Buffalo Megaways Slots: How They Work and How the Six Titles Compare

How Megaways counts its ways

A Megaways slot does not have rows in the usual sense. Each reel shows a random number of symbols on every spin, typically between two and seven, and the game pays any matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left. The number of ways on a given spin is simply the symbol counts multiplied together. Six reels of seven symbols give 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7 x 7, which is 117,649 ways; six reels of two give 64.

Big Time Gaming licenses the mechanic to other studios, and the buffalo Megaways slots from Pragmatic Play, Blueprint and BGaming all credit it. The headline figure is a maximum. On most spins the grid sits far below it, and the number shown above the reels changes every time.

Several of these games add a horizontal top reel above the middle four reels. In Buffalo King Megaways and Savage Buffalo Spirit Megaways it contributes one more symbol to each of those reels, so seven can become eight, and that is how the two reach 200,704 ways: 7 x 8 x 8 x 8 x 8 x 7. Buffalo Rising Megaways also has positions above reels two to five, yet its published maximum stays at 117,649.

The other ingredient is cascades, sometimes called tumbles or refilling reels. Winning symbols disappear and new ones drop in, so one paid spin can chain into several wins. Four of the six buffalo Megaways games in this guide use them, and three of those tie the free spins multiplier to the cascade sequence.

The six buffalo Megaways slots

Buffalo King Megaways (Pragmatic Play, 2021) is the best known. Up to 200,704 ways, a 96.52% standard RTP, 5,000x max win, and free spins where x2, x3 or x5 wilds add up across a tumble sequence. It is confirmed in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, and it leads the best buffalo slots ranking. Full review.

Buffalo King Untamed Megaways (Pragmatic Play, 2024) trims the grid to 86,436 ways (outer reels up to six symbols) and adds random modifiers that guarantee at least 10,000 ways or load 100 extra buffalo onto the strips. Its free spins wild multiplier grows by one with each win that includes a wild. The max win is 10,000x and the RTP 96.02%.

Buffalo Rising Megaways (Blueprint Gaming, 2018) is the oldest of the six. Four scatters open a choice between 15 spins at x1, 10 at x5, 5 at x10 or a mystery option, and the multiplier then rises by one after every cascade with no upper limit. Wilds only appear in the top positions over reels two to five. The RTP is 96.5%, or 97.01% with the Bison Bet, and the max win 10,000x. Blueprint’s own site now calls it Bison Rising MEGAWAYS. Full review.

Almighty Buffalo Megaways (White Hat Studios, 2022) carries the same rules sheet as Buffalo Rising, almost word for word: the same choice of spins, the same climbing multiplier, the same 96.5% and 97.01% RTPs and 0.10 to 10 bets. It is the edition confirmed in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Its max win is not published as a single figure. The Buffalo King Megaways vs Almighty Buffalo Megaways comparison sets the two US titles against each other.

Buffalo Blitz Megaways (Playtech, 2021) runs 324 to 117,649 ways and replaces the scatter ladder with four modes: Blitz, Thunder, Buffalo or Mystery, trading spin count against wild multipliers from x2 to x10. A Jackpot Blitz bonus adds four progressives. The data rests on reviewers, with RTP given as 96.29% or 95.19% to 95.30%, and max win as 20,000x or 10,000x. Full review.

Savage Buffalo Spirit Megaways (BGaming, released August 24, 2023) is the most volatile on paper, with a “very high” provider rating. Three to six scatters pay 5x to 50x and award a random 5 to 15 spins with a random x2 to x25 multiplier, and retriggers add more of both until the 6,000x cap. BGaming lists 96.75%; reviewers list 97.04%, plus 97.25% with the 90x buy and 96.87% with the Chance x2 ante. It has been seen only at unlicensed offshore sites.

Reading the differences

Two of the six are effectively one game in two markets. Buffalo Rising and Almighty Buffalo share their rules, and the Buffalo King Megaways vs Buffalo Rising Megaways comparison is therefore also a fair guide to the Almighty edition. The Pragmatic pair differ mainly in how the free spins multiplier behaves.

Ways count is the least useful number for choosing between them. Buffalo King Untamed Megaways has fewer maximum ways than Buffalo King Megaways but twice the max win. What separates these games in play is the bonus structure: a fixed multiplier ladder, a player choice, a multiplier that grows with cascades, or a random multiplier drawn at the start. Two more buffalo Megaways games exist outside this guide, Playson’s Buffalo Power Megaways (June 2021) and NetGame’s Wild Buffalo Megaways Hold N Link (2025).