Exploring Progressive Jackpot Slots
20,000,000 dollars. That's the world record for largest progressive jackpot ever won. It happened in 2019 on the slot Mega Moolah. Because of hits like that - and countless others in the hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars - progressive jackpot slots have become extremely popular with players hoping to win their life changing jackpot. But for every player who loves progressive jackpot slots there's another player who swears they're not worth it. Today, we're going to take a closer look at these polarizing slots and detail what they are and if they're worth playing. Let's dive in!
What are progressive jackpot slots
Progressive slots are everywhere nowadays. Online casinos advertise them on their homepage, allowing players to see the large jackpot sums continuously growing larger. Even land based casinos have gotten in on the action, placing their progressive jackpot slots front and center on their floors.
But what makes them different from your regular 3 or 5 reel slot machines?
Progressive jackpot slots have jackpots that grow over time. A small portion of each player's bet is added to the jackpot, allowing it to grow quickly and reach some pretty staggering amounts. The more players that play that particular slot the bigger the jackpot grows.
How do you win a progressive jackpot
This is where things get a little heated amongst players. Most progressive jackpots will require players to bet the MAX amount in order to have better chances at winning the jackpot. And since the jackpot triggers so rarely, players can easily burn through their bankroll in hopes of hitting it.
To make things more appealing and attractive to players, more and more progressive slots are offering different tiers of jackpots. You'll see them listed as mini, minor, major and grand - which is always the largest amount.
These other jackpots come in smaller amounts and give players who aren't betting the max amount a chance at winning those jackpots.
There are a few ways players can win these jackpots…
- Bonus game
In this method, players will have to spin into a certain number of bonus symbols. They'll then be taking to a bonus game where they can win one of the jackpots.
- Progressive symbols
Some slots skip the bonus game and allow players to win a jackpot simply by spinning into a certain number of Progressive symbols. For example, if a player spins into 3 Mini Jackpot symbols they'll win that mini jackpot in its entirety.
- Random
Most progressive slots use this method. It's completely random with no indication of when the jackpot will land. You just have to be playing the slot at the right time - and get extremely lucky!
Types of progressive jackpot slots
There are two main versions of progressive jackpot slots…
- Standalone progressive jackpot slot
This is a jackpot that is only available on one specific slot. Because of this, it's more common in land based casinos.
- Network progressive jackpot slot
These are more common on online casinos. Since many online casinos have sister casinos, they offer the same games. That's where the network progressive jackpot comes into play. These jackpots are being built up by players playing on all the casinos that offer a specific game. This means, that essentially, these jackpots are worldwide. When you think about that it's easy to understand how these jackpots reach the numbers that they do.
The case FOR progressive jackpot slots
A lot of players swear by progressive jackpots and choose only to play them during their sessions. For one, they're well made slots. They always have immersive themes, beautiful graphics and animations. But the main thing they have going for them is their chance to change a player's life in a second. Some progressive jackpots have reached into the millions of dollars - and some lucky players have walked away with all of it! The chance to hit that jackpot - no matter how small - is enough for some players.
The addition of smaller jackpots like the mini, minor and major have opened the doors to more players as well. No longer do you have to bet the max amount to have a chance. Now, a player can stay within their means but still have a chance to win a jackpot.
And that jackpot always being there adds a level of excitement that other slots simply can't match. Sure, they have bonus features and free spins, but you're not likely to win the same amount you will from a progressive jackpot.
The case AGAINST progressive jackpot slots
Yes, you can win life altering amounts of money from a progressive jackpot. But the odds of doing that are so extremely low that it's why a lot of players choose to steer clear of progressive jackpot slots. Gambling is already hard enough and you have to have a good amount of luck on your side in order to walk away a winner. Adding the very minuet chance of winning a jackpot just isn't worth it to many players.
While some progressive jackpot slots offer more chances with the mini, minor and major jackpots, a lot do not. That means players have to bet the max amount in order to have any chance of winning the jackpot. That combined with the small chances of winning are why a lot of players skip right past progressive jackpot slots.
Another negative is that the base game of progressive jackpot slots tend to pay out less frequently than other slots. That's because they have to account for the chance a player hits the jackpot - which is going to be a huge win. So to even things out they pay out smaller amounts on the base game.
Conclusion
Should you play progressive jackpot slots? The answer to that is really up to you and what your preference is. If you don't mind a volatile slot then there's no reason not to give one a few spins during your next session. Who knows, maybe you could be the next millionaire jackpot winner!