Progressive Jackpots: Chasing the Big Win

In the realm of casino entertainment, players routinely come across many slot machine games. One of them is classic slots; the other is jackpot slots. Today, we take you on a fascinating journey into the realm of mega-money jackpots. Consider this the Godzilla, the King Kong of jackpots – progressive jackpots. Now that we've super-sized your expectations, it's time to drop anchor and explore the inner mechanics of these games. What are they? How do they work? How difficult is it to win a progressive jackpot? Get ready, get set; it's time for the big reveal!

The simplest definition of a progressive jackpot slot is as follows: any slot machine game (on a network) that retains a percentage of every bet placed and adds it to the jackpot. As more players bet, the jackpot grows ever larger. It's important to understand that progressive jackpots are randomly triggered – there is no guaranteed strategy for hitting it big. Now, every progressive jackpot features a jackpot meter. This signals the size of the jackpot as it grows with every incremental bet placed.

Fantastic Progressive Jackpot Games

Recall that progressive jackpot slots are part of a network of slots. A small percentage of every bet on any game on that network adds to the progressive jackpot. There are scores of progressive jackpot games populating the online casino scene. Many themed jackpot slots exist, each of which appeals to a niche group of players. For an up close and personal experience of these types of slot machine games, players can check out the social casino scene. It offers zero-risk entertainment with maximum thrills.

As a case in point, the Hit It Rich! social casino series of games delivers pulse-pounding play on every spin. A multitude of world-class slot machine games exists courtesy of the world's premier software providers. But these jackpots and big wins are not real money attractions. They feature gold coin payouts – the designated in-game currency – with world-class titles available to players. The likes of Wizard of Oz™, The Price Is Right™, Rumble Rumble™, Elvira Vegas or Bust™, and Storm of the Gods™ feature prominently with fans. Each of these games – by legendary software providers like Ainsworth, brings the best Vegas-style entertainment directly to players' screens.

Progressive Jackpot Game Mechanics

When fiat currency is used, payouts routinely reach into the millions of dollars. Once you hit the spin button, the reels roar to life. A random number generator (RNG) instantly determines what symbols will be displayed on your screen. The visuals play out much slower for added effect. In other words, you might see five symbols landing one at a time from left to right on the reels. Experts recommend that players implement optimal slots strategy when playing progressive jackpot games. Naturally, responsible gameplay is advised at all times. That means playing within your budget, taking regular breaks, never chasing losses, and knowing when to walk away.

Real money progressive jackpot slot players are strongly advised to place the maximum bet per spin. That way, players are assured of scooping up the complete jackpot when Lady Luck waves her magic wand. But it's not all high-cost gaming – progressive jackpot slots are readily available in lower-denomination values for more affordable gaming. In other words, they cater to casual players and high rollers. Complex mathematical programs known as algorithms are used to generate outcomes. Each spin result is independent of preceding spins and does not correlate with proceeding spins. The outcomes are guaranteed random.

With progressive jackpots, there is always the possibility that specific combinations of symbols are required. As mentioned earlier, you may need to hit five identical symbols on a certain payline. These paylines are not always linear; they may be zigzag or other shapes. The mega jackpots – those with the biggest payouts are also the rarest combinations of symbols to hit on the reels. Remember, there are no actual spinning reels in a virtual slot machine game; there is mathematical code that instantly generates outcomes based on the number of symbols in play per virtual reel.

Some progressive jackpot games can deliver prizes in the millions of dollars. These, of course, are the most coveted casino games on the scene. Players tend to seek out progressive jackpot slots for this very reason – but it's no mean feat scooping up a multi-million dollar payout. Over the years, progressive jackpot payouts have made history. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the biggest jackpot in an online slot machine game was €17,879,645 paid to Jon Heywood. The game was Mega Moolah by Microgaming – and it's certainly not the first time this world-famous slot machine game paid a fortune in prizes. Many similar progressive jackpots by Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt, Play'N GO, and other providers have made headlines worldwide.

Before we leave you with these exciting jackpot games, it should be pointed out that there are several different types of progressive jackpots – each with varying payout potential. There are stand-alone jackpots on a single machine (the smallest jackpots), followed by local jackpots on several slot machine games in a single brick-and-mortar casino (mid-size jackpots), and then there are the network progressive slots. These are the moneymakers – the millionaire makers. Network progressive jackpots are wide-area progressive jackpots, and these are the same attractions of the premier online casinos. So now you know what to look for. Happy gaming, folks!