Bonanza Review & Demo

Bonanza Slot Review

Bonanza Megaways was launched by Big Time Gaming in 2016. This online slot machine uses the revolutionary Megaways engine to offer up to 117,649 ways to win alongside a high-volatility 26,000x maximum win potential. It also features a dynamic 6-reel grid with cascading wins and a Free Spins round with an unlimited progressive multiplier.

For players seeking similar mechanics, Big Time Gaming has also created popular titles such as Extra Chilli Megaways and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Megaways.

Category	Detail
Game Title	Bonanza
Software Provider	Big Time Gaming
RTP	96%
Volatility	High
Max Win	26,000x (£500,000 cap at most UK casinos)
Grid	6 Reels + Horizontal Top Reel / Up to 117,649 Megaways
Min Bet	£0.20
Theme	Gold Mine / Wild West
Key Feature	Megaways Mechanic + Unlimited Multiplier Free Spins

Bonanza Gameplay

Bonanza uses a 6-reel layout with a horizontal ‘conveyor belt’ reel running across the top. This top reel is separate from the six main reels below and carries a specific function: it displays the G, O, L, D letters that trigger the free spins round. Each of the six main reels displays a variable number of rows per spin, ranging from 2 to 7. The Megaways system randomises this on every spin - you might see reel 1 with 7 rows and reel 6 with 2 rows, or any other combination across the six reels.

When all six reels display the maximum 7 rows, the total number of ways to win reaches 117,649 (7 multiplied across all six reels).

‘Ways to win’ means any matching symbol on adjacent reels from left to right counts as a win, regardless of its row position. There are no specific lines to hit - a symbol anywhere on reel 1 connects to any position on reel 2, and so on. The result is that a fully loaded grid opens up an enormous number of simultaneous win combinations.

Bets range from £0.20 to £2/5 per spin - wide enough for casual play and players looking for a bigger potential payout.

The payout table below shows estimated returns for top symbols at a £1 total stake:

Symbol	3 of a Kind	4 of a Kind	5 of a Kind	6 of a Kind
Gold Bar (Highest)	£0.05	£0.20	£0.80	£5.00
Ruby	£0.04	£0.15	£0.60	£3.00
Emerald	£0.03	£0.10	£0.40	£2.00
Sapphire	£0.02	£0.08	£0.30	£1.50
A / K	£0.01	£0.04	£0.15	£0.60
Q / J / 10 / 9	£0.01	£0.03	£0.10	£0.40

Theme and Story of the Bonanza Slot

Bonanza Megaways plunges players into a rugged, industrial gold mine featuring exposed rock faces, timber supports, and animated ore carts. The lower-paying card values (9 through A) represent the everyday stakes of prospecting, while premium sapphire, emerald, ruby, and diamond symbols signify the treasures buried within. A stick of dynamite acts as the wild symbol, fitting perfectly into the excavation aesthetic.

The narrative is driven entirely through the slot's core mechanics rather than passive cutscenes. Landing the four scatter symbols across the reels spells out the word G-O-L-D, simulating the moment a prospector strikes the ultimate payload to trigger the Free Spins round. This storytelling is reinforced by the Reactions feature, where winning symbols explode so new ones can tumble down like falling rock after a dynamite blast, allowing for consecutive wins from a single spin.

Graphics, Sounds and Vibes

Bonanza's hand-drawn mine design holds up well despite lacking modern 4K graphics. The visuals are clean and highly readable, which is essential for a grid that can hold up to 42 symbols at once. The conveyor belt reel moves smoothly, and the symbol explosions feel impactful. During free spins, the rising multiplier counter changes color and size on screen, which clearly builds tension during consecutive wins.

The soundtrack features a fast-paced banjo melody during the base game that shifts to a dramatic, high-energy track during free spins. Notably, the audio intensity increases alongside the win multiplier, matching the gameplay rhythm during longer bonus rounds.

Here’s what that top reviewer at CasinoTopsOnline thought about the sounds

In portrait mode, the six main reels and the top tracker stack cleanly without feeling cramped, and the symbols stay sharp and readable even when the grid fills to maximum capacity. The bet controls and spin button are easily accessible for one-handed play, and the free spins multiplier counter remains front and center.

For longer sessions, switching to landscape mode on a tablet gives the best, most spacious view of the action.

