In the realm of online gambling, few experiences rival the thrill of playing progressive jackpot slots. These games, known for their massive, ever-increasing jackpots, have captured the imaginations of players worldwide. In this comprehensive article, we will explore the world of progressive jackpot online games, delving into their mechanics, the types of games available, strategies, and the allure of chasing life-changing riches.
What are progressive jackpots?
The idea of a progressive jackpot is essentially very similar to the formation of large lottery game prizes.
A progressive jackpot grows larger the more the game is played. Progressive jackpots are typically offered by slot machines (although there are also some live casino and poker games, such as Caribbean Stud Poker, where you can win a growing jackpot).
In a regular slot game, coin wins are determined by the symbols and their associated fixed multipliers. Additionally, some slots have fixed jackpots, which are usually based on a standardized winning multiplier.
In contrast, a progressive jackpot grows independently and is not tied to the values of the symbols. In the game, one or more levels of jackpots increase as players place bets on the game or games within its network – similar to how a lottery jackpot grows with increased play activity. And voila! Eventually, some lucky player takes home a hefty pile of cash.
Understanding progressive jackpots
At the heart of a progressive jackpot slot lies a prize pool that grows continuously with every bet placed by players. Unlike fixed jackpots, which offer a static amount, progressive jackpots are dynamic and have no upper limit. Each time a player makes a wager, a percentage of that bet contributes to the jackpot pool.
Progressive jackpots are typically won by landing a specific combination of symbols or through a bonus round triggered at random or by hitting certain symbols. The exact criteria vary depending on the game.
How do progressive jackpots work?
The operating principle of progressive jackpot slots, from a player’s perspective, can be summarized as follows:
- Players place bets on the game as usual.
- Each wager made contributes to one or more jackpots in the game.
- Anyone can win the jackpot on any spin.
- After a win, the jackpot resets to its predetermined minimum level.
- Players continue to play, and the jackpot starts growing again.
In most cases, a progressive jackpot has no other fixed value except the minimum level, known as the seed amount, from which it begins to grow again after someone has won it. A small, percentage-defined portion of every bet placed goes into the jackpot. If it’s a widely played, highly popular game, the top-tier progressive jackpot can grow to even millions of euros. The world’s largest jackpot wins have reached nearly €20 million.
Do jackpot slots also offer regular coin wins? Yes, they do. Winning the jackpot is a rare treat that remains a dream for most, but regular coin wins are, of course, easier to come by. This is what makes these games one of the best slots in the markets.
Multiple levels of jackpots in one slot
Although we often talk about progressive jackpot slots, many of them actually feature multiple levels of growing jackpots. While hitting that massive top-tier jackpot would be the ultimate dream come true for a player, winning a somewhat more modest sum can also be incredibly thrilling.
In one game, the groupings and levels of progressive jackpots may look something like this:
- Mini Jackpot – starting at €10
- Minor Jackpot – starting at €100
- Major Jackpot – starting at €10,000
- Mega Jackpot – starting at €100,000
You can find information about the jackpots a game offers and the guidelines determining their monetary values in the game’s rules. These details are usually accessible through a menu, question mark, or “i” icon located in the lower corner of the game interface.
Types of progressive jackpot slots
Progressive jackpots are available in various types of casino games, adding diversity to the gaming experience:
- Slot Machines: Progressive jackpot slots are the most popular and widely recognized. These games come in various themes, featuring symbols, bonus rounds, and free spins. Famous titles like Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune have bestowed life-changing wealth on lucky players.
- Table Games: Some progressive jackpots are linked to table games like blackjack, poker, or roulette. Winning these jackpots often requires specific hand combinations or outcomes.
- Video Poker: Video poker games with progressive jackpots, such as Jacks or Better, offer a unique blend of skill and luck. To win the jackpot, players must achieve a royal flush or a specific hand.
Networked vs. standalone jackpots
Progressive jackpots can be networked, where several online casinos contribute to a shared jackpot pool, or standalone, where the jackpot grows within a single casino. Networked jackpots, often referred to as “wide-area progressives,” tend to reach astronomical sums due to their wider player base.
Daily Jackpots
Daily jackpots have become a trend in recent years, both at traditional casinos and no-registration casinos, and players thoroughly enjoy them. The idea is that the jackpot literally hits every day, although at a completely random time. So, it’s certain that some lucky player will become richer every day with the amount the jackpot has grown to by the time of the win. However, some online casinos offer fixed daily jackpots instead of progressive ones, which may have, for example, three different levels.
