A guide to progressive jackpot slots and where to find them
Is it really possible to win millions by playing a slot game at an online casino? The short answer to this question is yes. Although the odds of winning a life-changing amount are very small, this is indeed possible. And if this is what you're after, then you should learn all about progressive slots, for this is where the biggest wins are to be had!
Our below guide will explain how progressive jackpots work and offer you some tips in order to avoid losses and use casino promotions to your advantage. We'll also introduce you to the best jackpot slots that have turned people into millionaires overnight, and which won’t necessarily leave you empty-handed if you fail to win the jackpot, because they also pay out smaller amounts as you spin! And finally, we'll also recommend some of the best online casinos where UK players may play these games safely and also get more value out of their real-money play than they would elsewhere. But now, let's get started with the basics first.
What is a progressive jackpot?
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot prize which increases by a certain amount each time a game is played but the jackpot is not won. When it comes to slots in particular, there are two kinds of online progressive jackpot slots:
Standalone Progressive jackpot – this slot will have a fixed jackpot prize. It works by taking a certain percentage from the player’s stakes and adding it to the jackpot amount, so that the jackpot keeps increasing until this player lands on the most lucrative winning combination on the reels.
Wide Area Progressive Jackpot – this is where the big life-changing wins are to be had! These jackpots are being fed from a huge number of players spinning at various online casinos and will keep increasing until someone lines up the winning combination. Normally, the highest-paying progressive jackpot slots are linked together as part of a network and are developed by a third-party developer. The casinos will then simply host this game, making it available to their customers.
How to find the best progressive jackpot slots
The jackpot amount paid out by progressive slots is constantly changing (since of course they are constantly being fed by players from around the world). The best thing to do if you’re after a massive jackpot is to have a look at the jackpot games section of your preferred online casino site (a good jackpot casino will have a separate category for progressive slots). Normally, casinos display the current jackpot amounts for each slot, and you can see the figures being updated in real time, which should help you decide which slot to play. This is what Casumo's jackpot category looks like:
However, you still don’t have to go for the slot that’s offering the highest amount. This is because there are other factors you should consider apart from the jackpot amount. These are factors such as how frequently you can expect the slot to pay out (and how big the payouts can get). For of course, winning a jackpot may be a rare occurrence, and what you should be after is a slot with a decent return to player (RTP) and your desired volatility. Read our separate article about slots with the highest RTP here to learn more!
The best progressive jackpot slots to play
Confused where to start? CasinoHawks recommends trying out the below progressive slots due to their reputation for awarding big payouts, and because their themes and gameplay can be pretty fun too, even if you don't win the jackpot. They are so popular that you can find them at serveral online jackpot casinos:
Mega Moolah slot: If you’re into slots, you’ve certainly heard about this one! Known as “The Millionnaire Maker”, this Microgaming slot pays out one of the biggest online jackpots available. Players will also get immersed in an African Savannah on their hunt for free spins, scatters and wilds. Mega Moolah’s Wheel of Fortune bonus game gives access to four progressive jackpots, and the highest one is guaranteed to award at least one million pounds!
Mega Fortune slot: This video slot, developed by popular developer NetEnt, is famous for its online pooled jackpot. A pooled Mega Jackpot as well as two other local jackpots await players who try their luck on this game. Once again, players will get to spin a wheel of fortune for a chance of winning the jackpot. Apart from these jackpots Mega Fortune slot also features a free spins bonus with a multiplier of up to 5x!
Hall of Gods slot: Another NetEnt progressive slot, the Norse-themed Hall of Gods features wild symbols, multipliers, as well as a Hall of Gods Bonus feature that gives you the possibility of winning jackpots of over one million!
Arabian Nights slot: this NetEnt slot can be found either with a ‘pooled’ or a ‘local’ jackpot, depending on the online casino offering it. In both cases the guaranteed jackpot on this slot amounts to €125,000, although on average you can expect it to pay out much more. A winner is recorded almost every 10 weeks on this slot, so the possibilities are there! Arabian Nights is a relatively simple game, requiring you to land on 5 jackpot symbols with the maximum bet in order to win the jackpot. We've tried our luck on it to land on a Mega Win thanks to its free spins round!
