Each game in the series quotes a different ways-to-win number, and the figures can look confusing side by side. This explainer is dated 29 April 2021, when the largest of them, 200,704, was announced, and it relies only on the provider's releases and game pages. We avoid calculations the sources do not make.
What a ways format means
In a ways game there are no fixed paylines. A win is formed by matching symbols on neighbouring reels, and the count of ways reflects how many symbol positions can take part. The more positions per reel, the larger the number of possible routes to a payout.
The three figures
- Buffalo King (9 January 2020): 4,096 ways. The release describes a 4x6 slot, while the game page says 6x4, which is the same grid named in the other order. Stacked buffalo symbols fill reel positions and raise the potential of a spin.
- Buffalo King Megaways (29 April 2021): 200,704 ways on an 8x6 layout, with cascades that remove winning symbols so more symbols can drop in.
- Buffalo King Untamed Megaways (20 June 2024): up to 86,436 ways on a 6x7 grid. A modifier can guarantee at least 10,000 ways or deliver the full 86,436.
Fixed against variable
The first game offers a fixed count. The two Megaways titles use the variable mechanic, so the number printed in the headline is the most the grid can show on any single spin. The sources do not publish how often the maximum appears, and we do not state it. It is also worth noting that the largest figure belongs to the 2021 game, while the newest title has a smaller ceiling and relies on modifiers and growing multipliers for its excitement.
Why it matters for a player
A bigger ways number does not mean a bigger return. The published RTP values are 96.06%, 96.52% and 96.02%, all long-run averages, and the format only changes how wins are distributed over time. A game with many ways can pay more often on small combinations but lean on multipliers for large results; the pages give no frequency data, so judge it in the free demo. Set a limit before playing. Specifications are on the original, Megaways and Untamed Megaways pages.