The internet is awash with information about Jackpot games. Some of it is correct, some of it exaggerated and some of it downright wrong. Let’s clear away the misconceptions and introduce you to nothing but the facts about Jackpot games, how they’re played and how they’ve won.
What is a Jackpot?
Let’s start with the basics. I’m sure you’ve heard the popular expression, “hitting the Jackpot”. It usually indicates a coveted sum of money that’s available to be won at any moment by all players partaking in a specific game. There’s no predetermined number or size that a Jackpot should be. It could be a low cash amount like $10, or it could spiral up into multi-millions of dollars. The Jackpot is the grand prize, usually nestled among many other smaller prizes. This pot of cash could be a fixed and stable amount, or it could grow steadily as it’s waiting to be won. How it’s collected and where the funds originate will depend on what game you’re playing and where. We explore all this below.
What’s the difference between Jackpot Slots and Progressive Jackpot Slots?
If you’re looking at Jackpots in the context of online casinos, then you’ll notice that there is frequent reference to straight-up ‘Jackpots’ or ‘Progressive Jackpots’. You might also come across ‘Daily Jackpots’ or ‘Hourly Jackpots’ but we get into these in a separate article.
A non-progressive, or regular Jackpot is a pot of money that’s fixed at a specific amount. If you’re playing Online Slots, the Jackpot is considered to be the largest amount of money that the game will payout. For example, a regular Jackpot game will tell you, even before you’ve started playing, that if you can land a winning combination of 5 cherry symbols you’ll unlock and win the game’s Jackpot or maximum prize.
On the other hand, a progressive Jackpot is a fancier and more exciting take on the traditional prize pool. The value of a progressive isn’t fixed at a certain amount of credit. Instead, it’s a constantly increasing value that’s calculated based on gameplay. A progressive Jackpot grows as players make bets that don’t trigger the progressive win. However, the second that a player triggers the Jackpot, the money is paid out and the prize pot starts anew. This will sometimes reset to zero, or it will begin again at an amount determined by the provider or casino. The starting amount of a progressive Jackpot is called a ‘reset‘.
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What are the most popular Jackpot Slots?
Whether you’re in New Zealand or elsewhere, there’s a definite consensus on which games rule the Jackpot universe. Popularity largely reflects on how often the games payout and by how much. Therefore, it stands to reason that games that have been around for some time tend to stick at the top of the list. Here are some of the most popular Jackpot games:
- Mega Moolah
- Hall of Gods
- Mega Fortune
- Divine Fortune
You can play all these Jackpot games, plus many more, at SkyCity Online Casino.
How do you win at Jackpot Slots?
You shouldn’t be too surprised when I tell you that there’s no secret formula for landing one of the coveted Jackpot prizes. If they were easy to win, the prizes wouldn’t be so big. That being said, there are three rules it’s important to keep in mind:
- Only play when your budget allows. This might sound a little boring but you should always keep in mind that playing Jackpots are a source of entertainment and not a method of enrichment. Only play with money you would be okay losing. Of course, the preference is always to win but that can never be guaranteed.
The first thing you should do is check out the game’s paytable to find out how wins are paid out. Then you need to decide how much money per spin you’re willing to put on the line. Don’t forget that although a Jackpot game’s primary draw is the grand prize, you’re also in line for smaller prizes along the way. - Play when the Jackpot is at its biggest. This is the only time when you can apply a little bit of strategy to your gameplay. The prize money at stake on progressive Jackpots is dependent on time and volume, i.e. how long it’s been since it was last won, and how many players have contributed to the pot over time. As the money builds and the size of the building Jackpot grows ever larger, more players will get on board, drawn in by the lure of the prize.
When the numbers are high the syndicates and high rollers will usually jump into the mix. It makes sense to keep track of multiple Jackpots games from different software providers (e.g. Microgaming and NetEnt) and play the slot games with the biggest prize pools from week to week. If the number is really high, it means it hasn’t been won in a while, and it might be getting ready to drop!
That takes us to Rule Number Three to always Play Responsibly.
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How is the prize pool in Progressive Jackpot Slots calculated?
Was the progressive Jackpot ever at zero? Many players are curious as to how quickly or often a progressive Jackpot prize is increased. The reality is that a progressive Jackpot slot never started at zero. The provider (i.e. the creator of the game) will start things off with a certain amount of money. This number will then increase gradually as the game is played. By who? Well, that will depend on whether it’s a ‘network or pooled Jackpot’ or a ‘local Jackpot’.
The initial amount of money is known as the ‘seed’ amount and it is used every time a player wins the progressive Jackpot in full on a particular game. For example, if a player wins the Mega Moolah Jackpot, Microgaming will immediately seed the game with another $1,000,000.00.
With the seed money as the foundation, the pot will continue to build with every real money spin on a progressive slot, a small proportion of your wager is added to the progressive jackpot fund. The Jackpot increases as all these small contributions accumulate over time from all the myriad of players spinning on the slot.
What’s the difference between a Pooled Jackpot and a Local Jackpot?
A Local Jackpot game is only shared with the players of a single casino. That means the prize pot will grow at a slower rate since fewer players are taking part. It also means that it’s easier to win because you’re going up against fewer players. And because every casino where you can play the local Jackpot game has its own money pool for the game, whenever it’s won, you can still play for the Jackpot of the same game at another online casino.
A Pooled or Network Jackpot is one that’s common to the game itself and isn’t linked to a particular online casino. That means that each time a player places a bet on a certain Jackpot game, from whichever casino, a percentage of his or her bet is placed in the money pool. This is sometimes called a network Jackpot because it’s available to play across any online casino that hosts the game. In these cases, prizes are paid out by the provider (game creator) and not the online casino. Pooled Jackpots usually run into millions of dollars because they’re accessed by so many different players – which incidentally also decreases your chances of hitting the Jackpot.
How often do Progressive Jackpots hit?
The entire point of playing is crossing your fingers and hoping to hit pay dirt. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was some special formula that helps you figure out just when the Jackpot hits? Alas, there’s no such thing. All you can do is examine the features of different Jackpot games and learn what you can from previous wins. For example, the smaller the number of machines contributing to the Jackpot, the more often it is paid. Some local Jackpots will pay out on the hour, daily, weekly, monthly, or at completely random moments. Look out for Jackpots set to a timer if you find the random drops just that little bit too unsettling.
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