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Progressive Jackpots

What is a Progressive Jackpot?

Anyone who has ever played at a casino has come across the term ‘progressive jackpot’. Progressives might be popular offerings now, but that doesn’t mean they are novel. The games were created in traditional casinos. By design, the jackpot in a progressive game is not fixed. Each player who bets on the game contributes a certain percentage to the top prize. For this reason, the pool is always growing. Depending on how popular a game gets, the jackpot can reach millions.

When gambling moved to the online sphere, so did progressive games. Now, they have become some of the must-haves at internet gambling sites. Casinos lure customers with exciting and lucrative progressive games. Online progressives are easy to keep up with because casinos typically indicate the size of the jackpot. A progressive prize pool can be in any game, but slots are the most common. Most of the top software developers that create slot titles have progressive prize pools. Microgaming, NetEnt and Play’n Go are some providers with progressive games.

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How Does a Progressive Slot Work?

An online progressive video slot game works in the same way as a traditional one. When you place a bet, a fraction of it goes towards feeding the jackpot. If you spin and land the winning combination, the prize is yours. Operators don’t set a limit for the jackpot. It means that the pool can grow into the tens of millions. When a player wins, the game resets, and the jackpot starts building all over again. After the reset, the game must have a seed amount to drive the progressive. In some games, the provider fronts this money while in others, it comes from the players’ wagers. A progressive slot game has a random number generator, meaning that the final result is calculated automatically.

Slot games with multiple bet-lines are the ones that are likely to have progressives. Developers also bundle an array of features in these games. You can find a slot with wilds, multiplying wilds, bonus rounds and free spins. A progressive slot has specific rules that each player must observe to win. For instance, a minimum and a maximum number of coins apply. If you fail to bet the necessary amount, even if you land the winning combination, it won’t matter. Therefore, players should check the terms of a particular game before wagering money.

Unfortunately, progressives don’t have options to play for fun. You can’t practice a progressive virtual slot first. Reading reviews about that particular title can give you ideas of the features and how to use them.

What are the Most Popular Progressive Games?

When it comes to playing a progressive jackpot online, the options are almost limitless. The attractive jackpots that online progressives offer have made the games wildly popular. Casinos don’t miss opportunities to flaunt the progressives they have in their game catalogues. If a game has a jackpot metre, it’s even better. Customers get to see the prize pool increase by the milli-second, and that is nothing if not enticing. Here are three progressives that rule the online gambling world.

Mega Moolah

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Microgaming is the king of progressive online slots, and Mega Moolah is one of its biggest creations. The game has rewarded players with some of the largest jackpots in gambling history. As part of the Microgaming progressive network, the game can have payouts exceeding $5 million. The 5-reel, 25-payline slot features an African safari. It has four separate jackpots with the Mega Jackpot being the largest one.

Jackpot Giant

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Besides the stunning graphics that characterise this progressive slot game, it’s a highly rewarding game with the jackpot reaching a couple of millions. The 5-reel, 50-line slot machine tells the story of a giant in the stone age. It’s a Playtech creation that activates the jackpot in standard play rather than the bonus round, which is a huge plus side.

Mega Fortune

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NetEnt boasts some of the most popular progressive video slots, including Mega Fortune. This 5-reel, 25-bet-line slot has a jackpot that runs to millions of dollars. The game’s theme is the good life with a luxury yacht representing the wild symbol and a champagne bottle as a scatter. It has an RTP of 96.6% with 5.39% of your wager contributing to the jackpot.

How to Win a Progressive Jackpot?

As with a regular virtual slot, the goal of a progressive game is to get a winning combination on the reels. You would need to wager the maximum number of coins to qualify for the jackpot. Always ensure that you have enough money on the paylines to be eligible. Some slots trigger the jackpot feature at random. A progressive game has a spin button that will get it going when you click on it.Jackpot Win

No definite formula can help you increase your winning chances in a progressive slot game. The use of an RNG means that it’s impossible to predict the outcomes of a particular spin.

How you get your prize if you win depends on the game. Some titles pay out jackpots in lump sums while others pay in instalments, usually across several years. Casinos don’t have trouble paying out small winnings, for example, a few thousands.

How often do Progressive Jackpots Hit?

Think of a progressive game like a lottery. So, you cannot tell exactly when a game is ‘due.’ Several factors influence the frequency of a jackpot payout. One is the number of games in the network; the fewer they are, the more frequently the game awards players. The odds of a particular game matter as well. Some progressives hit two times a week while others can take a few months.

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Tips and Tricks to Choose a Progressive Slot

The attractive prizes in progressive virtual slots can make choosing the right one a tough choice.

  • First, decide between a standalone and a network jackpot. In standalone progressives, the prize only gets wagers from one game. The other alternative sources bets from a series of games and so have larger pots.
  • Be clear about your objectives before wagering. What type of winnings do you prefer? If you want small wins, find a game that pays out often. A player who is looking for a bit more risk can focus on prominent progressive games.
  • When you narrow down the options, learn the rules of a specific game. Know about the features and how to use them. Stay up to date on jackpot payouts and how soon they hit so you can tell if a progressive is worth the investment.

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Sabina Kugler

Sabina was born in Vienna, now lives in Berlin and is responsible for current promotions and bonus offers. With her charming nature, she also brings out one or two exclusive special offers for our players. In the guide section she will also tell you some tricks on how to best use free spins, bonuses or cashback offers.