Progressive jackpot slots are a newer version of slot machines which – sort of – blend slot elements with lottery elements. The lottery element part emanating from the fact that these games offer the chance to scoop life-changing wins. When playing progressive jackpot slots, any bet you place, even a penny allows you to enter the race to win millions of dollars! It’s against this background that progressive slots’ popularity keeps rising and rising. There is just so much to learn about progressive jackpot slots, from how they function and how payouts are calculated and paid out. To learn all about this, we recommend that you set aside just a few minutes of your time to go through this detailed progressive slot guide. Note that we will also share tips on how to enhance your chances of winning when playing progressive slotmachines; hence you don’t want to miss this!
What are Progressive Jackpot Slots?
The simple answer is progressive jackpot slots are slot machines which give players a chance to win life-changing wins. Progressive slots are games which come with progressive jackpots. Every wager that players place playing a specific progressive slot will be channelled to that game’s progressive jackpot. One lucky player after a certain period will win the entire jackpot pool. Often, this entails winning thousands or even millions of dollars! It’s important to note that some slots, especially those developed by the same software developer, can have one progressive jackpot. Such slots which have one progressive jackpot are said to be running on a global jackpot network. The winner of the jackpot will emerge from any one of the players playing any one of the slots that are part of the jackpot global network. Jackpot prizes churned out from the global jackpot network tend to be more lucrative than those from games which have an independent progressive jackpot. While the basics of progressive slots are similar in that a portion of each wager is channelled to the progressive jackpot, there exist some differences which differentiate one progressive slot from the next. These differences often reflect on the time frame that it takes for the jackpot to be won and how the jackpot is won. Below, we will expose these differences as we highlight all the main types of progressive slots.
The Different Types of Progressive Slots
Mystery Jackpots
Progressive slots, which come with mystery jackpots draw inspiration from the earliest jackpots to feature in the casino industry. Mystery jackpots do not have a running time. Rather, they simply fall (won) at random. There can be a relatively short time between two jackpots being won or a long interval between wins. Essentially, this means there is no telling as to when the jackpot will be won. In the same vein, there is also no telling the average range of the jackpot prize pool.
Must Hit Jackpots
More modern progressive slots come with must-hit jackpots. Such games are much loved by most slots’ enthusiasts owing to the fact that they know that the jackpots, by design, will fall (be won) during a predetermined window. This, therefore, differs from mystery jackpots whose window is forever open. Progressive slots which feature the must-hit jackpots can further be classified into the following:
Time-Based Jackpots:
Progressive slots which come with time-based jackpots will specify beforehand the period that the progressive jackpot runs for before its won. Some slots will have jackpots that run for just 1 hour, while others run for a week or even a month. The great thing about time-based jackpots is that they are publicly displayed on the game’s main screen meaning as you spin the reels, you will know the current jackpot prize pool as well as the time remaining until the running window closes.
Prize-Based Jackpots:
Some progressive slots come with prize-based jackpots. Such slots will specify the max jackpot which can be won and, inadvertently, the prize peg which cannot be exceeded. As players spin the reels, they will know the current prize pool as its publicly displayed on the main playing screen.
Biggest Progressive Slots Winners
Those who need real-life scenarios as motivation to consider before they play progressive slots need to check out the winner’s info below: The biggest win to date for a progressive slot stands at 18.92 million EUR, which was won in September 2018 on Microgaming’s Mega Moolah slot. This win was awarded to a player playing inside a brick-and-mortar casino. For online progressive slotmachines, the biggest win yet stands at a whopping 17.87 million EUR awarded to Jon Heywood in 2015.
Tips to Enhance Your Chances of Winning Playing Progressive Slots
Go for Must-Hit Jackpots and Play Towards to End of the Window:
Between mystery jackpots and must-hit jackpots, it’s recommended to go for must-hit jackpots. Furthermore, you need to play the progressive slots when the jackpot running window is nearing the end. For time-based jackpots, you need to start wagering when only a quarter of the jackpot running window is left, while for prize-based jackpots, you need to wager when the prize pool is within reach of the max jackpot prize. This is necessitated by the fact that oftentimes, it’s towards the end of the jackpot running window that a prize is awarded.
Structure Your Bankroll for a Long Gaming Session and Stick to it:
While some lucky players have won huge payouts after placing just a single or a couple of wagers, the thing is, that’s a rarity. To stay in the hunt for that elusive big jackpot prize, you need to spin the reels until the very second it falls. As such, it’s important to structure your bankroll such that it sustains you for a long gaming session. Even if you don’t have much of a big budget, just go for progressive penny slots. Bear in mind that the size of your bet does not in any way affect your chances of winning.
Try Out Progressive Slots in Demo Mode:
You may have heard this for quite a long time, but the thing is, the message is as important now as it was when you first heard it – practice always makes perfect. Before you start wagering real cash, always play in the demo mode such that you learn and grasp all the key playing tips and winning strategies. Once you master them, you can proceed to wager real cash and enter the race to scoop a life-changing win.
