In 2006, a then very little-known, though long-existing on the market company Microgaming released a video game Mega Moolah, a slot for online casinos. Of course, the company has put efforts into its product, but no one expected such a resounding success.
Nothing seemed to be going on until one day in May 2009, Mega Moolah paid out a jackpot of $6,374,434 setting a world record listed in the Guinness Book. Of course, after such an event there was a huge wave of attention and discussion surrounding the slot. Everyone wanted to be the next happy winner of a fortune. And there were such people, though not very often.
The next time the slot hit big was October 2015, giving the British soldier a "money cheat code" worth £13,209,300. With such crazy winnings, the slot does not even need any advertising, the prizes speak for themselves.
Mega Moolah is a progressive video slot that takes players on a journey through the African savannas, meeting the local inhabitants, the animals along the way. And most of all you want to meet the King of Beasts, the lion. It is a local wildcard, promising huge winnings.
Gameplay
There's nothing better than the classics. Three rows of five reels. 25 adjustable paylines. Symbols from 10 cards to Ace and a number of symbols with animal images, each with its own value. For example, a row of elephants will bring you 30x your bet, and a row of lions, the most valuable symbols - 600x.
Bets are varied from 1 cent to €6.25 per game. Bets can be changed by buttons +/- 0.01-0.05. For convenience, the Expert controls have the maximum bet button and autoplay, allowing you to not be distracted by pressing and playing non-stop with the current bet.
Features
Of course, today no one is amazed by the presence of wilds, scatters, free spins, and bonus games in the slot. But we do not need to surprise anyone. Our goal is to explain this slot in detail.
So in Mega Moolah, there is one wild, the lion. It complements any winning combination and doubles its reward. For example, a row of 4 zebras and one lion will be considered a payline of 5 zebras.
The fortune teller monkey or shaman is the local scatter. Three in a row of scatters will activate 15 free spins. Of course, this also works during the free spins and in the bonus game. Notably, the free spins not only don't cost a penny but also provide triple rewards.
Now all these nuances and features seem to be a given, but at that time they were unprecedented conveniences and innovations.
Bonuses offered
We have already covered the wilds and scatters, which are not themselves bonus games, but special symbols. Scatters are the ones that trigger the bonus game, free spins with an increased multiplier.
Among other things, a bonus jackpot wheel can appear during the game. It is noteworthy that it appears even if you lose a round. This roulette game allows players to test their luck and win the craving jackpot by placing their name on the board of record winnings in the slots.
RTP
RTP is the ratio of players' average winnings to their average losses. This value will always be below 1, i.e. below 100%, but the higher it is, the better for the players.
So in Mega Moolah, it is very low by modern standards, only 88.12%, despite the various bonuses and special symbols. It so happens that the progressive slots of that era did not shine with high RTP.
This is why the slot cannot be recommended to beginners who do not expect to spend a lot of money. Play Mega Moolah only if you are determined to hit the jackpot and are willing to spend a lot of money and time in order to achieve your goal.
Volatility
Surprisingly, the volatility of the slot is quite low, even though it is a progressive slot with huge jackpots. This kind of games is usually known for its high volatility.
But here everything is just the opposite. You can get winning combinations quite often. The other thing is that because of the low RTP you are unlikely to be in the black. So if you are a beginner and want to play just for fun, without expecting to make money, this game is quite suitable for you.
Graphics
In 2023, it would be unfair to the readers to say that the graphics in this game are great. After all, a full 16 years have passed since its release. It won't be long before it can be legally played by people of its age. However, the slot looks quite good, you can't pick on the style and design.
In other words, if you consider the year of the slot's creation, then the visual component of the slot can easily be highly appreciated. But still, we don't live in 2006.
Payouts
As with any progressive slot, in order to make money on the Mega Moolah you need to aim for the jackpot. Yes, any combination of symbols gives rewards, but there is a big gap between them.
All card symbols give insignificant multipliers, and among the animals, which are valued above cards, more or less decent rewards are only given by a giraffe, a bull, and an elephant. And, of course, the lion stands out, a row of five of these symbols may even compete with the jackpot.
The jackpots themselves are Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega. The first two are a nice little bonus. The Major is a substantial prize, which can pay back all your time playing this slot. The Mega Jackpot is your ticket to paradise.
Verdict
In conclusion, we can only say that Mega Moolah is the most worthy project of its time. It is a casino game, which has lived to this day and has not lost its popularity.
It is suitable for those who like to play for fun, and high-rollers chasing huge jackpots. It should be avoided only by beginners and those who are looking for stable income on the slots.