Aztec Gems Megaways™ – What Is This Slot?
Aztec Gems Megaways is an Aztec-themed slot from Pragmatic Play, released on 16 January 2025. The game uses the Megaways engine under licence from Big Time Gaming and features a compact 3-reel main grid where each of the three reels can contain between 2 and 8 different symbols on each spin. Therefore, there are up to 512 different ways to win on the screen at once. The colourful symbols include gem-like representations on the reels with a lush jungle temple background.
Instead of a 4th reel with regular symbols, the slot features a dedicated 4th reel to the right of the main 3 reels, which contains only values of multipliers for the win payouts. This reel spins independently of the other 3 reels on every spin, and the value shown in the highlighted center position determines by what factor all winning combinations are multiplied. The possible values are 1x up to 100x. There are no Free Spins, no Buy Feature, and no Ante Bet feature in the slot. Therefore, the 4th multiplier reel is active on every single spin.
How to Play Aztec Gems Megaways™
Aztec Gems Megaways uses the Megaways engine on a 3-reel main grid. Each reel will display a random number of symbols on each spin between the minimum of 2 and the maximum of 8 symbols per reel. Players can win if they land 3 of the same symbols in a row on the reels from left to right. Wins are paid out in line with the player's total bet. Only the highest win value on each winning combination is paid.
- The total bet that the player will place on the game can be adjusted. The minimum bet is $0.05, and the maximum total bet is $250. However, the default total bet level is $2.00. There is no Ante Bet option available for this game.
- By pressing the Spin button, the 3 main reels will start to spin. Each of the spinning reels will contain between 2 and 8 symbols on the screen. The total number of ways to win that will be calculated automatically by the game in that spinning round can be viewed on the screen. The maximum number of ways to win is 512 ways.
- Simultaneously, the 4th multiplier reel will start to spin independently of the 3 main reels. On each spin, the game will randomly select one of the available multipliers on the 4th reel.
- Winning combinations are paid out on any line where 3 of the same symbols appear consecutively on the main 3 reels from left to right. The sun disk symbol can be used as a wild to substitute for any other symbols.
- All winning combinations will be multiplied by the value of the multiplier that was obtained from the spinning of the 4th reel. For example, if the player had placed a $1.00 total bet and won with a winning combination of Megaways, a 50x multiplier will pay out $50.00 for that winning spin.
- If the total win amount from the player's spin reaches 10,000x the player's total bet amount, then that round will end and that win will be paid out up to the 10,000x win cap.
Multiplier Reel
The multiplier reel is the central feature for players to enjoy Aztec Gems Megaways. The 4th reel is positioned to the right of the 3 main reels. This dedicated 4th reel contains only the values that will multiply the player's winnings. There are no symbols for players to win on this 4th reel. One of the values is randomly selected for every spin on the reels. The value in the highlighted center position will be the multiplier that is applied to all winning combinations on the main 3 reels.
Always Active
The 4th multiplier reel will spin on every single spin that the player makes on the game. Whether the player is playing in the base game or on any of the free game rounds, the multiplier reel will be spinning. There is no way to trigger the multiplier reel. It is always active.
Possible Values
The 4th multiplier reel contains 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, or 100x values. The 1x value will not multiply the player's winnings; otherwise, the player will receive winnings as normal. Should the player land a payout of 50x or 100x, then the player could potentially hit the 10,000x win cap.
Centre Position Only
The 4th multiplier reel spins at the same time as the 3 main reels. However, only the value of the multiplier in the center blue square will be the one to multiply the winnings. The other values on the 4th reel will not be applied to the player's winnings.
