Mahjong Ways 2 gets the PH headlines. Its predecessor — plain Mahjong Ways, also known as the original — sits quietly in PG Soft's catalogue earning comparable RTP on a different ceiling. RLSH benched it across 10,420 spins this month and here's how the original reads against the better-known sequel.
RLSH observed numbers — Mahjong Ways (original)
| Provider | PG Soft |
|---|---|
| Spins logged | 10,420 |
| Window | April 3 — April 19, 2026 |
| Observed RTP | 96.95% |
| Provider theoretical | 96.95% |
| Hit frequency | 24.3% |
| Bonus trigger | 1 in 201 spins |
| Max win ceiling | 2,500× base bet |
| Layout | 5 reels, 3-5 rows, Megaways (up to 2,916 ways) |
Original vs Mahjong Ways 2 — the sequel comparison
| Metric | Mahjong Ways | Mahjong Ways 2 |
|---|---|---|
| RTP (theoretical) | 96.95% | 96.95% |
| Max win ceiling | 2,500× | 100,000× |
| Hit frequency | 24.3% | 24.8% |
| Bonus trigger | 1 in 201 | 1 in 210 |
| Multiplier ladder | Up to 10× | Up to 25× |
| Max ways | 2,916 | 3,125 |
The real delta — ceiling and multiplier ladder
Same RTP. Nearly identical hit frequency. The sequel's headline number — 100,000× max win — versus the original's 2,500× is the big divergence. PG Soft lifted the ladder in Mahjong Ways 2 to extend the multiplier chain further into the bonus round. The math effect: same return over millions of spins, but the sequel concentrates that return into rarer, bigger events. The original pays out more evenly.
Who should prefer the original
- Players who want Mahjong Ways' visual identity and Megaways engine but find the sequel's dry stretches too long.
- Players on tighter bankrolls — 2,500× ceiling is more realistically attainable in one bonus round.
- Collectors of PH-operator catalogues where the original is still listed (it often is — it hasn't been deprecated).
Who should prefer Mahjong Ways 2
- Players who specifically chase the 100,000× dream — the ceiling is the product.
- Players who tolerate long dry stretches in exchange for the bigger singular hits.
- Players attracted by the viral sequel clips online.
Verdict
The original Mahjong Ways is a quietly good PG Soft slot. Same RTP as its more famous sibling, lower ceiling but steadier pay distribution. Try the original Mahjong Ways on RLSH — the Megaways engine behaves differently when the multiplier ladder is capped lower.
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