Extra Chilli slot

What the Extra Chilli slot is

Big Time Gaming, the Sydney studio that created the Megaways mechanic, released Extra Chilli in 2018 as a follow-up to Bonanza Megaways. It moved the reels from a gold mine to a street market full of chillies, kept the six-reel Megaways structure and cascading wins, and reworked the free spins. You will also see it listed as Extra Chilli Megaways; it is the same game, and our Extra Chilli Megaways page approaches it from the Megaways side.

Big Time Gaming later licensed Megaways to other studios, which is why the mechanic now appears everywhere. Gambling Insider's report on BTG licensing its patented mechanic and the Megaways trademark (opens in a new tab) covers how that began. Big Time Gaming has been part of Evolution since a deal announced in April 2021.

How the Extra Chilli slot machine works

When you press spin, the game's random number generator has already decided the outcome, including how tall each reel will be. The animation shows that decision; it can't be influenced by when you press or how fast the reels appear to move.

1. Choose a total stake. Every available way is played; there are no lines to select.
2. The RNG sets how many symbols each of the six reels shows, from two to seven, and fills the positions.
3. Published layouts also show a horizontal reel above the middle reels, whose symbols count towards those reels' totals.
4. Wins are paid for matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, in any row.
5. Winning symbols are removed and new symbols fall into the gaps; any new wins are paid and the process repeats.
6. When no further wins form, the spin ends; at least 2.5 seconds must separate the start of one spin from the next.

How the 117,649 ways are reached

The number of ways is simply the number of symbols on each reel multiplied together. Seven symbols on all six reels gives 7⁶, which is 117,649. That is the top of the range; most spins are well below it.

If you are used to fixed paylines, our Megaways vs 243 ways comparison shows how ways-based games count wins differently.

Extra Chilli cascades: how one spin pays more than once

Extra Chilli uses cascading reels, which Big Time Gaming calls reactions. After a win is paid, the winning symbols disappear and the symbols above drop down, with new ones filling the space. If the new arrangement forms another win, that is paid too, and the chain continues until nothing new connects.

The cascades cost nothing extra: they are all part of the one stake. That is why the game can sometimes pay several small wins in a row from a single spin, and why its maths is harder to judge by eye than a simple line game. The RTP already includes every cascade.

Worked cascade example

At 50p a spin, imagine the first result pays three low symbols across 12 ways for 40p in total. They vanish, new symbols fall, and a second chain of four mid symbols across 6 ways pays 90p. A third drop produces nothing. The spin returns £1.30 from one 50p stake. Most spins return less than the stake or nothing at all; this is how the occasional good one is built.

Extra Chilli free spins and the unlimited multiplier

Scatter symbols start the free spins, and more scatters mean more spins; the paytable in your version shows the exact count. Published descriptions mention a wheel, offered before the round in some versions, that lets you gamble the spins you have won for a chance at more, at the risk of losing the round. It is optional, and it doesn't raise the RTP; if your version shows it, choosing to collect is always possible.

During the free spins, a win multiplier starts at 1× and goes up by one after every cascade. Published descriptions say it doesn't reset between free spins, so a long round with lots of cascades can build a large multiplier. That is a classic case of increasing multipliers in free spins.

The table is illustrative; the help screen explains exactly when the multiplier is applied in relation to each cascade.

Extra Chilli RTP: why the UK figure is lower

Two RTP figures are commonly quoted. Slot databases list 96.82%, but that number includes Feature Drop, Big Time Gaming's paid shortcut into the free spins. Without Feature Drop, the published RTP is up to 96.41%, and lower settings down to around 96.15% exist. Because UK casinos don't offer the buy, the lower set of figures is the one that applies in Great Britain.

The difference between 96.82% and 96.41% matters: the house edge rises from 3.18% to 3.59%, about 13% more on average. Our explainers on RTP and RTP variants cover why one game can carry several figures.

If you see 96.82% next to Extra Chilli on a UK casino page, check the in-game help screen. The figure that matters is the one for the version without Feature Drop.

Extra Chilli cost per 100 spins

High volatility means real sessions vary far more than these averages suggest. Many sessions of 100 spins end well below the average, and a minority end far above it after a strong free spins round.

Extra Chilli max win at UK stake limits

The stake limits come from the Gambling Commission's online slots stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab): £5 since 9 April 2025, and £2 for 18–24s since 21 May 2025. No public figure shows how often the cap is reached; it depends on a long free spins round with a large multiplier.

The UK version of the Extra Chilli slot

• No Feature Drop. UK-licensed casinos don't offer a bonus buy on slots; see bonus buy in the UK.
• No autoplay or turbo since 31 October 2021, and each spin lasts at least 2.5 seconds, cascades included.
• No celebration for returns of your stake or less. A 30p return from a 50p spin is shown without win effects; see the losses disguised as wins rule.
• Net position on screen, so you can see how the session stands at any moment.

The Commission's summary of changes to its remote technical standards (opens in a new tab) lists these design rules in full.

Extra Chilli demo play

Many UK casinos offer free demo play of Extra Chilli, after age verification; the age check has been required for play-for-fun games since May 2019. A demo is a good way to see cascades and the multiplier in action. It can't tell you the game's true return, because that only shows across millions of spins.

Extra Chilli myths

See are new slots better than old ones and our slot machine myths guide for more.

Slots similar to Extra Chilli

Extra Chilli Epic Spins is the 2023 follow-up, and White Rabbit Megaways shows how BTG extended the idea. Our Bonanza Megaways vs Extra Chilli Megaways comparison sets the two originals side by side. For a gentler chilli theme on fixed lines, Pragmatic Play's Chilli Heat is rated medium volatility. Every game we cover is on the slots hub.

Where to play Extra Chilli in the UK

Big Time Gaming titles appear at many UK casinos, but lobbies change, so search for the game before signing up; game availability changes. The offers below come from our partner casinos and are not tied to Extra Chilli. Coral gives new players 100 free spins at 10p on selected games after a deposit and £10 of slot bets, valid 7 days with no wagering on winnings. Ladbrokes gives up to 500 free spins over 10 days after a £10 slot spend. PlayOJO's 80 no-wagering spins after a first £10 deposit are played on Big Bass Bonanza. All are 18+, terms apply and some payment methods are excluded.

Set a limit before you start and stick to it. If you want to talk to someone, GamCare's live chat (opens in a new tab) and the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) are free and open 24 hours a day.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.