How to Play Progressive Slots
Slot machines are popular games often found in casinos and bars. But progressive slot machines are more likely to be found in larger casinos or online because of the huge sums of money that can be won playing them. In this guide on how to play progressive slots, we’ll explain what they are, how progressive slots work, the probability of winning, and offer some tips on how best to play them.
What are progressive slots?
This type of slot game is called a progressive slot because the jackpot prize on offer is not fixed, but instead progresses in value with every wager made until won. A small share of each player’s bet, and there could be thousands of players at any given time, is added to the jackpot with every spin. Players can see it rise in real time which adds to the overall excitement and anticipation. When a jackpot is won, the prize total is reset to a predetermined minimum amount, known as a ‘seed’.
Some progressive jackpot slots will pay out automatically once a certain prize limit is reached, but most progressive slots have an uncapped prize limit so it can keep growing and growing, until one lucky player wins it all.
Regular slots and progressive slots are played in the same way – the only difference is the massive prizes on offer when playing progressive slots. You will see some slot games that are progressive slots only, whilst other progressive games are just versions of the existing ones connected to a jackpot network.
Casinos wanted to find a way to offer much bigger prizes without having to jeopardise their own business and put the cash up themselves. An astute game designer realised that if it was the players funding the jackpots every time, using a ‘stake contribution’, much larger jackpots could be realised with little risk. The bigger prizes would attract more players, who would in turn add more funds to the jackpot, and so on and so on. That’s how the progressive slot was born.
How do progressive slots work?
Progressive jackpots have evolved since they were first invented, starting as a single game jackpot slot, to ones where jackpots are now funded across entire networks of global casino chains. The concept is straightforward; the more players that participate, the larger the jackpot sizes will be and the more regularly they will be won.
The progressive slot model uses three different factors to allow for the progressive jackpot to build, eventually ending in a huge pay out for one lucky player.
Firstly, there is the ‘stake contribution’ which refers to every wager that is played, adding a small portion of that bet to help fund the increase in the jackpot.
Next is the ‘seed’, which only comes into play in the following game once a jackpot has been won. If a player lands the full jackpot, the prize money is reset to a minimum amount in an effort to attract players to play again for a big prize. Although this is unlikely to be anywhere near as big as the jackpot that was just won, it is usually still a substantial windfall. This minimum amount is the ‘seed’, which is the starting point for the next jackpot to grow from.
Finally, let’s talk about the ‘prize’, which is the amount of money that is won after the jackpot has been progressively built up. Although a lot of the million-dollar progressive slots make headlines when they are won, there are many progressive slots out there that come with different sized prizes.
Other than the huge amounts of money that are being played for thanks to this model, progressive slots are played in the very same way as regular slot games. Depending on the game you are playing and its rules, the idea is always to land the winning pay lines and/or any matching symbols to unlock features and bonuses.
Probability of Winning in Progressive Slots
The online slots arena is now dominated by slots of all kinds, with jackpot slots becoming more and more popular due to their simple style and the randomised chance to win a big prize pot.
Slots are not all the same. There are many different types to choose from, all with varying jackpot releases and frequent daily wins. One of the fastest growing slot types over recent years has been the progressive slots, which have helped to develop online gambling even further.
By paying out life changing sums of money, the attraction for players is clear. But what is the probability of winning a progressive slot? Because every progressive slot has different systems and rules that can change your chances of winning, there is no way of determining the chances a player has of winning a jackpot. However, the probability can be narrowed down slightly based on factors such as the Return to Player (RTP) rate, as well as game variance.
For example, taking the RTP and game variance data from one of the most popular progressive slots on the market, it allows us to work out that the chance of landing a jackpot that will change your life is between 50 and 100 million to one (50000000-100000000/1).
It is important to realise that progressive slots, as with any slot, are games of random luck. Although it is very unlikely you will land the jackpot, the probability of doing so should not deter you from trying due to the randomised nature of these slot games.
Tips for Playing Progressive Slots
A general tip for playing progressive slots is to bet the maximum amount for each wager if you want to win the top jackpot. In most cases, smaller wagers will not allow you to win the main grand jackpot.
It is easy to think that high jackpots have greater chances of being released, or, if the jackpot was recently won, it won’t be released again for a while. However, as progressive slots are randomised the jackpot could release at any given moment.
There is some sense, however, in not playing a progressive slot if the jackpot is currently low. The chances of you winning it are so improbable that if you are going to wager money trying to win it, you may as well go for the bigger money.
Game selection is also important. Some progressive slot machines will have a better jackpot record than others, so do your research before choosing one. Also, choose a game you think you will enjoy playing as entertainment is key to slot play!
Progressive Slots FAQ
How do you win a progressive slot machine?
There is no magic formula to winning a progressive slot machine. Luck plays the biggest part in it. If it is the big jackpot you have your eye on, be sure to check the rules as it’s likely you’ll need to wager the maximum to be in the running for it.
How do you know when a progressive slot machine is going to hit?
If we knew that, we would be very rich. Modern slot machines are designed to reveal random results each time a spin is played, so it is impossible to know when a progressive slot machine is going to hit. No matter what the outcome was of your last spin, the probability of the next result is exactly the same.
Are progressive slots better to play?
Progressive slots play in the very same way as regular slots. The idea is to spin those reels and hope you can land winning pay lines or match symbols to unlock bonuses or features. The only difference is that progressive slots offer much bigger jackpots, which can mean that minimum wagers are a little higher.
Learn more about pokies in other guides: