When online casinos first emerged, only slot mavens could play for large progressive jackpots. Technology continued to advance, leading to the introduction of progressive table games whose outcomes were still governed by a Random Number Generator (RNG).
Gameplay on these progressives often became monotonous, an understandable outcome given the lack of social interaction and human dealers. Then live casino games arrived, bringing the authenticity of lavish land-based casinos to the homes of millions of gambling enthusiasts worldwide.
Fans of live casino games no longer need to feel neglected when it comes to progressive jackpots. Thanks to the efforts of leading software studios like Playtech and Evolution Gaming, gambling purists can now engage in live dealer games linked to progressive jackpot networks.
Keep reading to learn more about progressive live casino games, as SuperCasinoSites provides all the details about the jackpot pools, the qualifying side bets, and the winning criteria. We also highlight four must-try live dealer tables that offer the chance to play for life-changing amounts.
How Progressive Jackpots in Live Casino Games Are Pooled
Progressive live casino games offer uncapped prizes. Their live tables are connected to progressive jackpot networks spread across multiple online casinos that run on the same software platform, typically Evolution Gaming or Playtech, because few live dealer studios have released such tables at the time of writing.
The jackpots are called “progressive” because they increase every time a bet is placed and the climbing prize remains unclaimed. The pot keeps growing until it is eventually won; we will cover the triggering criteria later.
After a player scoops the huge prize, the jackpot resets to its original seed, and the accumulation cycle begins again. Below are several characteristics that live progressive games usually share.
Seed
Side Bets
Uncapped Prizes
Multi-level Jackpot Games
Jackpot Meters
Seed
In this context, the term “seed” refers to the predetermined amount from which the progressive pot begins accumulating. Once the jackpot is won, it resets to its original seed value, provided by the live casino software supplier.
The seed acts as an incentive that encourages casino patrons to play the games and contribute to their progressive pools. As a rule of thumb, progressives have higher house edges and would therefore be less appealing if the pots restarted at zero. After all, few players would risk a higher house edge for tiny prizes.
Side Bets
Side bets are another key feature of live progressive casino games. These optional wagers have outcomes that are completely separate from the main game. By placing them, players qualify for the progressive jackpots.
You cannot compete for the uncapped prize unless you place the optional wager first, even if you later obtain the winning combination. Side bets are also vital for another reason.
A percentage of each side bet made at the live table goes toward the pot. The more side bets that are placed, the faster the pools climb to enormous amounts. This is why progressive prizes can reach millions, especially when they start with seven-figure seeds.
Uncapped Prizes
The limited number of progressive live games currently available offer uncapped prizes, meaning there is no ceiling on how high the pools can climb. By contrast, some progressives have boiling-point pots that trigger whenever a player pushes them to a predetermined amount.
Such pots are typical of online slots, and you are unlikely to encounter them at live dealer tables, at least for now. In live games, the pots simply grow step by step until someone finally triggers them.
Multi-level Jackpot Games
Multi-level jackpot games with fixed payouts are another feature largely confined to progressive live casino games. Some house-banked poker variants, like Evolution Gaming’s Live Caribbean Stud, offer two-level jackpots. The top-level jackpot is progressive, with players contributing to the pool by placing optional side wagers.
The second level awards fixed-value prizes for specific poker hands such as trips, straight, flush, quads, straight flush, and full house. These fixed payouts typically top out in the four-figure range. The second tier gives players extra incentive to make side bets because they can still bank sizable payouts while chasing the big progressive jackpot.
Jackpot Meters
Jackpot meters are important because they display the current value of the progressive pools. They also help players decide whether the pot has climbed high enough that the side bets no longer carry their usual house edges and instead offer positive expectation.
With this in mind, some software providers allow live casinos to decide whether to integrate progressive side bets at their tables. As a result, the same table may feature a progressive jackpot in some casinos and lack it in others.
Optional Progressive Bets and Winning Criteria
Unlike progressive slots, where the massive prize is triggered either randomly or by specific symbol combinations, the pots in live casino games first require placing an optional side wager. Even that is not enough to win. You must also hit a specific hand or roulette number while the side bet is active. We examine the winning criteria in detail below.
Optional Jackpot Bets
Winning Criteria in Progressive Card Games
Winning Criteria in Progressive Live Roulette
Optional Jackpot Bets
You cannot win the progressive jackpot without making the optional side wager that lets you compete for the huge prize. A separate betting spot on the layout is designated specifically for progressive side bets. Simply click or tap the jackpot bet button and you are in the running.
The side bets have a fixed value, usually no more than one unit in the chosen currency, whether USD, EUR, or GBP. In certain progressive poker variants, you cannot place the side bet unless you first commit to an ante wager.
Winning Criteria in Progressive Card Games
Progressive jackpots do not hit every day, which is understandable given how rarely the qualifying combinations appear. The good news is that live software suppliers have added additional fixed payouts for more common combinations to keep players engaged and let them earn a little extra while chasing the top-level prize.
