Live Mega Ball from Evolution

Mega Ball is the latest Live Game Show release from Evolution Gaming.

It comes with most of the elements we’ve come to expect with these types of games. Flashy new set. Payout multipliers. A new contraption to select (in this case) the balls. And of course presenters bursting with personality (a little too much in some cases).

Mega Ball is fun to play. But if you prefer to have to think a bit while you gamble, this isn’t your game.

It’s also not your game if you’re interested in trying to make your gambling dollar stretch a little further. Like most other game shows, returns are pretty poor.

How to Play Live Mega Ball

The premise of the game is simple.

You buy cards, each containing 25 cells (5×5). Your card’s cells will contain randomly generated numbers from 1 to 51.

21 balls are then drawn by the Mega Ball contraption. You want these balls to match as many numbers on your card to complete 5-cell lines. The lines can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal (making 12 possible lines per card).

The more lines you match on a given card, the bigger you payout for that card.

To begin buy your card(s)

You can play 1, 10, 15 or 25 cards per game. But before you choose how many cards you are going to buy, you must choose the card price: €0.10 up to €100.

Any payout you win on a given card will then be multiplied by your chosen price.

In the example shown, card value chosen is €0.10, and 10 cards were chosen.

Your 10 cards and the numbers they each contain are then displayed.

Completing lines

Now it’s just a matter of waiting as the balls come out: first 20 regular balls.

Each time a ball number corresponds with any of the numbers on your cards, that number is highlighted. You’re hoping to see as many complete 5-cell lines being highlighted on any given card as possible.

The more lines, the bigger the payout applying to that card (see below).

The Mega Ball and Mega Multiplier

After the 20 regular balls drop, a multiplier is selected using a big slot reel (yes, this game show has 2 contraptions).  A Mega multiplier of up to 100x is possible. 5x is your most likely outcome.

This multiplier is then applied to the Mega Ball which is the next (and last) ball to drop.

This game’s Mega Ball is 46.

If any of your winning cards’ completed lines also contained the Mega Ball number, then the regular payout is multiplied accordingly.

In this example, two cards each had a single row (1x payout, or push without multiplier). This becomes a 5x payout because the completed line in each included the number 46.

Payouts

In the absence of a Mega multiplier you get:

• for 6+ lines: 10,000x your card value
• for 5 lines: 1,000x your card value
• for 4 lines: 250x your card value
• for 3 lines: 50x your card value
• for 2 lines: 4x your card value
• for 1 line: 1x your card value (ie push)

Couple of important points to note here.

1. number of lines completed is on a per-card basis. If you play 10 cards and complete 4 lines, 1 per card on 4 different cards, you’re not getting a 250x payout. Rather each card will push.
2. there is a max payout per card of €500,000.

The €500,000 payout cap is important. It means the payout applying to higher value cards is diluted.

To try illustrate this point, consider the case below where a €10 card is purchased, and payouts have been multiplied 5x by the Mega multiplier. 6+ lines wins a €500,000 payout (10,000 x €10 x 5).

Now in the case (below) where the Mega multiplier is 10x, payouts for 1 to 5 lines are all increased 10x but the top payout, remains at €500,000. In the absence of a cap, it should be €1,000,000 (10,000 x €10 x 10).

Now imagine you buy a €100 card, hit a 100x Mega multiplier and manage 6+ lines (unlikely I know).

Your payout is again capped at €500,000. You don’t get the €100,000,000 (10,000 x €100 x 100) the pay table prescribes.

In the slightly more likely scenario that you manage 4 lines you are shortchanged considerably still. Instead  of €2,500,000 ( 250 x €100 x 100) you get your capped €500,000.

There are many more high card value and multiplier combinations where you get shortchanged by this cap. The takeaway here: play low value cards so returns are not effected by the cap.

Theoretical returns

No surprises to find this is NOT a high returning game, with a RTP rate of 95.4%.

Full house rules

…may be read here.

Some Mega Ball video action

Where can I play Mega Ball

Leo Vegas were first to add Mega Ball, today.

Incoming weeks other Evolution Gaming powered casinos are sure to follow suit.