Slots have been around for a long time, and in that time, they have come to dominate the casino world. Accessible to everyone from amateur players to professionals, slots remain a true casino staple, and the industry’s most popular game.
Today, there are thousands upon thousands of different tiles available, including numerous variants that all add something unique. The rising star of today, however, is the progressive jackpot. Progressive jackpots are arguably one of the best ways of winning serious amounts of money and are generally the better choice for most players.
How Progressive Jackpots Work
A normal slots machine is usually a stand-alone, meaning that its payout is not linked to any other machines. What’s displayed as potential winnings is as much as you can get, regardless of how well-known the machine is. This means that most slot machines tend to be fairly limited in the total prize pools that they can offer, and it’s why the progressive jackpot has become such a favourite.
Essentially, a progressive jackpot consists of a number of machines – sometimes hundreds – all linked to a single prize pool. Over time, this pool grows larger and larger, and eventually a lucky player comes along that hits the right combination.
The Prize Pool
Every time you make a bet with a progressive jackpot machine, a small portion of that bet is added to the pool. When there are enough machines connected to a single pool, the total amount can grow fairly quickly. In fact, some progressive jackpots can number in the millions, which is a part of their widespread appeal.
The more players that are sitting at linked machines – or are playing online – the higher the pool. This creates something of a cycle, as more and more players join up to have a chance at the jackpot. Eventually it balloons in size, and life-changing amounts of cash can be won.
The Different Types
Not every progressive jackpot offers the potential to win millions. They come in several different shapes and sizes, with some offering much lower amounts, depending on the live casino online that’s offering them. Regardless of the amount, the general premise remains the same, and there will almost always be a pool that’s larger than a stand-alone machine.
There can also be a multitude of slot variants available that are linked to a single jackpot, which can include classic fruit machines, 5-reel slots, RPG slots, and many others. This diversity ensures that the player never become bored with the games that they are playing, but still have that chance of winning big.
Upping The Odds
Most players are aware that there are no special tricks that can change the odds that a slot machine calculates during a spin. Despite this, there are some ways that a player can have a better chance of landing a jackpot. Spending more hours playing linked machines, for example, tends to be one of the best ways to do this, and it’s a method that many professionals use.