There is arguably no slot which is as globally renowned as Microgaming’s Mega Moolah. This African wildlife-themed game holds the record for the biggest ever jackpot prize won on a slot, at a life-changing €13 million-plus. The game has paid out over €100 million in its decade at the top. It is also one of the most recognisable slots around and has spawned several spin-offs, including Atlantean Treasure, Isis, 5-Reel Drive, and Absolootly Mad.
Mega Moolah certainly looks as though it has been around for over a decade, with graphics and imagery (which while thematic) closely resemble the slots of the time and are now outdated. The game also features only a barebones selection of features. However, none of that has diminished this slot’s reputation as one of the most popular around. The main reason for this is that players seem to be prepared to ignore all of that, for a chance at winning a life-changing stack of cash.
The gameplay in Mega Moolah may appear basic compared to the Cluster Pays and MegaWays slots of today. Still, its simplicity is ideal for any player eager for rapid gameplay, or those players first starting out playing slots. You are looking at 5 reels and 25 adjustable lines. Those lines’ flexibility mean that you can get away with wagering as little as 0.01 per line, per spin. Even maximum bets are only capped at 6.25 a turn.
It is just as well that the maximum bet is 6.25 and no higher because Mega Moolah is quintessentially a progressive jackpot slot which tends to give you a better crack at the jackpots the more you wager. This is not a definitive rule, though, as some players have won multi-million-euro prizes with minimum stakes. The RTP is a rather disappointing 94%, but the slot makes up for it with the value of its winnings.
Wins can stretch from 2x up to 150x a bet with the conventional high-playing card icons. The thematic imagery, such as gazelle, zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, and elephants can deliver wins of up to 750x a bet. The lion is the top paying icon (and the wild), providing wins of up to 15,000x a stake. These are all non-progressive prizes in this low variance game, though. We will come to the jackpot prizes in a moment.
Two special symbols appear on the reels of Microgaming’s Mega Moolah slot. You have a lion and a rather bizarre purple monkey. Here is what each of these icons brings to the table:
Once triggered, you will start Mega Moolah’s free spin bonus with 15 free games. It does not matter how many purple monkey scatters you land - fifteen spins are always the magic number. However, when you land a win in this bonus round, you can expect to pocket a multiplier by default. Anything you manage to scrape together over your free spin session is tripled courtesy of a 3x multiplier. Moreover, you can also retrigger the bonus.
Now for the big one - the progressive jackpot round. This is triggered entirely at random, so there is nothing you can really do to bolster your chances of activating it. However, we will say that there does appear to be some reason to believe that the more you wager, the more likely you will win the biggest of four potential progressive prizes.
Once activated at random, the progressive jackpot bonus will get to see you spin a wheel of fortune. The wheel is divided (unevenly, we might add) into four coloured sections, each relating to one of the jackpots. You are guaranteed to win something here. Once the pointer lands in a specific area, you will walk away with either the Mini, Minor, Major or Mega Jackpot prize. The lowest of these is often worth around €10, although the best of the bunch has a default value of €1 million and has been known to pay out prizes worth over €13 million in the past.
Mega Moolah certainly was not designed as a mobile slot. Indeed, when this game debuted, mobile casino gaming was in its infancy. However, that should not stop you from enjoying this progressive title on your phone or tablet.
By blind luck, the screen’s wagering buttons are big and bold and ideal for jabbing and prodding with your fingers. Moreover, the game uses sizable imagery, making it suitable even for the smallest of screens. Expect to see the game in all mobile casinos that feature Microgaming’s, and sometimes Quickfire’s top slots collection.
Mega Moolah is an iconic slot, and over a decade after it first debuted, it continues to be one of the most played games online. It has not lost any of its ability to provide life-changing wins, and even today’s mobile-friendly, highly volatile games with better RTP rate cannot match the prizes that this goliath has to offer. Mega Moolah is just one of those games that everybody should play, and if you have not yet, we urge you to do so. After all, you could be on the receiving end of an immense sum of cash if you strike it lucky with this Microgaming hit.