What is a progressive jackpot? Types of casino jackpots

Categories: Gambling Guides | Published by: Alex

08/04/2021

So, what is a progressive jackpot? This is a jackpot, a big win that becomes even bigger every time when someone bets on a slot machine or one of the progressive slot machines (it depends on the type of jackpot) but doesn’t win. A certain percentage of every bet amount increases a jackpot until someone finally wins it. Every player contributes to the total jackpot amount, so the more people play, the bigger the win. However, those who want to win it cannot make small repeated bets—a casino requires players to bet a particular amount to get a chance of winning a jackpot, and usually, these are not minimum bets. So let’s take a closer look at another gambling guide about jackpots.

Currently, there are three types of progressive jackpots.

Standalone jackpot

This is a jackpot that one can win by playing a particular slot game. As usual, the more gamblers play, the bigger the winning, but the prize is still not very big, as it is the only progressive jackpot game. Moreover, though such jackpots are not as generous as the other two types that we describe below, players have a better chance of winning it.

In-house jackpots

Such jackpots are grouped between many progressive jackpot slots at one casino. Usually, the online gambling platforms offer users to play 4 or 5 slots to win such a jackpot. The winning amount is bigger due to the larger number of games and, therefore, a larger number of players.

Network jackpots

These are the biggest jackpots, and well, the rarest ones. In this case, the jackpot is offered not by just one casino, but by a few gambling companies that have the same progressive slot games which are linked to each other. In this case, the winning amount may be unbelievably large, but the chance of winning it is much smaller than in previous cases.

How to win progressive slots?

Though in most cases a random number generator “decides” who wins a jackpot, there are some strategies that may help you win.

Learn everything about all winning combinations. Always read the rules before you play the game. Get familiar with all possible combinations to improve your chance to win a jackpot.
Play the max stake. Some progressive slots require high stakes. Players who bet more get tickets every time they spin the reel. The ticket is your chance to win a jackpot. Hence, the more you bet, the more tickets you have, the bigger chance to win.
Choose a random jackpot game and enjoy. Sometimes, slots, including progressive ones, are the games of luck and nothing but luck. If you are a beginner, choose a game in which you don’t have to do anything but spinning the reel.
Find out how often jackpots are won. Find out how much is paid out to a player. Determine the best time to play the game and try your luck.

The truth is winning a jackpot is mostly a matter of luck. Still, you can choose a particular type of jackpot (standalone if you want to have a better chance to win and don’t care about the larger amounts, in-house jackpot if you play at a particular casino, network jackpot if you want to win big), choose a particular game and decide how much you want to bet. We also recommend determining a loss limit before you start playing progressives.

Frequently asked questions about progressive jackpots

Below, we answer a few more popular questions about such jackpots.

How does a progressive jackpot work?

There is a progressive slot game or games offered by a casino. Every gambler who plays it and doesn’t win contributes to the jackpot. The one who wins gets all the winning amount contributed by other players. Everyone can get a progressive jackpot at any time by spinning the reel no matter if they betted one or a hundred times (you probably saw this in lots of movies).

How often do progressive jackpots hit?

It depends on a casino and/or a particular game. It can hit every month, every two years, or every two weeks. That’s why it is so important to read the rules before playing progressive slots.

How much is the progressive jackpot?

It depends on the type of jackpot, on the number of players who try to win it, and on the casino, you play at. For example, a casino may offer relatively small (for a gambling market) amounts like 10,000. If you win a network jackpot, you may earn up to 40,000,000 AUD.

Are progressive slots worth it?

Generally speaking, it depends. If you want to win big, if you don’t want to play the game of skill right now, if you believe in your luck, and more importantly, if you can control yourself and have a loss limit, progressive slots might be great for you. But if you are one of the people who prefer to win smaller amounts more often, if you are one of those who want to have a bigger chance of winning, you may like regular slots more.

Does anyone ever win progressive slots?

Yes, of course. Here are the biggest wins at land-based casinos:

$39,7 million won by a young software engineer on Megabucks in Vegas
$34 million won by Cynthia Brenna in 2000 (on Megabucks, too)
$21 million won by Elmer Sherwin (the one who won two progressive jackpots, in 1998 and in 2005)

But what about online casinos? These are the most famous and the biggest wins:

€4,1 won by a man from Stockholm on Arabian Nights in 2013
€5,5 million by a player in Finland on Mega Moolah in 2013
€11,7 million won by a player from Finland on Mega Fortune in 2011

These were some of the big wins. A lot of online casinos offer smaller amounts, which are won much more often.

How do you win the jackpot on slot machines?

Winning such a jackpot is mostly a matter of luck because the winning is determined by a random number generator. However, you can analyze the market, decide what type of jackpot you want to win, create a strategy, find out how often jackpots on your game are won, and, of course, determine a loss limit that will protect you from spending too much money on the game.

Progressive jackpot slot machines at LevelUp casino

Are there any casinos that offer progressive slot games to Australian players? Yes, and we recommend taking a look at LevelUp casino. Currently, it has over 180 progressive jackpot slots to choose from. There are good old fruit slot machines (most of them are classic 5-line slots) like 3 Fruits Win, 77 Burning Wins, Fruits and Jokers (100 lines), Imperial Fruits, and so on. There are also plenty of themed slots like Viking Gods, Legend of Cleopatra, Lucky Leprechaun, Wild Wild Quest, and many more. Winning amounts and conditions vary, so everyone will be able to find a slot they will like without any difficulty.

Facts about progressive jackpot slot machines

As you can see, progressive jackpots are real. Here are a few more interesting facts about them:

Progressive slot machines were invented in March 1986 by International Game Technology (IGT).
Before 1986, people won only fixed jackpot amounts.
The first jackpot of more than $4 million was won in Reno a year after progressive slots were invented.
There are primary and secondary jackpots. One wins the biggest primary jackpot after a particular combination is hit. However, there are also smaller secondary jackpots that more players can win.
Usually, about 10% of every dollar bet by players is contributed to a jackpot amount.
There are also games of skill with progressive jackpots. In most cases, these are poker games.

No wonder progressive slots and other games are this popular. People know that they have a real chance to win big. Should you try to use it? It’s up to you. Just consider all we said above and make an informed choice.