Progressive Jackpots

Liam
By Liam Taylor

While engaging in online casinos, players often see ads showcasing enormous top payouts, reaching the millions. These are associated with games featuring progressive jackpots.

Progressive jackpots belong to a distinct category of pokies prizes recognized for their constantly growing rewards, which increase with every spin players take.

Read on to learn about progressive jackpots, their mechanics, various types, and where to discover these games.

What are Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpots represent the top prizes in specific casino games that continue to grow until a lucky player claims them. While they may be featured in various games, they are most commonly for slot machines.

The worth of these jackpots escalates from thousands to even millions of dollars. Most progressive jackpot games require placing the highest bet to qualify. If you achieve the winning combination but haven’t placed the required bet, or haven’t completed a casino wagering requirement, you won’t secure the jackpot. To prevent this, it’s crucial to understand the minimum bet criteria and consistently bet at that level or higher when engaging in progressive games.

For instance, consider video poker with a progressive jackpot. In many cases, wagering five coins is mandatory for higher payouts. Thus, if you’re using a quarter video poker machine, betting five coins equates to $1.25 per hand. Falling short of this bet and achieving the top-winning hand will solely generate the regular payout, excluding the jackpot. If committing higher bets is uncomfortable, seek games with lower bets per coin. Numerous slot machines provide the option to bet less per line, accommodating various betting preferences.

How Progressive Jackpot Works

Progressive jackpot games operate within specialized slot machines rather than regular ones, requiring players to engage with these unique titles specifically. In progressive jackpot pokies games like “Age of the Gods” by Playtech, every wager contributes a small part to a possible jackpot. As numerous players place their bets on specific games, the bank gradually accumulates, growing with each passing bet. This dynamic system leads to jackpots improving.

Sometimes, this progressive jackpot comes from multiple volatility slots, all contributing to the same jackpot, often called the “meter.” Moreover, the jackpot also grows across numerous online casinos, involving many players.

Once someone wins, the jackpots return to starting amounts, usually around $1 million for big jackpots.

  • Progressive Jackpot Mechanics

    Winning a progressive jackpot is quite rare. There are diverse ways to achieve it, and your chance of success also relies on factors like the game’s design and its average payouts to players.

  • Random Winning

    You win a progressive jackpot without any special requirements, it’s purely random.

  • Playing with Maximum Bet

    While you might win with small bets, some games require the maximum bet for jackpot eligibility. The more high-stake bets you make, the more “tickets” you receive for a chance to win.

  • Bonus Games

    Many progressive pokies offer a special bonus game within the main game. Winning this bonus game leads to jackpot’s win.

  • Specific Symbol Combinations

    You align specific symbols on your reels to win this way. It’s a rare combination but it wins a jackpot.

  • Must-Drop Jackpots

    Some jackpots have to be won by a particular time or date. As the deadline approaches, more people play, and the jackpot grows rapidly.

  • Random Number Generators

    RNG determines every spin in a pokies game, ensuring fairness and randomness.

  • No Predictable Timing

    Unless a progressive jackpot has a specific deadline for it to be won, the winning outcome is random and happens unexpectedly.

Types of Progressive Jackpots

There’s more than one way to win a progressive jackpot and different types of progressive jackpots. Here are the main types.

  • Standalone Jackpots

    Progressive jackpot exclusively pertains to specific slots. It remains independent and isn’t linked to other machines. As a result, only one player contributes to winnings at any given time.

  • Local Jackpots

    Local jackpots, also referred to as “in-house jackpots,” are interconnected between several pokies within a single casino. These slots are arranged side by side or spread throughout the casino. Regardless of their arrangement, they share a common algorithm.

  • Network Progressive Slots

    Network progressive slots define the real jackpot prize pools, as they involve a vast network of machines and games.

Top Progressive Jackpot Slots in New Zealand

Mega Moolah

Mega Moolah is one of the most successful progressive slot game. It holds the highest total payouts record among progressive slot games. With 5 reels, 3 rows, and 25 paylines, plus an RTP meaning of 96.92%, Mega Moolah features four jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega.

Microgaming has introduced several variations of Mega Moolah, including Mega Moolah Isis and Mega Moolah Atlantean Treasures. This range of adaptations underscores the immense success of this progressive jackpot slot.

mega moolah demo

Mega Fortune

Developed by NetEnt, Mega Fortune is a low-volatility progressive slot game with an RTP of 96.6%. Its lasting popularity is attributed to its massive jackpots. The game features 5 reels, 3 rows, and 25 paylines, allowing wagers from $0.25 to $50 per spin. A unique free spins round multiplies wins by five, and the game’s payout potential is 2162x, excluding the jackpot. Three progressive jackpots are accessible through the bonus round, triggered by landing three bonus symbols on the first three reels.

Mega Fortune Slot

Major Millions

Another Microgaming creation, Major Millions is a low-volatility slot game with an RTP of 89.37%. Set in a military theme, the game features 5 reels and 15 paylines. Wild multipliers and wilds increase wins by 3. Activating the 15th payline is vital for winning the jackpot; landing five wild symbols on this payline triggers the progressive jackpot.

Major Millions Slot

Conclusion

Progressive jackpots have gained immense popularity in online slot gaming. While some progressive jackpot slots demand maximum bets for jackpot activation, others, like Mega Moolah, break free from this requirement. With a mere $0.25, you have the potential to scoop millions through the Mega Moolah progressive slot.

Excitingly, the best progressive jackpot slots are easily accessible across most online casinos in New Zealand.

FAQ

  • Do I Need To Play Maximum Bet For a Progressive Jackpot?

    No, most progressive slots don’t impose a minimum requirement, yet certain games may demand to opt for the maximum paylines or coins to qualify for winning.

  • Compared to regular non-progressive slots, progressive slots generally come with slightly lower Return To Player percentages.

  • Yes, if you’re aiming for substantial winnings, progressive slots allow you to secure a life-altering sum of money in moments.

  • Mega Moolah progressive slot features four attached jackpots, with the largest one being the Mega jackpot, which has reached an impressive value of over $NZ13 million in the past.

  • Yes, free progressive slots are available for playing, but they won’t result in real money winnings. Typically, you’ll receive virtual coins that allow you to continue playing the game. This serves as a valuable opportunity to test the game without the need to wager your own funds.

  • While there’s no guaranteed method to improve your odds of winning progressive slots online, you can enhance your chances of hitting a win by playing more paylines at lower bets and choosing casinos that provide fair rewards.

Liam

Liam Taylor

Verified
Writer