Online slots offer plenty of thrills and excitement, but the dream of scoring a life-changing win is the real reason they are so popular with players. Slots, especially progressive ones, give players the opportunity to fulfill this dream. Progressive slots offer six- and seven-figure jackpots that grow incrementally each time someone places a bet.
These games derive their name from the fact that a small percentage of each wager goes toward the top prize. Rather than being fixed, the jackpot continues to swell until someone wins it. It then resets to a predetermined amount, called a seed, and the whole process starts again.
Progressive slots can turn regular people into multi-millionaires and have done so on multiple occasions over the years. SuperCasinoSites dedicates this article to these millionaire makers, giving you a look at the jackpot types, the winning criteria, and some of the progressive slot releases that deliver the largest wins.
Not All Progressive Jackpots Are Created Equal
1Jackpot Size and Hit Frequency
A jackpot’s size and hit frequency usually depend on the type of progressive slot you play. Progressive games come equipped with a jackpot meter that displays the current jackpot amount at any moment. Some online slots feature three or four jackpot meters because they award multi-tier prizes.
The hit frequency correlates with the prize size. Smaller prizes drop more often, while massive ones can take months to hit. Below, we outline the three main types of progressive jackpots you may encounter when playing slots at real-money online casinos.
2Standalone Progressive Jackpots
As the name suggests, the jackpots for standalone progressives accumulate from a single slot. A small portion of every wager goes toward the pot. Once the jackpot hits, the casino resets it to its base value and it starts growing again. Standalone progressives award significantly smaller prizes than linked (local) and wide-area jackpot games.
3Linked Progressives Jackpots
In this setup, several slots link to a progressive jackpot network at a single casino. The jackpot grows across all games that are part of the link. Such progressive prizes are also known as local progressive jackpots. The pots are larger than those in standalone progressives, though not as large as the prizes in wide-area jackpot games.
4Wide-Area Progressive Jackpots
In this scenario, a jackpot network links progressive jackpots across multiple online casinos that use the same software. Mega Moolah, a series of online slots, is a prime example because each title is part of Microgaming’s network of the same name. Wide-area progressives are where the truly life-changing jackpots drop. These games also reset to six-figure or seven-figure seed amounts, which encourages players to continue after someone wins the pot. The software providers usually supply the seed amounts.
Enormous prizes fall in wide-area progressives such as Joker Millions by Yggdrasil, Mega Fortune by NetEnt, Age of the Gods by Playtech, and Mega Moolah and Major Millions by Microgaming.
Jackpot Hit Frequency and Winning Criteria
The hit frequency and winning criteria vary across the board, depending on which progressive slot you play. Smaller jackpots tend to drop more often than those that reach the six- or seven-digit mark. One good example comes from Microgaming, whose progressive slots are linked to a four-tiered jackpot network that awards mini, minor, major, and mega prizes.
According to the studio’s official website, the network has so far awarded over 18.2 million individual prizes worth more than €1.2 billion in total. Of these, 14.2 million were mini jackpots and 3.9 million were minor jackpots, whereas major jackpots have been won only 4,606 times. The major jackpot has produced the smallest number of individual wins.
| Microgaming’s Jackpot Network Win Frequency | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4 jackpots awarded each minute | 326 jackpots awarded each hour | 7,824 jackpots awarded each day | |
| Individual Jackpot Prizes Awarded by Microgaming’s Progressive Network | |||
| Mini Jackpots | Minor Jackpots | Major Jackpots | Mega Jackpots |
| Over 14.2 million | Over 3.9 million | 4,606 | 11,537 |
This makes sense considering the average win for a major jackpot is around $31,000, while a mini jackpot is usually a three-digit sum. Some online casinos also feature games with boiling-point jackpots, where the progressive prize is won by the player whose bet brings it to a predetermined amount. Such games are also known as “Must Win By” progressives.
Winning Criteria
1 Winning Criteria #1 - Betting the Maximum on Each Spin
Winning criteria vary greatly among progressive slots. Some games require players to wager the maximum amount allowed per spin to qualify for the jackpot. In others, betting the maximum is not mandatory, but the odds of winning increase in proportion to your bet size. In other words, the larger your wager, the better your chances of scooping the pot.
2Winning Criteria #2 - Aligning Special Symbols on the Reels
Some progressive jackpots are symbol-driven, requiring players to land a combination of rare symbols to collect the pot or trigger the bonus jackpot game. Playtech’s famed Jackpot Giant slot works this way, with five wild icons needing to appear simultaneously on the first payline to award the biggest prize.
