Mega Moolah is Microgaming’s African safari slot from November 2006, and it is the best known progressive jackpot slot in the UK. It has 5 reels, 25 fixed paylines, a doubling wild and free spins with a 3x multiplier, but the real draw is a wheel that can drop in at random and award one of four progressive jackpots.
The base game is low volatility and the stated RTP is low for a modern slot, because part of every stake feeds the jackpots. This review explains how the RTP is reported, the jackpot structure, what a normal maximum win looks like in pounds at UK stakes, an independently reported hit frequency, and where sources disagree.
Mega Moolah at a glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Provider | Microgaming (now Games Global) |
| Released | 30 November 2006 (OLBG) |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3 rows, 25 fixed paylines, wins pay left to right |
| RTP | 93.42% including jackpots (OLBG) or 88.12% (Casinomeister) |
| Volatility | Low (OLBG and Casinomeister) |
| Max win | 1,955x stake on the base game and free spins, plus four progressive jackpots |
| Stake range | 25p to £5 in the UK (£2 maximum for ages 18 to 24) |
| Hit frequency | 46.36% (OLBG), a win about every 2.15 spins |
| Main features | Lion Wild that doubles wins, 15 free spins with a 3x multiplier, random jackpot wheel |
| Jackpots | Mini, Minor, Major and Mega with seed values from £10 to £2,000,000 |
Overview
Mega Moolah has an old fashioned look. The reels are filled with antelope, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and elephant, with a Zulu style soundtrack. It was remastered for mobile, but the cartoon visuals show the game’s age.
The attraction is the jackpot, not the base game. Any spin can trigger the jackpot wheel, which is why the game is so widely available. The rest of the design exists to keep the base game cheap to play, with frequent small wins on a low volatility maths model.
How to play and stakes
A win needs matching symbols on a payline from the leftmost reel. Three of a kind is required for the low symbols, while buffalo, elephant and the wild pay for two. OLBG gives the stake range as 25p to £6.25 outside the UK, with six stake options.
UK Gambling Commission rules cap slot stakes at £2 for players aged 18 to 24 and £5 for players aged 25 and over, so this review uses 25p, £1, £2 and £5 for its examples. Jackpot eligibility does not depend on stake size in the sources we read.
RTP
This is the most confusing figure for Mega Moolah. OLBG gives the RTP as 93.42% and says the progressive jackpots account for 5.3% of that, leaving an RTP of 88.12% without them. Casinomeister quotes 88.12% as the RTP. The two sources therefore describe the same maths in different ways, one with the jackpot contribution included and one without. We have no provider page to confirm which is which, because no readable Games Global page was found.
Either way, the return is below the 96% typical of slots, which is normal for a jackpot game. UK casinos can run different RTP settings on some games, so check the help screen at your casino.
Volatility
OLBG and Casinomeister both class Mega Moolah as low volatility. Casinomeister adds that a win does not always mean winning back the stake, which is an accurate caution because the hit frequency counts any win. The rare but very large jackpots are a separate matter and do not change the low volatility of the base game.
Max win and what it is worth in pounds
OLBG gives a maximum of 1,955x the stake per free spin on the normal game, and separately lists four progressive jackpots. The progressive jackpots are not a multiple of the stake, so they cannot be put in a stake based table. The table below shows the 1,955x non jackpot figure.
| Stake | Max win at 1,955x (excluding jackpots) |
|---|---|
| 25p | £488.75 |
| £1 | £1,955 |
| £2 | £3,910 |
| £5 | £9,775 |
OLBG reports seed values of £10 (Mini), £100 (Minor), £10,000 (Major) and £2,000,000 (Mega). It also says the Mega Jackpot has averaged a payment of over €6.69 million every 49 days, and that the largest win on record is €19.4 million. These are third party figures, and the live jackpot total changes constantly, so we do not quote a current amount.
Free spins and the doubling wild
Three or more Witch Doctor scatters trigger 15 free spins, and during them all wins are multiplied by 3x. The Lion Wild doubles any win it joins, so inside free spins the multiplier reaches 6x. Three or more scatters during the feature retrigger it for another 15 spins, for a maximum of 30. Scatters pay 3x, 20x and 100x the stake for 3, 4 or 5.
The progressive jackpot wheel
The jackpot game can start on any spin. OLBG describes a wheel with 20 segments in four colours, each representing a jackpot, and you spin to land on one.
| Jackpot | Seed value | Colour | Segments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega | £2,000,000 | White | 1 |
| Major | £10,000 | Yellow | 3 |
| Minor | £100 | Orange | 6 |
| Mini | £10 | Red | 10 |
The segment counts show the Mega is the rarest outcome on the wheel, but how often the wheel itself triggers is not published in the sources we read.
