- Best Progressive Network to Date
- $1 Million Seed Level for Jackpot
- Most Popular Microgaming Slot of All Time
- Old-School Graphics & Design
Online casinos wouldn’t be where they are today if it wasn’t for Microgaming’s Mega Moolah slots. The game was launched in 2006, right at the beginning of the iGaming industry. Since then, Mega Moolah has proved that online slot machines can pay equally lucrative amounts like land-based slots in Vegas and Macau.
Holding the World Guinness Jackpot Network for its £13 million payout on a Betway casino, we can safely say that Mega Moolah is the most renowned slot to date. Still, since 2006 Microgaming has put a lot of work into this slot, which we will thoroughly explore in this review.
Return to Player Rate (RTP) | 88.12% |
Volatility | MED |
Gameplay | 5 reels, 3 rows and 25 paylines |
Bet Levels | 5 – 125 coins / $0.25 – $6.25 |
Bonus Features | Free Spins, Wild Multipliers, Multipliers, 4x Progressive Jackpots, Additional Free Spins |
Maximum Win | $3,750 (Base Game), $11,250 (Free Spins), $1 million + (Progressive Jackpot) |
Software Provider | Microgaming, 28.11.2006 |
Theme | Nature, Animals, Lions. |
Usability | Smartphones, Tablets, Desktop PCs. |
Demo Play Available? | No |
Related Games | Mega Moolah Absolutely Mad, Atlantean Treasures Mega Moolah, Mega Vault, Mega Moolah Juicy Joker, Mega Moolah ISIS, Mega Vault Millionaire, Summertime Mega Moolah. |
Game Features | Coins Control, Paylines Control, Max Bet, Autoplay, Quick Spin. |
Theme & Graphics in Mega Moolah Slot Machine
Mega Moolah is the first African-themed slot, carrying 10 – A low paying symbols and a range of animals as high paying symbols. All symbols are in a basic 2D format, which is normal when considering that Mega Moolah slot was released in 28.11.2006.
The background is a basic forest, with the overall game grid and picturesque establishing the feeling of an actual safari. In terms of sound effects, Mega Moolah is pretty basic too, although this is something that most players enjoy. Too high-peak sounds or repetitive sound effects tend to disturb the chilling effect that players usually look in a slot game.
Overall, Mega Moolah is not the best looking slot when compared to newer releases. Nonetheless, we should give it the credit it deserves, as it is one of initial slots to popularize the animal theme niche.
How to Play Mega Moolah Progressive Jackpot Slot
Since progressive jackpot slots, like Mega Moolah, cannot be played for free or in demo mode, it is important to have a grasp of the gameplay before wagering real money:
- Bet levels can be adjusted using the two coin areas, with a minimum of $0.25 to $6.25 per spin. The max bet can only be formulated if all 25 paylines are activated.
- Autoplay and Autospin game controls will help you play Mega Moolah without manually performing the above actions.
- Spinning the reels will set all slots in motion for a three second period, resulting in a random shuffle that will determine whether you won or lost.
Most symbols in Mega Moolah (excluding the Buffalo, Lion, Elephant and the Monkey) pay for a minimum of three on an active payline starting from the leftmost reel. The outcome will differ according to the symbols matched on each active payline. Below, you can see the values that you will be awarded for matching 2, 3, 4 or 5 identical symbols, with the Lion offering a 15,000 coins jackpot during the base game.
10 | – | 2 | 10 | 40 |
J | – | 3 | 15 | 60 |
Q | – | 4 | 20 | 75 |
K | – | 6 | 30 | 100 |
A | – | 8 | 40 | 150 |
Antilope | – | 10 | 50 | 250 |
Zebra | – | 20 | 100 | 400 |
Giraffe | – | 30 | 125 | 500 |
Buffalo | 4 | 40 | 150 | 600 |
Elephant | 6 | 50 | 250 | 750 |
Lion (Wild) | 12 | 125 | 1500 | 15000 |
Monkey (Scatter) | 2 | 3 | 20 | 100 |
Mega Moolah Free Spins & Bonus Features
If you consider Mega Moolah pretty standard, you should know that this is the game that established the standard 5×3 reels gameplay and 25 paylines -which is still so prevalent. Same is true for the free spins round of the game, but first we must touch upon the role of the Lion symbol.