The casino’s own daily jackpots are only accessible to players of that particular casino, and only they contribute to the jackpot by their bets. Typically, the daily jackpot is shared among several games, and it can be won in any of them.
Red Tiger’s Daily and Hourly Jackpots
Player favorites have emerged in the form of progressive jackpots that are guaranteed to hit every day, and even every hour, from game provider Red Tiger. Numerous games belonging to the same network contribute to the growth of these jackpots, and they are now available to play on many online casinos.
The casino itself decides which Red Tiger games are included in the jackpot network. Identifying the games included is straightforward, as the casino often groups them together or clearly labels them. By the time you open the game, you can see if it offers Daily Drops, Hourly Drops, or Super Drops winnings.
Each slot within the network has real-time counters showing the size of each jackpot and its growth. Additionally, for daily and hourly jackpots, you can see how much time is left until the deadline for the win.
The Hourly Drop hits a player once every hour and can grow up to €500. The Daily Drop triggers once a day and can reach tens of thousands of euros. The highest euro amount is represented by the Super Drop, which can even reach the million-dollar range. However, the Super Drop doesn’t hit as frequently as the other Red Tiger jackpot network winnings.
Winning a progressive jackpot
Winning a progressive jackpot ultimately comes down to luck, much like winning in slot games in general. Slots are games of chance where randomness prevails, so you can’t secure a jackpot through skill or strategy. However, if you are playing a game like poker that includes a growing jackpot, your gaming skills may have some significance in addition to luck.
Progressive jackpot slots are played fundamentally the same way as any slot game. You choose your bet level within the game’s offered minimum and maximum, and you spin the reels. The outcome of each spin is randomly either some level of win or no win at all. The crucial factor is the combination of symbols that land on the reels as they come to a stop.
The criteria for winning the jackpot vary from game to game. In some jackpot slots, you simply need to land, for example, five identical jackpot symbols in the right positions on the reels. Another possibility is that pursuing the jackpot requires entering a special bonus game, which can be, for instance, a wheel of fortune-style bonus game, as seen in hugely popular slots like Mega Fortune and Mega Moolah.
Your bet size can affect your chances of winning the jackpot. In many jackpot slots, the likelihood of hitting the biggest jackpot, the top prize, improves as your bet amount increases. Nevertheless, occasionally – most likely very rarely – someone wins a substantial jackpot with a surprisingly small bet.
How often does the main jackpot in a jackpot slot hit?
The frequency with which the main jackpot in a progressive jackpot slot typically hits varies from game to game. A rule of thumb is that the biggest jackpots hit less frequently than the smaller ones. The game might award prizes in the thousands or tens of thousands every few weeks, while jackpots in the hundreds of thousands or millions of euros typically hit only a few times a year for some lucky winners.
When discussing frequencies, it’s important to consider that all talk revolves around statistical averages. Sometimes, the jackpot may hit much sooner than its calculated average frequency, and other times, it may take longer. These are games of chance, so luck is the determining factor.
Here are the average hit frequencies for the main jackpots in a few major jackpot slots:
- Arabian Nights hits approximately every 157 days / average prize around €1,322,572
- Wowpot Mega hits approximately every 156 days / average prize around €10,442,709
- Mega Joker hits approximately every 39 days / average prize around €11,725
Most popular jackpot slots
There are numerous jackpot slots available, but not all of them gain immense popularity. The most popular jackpot slots at online casinos usually also offer the largest jackpot in the game selection, so it’s easy to guess where players’ interest comes from. The most popular games have also stood the test of time for several years, even if the visual design or game mechanics may have aged a bit. Next, we will introduce a few of the most popular jackpot slots at online casinos.
Mega Moolah
Microgaming released the Mega Moolah jackpot slot in 2006, and its popularity remains strong. The slot’s return to player (RTP) is a modest 88.12%, which is a relatively low figure by today’s standards. However, this hasn’t stopped more and more players from spinning the reels on this slot, which has also awarded the all-time highest progressive jackpot win of nearly 19 million euros.
Mega Fortune
Mega Fortune practically radiates the luxurious life that the game’s enormous jackpot could offer. In this classic game released by NetEnt in 2010, you’ll find luxury cars, designer watches, and stacks of cash on the reels, creating a genuine sense of wealth. The slot features a traditional 5×3 layout with 25 paylines. Free spins add to the excitement, and wins are available in line with the game’s 96% return-to-player (RTP) rate. Mega Fortune has low volatility, which may seem a bit unusual given that it’s a jackpot slot known for big wins.