Symbols and paytable
These are OLBG’s reported payouts as multiples of the total stake. Buffalo, elephant and the wild pay for two matching symbols.
| Symbol | 2 of a kind | 3 of a kind | 4 of a kind | 5 of a kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | None | 0.08x | 0.4x | 1.6x |
| J | None | 0.12x | 0.6x | 2.4x |
| Q | None | 0.16x | 0.8x | 3x |
| K | None | 0.24x | 1.2x | 4x |
| A | None | 0.32x | 1.6x | 6x |
| Antelope | None | 0.4x | 2x | 10x |
| Zebra | None | 0.8x | 4x | 16x |
| Giraffe | None | 1.2x | 5x | 20x |
| Buffalo | 0.16x | 1.6x | 6x | 24x |
| Elephant | 0.24x | 2x | 10x | 30x |
| Lion Wild | 0.6x | 5x | 60x | 600x |
Hit frequency and win rate
OLBG, a named independent source, reports a hit frequency of 46.36%, a winning spin about every 2.15 spins. It does not explain its method, and we found no provider figure. SlotPal’s hit rate guide covers Big Bass and Eye of Horus only, so it has no Mega Moolah figure to compare.
Many of those hits pay less than the stake, so a high hit frequency does not mean steady profit.
Is Mega Moolah enjoyable? Our verdict
This verdict is based on mechanics, provider rules and independent data. We have not played the game for money.
Mega Moolah is an odd product to judge. The base game is plain, and its lower RTP is a cost players pay for access to the jackpot wheel. Its low volatility means regular small wins, which keeps a small stake going, but the large prize is a very rare event that no reviewer can promise. It suits players who understand that the jackpot is a lottery like extra and who treat the base game as the actual game. It is a poor choice for anyone seeking the best return, since slots with a 96% RTP are easy to find. Our verdict: a legitimate jackpot game, best approached with modest expectations.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Four progressive jackpots
- Low volatility base game with frequent wins
- Doubling wild and 6x free spins multiplier
- Long established game with a clear structure
- Hit frequency of 46.36% reported by OLBG
Cons
- RTP is below the slot average because of the jackpot contribution
- Maximum non jackpot win is only 1,955x
- Jackpot odds are not published in our sources
- Dated graphics
- Source figures for RTP are described differently
Mega Moolah FAQ
What is the RTP of Mega Moolah?
OLBG gives 93.42% including a 5.3% jackpot share, which leaves 88.12%. Casinomeister quotes 88.12%. Check the help screen at your casino.
Is Mega Moolah low volatility?
Yes. OLBG and Casinomeister both class the base game as low volatility.
What is the maximum win on Mega Moolah?
Excluding jackpots, OLBG gives 1,955x the stake, or £488.75 at 25p and £9,775 at £5. The progressive jackpots are separate.
What are the Mega Moolah jackpots?
Mini, Minor, Major and Mega, with seed values of £10, £100, £10,000 and £2,000,000 according to OLBG.
How is the jackpot triggered?
A wheel can start on any spin. You spin it and land on one of 20 segments, each tied to a jackpot.
What are the UK stakes for Mega Moolah?
From 25p. UK rules cap slot stakes at £2 for 18 to 24 year olds and £5 for those aged 25 and over.
How often does Mega Moolah pay?
OLBG reports a hit frequency of 46.36%, a win about every 2.15 spins. Many wins are below the stake.
How do the free spins work?
Three or more Witch Doctor scatters give 15 free spins with a 3x multiplier, which becomes 6x when the Lion Wild joins a win.
Can the free spins retrigger?
Yes, for another 15 spins, up to a maximum of 30 according to OLBG.
Why is the RTP lower than most slots?
Part of each stake feeds the progressive jackpots, which lowers the return on ordinary play.
Is there a bonus buy?
None of the sources we read describe one.
Who made Mega Moolah?
Microgaming, which is now part of Games Global.
How we checked the figures
- RTP, hit frequency, paytable, jackpot seed values and the wheel: OLBG Mega Moolah review (third party, UK focused).
- RTP quoted as 88.12% and the volatility description: Casinomeister Mega Moolah review (third party), whose section order this article loosely follows.
- The conflict between 93.42% and 88.12% is explained in the RTP section and may reflect jackpot contribution.
- Jackpot averages and the record win are OLBG figures and are not confirmed with the provider. The live jackpot amount is not quoted.
- No readable Games Global game page was found, so no figure was confirmed with the provider.
- UK stake limits: Gambling Commission rules as set out in the brief for this site.