As with most slot machines, wild symbols substitute all other symbols to help formulate winning combinations. This is exactly what the Mega Moolah Wild lion does, except when it comes to the scatter, plus multiplying all wins by 2x.
Free Spins
The Monkey scatter symbols pay indifferently to where they land on the game grid, as long as a minimum of two appear simultaneously. Landing three to five scatters will reward you 15 free games, during which all wins are tripled.
Jackpot Wheel
Despite the lucrative effect that the above Mega Moolah bonuses can have, nothing compared to the game’s jackpot wheel. It can be triggered during any spin at random, indifferently to the bet level – as the game is RNG based. Nonetheless, the more spins and the higher your bet, the more likely it is to trigger the jackpot bonus.
When this happens, players will move to a bonus screen, whereby a huge Wheel can be viewed. On the wheel, there are multiple segments, each displaying one of the below:
- Mini Jackpot – $10
- Minor Jackpot – $100
- Major Jackpot – $10,000
- Mega Jackpot – $1,000,000
Obviously, more segments are dedicated to the first two prizes, 3 segments on the Major and just 1 segment on the Mega. The above figures illustrate the seed prizes of the Mega Moolah jackpot wheel, which constantly increase until they are won. Then, they start from the above amounts and progressively increase by a small percentage of all bets placed on the Mega Moolah Jackpot Network.
Latest Winners from the Mega Moolah Progressive Jackpot Network
In the past 15 years, Mega Moolah has paid over $100 million to lucky punters, just through the Mega Jackpot. Below, you can view the winners during the past two years.
CA$16,496,347 | Jackpot City Casino | 05/04/2020 |
NZ$13,615.861 | River Belle | 08/05/2020 |
CA$9,959,553 | Jackpit City Casino | 24/05/2020 |
CA$4,480,847 | Casino Rewards | 27/05/2020 |
€14,239,532 | Lucky Casino | 16/08/2020 |
CA$4,026,837 | Network Wide | 06/09/2020 |
NZ$3,075,080 | Network Wide | 19/09/2020 |
NZ$6,017,395 | Network Wide | 29/10/2020 |
NZ$6,720,526 | Network Wide | 06/12/2020 |
€19,430,723 | Absolutely Mad | 27/04/2021 |
€6,597,136 | Network Wide | 04/06/2021 |
€7,230,834 | Network Wide | 06/08/2021 |
As you could guess, Mega Moolah is the progressive slot that pays most often than any other such game, and just this year the Guinness World Record will move to the Absolutely Mad sequel of the original. If you are wondering how often players win the top prize, we calculated at an average of one month.
Overview of Mega Moolah Slots: RTP, Payouts & Progressive Jackpot Contribution
If you are familiar with slot machines terminology, it is likely that you have noticed the low RTP of Mega Moolah, at 88.12%. Other slots tend to carry an RTP of 96% on average. Nonetheless, it is paramount that you understand how the progressive jackpot slots operate, so that you comprehend the true value of this slot.
So that all progressive pots continually increase, a small contribution of each real money bet on Mega Moolah is added to the prize pool, rather returned during a single session. For Mega Moolah slot that contribution is 8.88%, which illustrates that Mega Moolah has a 97% RTP when counting in the progressive contribution level.
Similarly, the game is rated as a medium volatility one, which means that it pays average prizes on standard frequencies. But when you count in the Mega jackpot payouts that come at about once a month, Mega Moolah is a very volatility slot game. The good news is that the 47% hit rate apparent in the base game is likely to keep your balance at good levels.
All the above are not standard, however, but approximations based on all data that we have on the Mega Moolah slot. Similarly to the original, Microgaming has released 6 more slot machines that can all reward the same progressive pots. If you are looking for different gameplay, graphics or theme – Microgaming’s Mega Moolah network does not disappoint.
