Released by Microgaming in 2006, Mega Moolah is one of the world’s most celebrated online slot games. It is most noted for its four-tiered progressive jackpot, with the biggest, the Mega Jackpot, offering a minimum payout of £1,000,000. Some of the best online casinos for playing Mega Moolah include Dunder, 32Red and the Grand Ivy, as well as those other casinos highlighted on the table above.
Gameplay & Rules
Mega Moolah is a very versatile 5-reel, 25-payline slot. It offers multiple ways of winning during the base game, as well as ‘free’ spins and the progressive jackpot bonus game. Compared to the hi-tech visuals in modern slots today, Mega Moolah looks a bit dated. However, its popularity has remained strong even in the face of the most modern video slot. The game’s theme is one of jungle animals, with the symbols animations of lions, giraffes, zebras etc. Other symbols are the online slot standard 10, J, Q, K and A. There is a certain ‘vintage’ feel to the slot, reminiscent of the classic fruit machines of Las Vegas.
The slot is a standard five-reel, three-row display, with paylines running from left to right across the reels.
In terms of game play, the breakdown is as follows:
- You can activate between 1-25 paylines.
- You can choose between 1-5 coins to bet on each payline.
- The coin value can be adjusted between 1p-5p.
Those parameters mean you can play Mega Moolah from as little as 1p per spin at UK online casinos. The maximum bet (5p x 5 coins x 25 paylines) is £6.25. Don’t forget, a higher bet will increase your chances of winning a progressive jackpot (more on that below).
Mega Moolah Free Spins & Symbol Wins
Payouts for the Mega Moolah base game are wide ranging. For example, the lowest payout for three 10s on a payline will pay just 2x the line bet (coin value x number of coins). So, if you were betting 5p on the payline, you would win 10p for this combination. However, once you move up to the higher symbols, the payouts can be much more lucrative. Just four Elephant Symbols on a payline, for example, would pay 250 x line bet, which amounts to £25 in for a 5p line bet. The maximum payout on a single payline is for five Lion Symbols, which pays a massive 15000 x the line bet (£750 using the 5p example above).
It is perfectly possible that you can win on multiple paylines in a single spin. Only the highest possible payout is awarded on each payline however.
Wild Symbol
The Lion Symbol acts as a wild symbol, meaning it will substitute for all other symbols (except Scatter, see below) to form the best possible winning combination on a payline. When the Lion Symbol substitutes, it will also double the payout for any winning combination.
Additionally, hitting five Lions will net you the game’s biggest base jackpot of 15,000 coins. Sure, it’s not £1 million-plus, but it’s a pretty generous jackpot for the base game.
Scatter Symbol
The Monkey Symbol acts as a scatter symbol. This means it does not need to fall on paylines to be active in the game. You will receive a payout award if two or more Monkey Symbols fall on the reels in any position. The paytable award for scatter wins is multiplied by the total bet.
Free Spins
If three or more Monkey Symbols fall on the reels, you will be awarded 15 ‘Free’ Spins. All winnigs during the ‘free’ round are tripled, which makes for potential x6 payouts when a Wild Lion Symbol is involved during the Free Spins round. ‘Free’ Spins can be retriggered an unlimited number of times during the feature.
Mega Moolah Jackpot
Graphics And Sound
As we already mentioned, the slot has a vintage, stripped back feel. Its excitement is based around big wins, rather than flashy extras.
The main theme when you play Mega Moolah slot is Africa and the creatures who live there. The entire game is made in this style, with African animals appearing as symbols and background noises simulating the sounds of the savannah in a quite minimalistic way. The overall feel of the game is very cartoonish.
While the game doesn’t feature terribly advanced graphics, it is made to a fairly high standard and the symbols are well drawn, which is consistent with other Microgaming slots that tend not to feature any extra fancy graphics. One thing that is sure is that the audiovisual feel of the game is very enjoyable and you won’t regret investing a few quid in this experience.
The game is also available in various other themes, including the Ancient Egypt-themed Mega Moolah Isis.
Mobile And Software
Because of the simplicity of the game, Mega Moolah is a perfect partner for mobile casinos and none of the excitement is lost when you play Mega Moolah on mobile. Its creator, Microgaming, is one of the world leaders in mobile online casino play, so you will find that it is easy to play through an app or simply through the mobile site of one of the recommended casino brands above. Other top Microgaming slots, many of which you will find at the recommended casinos, include: Immortal Romance, The Finer Reels in Life and Pistoleras.
Microgaming, buoyed by the success of Mega Moolah, decided to release a companion slot in 2013 called Mega Moolah Isis. The game has a very similar feel in terms of graphics and software, also becoming a big hit for mobile players. The theme is, of course, different, focusing on ancient Egyptian symbols and characters. However, the most important aspect for players is that the four progressive jackpots are also available to win with Mega Moolah Isis. Indeed, players regularly flip between the two slots if they feel they have exhausted the wins on one title. You will find Mega Moolah Isis in all the online casinos offering the original Mega Moolah.
How To Play/Game Tips
The game is very simple to play, just spin the reels and the Mega Moolah slot will do the rest. You will be prompted to launch and continue ‘free’ spins when applicable. There is no auto play feature available for the slot, but Mega Moolah suits playing spin by spin, as its vintage feel hearkens back to the ‘one armed bandit’ slots of old.
In terms of tips, the main judgement you must make is whether or not you are aiming for the big jackpots. If so, it is recommended that you play with as high a bet as possible to maximize your chances. If not, then you can still win plenty of nice payouts when playing for a low bet, though for most players, the sweet spot is probably somewhere around 25 activated paylines. Indeed, anecdotal evidence from review sites suggests that plenty of players have triggered the Mega Moolah Jackpot Game frequently when playing for the lowest bet (with all 25 paylines activated). The fact that low stakes players can – and have – win the jackpot with a low stakes bet is often cited as one of the main reasons for Mega Moolah’s longevity.
The Final Word
In the age of blockbuster casino games, Mega Moolah will not win any awards for style. However, Mega Moolah slot is probably one of the three most popular video slots out there, and for good reason. The game features an interesting and distinct audio-visual identity and offers plenty of chances for solid wins along with the massive, life-changing jackpot that has made so many new millionaires. Mega Moolah is all about substance, mainly the chance of big wins regardless of your wagering level.
Check out the Mega Moolah casinos on the recommended list, get your bonus and see if you could join the list of millionaires created by this all-time classic.