A Beginner’s Guide to Casino Progressive Jackpots

I’m here to explain how progressive jackpot slots work so you can play for massive prizes for less than a dollar.  

I’ll start with the basics before we get into the nuances of prize structures. Then, once you know how progressive jackpot slots work, I’ll run through some of the best games on the market so you can spin for big wins.

So, if you’re ready to learn about the slots with progressive jackpots, let’s get started. 

What are Progressive Jackpots?

Progressive jackpots are prize pools that continually increase in value. These jackpots have traditionally been added to online slots. However, in recent years, casino developers and operators have added them to some of the best table games, including roulette and blackjack.

I’ll give you a list of popular progressive jackpot games at the end of this guide. Before that, let’s get into the specifics of how progressive jackpots work, what they’re worth, and the ways you can unlock their potential.

How Do Progressive Jackpots Work?

Progressive jackpots are the product of communal contributions. In simple terms, everyone puts money into a pot when they play progressive jackpot casino games. This pot of money grows until someone hits a jackpot combination. 

Here’s a basic overview of how a progressive jackpot slot works:

• Seed amount: This is a game’s minimum payout, i.e., the amount the prize pool resets to once a jackpot has been won.

• Player contribution: This is the percentage of each bet that goes into the prize pool. Slot game developers don’t typically publish contribution percentages, but it’s usually 1% or less.

• Payout tiers: Some progressive jackpot slots have one top prize, while others have tiered payouts. I’ll discuss the difference between these two in a moment.

Those are the basic elements of progressive jackpot slots. Now let’s take a look at how a progressive jackpot slot works with an example:

Player 1 bets $1 per spin.

• $0.10 of each bet they make goes into the communal prize pool.

• Player 1 completes 50 spins, which contributes $5 to the prize pool.

Player 2 bets $2 per spin.

• $0.20 of each bet they make goes into the communal prize pool.

• Player 1 completes 50 spins, which contributes $10 to the prize pool.

Player 3 bets $10 per spin.

• $1 of each bet they make goes into the communal prize pool.

• Player 1 completes 50 spins, which contributes $50 to the prize pool.

• Total contribution from all players = $65

• Seed amount = $100

• Seed amount + player contributions = $165 jackpot

That’s a very basic example of how progressive jackpot slots work, but it demonstrates the process of communal contributions and how they form a single jackpot. 

Now, let’s assume that our fictional progressive jackpot slot attracts 1,000 players who all complete 50 spins. Instead of a $165 jackpot, we’d have one worth significantly more. 

This is why progressive jackpots regularly surpass $100,000 and, in a lot of cases, the $1 million mark.

Don’t Forget About Fixed Prizes

People always focus on the top prize in progressive jackpot casino games, which is understandable because it’s worth so much money.

People often overlook a game’s fixed payouts. Like regular slots (more on these in a moment), progressive jackpot games have fixed prizes.

You win these prizes for matching symbols just as you would in any other casino slot game. Instead of the prize being paid from the communal jackpot, it’s a multiple of your bet size.

So, if you wager $1 and match three symbols to trigger a 5x payout, your prize is worth $5. These prizes are separate from the progressive jackpot, but they still contribute to a game’s theoretical return rate (aka RTP).

Difference Between Progressive and Regular Slots

Before I continue, I’ll quickly talk about fixed jackpots. As the name suggests, fixed jackpots don’t change. Their value stays the same irrespective of how much players wager. The payouts are fair because they’re multiples of a player’s bet.

For example, the jackpot for Big Bass Splash is 5,000x. This means you can win 5,000x the value of your bet. If Player 1 wagers $1 per spin, they’ll win $5,000 by hitting the jackpot combination. If Player 2 wagers $5 per spin, they’ll win $25,000.

Progressive jackpots, as I’ve said, increase in value based on player contributions. The prize pool only stops growing when someone wins the jackpot, at which point it resets to the seed amount. 

In most cases, you can win the progressive jackpot regardless of the amount you wager, which is why low-stakes players often prefer progressive jackpot slots.

That’s the main difference between fixed and progressive jackpots, but there are a few more to consider. Here are the main differences between fixed jackpots and progressive jackpot slots:

How Do You Win a Progressive Jackpot?

You win progressive jackpots by hitting the right combination of symbols. That sounds easy, but the reality is less so.

Anyone who’s played online slots knows that nothing is guaranteed. Hitting prize combinations requires a healthy dose of luck and timing. However, if you can make the right spin at the right time, you can win big prizes from the top online jackpot slots.

