General information about Big Bass Bonanza Megaways
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways is a Pragmatic Play slot published on the provider’s website on November 3, 2021. It transfers the classic fish collection mechanic to the Megaways format.
The game runs on six reels of variable height: up to seven symbols per reel. The number of ways to win changes with every spin. The RTP is 96.72%, and there are no other modes: no Ante Bet and no Bonus Buy. Bets range from $0.20 to $240 per spin.
The max win is capped at 4,000x the bet. According to the provider, the max win occurs about once in 1.3 million spins. That is relatively frequent for the series, but the model is highly volatile.
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release date | November 3, 2021 (date the game was published on the provider’s website) |
| Grid | 6 reels of variable height, up to 7 symbols per reel (Megaways) |
| Game type | Megaways slot with free spins and money fish collection |
| Pay mechanic | Megaways: the number of ways to win changes every spin |
| RTP | 96.72% (base game). A casino may use a version with a different RTP — check the game’s info screen |
| Volatility | High (the provider does not publish a scale on its website; the max win and its frequency point to it) |
| Max win | 4,000x the bet; probability according to the provider — 1 in 1.3 million spins |
| Min/Max bet | $0.20 – $240 per spin (demo server; casino limits depend on the jurisdiction) |
| Free spins | 10, 15, 20 or 25 for 3, 4, 5 or 6 Scatters; +10 for every 4th fisherman |
| Multipliers | 2x, 3x and 10x at the retrigger levels |
| Bonus Buy | No |
| Ante Bet | No |
| Demo version | Yes, free on this page |
| Mobile/desktop version | Yes: HTML5, smartphones, tablets and desktop |
| Bonus mechanics | The fisherman collects money fish, levels with multipliers |
| Jackpot | None |
| License | Depends on the operator’s jurisdiction |
Symbols and payouts
In Megaways, payouts are awarded for 2–6 matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right. That is why the multipliers here are lower than in the classic games, but combinations occur more often. The top symbol gives 50x the bet for six and pays already for two.
On a line, the money fish pays like a regular symbol, and in free spins it carries a value to be collected.
Payouts are shown as a multiple of the total stake.
| Symbol | 6× | 5× | 4× | 3× | 2× | Role in the game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Premium Symbol I
|
50x | 25x | 10x | 5x | 2x | The highest-paying symbol in the game. |
Premium Symbol II
|
7,5x | 2,5x | 2x | 1x | — | |
Premium Symbol III
|
2x | 1,5x | 1x | 0,25x | — | |
Premium Symbol IV
|
2x | 0,75x | 0,5x | 0,25x | — | |
Money Symbol Money
|
1,75x | 0,6x | 0,4x | 0,2x | — | A fish with a money value of up to 4,000x the bet. On a line it pays like a regular symbol. |
Low Symbol I
|
1,75x | 0,6x | 0,4x | 0,2x | — | |
Low Symbol II
|
1x | 0,6x | 0,25x | 0,2x | — | |
Low Symbol III
|
1x | 0,5x | 0,25x | 0,15x | — | |
Low Symbol IV
|
0,9x | 0,5x | 0,25x | 0,15x | — | |
Low Symbol V
|
0,8x | 0,4x | 0,2x | 0,1x | — | |
Wild (Fisherman) Wild
|
— | — | — | — | — | In free spins, the fisherman collects the values of all money fish if he lands together with them. |
Scatter Scatter
|
— | — | — | — | — | 3, 4, 5 or 6 Scatters award 10, 15, 20 or 25 free spins. |
Bonus features and mechanics
Triggering free spins
Three, four, five or six Scatters award 10, 15, 20 or 25 free spins. The sixth reel gives an extra chance of a long bonus. The bonus cannot be bought.
Fish collection
When the fisherman lands together with money fish, he collects all their values. Values go up to 4,000x the bet, meaning a single collection could theoretically use up the cap.
Levels and multipliers
Every fourth fisherman adds 10 free spins and raises the multiplier: 2x on the first retrigger, 3x on the second and 10x on the third.
The variable reel height in the bonus means the number of fish on the screen is different every time, and the potential of each collection changes with it.
Pros and cons
A brief summary of the advantages and drawbacks.
Pros
- The 96.72% RTP is the highest among the series games on the site
- Up to 25 free spins for 6 Scatters
- Money fish of up to 4,000x the bet
- A relatively frequent max win for the series (about 1 in 1.3 million spins)
Cons
- No Bonus Buy and no Ante Bet
- 4,000x cap
- The minimum bet of $0.20 is higher than the usual $0.10
Hands-on testing in demo mode
In the demo, the base game feels livelier than in the classic games: the variable reel height and payouts for two of a kind give more frequent small wins.
Free spins behave classically: the outcome depends on fishermen and fish coinciding. The varying number of symbols on the reels makes collections unpredictable: tall reels hold more fish, short ones fewer.
The spread matches high volatility, but the drawdowns between bonuses are softer than in the original.
Verdict and rating
Big Bass Bonanza Megaways is a successful combination of classic fish collection with the Megaways format. The 96.72% RTP and a relatively frequent max win make the game attractive in terms of maths.
Beginners may need a few dozen spins to get used to the Megaways mechanic. For long sessions with a micro bankroll, the game works well thanks to more frequent small wins. High rollers may miss a Bonus Buy and a higher ceiling.
Editorial rating: 7.8 out of 10.
Rating methodology
The rating is made up of several independent criteria; we check each of them against official data and in the demo version.
- Mathematical model (30%) — RTP of the base game and extra modes, the max win and its frequency according to the provider, the bet range.
- Bonus features (30%) — how free spins are triggered, how meaningful the multipliers, modifiers and retriggers are.
- Session balance (20%) — how often small wins occur in the base game and how far the bankroll stretches between bonuses.
- Usability (10%) — readability of the grid, demo loading speed, controls on a smartphone.
- Transparency (10%) — whether the rules, paytable and RTP information are available right in the game.
Official sources
| Source | Type of information | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Pragmatic Play — game page | Description of mechanics, RTP | https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/games/big-bass-bonanza-megaways/ |
| Pragmatic Play — official demo server | Game configuration: RTP of modes, max win, paytable, bets | https://demogamesfree.pragmaticplay.net/gs2c/openGame.do?gameSymbol=vswaysbbb&jurisdiction=99&lang=uk&cur=USD |
| Pragmatic Play — game catalog | List of the provider’s games | https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/games/ |
| Game rules (info screen in the slot) | Full rules, paytable, RTP of the specific version | – |