The exact winning criteria and fixed payouts are game specific. In Live Caribbean Stud Poker, for instance, the top-level progressive prize pays out when the player’s hand is a Royal Flush, a five-card combination that occurs extremely rarely, as you will see later.
The second-level fixed prizes range from 3 to 2,500 units in the relevant currency. In descending order, they are awarded for straight flushes, quads, full house, flush, straight, and trips. Keep in mind that house-banked live poker easily adapts to the progressive format because these tables can accommodate an unlimited number of players.
Because many people play against the house with the same player hand, the top-level progressive jackpot is shared. The jackpot is networked for the respective table, accumulating side bets across numerous licensed casinos. Whenever a Royal Flush hits, the jackpot is divided among all players who placed the side bet during that round.
Meanwhile, progressive live Casino Hold’em awards its jackpot when the player’s hand forms a seven-card straight flush. Smaller fixed prizes are available for other qualifying hands. The top prize is again shared among all players who participate with side wagers. For example, if the progressive jackpot reaches $2 million and four players qualify, each person would collect $500,000.
Winning Criteria in Progressive Live Roulette
Live roulette tables with massive jackpots are even rarer than progressive house-banked poker variants, but they do exist thanks to software providers like Playtech. These roulette games follow different winning criteria.
An additional 1% stake is added to your overall wagers at the live roulette table. The surcharge is capped at $10 per round or the equivalent in other supported currencies. This amount is deducted from every participating player’s balance and contributes to the progressive pools.
Another key point is that progressive roulette jackpots are awarded at random, befitting a game of independent trials. Eligible players are randomly selected to play for the pot, provided they have contributed to the prize pools. When chosen, a pop-up screen appears where you must match jackpot symbols to secure one of several progressive prizes.
Player Return and House Edge in Progressive Live Games
We understand that the thought of winning a life-changing prize while playing against your favorite live dealer is already making your mouth water. Nevertheless, we advise you to exercise caution with live progressive games since they generally offer lower theoretical return percentages and yield considerably higher house edges.
This compensates for the mind-blowing prizes that these games can award. Of course, the increased house edges arise solely from playing the progressive side bets. If you refrain from placing them, the casino advantage in the main game matches that of conventional table games.
Side bets and their associated casino edges can easily drain your entire live casino budget, especially in progressive card games where you need the Royal Flush to win. If you are wondering about the odds of obtaining this rare hand, brace yourself.
According to gambling expert and mathematician Michael Shackleford, a Royal Flush occurs once every 649,740 hands on average. It is also important to note that the casino-banked version of Caribbean Stud is a game of independent trials. Cards are reshuffled after each round, and outcomes are entirely random. Thus, the elusive Royal Flush is never overdue because the cards have no memory. In other words, your chances of obtaining this hand do not increase with each hand you play.
Because of this, it is generally recommended to go for the progressive prizes whenever the jackpots exceed their break-even value. The break-even point of live progressive games like Caribbean Stud is closely related to their paytables and seed values.
Another thing to keep in mind about this poker variant is that it carries a higher house edge (around 5%) even without the optional side bet. Once the jackpot meter goes beyond its break-even point, your side bets will turn into positive EV wagers. The table below showcases the house edges in several commonly available live progressive games.
House Edges in Popular Live Progressive Games
| Name of Live Casino Game |
House Edges |
| Progressive Caribbean Stud |
- 1.81% on ante and call wagers
- 8.56% on bonus side bets
|
| Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker |
- 2.04% on ante bets in the main game (0.53% on total bets)
- 8.54% on bonus bets
- 18.16% on First 5 jackpot bets
|
| Casino Hold’em Jumbo 7 Jackpot |
- 2.16% on ante bets
- 6.26% on bonus side bets
- 18.36% on Jumbo 7 Jackpot bets
|
Must-Try Live Casino Games with Progressive Jackpots
We must note that only a handful of live dealer games currently offer a shot at a progressive jackpot. Most of them are variations of roulette and house-banked poker. These games adapt well to the progressive format because they can accommodate an unlimited number of players.
Below, we provide details on four popular live games linked to progressive jackpot networks. Feel free to try them at any of SuperCasinoSites’ recommended live casinos.
Casino Hold’em Jumbo 7 Jackpot
First 5 Jackpot Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
Age of the Gods Live Roulette
Caribbean Stud Poker
Casino Hold’em Jumbo 7 Jackpot
Casino Hold’em Jumbo 7 Jackpot comes straight from Evolution Gaming, which also provides the seed amount for the progressive jackpot. The Jumbo 7 Jackpot seeds at the staggering amount of $1 million, a privilege otherwise reserved almost exclusively for popular progressive slots like Microgaming’s Mega Moolah.
This makes it the biggest live casino jackpot in history, at least so far. You win the jackpot with a seven-card straight flush that uses the five community cards on the board plus your two pocket cards.
You share these cards with all other players at the table. The progressive prize is divided equally among all winners who placed the side bet. In addition, there is a separate Bonus side bet that pays according to the paytable shown below.
Paytable for Bonus and Jumbo 7 Jackpot Side Bets in Progressive Casino Hold’em
| Bonus Bet | Jumbo 7 Jackpot Bet |
| Winning Hand | Payout | Winning Hand | Payout |
| Royal Flush | 100 to 1 | 7-Card Royal Flush | 100% of the Jackpot |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 | 6-Card Royal Flush | $5,000 |
| Quads | 40 to 1 | 5-Card Royal Flush | $250 |
| Full House | 30 to 1 | Quads | $50 |
| Flush | 20 to 1 | Full House | $5 |
| Trips or Two Pairs | 7 to 1 | Flush | $4 |
| Paired Aces | 7 to 1 | Straight | $2 |
First 5 Jackpot Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
First 5 Jackpot Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is another fresh live game from Evolution Gaming that offers impressive winning potential. Launched in 2017, it quickly became a favorite among casino poker fans, thanks largely to its $50,000 seed. While not as hefty as the Casino Hold’em seed, it is still mouth-watering.
As in Casino Hold’em, this game features two exciting side wagers that qualify you for either enhanced payouts or a share of the progressive jackpot. Both side bets are settled independently of the main game’s outcome.
The payouts for the Bonus side wager depend on the player’s and dealer’s hole cards, as shown in the table below. The progressive First 5 bet wins whenever the player forms one of the qualifying five-card poker hands listed in the paytable.
Paytables for Bonus Bet and First 5 Bet in Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
| Bonus Side Bet | First 5 Progressive Side Bet |
| Winning Hand | Payout | Winning Hand | Payout |
| A/A (Player & Dealer) | 1,000 to 1 | Royal Flush | 100% of the Jackpot |
| A/A (Player Hand) | 30 to 1 | Straight Flush | $2,500 |
| Suited A/K | 25 to 1 | Quads | $250 |
| Suited A/Q or A/J | 20 to 1 | Full House | $50 |
| Offsuit A/K | 15 to 1 | Flush | $25 |
| K/K, Q/Q, J/J | 10 to 1 | Straight | $10 |
| Offsuit A/Q or A/J | 5 to 1 | Trips | $3 |
| Paired deuces through 10s | 3 to 1 | – | – |
Age of the Gods Live Roulette
Players who are not interested in house-banked poker can still win big thanks to renowned software supplier Playtech. The studio unveiled its bespoke Age of the Gods Live Roulette in September 2017 to great acclaim.
This innovative live roulette variant made huge waves in the online gambling industry because it is linked to the same progressive network as the slots from the eponymous series. You can win one of four progressive jackpots with the following seed values:
- Power Jackpot – $50
- Extra Power Jackpot – $500
- Super Power Jackpot – $5,000
- Ultimate Power Jackpot – $100,000
As for the winning criteria, there is nothing specific you can do to boost your chances because all four pots are awarded at random. This can occur during any round as long as you have enabled the jackpot contribution feature.
When activated, it automatically adds 1% to your stake, up to a maximum of $10 per round. This amount goes toward the jackpot pools. For example, if you place a $20 wager, $20.20 will be deducted from your balance.
Here, you are entirely at the mercy of Lady Luck. If she smiles on you, the main game will pause and a pop-up window will appear prompting you to uncover twenty hidden symbols. Match three identical symbols to win the corresponding jackpot.
Caribbean Stud Poker
Stud Poker fans should definitely give this Evolution Gaming release a try, especially if they are hunting progressive jackpots. Remember that the 5+1 bonus wager becomes available only after you place the ante.
From there, your objective is to beat the engaging live dealer with a higher-ranking five-card poker hand. The game uses a single deck that is automatically reshuffled before each round. The dealer qualifies with Ace-King or better.
The 5+1 bet lets you play for large payouts, but it is the Jackpot side wager that unlocks the progressive jackpot. Again, you must place an ante bet to activate the jackpot wager.
5+1 Bonus Bet and Progressive Jackpot Bet Payouts in Live Caribbean Stud Poker
| 5+1 Bonus Bet | Jackpot Side Bet |
| Winning Hand | Payout | Winning Hand | Payout |
| Royal Flush | 1,000 to 1 | Royal Flush | 100% of the Jackpot |
| Straight Flush | 200 to 1 | Straight Flush | $2,500 |
| Quads | 100 to 1 | Quads | $250 |
| Full House | 20 to 1 | Full House | $50 |
| Flush | 15 to 1 | Flush | $25 |
| Straight | 10 to 1 | Straight | $10 |
| Trips | 7 to 1 | Trips | $3 |
The biggest prize is, naturally, awarded for a Royal Flush as shown above. The 5+1 bet wins whenever your five cards and the dealer’s first exposed card form a qualifying hand (trips or better).
