Big Time Gaming: the inventors of Megaways

The studio that changed the reels

Big Time Gaming, or BTG, was founded in Sydney in 2011 by a group of industry veterans. It stayed a small, ideas-led studio and made its name not through volume but through one enormous idea: the Megaways engine. That mechanic reshaped how online slots are built and is now licensed by dozens of other developers, making BTG one of the most influential studios in the market despite its modest release schedule. Its own games, and the Megaways titles it licenses out, appear across the operators in our casino comparison.

What Megaways actually is

Megaways replaces fixed paylines with reels that show a variable number of symbols on every spin, so the number of ways to win changes each time, often up to 117,649 on a six-reel game. A cascading mechanic and an extra horizontal reel add to the effect, and free-spins rounds frequently pile on unlimited multipliers. The result is a chaotic, high-ceiling style of slot that proved hugely popular. Because BTG licenses the engine widely, you will see "Megaways" versions of games from Pragmatic, NetEnt and many others, all built on BTG’s original framework.

Bonanza and the flagship titles

Bonanza, a mining-themed slot released in 2016, was the game that launched Megaways and remains the studio’s signature title. White Rabbit followed, introducing the feature-buy option and an Alice in Wonderland theme, while Extra Chilli brought a Mexican street-food setting and a bidding round for free spins. These games are prized for their sky-high volatility and the enormous multipliers their bonus rounds can reach. You can try Bonanza and other Megaways titles in our demo section before staking real money.

RTP and extreme volatility

BTG games are among the most volatile in the market. The base game can run cold for a long time, with the real potential locked behind free spins where the multiplier climbs with every cascade. Return to player typically lands around 96% at the default, though the feature-buy versions and configurable options mean the paytable is the only reliable reference. This is not a studio for players who want gentle, frequent wins; it is built for those willing to endure long dry spells for the chance at a very large payout.

A small studio with an outsized footprint

What makes BTG unusual is its influence-to-output ratio. It releases only a handful of games a year, yet its engine underpins a substantial slice of the modern slot market. That licensing model is arguably as important a product as the studio’s own titles. For UK players it means the BTG name is worth recognising well beyond its own catalogue: whenever you spin a "Megaways" game from any developer, the framework beneath it was designed in Sydney.

Where to play Big Time Gaming in the UK

BTG’s own games and its licensed Megaways titles are stocked by most UKGC casinos. Feature buys, which several BTG games popularised, are switched off in Great Britain under the UK Gambling Commission’s October 2023 ban, so UK players trigger free spins the standard way. Choose operators on their licence and safeguards; our casino reviews highlight the deepest Megaways ranges, and newer sites sit under new casinos. GAMSTOP and the credit-card ban apply everywhere.

The verdict for UK players

Big Time Gaming is a rare thing: a small studio that genuinely changed its industry. Bonanza and its stablemates remain excellent high-variance slots, and the Megaways engine they birthed is now part of the furniture. The catch is the volatility, which is punishing by any standard and unsuitable for cautious budgets, and a slim release schedule that means fresh BTG-made titles are rare. For fans of big-swing slots, though, this is the studio that started it all.

Popular Big Time Gaming games

The titles below are among the studio’s most-played slots. Each page includes a free browser demo, RTP and volatility figures, and where the slot can be played at a licensed casino.