems, no long build ups. It is simple. And sometimes too simple.
Their biggest trademark is the all or nothing model. With BTG, there is no comfort zone. Their games are extremely volatile. Either you hit something big, or you slowly bleed your balance. If you play daily, you quickly realize there is no stable middle ground.
The upside is real. 20,000x. 30,000x. 50,000x. These are not marketing numbers. They can happen.
The downside is brutal. 200 or 300 spins with nothing meaningful. No momentum. No rescue features. No safety net.
You need discipline and strong bankroll control to survive BTG sessions. Mentally, their slots are demanding.
Another interesting part is their aesthetic. While many providers chase ultra modern 3D visuals, BTG often sticks to a retro luxury or psychedelic style. It feels different. Sometimes minimalistic. Sometimes strange. But always recognizable.
These are not grind slots. You do not play BTG to slowly clear bonuses. You do not play them for relaxed sessions. You play them when you are hunting that one memorable spin. The one that makes the session worth it.
For me, Big Time Gaming is a hardcore provider for players who understand volatility. If you are patient, disciplined, and emotionally stable, BTG can reward you. If you chase losses, tilt easily, or expect constant action, their games will destroy your balance quietly.
They changed the industry. They earned respect. But they demand respect back.
Questions About BTG Slots
Does 117,649 Megaways mean 117,649 chances of winning?
It is the maximum number of possible symbol ways on that layout. The symbols still need to form qualifying combinations. It does not mean 117,649 independent attempts, and it cannot be converted into a win probability without the game’s symbol probabilities and rules.
Does a bonus buy have the same RTP as ordinary spins?
Some games publish different figures for bonus buys and paid modes. Check the relevant figure for the mode being used. Paying to enter a bonus also changes the amount at risk in that single round.
Does an unlimited multiplier mean an unlimited maximum win?
An increasing multiplier can continue to grow during the feature while the game still has a maximum payout. These are separate rules. The multiplier also needs winning combinations to produce a payout.
Final Thoughts
Big Time Gaming slots have earned their place through games people remember and mechanics that other studios licensed. Bonanza and Extra Chilli explain the Megaways reputation, while the fixed ways games and newer sequels show how varied the catalogue has become.
Look at the individual game, its feature rules and the mode selected. A shared provider name does not make every slot play the same way. You can browse our slot provider articles for comparisons, or visit the official Big Time Gaming website for the studio’s catalogue and announcements.
