Are online Jackpot slots more exciting than lottery draws? Here at Gamblescope, we think they are. They offer about the same odds to land life-changing fortunes, but still, progressive jackpots are much more exciting to play, providing the chance to win big in the blink of any eye anytime you want to play. This page explains the different types of jackpot slots online, winning tips and we will show you the online casinos that offer them.
What are Progressive Jackpot Slots?
Progressive jackpot slot machines are one of the most popular games at the casino because they provide players with the opportunity to win a life-changing amount of money, sometimes millions, on a single spin. They are the national lottery of casino slots but with more chances to win in many ways.
The Jackpot prize grows in real-time as more people play and continues to increase until someone wins the jackpot. When this happens, the progressive jackpot prize money resets to a predetermined level and starts all over again. However, unlike the national lottery, you don’t have to wait a week to play. The best online casinos will offer multiple progressive jackpot slots to play whenever the mood takes you.
Recommended Progressive Slot Casinos
Many high traffic casinos have become popular due to the quality of the progressive jackpot slots they make available. Some also offer free jackpot slot games to help you practice and become familiar with its features.
Here is a list of the best Jackpot slot casinos available to players residing in your country.
Types of Progressive Jackpot and How they Work
Jackpot slots come in all shapes and sizes. It is helpful to understand the mechanisms that make them tick if you want to win big.
Multi-level progressive jackpot slots
Combines multiple games spread out over numerous casinos. Lower level jackpots can be won while continuing to accumulate funds for a monster jackpot.
Wide Area Online Jackpot Slots
These are jackpot slots with a prize pool spread across many casinos. Given the large number of people playing for the big prize, the odds of winning can be remote, but the size of the winnings will transform your life.
Local Progressive Jackpot Slots
Where several video slots are linked locally within one casino. Prize pools for this type of slot are generally lower, in the hundreds of thousands rather than millions, but payout smaller prizes more frequently.
Boiling Point Progressives
While most jackpots result from the alignment of symbols determined by a random number generator, boiling point progressives yield when a predetermined pot level is reached. This value is unknown to the player.
‘Must Hit By’ Progressive Jackpot Slots
Offer a greater probability of landing the big one as the pot grows, since they must payout when a specific value is reached.
Progressive Jackpots Vs Standard Video Slots: Which is Better?
In terms of features and game-play, there is very little difference between standard online video slots and progressive jackpots. The key differences lay in the question of volatility, sometimes referred to as variance. In simple terms, a slot game’s volatility refers to the frequency in which a slot pays out and by how much.
High Volatility Slots
Jackpot slots have high volatility, meaning they don’t pay out often but payout big when they do.
Low Volatility Slots
The average video slot has low volatility. Contrary to progressives, they pay out more frequently at lower amounts.
Medium Volatility Slots
Medium volatility slot games are a compromise between high and low volatility, which makes them slightly more unpredictable.
Online slots do not publish volatility ratings. The only assessment that can be made is to consider the size of the jackpot prize. Progressive jackpots with huge potential winnings are always likely to be high volatility slots.
The only other method of assessing a slot’s volatility is to play it over an extended duration. Many casinos offer free jackpot slots where you can practice play without risk to help you decide if it is the type of slot you want to play for real money.
Progressive Online Slots with the Highest Payout
There are many progress jackpot slots online, but we suspect you might like to play the games with a history of paying out the biggest prizes. Here is a list of the best options to land a massive jackpot.
Mega Moolah (Microgaming)
This game is the Mac-daddy of all online slot jackpots, creating more millionaires than any other slot game in history. It is also the current holder of the biggest slot win ever – an astonishing €18.9 Million.
Mega Moolah Isis (Microgaming)
Closely aligned to the original, Mega Moolah Isis is the follow-up to Mega Moolah. Both games are connected to Microgaming’s network and offer the same opportunity to win the big jackpot.
Mega Fortune (NetEnt)
Set in the backdrop of Hollywood, NetEnt’s Mega Fortune is one of the most popular jackpot slots around, with its largest payout amounting to a whopping €17.8 million Jackpot.
Mega Fortune Dreams (NetEnt)
The sequel to Mage Fortune, Mega Fortune Dreams shifts gear to a Yacht in the Caribbean, offering higher volatility than its predecessor. €4.6 million is the highest prize so far, but it does pay out smaller amounts more regularly.
Joker Millions (Yggdrasil Gaming)
Not to be left behind by iGaming giants Microgaming and NetEnt, Yggdrasil’s Joker Millions has made multiple players millionaires with its joker bonus symbol game.
Empire Fortune (Yggdrasil Gaming)
With its luxury theme, Empire Fortune packs a punch with its big-money bonus symbol game, paving the way for free spin bonuses and three Jackpot prizes. The Empire Jackpot is the biggest.
Arabian Nights (NetEnt)
Another highly-popular online jackpot slot from NetEnt, Arabian Nights has created a few millionaires in its time. But at €5 a spin to be in with a chance, you will have to push the boat out for a shot at the jackpot.
Hall of Gods (NetEnt)
With enduring popularity and a track record of substantial jackpots, Hall of Gods is up there with the best, recording its highest payout of over 7.5 million.
Jackpot Giant (Playtech)
A progressive online slot that has been responsible for creating a few millionaires over the years. Jackpot Giant’s wide-ranging bonus feature offers plenty of opportunities to bag a small fortune.
Age of the Gods (Playtech)
Harnessing the might of the Greek Gods, Playtech’s famous progressive jackpot slot provides players with unexpected and random opportunities to with one of four jackpot prizes.
Tips to Improve your Chances of Landing a Colossal Jackpot
It is no secret that Progressive Jackpot Slots are games purely based on chance, driven by Random Number Generators (RGNs). Therefore, no strategy exists that will guarantee a jackpot win. There are, however, several things you can do to boost your overall chances in the long term. Here are a few pointers to improve your chances:
Play Jackpot Slots with 95% RTP or Higher
Online Jackpot Slots typically have a lower than average return to player percentage (RTP) to compensate for their substantial jackpots. RTP is the amount of money returned for every €100 spent. So, an RTP of 95% means that the slot will pay out €95 for every €100 collected on average.
To increase your chances of a jackpot win, look for online jackpot slots with an RTP of 95% or higher.
Make the Maximum Bet
Most jackpot slots will only pay the jackpot on a maximum bet, meaning you must play the maximum number of coins to win the big prize. While this is not always the case, it is an inescapable fact that most big prizes fall to high rollers. As a general rule of thumb, low to medium volatility slots are your best option if you want to play conservatively to make your budget stretch further.
Look for Slots that have Not Dropped the Jackpot for a While
It’s no secret that the payout will reset to a predefined lower level after a jackpot drops. For this reason, it is worth keeping an eye out on the major jackpots and play games while the pot is still growing.
Play Free Jackpot Slots First
It is well worth the time and effort to learn the ways of a new slot in demo mode before playing for real money. Doing this first will help you get a feel for the game’s volatility and fully understand its payout table and instructions to improve your overall chances of success.
Take advantage of Free Spin Casino Bonuses
As crazy as it may seem, it won’t be the first time someone has won a jackpot prize on a casino free spin bonus. When your luck is in, it’s in, so always take the opportunity to try out new jackpot slots online with a welcome bonus which includes free spins. Before you do, however, read the terms and conditions attached to learn if any restrictions apply.