About Progressive Jackpot Slots
Progressive jackpot slots combine two concepts. One is the jackpot element, which is a large potential payout. Some slots have big prizes that are available through bonus rounds or landing specific combinations during the base game.
What makes these slots different is the progressive part. It means that the jackpot grows over time. Not only that, but the more other people play the slot, the more the jackpot grows. Progressive slots have prizes that are independent of the casino, which means players from many operators all over the world are contributing to the total amount.
Eventually, someone gets lucky and can win a jackpot that’s worth millions of dollars. The progressive prize amount starts to build again until the next big winner comes along. You don’t need to spend huge amounts to have a chance to win a significant sum from one of these slots. However, it’s quite common for these games to pay out the large prize for players betting above a certain threshold. It’s best to check the rules before you play.
You can occasionally find blackjack or video poker games with a progressive jackpot. However, it’s most common to find this feature in slots.
Different Types of Jackpots
If you’re browsing through the jackpots category of a casino, you might notice that not every title is a progressive slot. That’s because there are four main types of jackpot and progressive is only one of them.
Progressive
What differentiates progressive jackpot slots is that a small position of each bet from every player at different casinos goes into the prize pot. That’s why these games have some of the biggest rewards, as they can quickly grow into millions.
Fixed
This type of jackpot is the most common. These slots will have a fixed amount that you can win. You can check this amount before you start playing, and it’ll always be that prize. It doesn’t matter how much other’s play or if the jackpot is won, you still stand to win the same figure. For this reason, although they can be impressive, fixed jackpots aren’t normally as large as progressives.
Local
These jackpot games are similar to progressives, as the prize pot does increase as others play it. However, the amount from the bets only comes from that particular casino, even if players are enjoying the slot at different casinos, the money isn’t connected.
Network
Network jackpots are a mix of local and progressive slots. In this case, there’s a prize fund that increases as people play the game, and it goes down if there’s a winner. However, players at several casinos, which are connected, add to the pot.
The Biggest Jackpot Wins of All Time
If you’re choosing to play progressive jackpot slots, a major part of the attraction is the amount you could win. These prize funds are changing all the time, so instead of listing the current slots and the potential winnings, we’ve got a list of the most significant wins in history. We’ll include the games and the locations too, including some lucky players from Canada.
Some players who have hit the jackpot on a progressive slot choose to stay anonymous. It’s safe to say that these are life changing amounts of money, so we can understand why.
- Mega Moolah Mega €18,915,721, Anonymous, 2018
- Mega Fortune Mega €17,860,868, Anonymous, Finland, 2013
- Mega Moolah Mega $20,057,734, Anonymous Canada, 2019
- Mega Moolah Mega, £13,212,882, Jon Heywood, UK, 2015
- Mega Moolah Mega, €14,679,069, Anonymous, Sweden, 2020
- Mega Moolah Mega, $16,495,060, Anonymous, Canada, 2020
- Mega Fortune Mega, €11,735,446, Anonymous, Norway, 2011
- Mega Moolah Mega, $13,617,374, Anonymous, 2020
- Jackpot Giant, £9,411,049, Anonymous, 2018
- Mega Moolah Mega, $12,945,603, Anonymous, 2019
How to Win Progressive Jackpots
Since progressive jackpot games use random number generators (RNGs) like all other slots, there isn’t a way to predict the outcome after a spin. Since probability isn’t involved, you’ll need to use some different tactics when playing these titles.
- Know the bet limits - The minimum bet for the game might not qualify you for the jackpot, so make sure you check the rules and amounts.
- Use the bet limits to plan your budget - Decide how much money you want to spend in a session or set a time limit so you can enjoy the game without risking money you can’t afford to lose.
- Explore the games - As you can see from the list of winners, Mega Moolah is a popular progressive slot. However, there are several options. Choose the right game for you based on what you like to play.
- Learn the rules - Once you’ve picked a game, read the rules, symbol values, and payline information. Finding a demo version of the slot is an excellent way to get used to the gameplay and controls.