Mega Moolah Network | RTP | Gameplay | Maximum Win | Bonus Features |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mega Moolah Absolutely Mad | 92.02% | 5×3 reels, 243 ways to win | 2,343x / Progressive | Rolling Reels, Multipliers, Free Spins, Jackpots, Wild Symbols |
Atlantean Treasures Mega Moolah | 92.08% | 5×3 reels, 10 paylines | 500x / Progressive | Wilds, Expanding Wilds, Win Both Ways, Respins, Jackpots |
Mega Vault Millionaire | 88.12% | 5×3 reels, 25 paylines | 600x / Progressive | Wilds, Multiplier, Free Spins, Jackpots |
Mega Moolah Summertime | 96.48% | 5×3 reels, 9 paylines | 10,000x / Progressive | Multipliers, Wilds, Jackpots, Gamble, Free Spins |
Mega Moolah 5 Reel Drive | 88.12% | 5×3 reels, 15 paylines | 10,000x / Progressive | Wilds, Free Spins, Multipliers, Jackpots |
Mega Moolah ISIS | 88.12% | 5×3 reels, 25 paylines | 10,000x / Progressive | Wild, Multiplier, Gamble, Free Spins, Jackpots |
Mega Moolah Juicy Joker | 92.03% | 5×3 reels, 20 paylines | 5,000x / Progressive | Wilds, Sticky Wilds, Jackpots, Respins, Free Spins |
Best Mega Moolah Casinos
To play Mega Moolah, or any of its sequels, you will first need to sign up to play on a Microgaming casino site. This provider is one of the most famous in the world, so you will not struggle to find one. The recommended Microgaming casinos from Pokies Bet include:
And a bunch of other casinos featured on our homepage. If you decide to find your own Microgaming casino, always check the site for a license, tested games in terms of RTP, safe payment methods and of course, bonuses for Microgaming slots!
Microgaming Slots Software Overview
Microgaming is no joke. The company launched the first online casino in the world, as early as 1994. On top of that, it was the first iGaming operator that launched a mobile casino site, back in 2004. With a progressive jackpot network that has paid over 1 billion in prizes, the popularity of its titles is unquestionable. As a parent company, Microgaming has launched a bunch of studios that developer games for online casinos too:
- Triple Edge
- Stormcraft
- All41Studios
- SlingShot
- Fortune Factory
- Switch
- Pulse 8
- Gameburger
- Aurum
- Alchemy
- Neon Valley
- BuckStakes Entertainment
Their games are tested in terms of RNG by eCogra and are available on most European countries and some casinos that operate in different areas, such as Australia. Their slots tend to follow 243 ways or 5×3 and classic paylines formats, often featuring free spins, 95 – 97% RTPs and medium variance. Their different jackpot networks include:
- Mega Moolah Network – Record Jackpot 19 million euroes.
- WOWPOT! Network – 17 million euros record; includes titles such as Wheel of Wishes, Book of Atem, Sisters Oz, African Legends, Queen of Alexandria, and Sherlock & Moriarty.
Other popular slots of the provider include Immortal Romance, Thunderstruck 2, Game of Thrones and 800 more!
Last Thoughts on Mega Moolah Games
Although the original Mega Moolah slot game might be a bit dated, it cannot be rivalled by any other slot in terms of payouts. The game has only been surpassed by its Absolutely Mad sequel in terms of record win, but it remains a cult-classic for a reason.
As you must have read, the RTP and Volatility that sites report in regards to Mega Moolah are not as they seem. The bonus features are not spectacular but not insignificant either. We suggest that you try Mega Moolah in one of our suggested casinos and hope for the random Jackpot Wheel!
FAQs
Yes, Mega Moolah is the product of Microgaming, a company that offers all its games for independent audits in terms of RTP and players’ safety.
Yes, Mega Moolah progressive jackpot pays out on a monthly basis its Mega jackpot, while the rest pots are often paying out daily.
Mega Moolah is the original slot game of the progressive jackpot network under the same name, holding the Guinness World Record for Jackpot payouts to date.
During the base game, players can expect to win prizes in ½ spins. The bonus featured are triggered on an average of 100 rounds for the free spins and the jackpot wheel every 300 spins on average.
To win big on Mega Moolah slot, you must get lucky enough to trigger the Jackpot Wheel bonus. There, ¾ prizes are very lucrative, while a win is guaranteed.
Mega Moolah slot is available on all Microgaming casinos featured on Pokies Bet.
The Mega Moolah jackpot is triggered at random during any spin, although it is triggered more often for higher bets.
Mega Moolah is available mainly in Europe, but players from Australia can also play the slot on Microgaming casinos that operate with a Curacao license.
Yes, landing 3 – 5 monkey scatters will reward players 15 free spins. During this bonus, players’ wins are multiplied by 3.
- About the Author
- Affiliate Disclosure
Michael has reviewed and verified all information on this page. Having worked in the iGaming industry for over 8 years, he is the most capable person to help you navigate online casinos, pokies, and the Australian gambling landscape.