Progressive jackpot slots regularly hit the casino news headlines for turning average casino players into overnight millionaires. Just check our casino jackpot page or keep an eye on our regular ‘Casino Games News’ for some of the highest jackpot payouts as well as jackpot news.
There are also plenty of progressive jackpots that are the unsung heroes of iGaming. They don’t make millionaires out of players, but they regularly pump out jackpot wins. Networks like 888 Casino and Red Tiger Gaming are the most well-known for their hourly and daily jackpots giving players a welcomed windfall of cash into their casino account that could be 3-digits to 5-digits.
What’s more, is all the money won from progressive jackpots is yours to keep. There are no wagering requirements or withdrawal limits, so you can get your hand on your winnings almost immediately. When you win a progressive jackpot, it is not the casino that pays you, it is the software provider because this is the company that owns the progressive jackpot network. For example, the person that won that mesmerising € 19.4 million on Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah slot received the winnings directly from Microgaming within in 30 days of winning.
What are Progressive Jackpots?
The jackpot on any slot is the highest paying win possible. On a nonprogressive jackpot slot, this is usually a pre-defined/fixed win. For instance, in Vegas you will see slots that show the jackpot as $ 3 million. All you need to do is trigger that jackpot, and you win the fixed jackpot prize. After that win, the jackpot will still be $ 3 million. Conversely, a progressive jackpot is not fixed, and instead, it just keeps on rising in value.
To give you a real-life example, let’s take the world-famous Microgaming Mega Moolah progressive jackpot network. When someone lands the Mega Moolah jackpot, they win whichever amount it showed at the time. In April 2021 that was € 19.4 million, in January 2019 CA$ 20 million, € 18.91 million in 2018, and £ 13.21 million in October 2015. These are just examples of some of the biggest wins. More recently someone won a € 3.9 million jackpot playing Mega Moolah Goddess. When someone wins, the jackpot ‘resets’ to € 1.5 million (at the time of writing this guide).
The two key things you will notice from what you have read here is the jackpot is never the same and the jackpot can rise well beyond the ‘reset’. What happens is, every time a player spins the reels, i.e., bets on a Mega Moolah progressive jackpot slot, a percentage of the bet is contributed to the jackpot. And as there are so many players online playing these slots, the jackpot has grown to record numbers.
As for when the slot pays out, well that’s just down to the laws of probability and variance. Going back to the Mega Moolah slot, some say the odds of winning are 1 in 24 million spins. Every spin then has a 1 in 24 million chance of hitting the jackpot, which the same can be said for a single dice. It has a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 6, yet 6 can roll in 3 times in a row. OK so the odds are much different, compared to the million to 1 odds of a jackpot slot, but you get the picture.
In fact, Microgaming’s WowPot jackpot network did just that after not paying out for over a year, suddenly 2 people hit the jackpot in the same week. The first person landed € 17.5 million, while the second winner a week later won € 2.03 million because the WowPot resets to € 2 million by default. It just goes to show that even with multi-million to one odds, a jackpot can pay multiple times.
Differences between non-progressive jackpots and progressive jackpots:
- Non-progressive Jackpots have a fixed value, progressive jackpots are constantly growing
- progressive jackpots are a little harder to win
- progressive jackpots enable significantly higher profits
Where to find progressive jackpots: Progressive jackpots are not unique to online slots or slots in land-based casinos. You will also find them on Roulette tables – for example, Age of the Gods Live Roulette, Live Caribbean Stud Poker, and CyberStud. You will also find bingo, lotto, scratch card, and video poker progressive jackpots across the iGaming sphere.
What types of progressive jackpots are there in online casinos?
The way a progressive jackpot works is the same everywhere so far as it keeps on rising until it pays out, then it resets, and the coffers start to build up again. That being said, there is no one size fits all progressive jackpot. Different software providers use the progressive jackpot system in diverse and interesting ways, and we are going to explain these in the box below.
Multi-Level or Pooled Progressive Jackpots
This is basically 1 progressive jackpot and multiple casino games contributing to that jackpot. For example, Age of the Gods jackpot network has over 20 video slots, a live roulette table, and a ‘Spin a Win’ virtual wheel of fortune game all tied to the same jackpot. Any bet on any of these games will help the progressive jackpot rise. Other large networks are Mega Moolah, and WowPot by Microgaming. Also, Red Tiger has a growing network.
Stand-Alone or Single Progressive Jackpot
This is a slot with a private progressive jackpot. This means that only bets on this slot will contribute to its jackpot. If the jackpot slot is very popular, then despite being a stand-alone jackpot game title, it can still conjure up huge jackpots over time. For example, NetEnt’s Divine Fortune progressive jackpot slot is stand-alone and pays into the millions as does Jackpot Giant by Playtech, Major Millions by Microgaming, and more big name slots.