Hall of Gods
Hall of Gods is also among the popular jackpot slots produced by NetEnt. In this game, players get to enjoy one of the favorite themes at online casinos – Vikings. Despite the significant role of Viking gods in the game, the jackpots aren’t as massive as in the two games mentioned earlier, but they certainly can’t be called small either.
The main jackpot reaches into the million-euro range, and this, along with the captivating theme, has made Hall of Gods one of the most beloved jackpot slots at online casinos. NetEnt released the slot back in 2010, and it pays out with a 95.3% return-to-player (RTP) rate, featuring five reels and 20 paylines.
Other famous progressive jackpot slots
In the wake of the aforementioned popular jackpots, there is a considerable lineup of other highly played progressive jackpot slots such as:
- Arabian Nights / NetEnt
- Holmes and the Stolen Stones / Yggdrasil
- Wheel of Wishes / Microgaming
- Mega Joker / NetEnt
- Mega Glam Life / Betsoft
- Dream Drop series games / Relax Gaming
- Fruit Bonanza / Play’n Go
- Age of Gods series games / Playtech
- Mercy of the Gods / NetEnt
- Joker Millions / Yggdrasil
- Wowpot series games / Microgaming
Strategies and tips for progressive jackpot slots
While progressive jackpot slots are primarily games of chance, there are strategies and tips to consider when pursuing that elusive big win:
- Bankroll Management: Set a budget and stick to it. Progressive jackpots can be enticing, but it’s essential not to overextend yourself financially.
- Game Selection: Choose games with favorable odds and higher RTPs (Return to Player). A higher RTP can increase your chances of winning over the long term.
- Bet Max When Appropriate: Some progressive slots require maximum bets to qualify for the jackpot. Always check the game rules to see if this is the case.
- Random vs. Skill-Based: Understand the difference between games that rely on luck and those with an element of skill. Skill-based games may offer a better chance of success if you’re skilled in the game.
- Play Responsibly: Remember that the odds of hitting a progressive jackpot are exceedingly rare. Enjoy the game for its entertainment value, and don’t rely on it as a means of income.
When should you play a jackpot slot?
The likelihood of winning in progressive jackpot slots does not vary over time, even though average hit frequencies for main jackpots were presented earlier. It’s entirely possible for the game to award the main jackpot twice in a very short time, or you might have to wait much longer than usual. In this sense, it doesn’t matter when you play the game.
However, here comes the significant “but”… If it hasn’t been long since the last main jackpot was won, the jackpot amount hasn’t had the chance to grow anywhere near its highest levels.
If you want to aim for a real mega-jackpot, it’s advisable to choose a jackpot slot where the jackpot has been accumulating for quite some time at the time of your play. You can check the jackpot amount in the game, and some casinos display it on each jackpot game’s icon.
Additionally, there are tracking websites like Jackpot Graphs, where you can monitor continually updated figures and statistics for various games.
The allure of chasing progressive jackpots
What makes chasing progressive jackpots so captivating? Several factors contribute to the allure of these games:
- Life-Changing Prizes: The potential to win millions or even tens of millions of dollars is irresistible, and it’s this dream of instant wealth that draws players in.
- Excitement and Anticipation: Progressive jackpot slots generate unparalleled excitement and anticipation with each spin or hand. The thought that the next moment could change your life forever is a powerful motivator.
- Community Aspect: Progressive jackpots often have a dedicated following of players who discuss strategies, share experiences, and celebrate each other’s wins. It creates a sense of community among players chasing the same dream.
- Thematic Variety: The wide variety of themes and game types ensures that players can find a progressive jackpot slot that aligns with their interests and preferences.
- Global Reach: Online casinos offering progressive jackpots attract players from around the world, contributing to the massive prize pools.
Final thoughts
Progressive jackpot online games have become synonymous with excitement, hope, and the pursuit of financial freedom. They offer players the chance to dream big and, occasionally, to realize those dreams. While the odds of hitting a progressive jackpot are long, the allure of these games, the thrill of the chase, and the potential for life-changing wins continue to captivate players worldwide.
So, whether you’re a seasoned gambler or a casual player, the allure of progressive jackpot slots is undeniable, and the next big win could be just a spin away.
