5 Lions Megaways is a Pragmatic Play slot released in June 2021 on a 6-reel Megaways grid, with high volatility and a maximum win of 5,000x the stake. The provider's game page gives a 96.50% RTP; UK operators list 94.50% at 7bet and 92.06% at Lottomart. Both operators take bets from £0.20 to £5. The official demo is free on the provider's site.
Its distinguishing feature is a decision: when the bonus triggers, you select one of seven free spins options, trading the number of spins against the size of the wild multipliers. This review explains that choice, the reels behind it, and the figures that change from one casino to the next.
Specification
The game is a high-volatility Megaways slot by Pragmatic Play with a 5,000x cap and a default return of 96.50%. Two figures vary by source: the return, which drops to 94.50% and 92.06% at the two UK operators we read, and the number of ways, given as 200,704 by Lottomart and 117,649 by 7bet.
| Specification | Published value |
|---|---|
| Provider | Pragmatic Play |
| Release date | June 2021 |
| Grid | 6-reel grid, up to 7 symbols on the outer two reels and up to 8 on the middle four |
| Ways to win | 200,704 (Lottomart) or 117,649 (7bet) |
| RTP, provider's page | 96.50% |
| RTP at 7bet | 94.50% |
| RTP at Lottomart | 92.06% |
| Volatility | High |
| Maximum win | 5,000x the stake |
| Bet range at 7bet and Lottomart | £0.20 to £5 |
| Buy Bonus at 7bet | Not available |
How the reels work
A win needs 3 or more matching symbols on adjacent reels, starting from the leftmost. There are no paylines to follow: the number of symbols on each reel changes from spin to spin, and with it the number of ways. Unlike many Megaways games, this one doesn't have an extra horizontal reel above or below the grid. The Megaways engine is used on licence from Big Time Gaming.
After any win the tumble feature takes over: symbols that form winning combinations disappear from the reels, others drop into their place, and the tumbles continue until no new wins are formed. The game has 12 unique symbols - ten regular ones, from the 10 - A playing card symbols up to the Dragon, which is the highest paying at 25x the total bet for 6-of-a-kind - plus the wild and the scatter.
The gold lion wild and its multiplier
The gold lion Wild symbol appears on reels 2, 3, 4 and 5 and substitutes for the paying symbols. It doesn't have its own value, so a wild only matters as part of a winning combination. When it is, base game wilds come attached with multipliers of 1x-40x, assigned at random. A 1x multiplier changes nothing, which is worth remembering when the range is quoted by its top end.
5 Lions Megaways free spins: choosing one of seven options
Three or more bonus symbols anywhere on the grid trigger the feature; the scatter is a yin-yang symbol. The scatters pay as well - 3 of them pay 3x the stake, and 6 pay 100x the stake. Then the game asks you to choose. Every option pairs a number of free spins with a set of three possible wild multipliers, and whenever a wild takes part in a win during the round it takes one of those three values.
| Free spins | Wild multipliers |
|---|---|
| 25 | 2x, 3x or 5x |
| 20 | 3x, 5x or 8x |
| 15 | 5x, 8x or 10x |
| 13 | 8x, 10x or 15x |
| 10 | 10x, 15x or 30x |
| 6 | 15x, 30x or 40x |
| Mystery option | A mystery number of free spins and multiplier range |
The options differ in how results are spread, not in how much the game returns: the RTP remains the same no matter which one is picked, as does the maximum win. Fewer spins with larger multipliers means more rounds that pay little and fewer that pay a lot; more spins with smaller multipliers is the steadier arrangement. Neither is the better bet. If the round is retriggered by 3 or more bonus symbols, you get the same number of spins as initially chosen.
Opens the official demo on an external site. No deposit, no sign-up with us. www.pragmaticplay.com
5 Lions Megaways RTP and volatility
Three figures are published: 96.50% on the provider's game page, 94.50% at 7bet and 92.06% at Lottomart. A provider can supply one game in several return configurations, and each operator chooses which to run, so all three can be accurate at once. For a player the practical step is the same everywhere: open the game's information screen at the casino you use and read the figure there.
RTP is a long-run average and high volatility a description of how unevenly that average is delivered; neither predicts a session. In a high-volatility game most spins return less than the stake and a small share of bonus rounds account for much of the long-run return. The 5,000x figure is the limit the rules allow. Every spin is random and independent, and no stake, option or timing alters that.
Ante Bet and the bonus purchase
The Ante Bet lets you increase your bet by 25% in order to double the chance of landing scatter symbols. It makes the bonus round arrive more often at a higher cost per spin; it does not change what the round pays. A bonus purchase is a different matter for British players: 7bet lists Buy Bonus as not available.
The 5 Lions series
5 Lions Megaways is the fourth instalment in the series, after the original, a Gold version and a Dance version. The titles share artwork and the choose-your-bonus idea, which is exactly why they are easy to confuse. Figures on this page describe the Megaways game only; 5 Lions Gold and 5 Lions Dance have their own paytables and their own returns.
What we like
- The bonus choice is laid out openly: spins and multipliers for every option are shown before you pick
- RTP and maximum win stay the same whichever option is chosen
- The provider publishes the default RTP on its own game page
- Official free demo lets you try each option without staking anything
What to keep in mind
- UK operators list 94.50% and 92.06% against a 96.50% default
- Sources disagree on the number of ways: 200,704 or 117,649
- High volatility: long losing runs are part of the design
- Buy Bonus is not available at 7bet
Who it suits
The game will appeal to players who like having a decision to make and who understand that the decision changes the shape of a round, not the odds of the game. It is a poor match for anyone looking for frequent small returns, or for anyone inclined to pick the 40x option to recover earlier losses. Use the demo to see how the options behave, fix a budget before playing for money, and treat the spend as the price of entertainment.
Verdict
5 Lions Megaways rates well on our methodology. It publishes its default return, offers a free demo and explains its one complicated feature more honestly than most: the options are listed, and the return does not depend on the pick. It loses marks because the figure a British player actually meets can sit well below the default, and because basic facts such as the number of ways are reported differently by different sources. Our rating is an opinion about how clearly the game presents itself, not about what it will pay.
Variance simulator
Simplified model based on the published RTP and volatility, not the game's real math. For learning only — results are random and prove nothing about future sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Who made 5 Lions Megaways?
Pragmatic Play, using the Megaways engine on licence from Big Time Gaming. The game was released in June 2021.
What is the RTP of 5 Lions Megaways?
The provider's page lists 96.50%. 7bet lists 94.50% and Lottomart 92.06%. The game's information screen at your casino shows which configuration is running.
Is there a 5 Lions Megaways demo?
Yes. Pragmatic Play hosts the official demo on its game page; it is free and opens after an age confirmation.
What is the 5 Lions Megaways max win?
5,000x the stake. It is the ceiling set by the rules and it is the same for every free spins option.
Which free spins option is best?
None. The RTP remains the same no matter which one is picked. The options only change how results are spread between many smaller rounds and a few larger ones.
Can I play 5 Lions Megaways on mobile?
Yes. Lottomart describes the game as playable on multiple devices, including desktops or smartphones.