Mixed Progressive Jackpots on a Slot or Network
Most progressive jackpot slots have multiple jackpots. WoWPot slots have a Mini, Minor, Major, and WowPot. Mega Moolah jackpot slots have Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega. The mini jackpot pays out small amounts regularly and the Mega/WowPot millions usually every 2 to 3 months. Playtech slots are similar with Ultimate, Super, Extra, and Power jackpots. 888 Casino and Red Tiger have hourly and daily jackpot winners.
Progressive Jackpot Slots at Multiple Online Casinos
For a stand-alone slot to build up its jackpot to a decent level and pay players regularly, it needs to be available at as many online casinos as possible. A progressive jackpot slot at just 1 or 2 casinos will only be exposed to a small player base. However, if the slot is at multiple online casinos, it has a large player base and therefore, builds up its jackpot faster. Also, the more spins there are, the more likely the slot will pay.
Private Progressive Jackpot Network in Branded Casinos
The reason we bring this style of jackpot network up is because of 888. Its casinos use proprietary video slots designed by its 888 Gaming design studios, so its slots are exclusively available on 888 Casino brands under 888 Holdings PLC. You won’t find this jackpot network anywhere else online. What’s more, is because it is exclusive to 888 casino brands. This is one of the few casinos that give you a bonus that you can use on progressive jackpot slots.
Hourly & Daily Progressive Jackpot Slots & Networks
A popular way to keep playing is to have a timer on the jackpot. At any time, within an hour or during the day, the slot’s jackpot will open up its coffers and drop a small fortune into your lap. We have already mentioned 888 Casino, so our other example is Red Tiger Gaming. It pools together multiple slots into hourly and daily progressive jackpot networks, and as long as you are playing when the jackpot triggers, you could end up winning a nice windfall.
Random Progressive Jackpot Slot Payouts
A random progressive jackpot is one that has no trigger. This is where the term ‘you need to be in it to win it’ comes into play. In effect, it’s almost like playing in a raffle. At random, you could be picked, and the jackpot falls on you out of the blue just for being there. In fact, this is how Red Tiger hourly and daily jackpots work. However, some progressive jackpot slots have a randomly trigger jackpot bonus game like Mega Moolah’s random jackpot bonus.
Triggered Progressive Jackpot Slot Payouts
A triggered progressive jackpot is, of course, opposite to the random jackpot. You will need to spin a certain combination, like 5 red 7s on line 15, or fill the reels with jackpot symbols, or simply trigger a bonus game and traverse your way to an eventual jackpot win. In this case, it means the triggered Progressive Jackpot is the same as a feature like free spins in which your spin need to produce a certain outcome on the reels to release the big win!
The Biggest Progressive Jackpot Wins Come from Pooled Networks
Inevitably, the largest wins will always come from jackpot networks with multiple games attached to the progressive jackpot. Above, that is the Multi-Level/Pooled Progressive Jackpots networks. In comparison to a stand-alone progressive jackpot, which needs players to specifically play its slot to build up its jackpot, the pooled jackpot has 2, 3, 4, 10, 20 or more slots capturing players’ attention. That means the jackpot can get pretty high quickly while the more spins there are churned out due to a large volume of players, the higher the chance probability of taking its course and dropping the top jackpot payout. The result is fast-growing progressive jackpots into 6-, 7-, or 8-digit numbers, and the jackpot pays out regularly.
- Age of the Gods: One of the most well-known because there are more than 20 video slots connecting to the jackpot. There is also a live roulette table and other games all connecting to this jackpot. This is from the Playtech jackpot network.
- Mega Moolah: Another well-known network. The Mega Moolah slot was stand-alone, but now Microgaming has added more slots including Mega Moolah Immortal Romance, Atlantan Treasures, and Mega Moolah Goddess.
- WowPot: A brand new progressive jackpot network from Microgaming that came around in 2020. At the time of writing this progressive jackpot guide, it has paid out €17.53 million on the Book of Atem, €2.03 million Sherlock & Moriarty, and €1.12 million Sisters of Oz: WowPot.
3 Largest Jackpot Networks: These are the 3 largest pooled jackpot networks out there in terms of payouts. There is also Red Tiger, but as the network concentrates on daily and hourly jackpots, the jackpot amounts are not that large in comparison to the above 3 networks. Also, take note that these networks have 4 different jackpots too so they are always dropping in cash wins on players.
Jackpots that Payout Regularly
There are several reasons why some progressive jackpot slots pay out more regularly than others. It could be a stand-alone progressive jackpot slot or a jackpot network that seems to always appear in the casino iGaming news headlines for paying out.
- Jackpot RTP: The developer may set the reels in such a way that the Jackpot pays out more often. I.e., there is more chance of triggering the jackpot with the way the reels are set up. A high RTP for the jackpot means it will pay more regularly. Obviously, a low RTP means it will take some time for the jackpot to hit.
- Number of players: The more players playing the slot, the more spins there are. With more spins, the inevitable is going to happen, and that is the jackpot will fall because probability demands this. Therefore, the most popular slots payout the jackpot faster.