3Winning Criteria #3 - The Jackpot Can Drop Randomly Even on Losing Spins
Let’s take another example from Playtech’s progressive suite. The slots in the studio’s Age of the Gods series are linked to a four-level jackpot system, with each pot landing at random. Players do not need to land a specific symbol combination to trigger a jackpot. They can win even on spins that produce no wins in the base game. Bet size is technically irrelevant, although your chances decrease if you wager small.
Things to Keep in Mind before Playing Progressive Slots
Things You Need to Know
Delaying Play Does Not Improve Your Odds of Landing the Jackpot
Several factors should be considered before you log in to your online casino account and start spinning the reels in hopes of becoming a millionaire. When chasing big progressive wins, some players wait until the jackpot reaches a certain level. Conversely, they avoid slots that have recently paid out their jackpots, reasoning that the pot is unlikely to hit again so soon.
In reality, the odds of winning the progressive prize stay the same on every spin, regardless of how large the jackpot is. After all, a slot machine has no way of knowing when a player has won or how much. The only exceptions to this rule are the Thinggames that award mystery jackpots.
View more...To give you some context, let’s assume you play a three-reel progressive machine with a €1 bet per spin and an average return percentage of 93%. The jackpot starts at €5,000. About 88% of this 93% theoretical return comes from smaller wins in the base game, whereas the remaining 5% comes from the jackpot.
Therefore, the machine will return €88,000 in smaller prizes for every €100,000 wagered and €5,000 from the progressive jackpot, for a total of €93,000. However, if a player waits until the jackpot grows to €9,000, they are effectively playing a slot with a different theoretical return. In this case, they will get back €88,000 from smaller wins for every €100,000 wagered and €9,000 from the jackpot, for overall long-term returns of €97,000.
Such a player is essentially engaging with a game that has a higher average payback percentage. However, a higher payback percentage does not mean the jackpot hits more frequently. Suppose the machine is programmed to drop its jackpot once every 20,000 spins on average. If so, the player’s chance of collecting the pot on the next round would be 1 in 20,000.
The odds remain 1 in 20,000 whether the jackpot has reached €9,000, €50,000, or €100,000. It is irrelevant whether a player has collected the pot on the last spin or the machine has completed 100,000 spins since it last awarded the progressive prize. If the chances of collecting the pot are 1 in 20,000 on the first spin, they will remain 1 in 20,000 on the next one.
The slot’s Random Number Generator (RNG) is programmed in the same way regardless. The RNG continues to generate random numbers no matter what figure the jackpot meter currently shows. The bottom line is that delaying play can boost your overall long-term return but will not improve your odds of landing the jackpot.
View more...Progressive Slots with the Largest Jackpot Wins
Your hands are probably already itching to set the reels in motion and try to win a life-changing jackpot. Take a look at the games that have produced the largest progressive prizes so far, so you know what to play the next time you visit your favorite online casino.
Microgaming’s Mega Moolah
NetEnt’s Mega Fortune
Playtech’s Age of the Gods
Yggdrasil’s Joker Millions
Microgaming’s Major MillionsMicrogaming’s Mega Moolah
| Mega Moolah Jackpot Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | November 2006 |
| Payline Number | 25 adjustable paylines |
| Theoretical Return | 88.12% |
| Minimum Bet | €0.25 |
| Volatility | Low to medium |
| Jackpot Tiers | Mini, Minor, Major, Mega |
| Seed Amount | €1 million (for the Mega jackpot) |
| Average Time between Wins | 8 weeks (for the Mega jackpot) |
| Recorded Wins | 72 (for the Mega jackpot) |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes |
| Winning Criteria | Randomly triggered jackpot bonus game |
As the developer that launched the first-ever online casino, Microgaming knows how to deliver a breathtaking gaming experience. The Isle of Man-based software studio runs the world’s largest online jackpot network and has already awarded more than €1.3 billion in cumulative prizes.
In 1998, the studio released Cash Splash, the first wide-area progressive game in the online gambling industry. Mega Moolah, Microgaming’s most iconic slot release to date, followed in 2006 and changed progressive jackpots forever. Several years later, the game produced the first mobile slot millionaire in history, but that was only the beginning.
In 2015, Mega Moolah awarded a world-record pot of €17.8 million ($20 million), earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest-ever jackpot in an online slot. The lucky winner was Cardiff resident Jonathon Heywood, who spun his way to the life-changing prize at Betway Casino. Three years later, Mega Moolah broke its own record, making a fortunate Android player €18.9 million richer.