Symbols & Paytable
The slot features 7 different symbols. Additionally, one of those symbols is the Wild that will substitute for the other symbols. To win, 3 of the same symbols (including the Wild) must appear in a row on the screen from left to right on the 3 main reels. Wins will be multiplied by the player's total bet. The win from each winning combination will also be multiplied by the 4th reel multiplier. The paytable values for each symbol are shown at a $1.00 total bet, before the 4th reel multiplier is applied.
| Symbol | 3 of a Kind |
|---|---|
| ☀️ Wild (Sun Disk) | $3.00 |
| 🔴 Red Gem | $2.00 |
| 🟣 Purple Gem | $1.60 |
| 🟢 Green Gem | $1.00 |
| 🟥 Dark Red Gem | $0.80 |
| 🔵 Blue Gem | $0.60 |
| 🔺 Gold Pyramid | $0.40 |
| 🔷 Teal Diamond | $0.20 |
All the winning values mentioned above will be paid out before the 4th multiplier reel spins. A $2.00 red gem win on all 512 ways to win with a 25x multiplier on the 4th reel will pay out $50.00. The Wild sun disk will substitute for all other symbols. Three of a kind on any of the 3 main reels will pay $3.00 at a $1.00 total bet. This is the highest winning value before the 4th multiplier reel.
RTP & Variance Explained
The standard RTP for Aztec Gems Megaways is 96.58%. This is a competitive value for a Megaways game. However, there are two other versions of the game with a reduced RTP of 95.51% and 94.53%. These versions can be active on certain casino operators. The game is of low volatility. Therefore, it will pay out frequently but with smaller wins. When the player hits a high multiplier on a winning spin, wins can be large. The maximum win of 10,000x the total bet is meaningful when the game is of low volatility.
| RTP Version | RTP |
|---|---|
| Standard | 96.58% |
| Reduced variant 1 | 95.51% |
| Reduced variant 2 | 94.53% |
Our Verdict
✅ Pros
- Multiplier reel active on every spin — 1×–100×, no trigger needed
- 10,000× maximum win is strong for a low-volatility Megaways title
- 96.58% standard RTP is competitive
- Megaways engine delivers variable ways-to-win excitement each spin
- $0.05 minimum bet is accessible for all budgets
- Clean, easy-to-understand two-mechanic design
❌ Cons
- No Free Spins round — all wins come from the base game
- No Buy Feature
- Only 512 maximum Megaways — lower than most Megaways titles (up to 117,649)
- Multiplier value frequency not disclosed — 1× (no boost) can appear often
- Limited depth compared to Megaways titles with bonus rounds
Aztec Gems Megaways™ FAQ
The standard RTP for the game is 96.58%. However, there are two other versions of the game with a reduced RTP of 95.51% and 94.53% that are also active on certain casino operators. There is no Ante Bet or Buy Feature for Aztec Gems Megaways. Check the in-game information screen to see the RTP active on your casino's gaming machine.
The maximum win that the player can win on Aztec Gems Megaways is 10,000x the total bet amount of the player. Should the player win a total of 10,000x their total bet amount, the round will end and the win will be paid out up to the 10,000x win cap. The dedicated 4th multiplier reel can provide a 100x multiplier that helps the player reach this maximum win cap on the game.
The 4th reel in the game is dedicated to the player's winning multipliers. Therefore, it contains no symbols for the player to win on. This 4th reel will spin on every single spin of the game. One item in the 4th reel is randomly selected on each spin. The value selected in the highlighted center position on the 4th reel will be used to multiply all winning combinations that appear on the main 3 reels that spin separately. The possible values are 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 50x, or 100x. The 4th reel is active on every spin.
There are up to 512 ways to win on Aztec Gems Megaways. Each of the 3 main reels can contain between 2 and 8 symbols. The total ways to win will be calculated automatically each round. The player wins if they land 3 of the same symbols in a row from left to right on the 3 main reels.
Yes. The sun disk symbol is the Wild for the game and can be used to substitute for the other symbols. Any winning Megaways that contains only the sun disk symbols will pay $3.00 if the total bet is $1.00. The sun disk can be located on any of the 3 main reels.
No. There is no Free Spins round, no Buy Feature, and no Ante Bet for this game. All winning possibilities are generated from the Megaways win combinations as well as the 4th reel multiplier.
Yes. The free play or demo mode of Aztec Gems Megaways is available on this page of the game's website. No account or deposit is required to play the free demo. The 4th multiplier reel will be active when playing in free play mode.