Age of the Gods slots: this is a suite of progressive slots by the developer Playtech, featuring gods, goddesses and other creatures from Greek mythology. These slots are all linked to four jackpots, namely the Power, Super Power, Extra Power, and Ultimate Power jackpots, in order from smallest to biggest. The best thing about these progressive jackpot games is that you can trigger the jackpot with any bet size, so you're not required to pay with maximum bet (although the probability of winning a jackpot increases with the bet size). You can even trigger the jackpot randomly even after a losing spin during the base game! Once a player manages to trigger the jackpot bonus game, he or she is guaranteed to win one of the four prizes.
Jackpot strategy: tips by CasinoHawks
Although winning a jackpot is purely a matter of luck and there is no jackpot strategy as such, there are a few things you can do to cut back on major losses and perhaps ensure regular smaller wins. We’ve listed some essential tips below:
Check whether the jackpot has been won: Check the jackpot amount for each game before you play it, to make sure it hasn’t been reset to the lowest guaranteed amount. This may determine which progressive slot you decide to play.
Don’t aim solely for the jackpot: Progressive jackpot slots can quickly drain your bankroll, especially if they require you to bet the maximum. Make sure you choose a slot that comes with a chance of hitting smaller but frequent wins, and don’t depend on winning the jackpot in order to give your bankroll a boost.
Go for a smaller jackpot: if you want better odds and chances of landing on a win, going after a smaller jackpot may be safer. This all goes down to how much you're prepared to lose. Some players may prefer a smaller win which is more attainable than to play for that mega jackpot that requires
Take advantage of a casino bonus or promotion: Online casinos nowadays offer welcome bonuses to attract new players, and this is something you should be taking advantage of, especially if you intend to play progressive slots. Make sure you get a decent deposit bonus with low wagering requirements which you can use on jackpot slots. Another thing to check is whether a casino will offer some free spins on progressive jackpot slots (we'll recommend one such casino below), in order to stand a (slim) chance of winning that jackpot without staking your own money!
Get to know the slot you're playing: make sure you choose a slot that offers you a good chance of winning, even if it's smaller amounts. Nowadays, there are many reliable game reviews out there, which explain how often you can expect a slot to pay out. The game RTP (return to player percentage) also gives a good indication of how much you can expect a slot to pay back, whereas game volatility indicates how frequently you can expect the game to pay out, and how much. Make sure you also look at the payout structure of the game, and also try out the slot for fun to see if it’s worth playing for real money.
Know when to quit: you should always set a budget (daily, weekly or monthly), and be ready to quit once you’ve reached it. Nowadays, the most reputable online casinos will help you thanks to their self-exclusion and limitation facilities. Be sensible and don’t keep on playing with the idea that you might win the jackpot with the next spin. Sometimes it’s best to quit and try again the following week!
Make sure you check the casino's max. withdrawal limits and maximum win: this is just in case you do win a jackpot! It might be worth checking how long it would take to actually take you in order to withdraw the money to your personal account if you do win a jackpot, so make sure you go for an online casino with high withdrawal limits. But most importantly, beware of those online casinos that have a maximum cap on the amount you can win. There are some casinos that would cap player's winnings to a certain amount below a million, which would mean that if you do win a multi-million jackpot, you still won't get to withdraw it all! Always read the Terms & Conditions of the casino you're about to play with.
Find a jackpot casino and play the best progressive jackpot slots
You can play a number of progressive slots at many online casinos that cater to UK players. However, in this article, we recommend the below ones due to their special bonuses and/or reward schemes that are particularly suited for those playin progressive jackpot games:
PlayOjo casino has a great collection of progressive jackpot slots, including Arabian Nights, Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune and Mega Fortune. If you play slots at PlayOjo, not only will you get lots of wager-free rewards, but you’ll also get some money back on every bet, whether you win or lose! Get more details by reading our review of PlayOjo casino here!
Casumo has a huge collection of jackpot slots that run into the millions! You’ll find the likes of Cosmic Fortune, Hall of Gods and Divine Fortune here. Casumo also runs those famous Reel Races, which are slot tournaments that run every 30 minutes 7 days a week that give you an extra chance of winning additional prizes from slots!
Casino.com is a Playtech-powered casino which welcomes new players with 20 no deposit free spins on registration. These free spins can be used on Age of the Gods slots, and the wagering requirement on winnings is only 20x. If you decide to make a real-money deposit, Casino.com offers a 100% deposit match up to £100 + a whopping 180 Free Spins, also on Age of Gods slots!
