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Key Insights: Progressive Jackpots at a Glance
- How they grow: A small share of every bet feeds the jackpot pool until someone wins and it resets to a starting value.
- Biggest jackpots: Wide-area network jackpots, which pool bets from many casinos, are the ones that reach seven and eight figures.
- Record win: The largest verified online slot payout is €17,879,645 on Mega Moolah in 2015, recognised by Guinness World Records.
- Max bet rule: Many progressive slots only pay the full jackpot on the maximum bet, so check the rules first.
- No strategy: Slots run on random number generators, so no betting pattern improves your chance of winning.
How Do Progressive Jackpots Work?
Progressive jackpots work by pooling a small portion of every wager into a prize that keeps growing until someone wins it. Now that you know these games can offer millions of dollars, you’re probably wondering how they manage it. It’s actually quite simple. As players place wagers, a small portion of each one is transferred to the jackpot.
The more players that bet on the game, the bigger and faster the jackpot grows. It keeps growing until someone wins, at which point it resets to a minimum value and the process begins again.
These days there are likely to be thousands of games connected together from multiple casinos, all feeding into the same pot. This is what allows the jackpot to grow to such huge levels. In most cases, progressive jackpot games are limited to slots, which you can learn more about in our online slots guide, but sometimes other games, such as video poker, offer these jackpots too. New to the game? Our slot basics for beginners cover reels, paylines and bet sizes before you chase a jackpot.
Types of Progressive Jackpots
There are three main types of progressive jackpots: stand-alone, local (in-house) and wide-area network. While the basic idea is always the same, the differences between them decide how big the jackpot can get.
| Type | Where it’s found | Typical size | How fast it grows |
| Stand-alone progressive | One machine, mostly land-based casinos | Small | Slowest |
| Local / in-house progressive | 10 to 100 machines within one casino | Medium | Moderate |
| Wide-area network progressive | Hundreds or thousands of games across many casinos | Seven to eight figures | Fastest |
- Stand-alone progressive: The game is not linked to any other machine, but every bet on it still feeds its jackpot. With only one game making the jackpot grow, it grows slowly and doesn’t get very big. This was the original type, and it’s now less common, though it can still be found in some land-based casinos.
- Local / in-house progressive: A casino links several machines together, normally between 10 and 100, always within the same casino. These are mostly found at land-based casinos, though some online casinos use them too. They offer bigger jackpots than stand-alone games, but not as big as the next type.
- Wide-area network progressive: These are the progressive slot games that offer the million-dollar jackpots. Hundreds or even thousands of games are linked together across multiple casinos, which can include both land-based and online casinos.
Popular Progressive Jackpot Slots
Most of the best-known progressive jackpot slots run on wide-area networks.
| Game | Provider | Jackpot type | Notable for |
| Mega Moolah | Microgaming | Wide-area network | Record verified payout of €17,879,645 (2015) |
| Mega Fortune | NetEnt | Wide-area network | A win of roughly $19 to $21 million in 2013 |
| Divine Fortune | NetEnt | Wide-area network | Multi-tier jackpot with smaller prizes that hit more often |
| Hall of Gods | NetEnt | Wide-area network | Seven-figure winners reported |
Progressive Jackpot Tips and Tricks
Progressive jackpot slots are definitely for you if you have big dreams about the big win. Unfortunately, the odds of winning are small, but there’s always a chance. These tips should make your journey a little more pleasant:
- Read the casino’s terms and conditions. Some online casinos have a maximum withdrawal amount, which could mean it takes years to withdraw a large win. Other casinos exempt progressive jackpots from these limits, so make sure you know the rules first.
- Check the maximum bet requirement. Most progressive games state that you must place the maximum bet to win the full jackpot. The last thing you want is to hit the jackpot but not receive all of it because your bet was too low.
- Compare jackpot sizes. Choosing a game with a jackpot that’s higher than usual means you win more if you do get lucky.
- Budget your time and money. Decide how much you’re going to spend and how long you’re going to play, and don’t go over either. The last thing you need is to play for hours on end and lose a lot of money.
- Compare RTP, but keep it in perspective. RTP (return to player) is the percentage of wagers a game pays back over the long run, so a 98% RTP returns $0.98 for every $1 wagered on average. Progressive slots often run a lower RTP than standard slots because part of every bet funds the jackpot, and a higher RTP doesn’t make the jackpot itself more likely to land. For more on RTP, volatility and other features to compare, see our tips on choosing a slot machine.
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Progressive Jackpot FAQs
What is a progressive jackpot?
A progressive jackpot has a unique claim to fame: its prize isn’t fixed, and it keeps growing as more players wager on the game. Hundreds or even thousands of games can be connected together, so the jackpot grows quickly and it’s common to see progressive jackpots worth millions of dollars.
Do I need to bet the maximum to win a progressive jackpot?
Often, yes, so try to do so if your bankroll supports it. Most online progressive games stipulate that a maximum bet must be placed to win the full jackpot amount. If you can’t afford the maximum bet, don’t get yourself into trouble, as wins can still be quite big even if you don’t bet the maximum.
Is there a strategy for winning a progressive jackpot?
In honesty, there isn’t much you can do. Most progressive jackpots are online slot games, and slots are designed to be completely random. The random number generator determines which symbols appear, and nothing a player does can influence that.
Can I play progressive jackpot slots on mobile?
Almost certainly. Nearly all progressive jackpot games found at a casino are also available on that casino’s mobile site, so you can play wherever you are.
How often are progressive jackpots won?
Winning big isn’t common, and it happens roughly as often as someone winning a big lottery prize. Even so, there are plenty of people who have had their lives changed by a multi-million-dollar win, and some have won big after spending just a few dollars on their chosen progressive jackpot game