Bonanza Slot Bonus Features

The feature set in Bonanza is built around two mechanics that reinforce each other: Reactions and the Unlimited Multiplier Free Spins. Reactions power every spin in the base game. The Unlimited Multiplier is the reason players keep coming back. Together they create a slot with one clear purpose - building a multiplier high enough to produce a remarkable return.

Reactions (Cascading Wins)

After any win, the winning symbols are removed from the grid. New symbols fall from above to fill the empty positions. If the new symbols create another win, those also explode and more symbols fall. This chain can continue indefinitely within a single spin - in theory, a very long chain of Reactions from one paid spin is possible. In practice, chains of 3-5 Reactions in the base game are exciting and reasonably achievable. In free spins, Reactions are the mechanism that drives the multiplier upward.

Free Spins and Unlimited Multiplier

Land G, O, L, D on the horizontal top reel to trigger 12 free spins. The letters accumulate across spins in any order - all four must appear, but not on the same spin.

During free spins, the multiplier starts at 1x and increases by 1x with every Reaction. There is no cap. A sustained cascade chain can push it into the twenties, thirties, or beyond. That multiplier applies to every win in the sequence, not just the first.

Free spins can retrigger: landing GOLD again during the round adds 5 extra spins each time.

Wild Symbol

The dynamite wild substitutes for all regular paying symbols. It appears on reels 2, 3, 4, and 5 - not on reel 1 or the top reel. A wild in the middle of the grid on a high-Megaways spin can connect to hundreds of simultaneous win paths, making it one of the most impactful individual symbols in the game.

RTP and Volatility

The RTP is 96%, consistent across regulated UK casinos. Big Time Gaming has not published lower RTP variants for this title - what you see is what you get. High volatility means wins are skewed toward the bonus round, particularly toward free spins sessions where the multiplier can build to meaningful levels.

Bet Sizes and Variance

£0.20 to £5 per spin. Bonanza has no bonus purchase feature - free spins are earned through base game play by landing the GOLD letters on the top reel.

Jackpots and Best Wins

Bonanza has no jackpot system in the traditional sense. The maximum win of approximately 26,000x comes from extended free spins Reaction chains with the unlimited multiplier at high levels. This is not a guaranteed or progressive prize. It requires a long run of consecutive Reactions during free spins with the multiplier consistently climbing. Bonanza can produce enormous payouts, but short free spins sessions with minimal returns are just as common.

Bonus Frequency

The GOLD trigger system means free spins arrive approximately every 150-200 spins in standard play. The retrigger mechanic, adding 5 spins each time GOLD appears during the bonus round, can sustain a good session for a long run.

Testing the Bonanza Slot with a £50 Bankroll

Starting with a £50 bankroll at £0.50 per spin, the Megaways engine and cascade mechanic kept the base game engaging, highlighted by an early 3-reaction chain that returned £2.40. By spin 50, the balance had drifted down to £43 as the scatter symbols teased the bonus round.

On spin 57, the G-O-L-D scatters aligned to trigger the Free Spins feature. The turning point came on the eighth bonus spin, where an impressive 8-reaction chain pushed the progressive multiplier to 15x, delivering a £31.20 payout from that single sequence.

Bonanza Slot vs Similar Slot Games

Feature	Bonanza	Megaways Rock	Sweet Bonanza	Reactoonz
Provider	Big Time Gaming	Big Time Gaming	Pragmatic Play	Play'n GO
RTP	96%	96.50%	96.51%	96.51%
Volatility	High	High	High	High
Max Win	26,000x	50,000x	21,175x	4,570x
Grid	Megaways / up to 117,649 ways	Megaways	6x5 / Cluster Pays	7x7 / Cluster Pays
Key Mechanic	Unlimited Multiplier Free Spins	Unlimited Multiplier Free Spins	Cluster Pays + Tumbles	Quantum Features + Cluster
Theme	Gold Mine / Wild West	Rock Music	Candy / Fruit	Alien / Sci-Fi

Bonanza and Megaways Rock share the same core mechanic, both are BTG titles using Megaways with Reactions and an unlimited multiplier. Megaways Rock has a slightly higher RTP and max win but a more niche music theme. Sweet Bonanza uses similar cascade thinking in a completely different visual environment. The slot Reactoonz substitutes cluster pays for paylines and has a notably lower max win. For players who want the Megaways experience at its most iconic, Bonanza remains the first choice.