The Chance to Win a Life Changing Jackpot – Read our Guide to Online Jackpot Slots

Progressive jackpot slots online have become a very popular type of slots game to play. They offer players the chance to win a life changing amount of money. The chance is small but it’s a chance nevertheless. To be honest, winning several thousand playing games such as roulette or blackjack is really not possible. But there are players that have actually won millions playing progressive jackpot slots.

What is a progressive jackpot slot?

It’s a pot of money that can be won when a player makes a specific bet and hit the special combination to trigger the payout. The pool of money is built from players wagers. A small amount from every players wagers (generally around 1%) is used for the jackpot. The remaining 99% is used just like a normal game. The one aspect of progressive slot machines that makes them different from all the other types of slot is that every wager that’s made increases the jackpot and all the time it goes unpaid it increases and increases.

Eventually, a player will win it. Each and every online progressive jackpot will have the same quality but how they pay is where they differ. To win the jackpot may require a special combination of reels and these will be different depending on where you play.

The history of progressive slots

Progressive slots started life in land-based casinos and it was IGT who first came up with the idea in the 1980’s. There was already a progressive structure in place but it hadn’t yet been applied to slots. Megabucks slots were the games and required a minimum state of $3 (3 coins) in order to qualify for the progressive jackpot that was being offered by the machine. The prize pool started at one million dollars so was obviously a very tempting prize. The machines weren’t stand alone machines but were part of a linked network of slot machines.

Each individual slot contributed around 10% of every dollar wagered and was added to the prize pool one lucky player could win by hitting the magic symbols. These original progressive machines were linked by some of the first ‘internet’ style telecoms. Whereas nowadays they have 3G connections between each other and are able to talk directly on a server. When casinos transferred to the online market place it means that progressive jackpot games of all kinds could be offered along with a range of different progressive slots. There are now heaps of this type of game to choose from, some of which are very well-known. For example, Mega Moolah, Tunzamunni and the Megajackpot series.

Different types of progressive slots

When it comes to playing standard slots the jackpot is a fixed amount. However, a progressive jackpot slots game is different in that the jackpot rises as more players place their bets. There are three different types of online progressive jackpot game:

• Stand-alone – this type of online slot machine is very much like the big machines you can still find at the big land-based casinos around the world. They tend to be rather costly to play, but will always have a big jackpot to play for. The jackpot is only built by the money wagered on that particular game.
• Linked – this type of progressive jackpot slot game has a pool of machines/games that are linked to the same jackpot, with each one feeding the prize pool. They can be linked from the same game, different games, the same or multiple casinos.

How to play progressive slots like a pro

There are four basic principles to follow if you want to play jackpot slots online:

• 1. Check the RTP – RTP stands for Return to Player and represents the percentage of all wagers taken in that will be returned to the player. Standard slots games tend to keep a small amount of money and allow the rest to be paid back to the players. This means the RTP is very high. Jackpot or progressive slots have a slightly lower RTP because the huge jackpot prize throws out the numbers slightly. If you find a game with good progressive jackpot odds, the potential for winning is contained in the jackpot. Making the games volatile as well as needing a bigger bankroll to play.
• 2. Place bigger bets – progressive jackpot odds increase as you increase your wager. You can still win playing the smallest bets but your chances will be increased if you can afford to play as high as possible.
• 3. Aim for the high jackpots – if you’re determined to play progressive slots online you should play more when the jackpot is high. There are plenty to choose from so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that hasn’t paid out for a while.

What are the most popular jackpot slots for free and real money

There’s no denying, whoever you are or whatever casino you feel loyal to, the biggest jackpot slots are Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune. Mega Moolah is made by Microgaming and has the biggest jackpot anywhere. It actually has four jackpots attached to the game, and the biggest, the Mega jackpot, has been know to grow bigger than £13 million before it was won. The Mega Fortune jackpot slots game has three progressive jackpots you can win.

The biggest of which can climb as high as €17.8 million. Another popular and high paying progressive jackpot is The Arabian Nights game made by NetEnt. This has been know to pay out more than €8 million. Both Microgaming and NetEnt have a reputation for providing some very attractive online jackpot slots and have been know to pay out some life-changing amounts to lucky players. Many of which have been record breaking amounts.

Are progressive slots safe to play?

Of course they are. Playing progressive slots for free or real money is as safe as playing any other type of online casino game. This is all thanks to the Random Number Generators that are used to determine the result of the spinning reels. RNG’s are the brains of the operation. Most of you will appreciate that it’s a computer chip that’s picking the numbers but do you understand how it all works? Let’s explain and you’ll realise how safe these games are and that there’s no system you can use to beat them.

The RNG is a special program that generates numbers which correspond to the symbols of the reel. Random numbers are constantly selected every millisecond. The numbers are generated using a formula, or algorithm, that is simply a series of instructions. These instructions are far too complicated to explain here. But it may help you to know that the instructions are regularly checked by independent testing authorities to ensure the results are fair and always truly random.

Is there a foolproof progressive slots strategy?

There’s no special strategy that will help you win but there’s nothing wrong with having a plan. No special skills are needed but there are a few things you need to bear in mind when you play. First, make sure you manage your bankroll effectively and be prepared to lose a lot of the time. Only place bets that are in line with your budget. Make sure you read all the rules of the game before you start to play. You want to avoid any nasty surprises.

Don’t discount the smaller jackpots you can play for, as your chances of winning will be much bigger. The biggest jackpots you can win tend to be won every couple of months or so, on average. But the most generous jackpots of all could only pay out once a year. One other thing you need to consider is how the winnings will be paid. A number of the jackpots will pay out in one lump sum but there are also a number that spread the payment out over several years.

So bear this in mind before you start to play and check the terms and conditions very carefully. Progressive jackpots are a good feature to look for in a slots casino. They can be great fun to play but are even more exciting to win. You’re going to need a bigger bankroll to play them, but if you can afford to spend a little bit extra they’re definitely worth a punt. Whatever casino you choose to play at you’ll be in with the chance to win a life-changing amount which is not something you get to hear too often.

Our aim is to provide you with a one stop shop for all things slot related so keep popping back because we’ll have the latest news of the jackpots that are waiting to be won. And if there are any new progressive jackpots launched you’ll be the first to hear about it here. We know you’re going to be tempted by the large amounts of cash waiting to be won, but take things slowly and be sensible with your betting. Wager only what you can afford to lose.