- Multiple Casinos: For a slot to be popular, it usually needs to be available at multiple online casinos. It’s really just common sense. If the slot is only available at 1 or 2 casinos, it won’t have a huge audience, but if it is available at 100 casinos, then it has a huge audience to appeal to.
- Hourly/Daily: The hourly and daily jackpots rely on the number of players playing in the slots entered into the jackpot pool to build a higher jackpot amount. However, no matter how low or high that jackpot is, the slot will always pay it out within the hour or 24-hour periods.
Weighing up jackpots: There are multiple factors that decide how large a progressive jackpot can grow, and how regularly it will pay. A popular stand-alone slot like NetEnt’s Arabian Nights may pay out €-£-$ 50,000 to 200,000 max, but payout every couple of weeks, while you could also earn that from the Mega Mega Moolah network’s Minor or Mega jackpot which are the jackpots below the WowPot/Major jackpot payout. In the end, keep an eye out for the jackpots and when they pay, and you’ll get a feel for how often they pay.
Microgaming Casinos:
- Mega Moolah Jackpot Network
- Mega Moolah Isis Slots
- WowPot Jackpot Network
NetEnt Casinos:
- Mega Fortune
- Mega Fortune Dream
- Arabian Nights
Playtech Casinos:
- Age of the Gods Jackpot Network
- Jackpot Giant
- Gladiator JP
Yggdrasil Casinos:
- Joker Millions
- Empire Fortune
Questions and answers about progressive jackpots in online casinos
Can I use casino bonus money from a no deposit or welcome bonus to bet on jackpot slots?
Generally, no. If you win playing a jackpot slot using bonus money, the casino has to pay for the portion of your bet that contributes to the progressive jackpot. This is because the software provider controls the actual jackpot and pays for it, so it would be strange if the software provider also accepted bonus money. That said, 888 Casino has proprietary jackpots slots and as such is happy to let you bet using bonus money.
What is the difference between a progressive jackpot and a jackpot?
A ‘jackpot’ we would usually refer to as a non-progressive jackpot. I.e., the slot will have a set of jackpots that are fixed, also known as a fixed jackpot. Some games like Basic Instinct by iSoftBet have 1 progressive jackpot while others will have multiple jackpots built-in with fixed payouts. On the other hand, a progressive jackpot grows with every spin until it is triggered or randomly pays. The reason its jackpot can grow so high is that a percentage of every bet contributes to the jackpot, whereas fixed progressive jackpots are worked out using a mathematical algorithm.
Where can I find progressive jackpots in online casinos?
Check out Microgaming, Red Tiger, iSoftBet, NetEnt, and Playtech casinos. In fact, the best way to find a casino with the progressive jackpot slots you want to play is by reading our online casino reviews. In the games section, we cover the progressive jackpot slots and brands available at the casino. The best casinos for jackpot slots are those with a mix of titles from Microgaming, Playtech, iSoftBet, Red Tiger, and Blueprint Gaming. However, it is not often all these brands together under one hood.
What was the highest progressive jackpot ever won in an online casino?
The number continues to change. Now we can tell you that Microgaming has paid out the most in progressive jackpot wins over the years with €1.5 billion in payouts at the time of writing this guide. It also holds the Guinness Book of Records honours for the highest online casino jackpot payout via a video slot. That was a € 19.4 million win on Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah in April 2021. Just prior to that, the highest win was € 17.53 million via the Book of Atem WowPot slot also in April 2021.
How do I know the casino will pay me the progressive jackpot amount if I win?
This is a great question and there’s an easy answer. The owner of the jackpot network pays you. If that’s a Mega Moolah slot, then its Microgaming, if you win a million playing Divine Fortune, then NetEnt will pay you. The money will not go into your casino account per se. The casino will give you a line of credit, of course, and get in contact with you in order to pay you your winnings. It then takes around a couple of weeks to arrive. As each bet contributes towards the progressive jackpot, no one loses here.
Which casino games offer the highest chance of winning progressive jackpots?
It is tough to say exactly which brand, or slot offers the best chance of winning. It also depends on how you look at it. If you want to stand a chance of becoming a millionaire, then Microgaming’s Mega Moolah and WowPot collections are the most popular as Microgaming is found in thousands of online casinos. If you want to simply experience the buzz of winning a jackpot, then play on the Red Tiger or 888 Casino daily and hourly jackpot networks.
Are there live casino games with progressive jackpots?
Yes. Perhaps the most famous is Age of the Gods Live Jackpot Roulette, which is attached to the Age of the Gods network with tons of slots and regular 6-digit payouts. Then there is Evolution’s Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker First Five Jackpot, Casino Hold’em Jumbo 7 Jackpot, and Caribbean Stud Poker Jackpot. Soon we may see the wheel of fortune titles incorporate progressive jackpots too as this niche is growing fast and has plenty in common with slots.
Leave A Comment