That’s the simple answer, but I mentioned earlier that there are nuances to progressive jackpot slots. These nuances manifest themselves in the way prizes are paid. This takes me back to my previous point about tiered payouts. 

Progressive jackpot slots have two payout structures: single and tiered. Today, single-payout jackpot slots dominate. However, there was a time when tiered payouts were all the rage. 

Here’s the lowdown on both payout structures:

Single Payout Progressive Jackpot Slots

These progressive jackpot slots have one payout that anyone can win. Therefore, you’ll win whatever the current prize is worth, regardless of the amount you wager. 

But surely that’s not fair? Don’t worry. Casino software developers have found a way to account for different bet amounts. Basically, your chances of winning depend on the amount you wager. 

The impact of your bet amount is minimal, so don’t risk more than you can afford to lose. However, it’s a fact that your chances of winning slightly improve as you increase the size of your bet.

I can’t stress this enough, though: the impact of your bet size is very small. It’s entirely possible to wager less than a dollar and hit the jackpot. I’m just pointing out this feature so you know how these slots work. 

Tiered-Payout Progressive Jackpot Slots

Tiered-payout progressive jackpot slots take into account betting amounts. These slots still have one progressive jackpot that continually increases in value. However, only players who make a maximum bet get to win the full jackpot. 

Betting anything less than the maximum gets you a percentage of the jackpot. This system has become less common in recent years, but it’s still an example of how you win progressive jackpots online.

Types of Progressive Jackpot Slots

The final thing to discuss when it comes to progressive jackpots is type. Specifically, there are four main types of progressive jackpot slots online:

1. Networked Jackpot Slots (aka Global Jackpots)

These jackpots are available across an entire network of casinos. What typically happens is that a developer releases a jackpot slot. 

Multiple operators acquire the rights to offer that slot, which means it can be played at a variety of online casinos. 

Players at all of these casinos feed into a single prize pool, which is why networked jackpots are often worth more than $1 million.

2. Local Area Jackpots

Local area progressive jackpots are limited to a certain number of casinos. In this regard, they’re the same as networked jackpots. The difference, however, is that there’s a barrier to entry.

The barrier is usually the fact that the online casinos are owned by the same parent company. Therefore, you can only play for the local area jackpot if you use the casinos within the parent company’s group. 

3. Standalone Jackpot Slots

Standalone progressive jackpots are, as you can guess, only available at one casino. In many cases, these jackpots are offered by the casino operator and not the game’s developer. That’s why they’re also called in-house progressive jackpots.

BetMGM is an online casino with in-house jackpots. That means BetMGM Casino puts up the initial starting prize (aka seed amount). From there, it collects a percentage of each player’s bets on a specific game (or collection of games).

Finally, BetMGM pays out the jackpot when a player hits the correct combination of symbols. You can’t win these prizes at any other online casino.

4. Must-Drop Jackpots

A must-drop progressive jackpot’s value doesn’t increase indefinitely. As the name suggests, it must drop (i.e., be paid) by a specific deadline. That deadline could be based on time or money.

A time-based must-drop jackpot might have to be paid within 24 hours. The prize could drop at any point within the 24-hour playing period, but it must be paid before the timer reaches zero.

Similarly, money-based jackpots drop at a random point before the prize reaches a certain value. For example, the target could be $50,000, so the prize drops before it reaches $50,000.

Must-drop jackpots are great because you’ve got some idea of when the top prize will be paid. You’ll never know for sure, but having a deadline means there could be better times to play than others.  

Popular Progressive Jackpot Slots

Now that you know how progressive jackpot slots work and the ways you can win, let’s bring this discussion to a close by listing some of the best progressive jackpot slots at BetMGM Casino, FanDuel Casino, and other top-rated US online casinos:

Why You Should Try Progressive Jackpot Slots

The obvious reason progressive jackpots are so desirable is the fact that they are worth so much money. Add some fun features to the mix, and there’s a lot to like about one of the best casino games.

Before you go, here are three things to remember before you spin for prizes topping $1 million:

• You can win a six or seven-figure prize by betting less than $1.

• The amount you bet matters, but always play responsibly.

• Jackpots can grow indefinitely or drop before certain targets are reached.

That’s all you need to know about how progressive jackpot slots work. Remember to play responsibly, and you could win more than a million dollars or more playing the top jackpot slots.