Microgaming continues to expand its Mega Moolah jackpot network by adding new titles. In 2020, the network welcomed a new generation of progressives, including Atlantean Treasures, Fortunium Gold, Juicy Joker, and Absolootely Mad. As for the classic Mega Moolah slot that started it all, it plays on five reels with 25 paylines and features a quirky safari theme.
Slots from Microgaming’s Mega Moolah Jackpot Network:
- Mega Moolah (released in November 2006)
- Mega Moolah: 5 Reel Drive (released in May 2009)
- Mega Moolah: Summertime (released in May 2009)
- Mega Moolah: Goddess (released in August 2009)
- Mega Moolah: Atlantean Treasures (released in February 2020)
- Mega Moolah: Absolootely Mad (released in May 2020)
- Mega Moolah: Fortunium Gold (released in September 2020)
- Mega Moolah: Juicy Joker (released in February 2021)
- Mega Moolah: Immortal Romance (pending release)
Playable from just €0.25 per spin, Mega Moolah features four progressive pots that can be won by unlocking the random jackpot bonus game. The largest of the four is the Mega Jackpot, which seeds at an impressive €1 million.
Microgaming provides the seed amount itself, ensuring the jackpot remains appealing even immediately after it lands.
Slots from Microgaming’s New WowPot Jackpot Network:
- Wheel of Wishes
- Book of Atem
- Sisters of Oz
- African Legends
- Queen of Alexandria
- Sherlock & Moriarty
Key Facts about the WowPot Jackpot Network:
- Total prizes awarded so far: €55.9 million
- Highest jackpot awarded to date: €17.5 million
- Total number of individual jackpot wins: 1,313,238
- Seed amounts for the multi-tier network: €10 (Mini), €100 (Minor), €50,000 (Major), €2,000,000 (WowPot Jackpot)
NetEnt’s Mega Fortune
| Mega Fortune Jackpot Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | July 2014 |
| Payline Number | 25 fixed paylines |
| Theoretical Return | 96.60% |
| Minimum Bet | €0.25 |
| Volatility | Low |
| Jackpot Tiers | Rapid, Major, Mega |
| Seed Amount | €250,000 (for the Mega jackpot) |
| Average Time between Wins | 11 weeks (for the Mega jackpot) |
| Recorded Wins | 56 |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes |
| Winning Criteria | Trigger jackpot bonus game by landing three or more wheel symbols on successive reels from left to right |
Mega Fortune, developed by the Swedish software studio NetEnt, is one of the few online slots that can match Mega Moolah’s winning potential. Another record breaker, the game paid out a whopping €17.8 million back in 2013. The lucky player was a Finn from Helsinki who scored the massive win at the Åland-based online casino Paf, but chose to remain anonymous.
As befits a progressive jackpot game, Mega Fortune exudes sophistication, reminding players of the fortune they could win. The slot plays on a 5×3 reel grid with 25 fixed paylines, and players can form winning combinations with theme-related symbols like champagne bottles, limousines, and diamond-studded wristwatches.
The multi-tier progressive jackpot is another feature this NetEnt creation shares with Mega Moolah. Here, three jackpots are waiting to be won: Rapid, Major, and Mega. Each one seeds at a different amount, with 1% of every wager contributing to the Rapid and Major pots and 5.39% going toward the Mega jackpot. Players must enter the jackpot bonus wheel game for the chance to win one of the three pots.
You need three bonus wheel symbols to appear in succession on adjacent reels to trigger the bonus round. Once inside, you must spin the wheels and progress to the innermost wheel, which awards either a coin prize or one of the progressive jackpots. Another great thing about Mega Fortune is that you can trigger the bonus wheel game even during free spins. As for the progressive jackpot, the odds of winning rise along with its size and the amount you wager.
Other Must-Try Progressive Releases by NetEnt:
- Arabian Nights
- Divine Fortune
- Hall of Gods
- Mega Fortune Dreams
- Super Lucky Frog
Playtech’s Age of the Gods
| Age of the Gods Jackpot Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | July 2016 |
| Payline Number | 20 paylines |
| Theoretical Return | 94.03% |
| Minimum Bet | €0.20 |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Jackpot Tiers | Ultimate Power, Super Power, Extra Power, Power |
| Seed Amount | €100,000 |
| Average Time between Wins | 6 weeks |
| Recorded Wins | 86 |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes |
| Winning Criteria | Bonus jackpot game triggers randomly |
Playtech is another renowned software studio, operating a jackpot network impressive in sheer size. Seasoned reel spinners probably remember the studio’s range of Marvel slots, which were a huge hit among online players, partly because of the massive progressive prizes they awarded.
Unfortunately, Playtech had no option but to withdraw its superhero-themed creations from online casinos in March 2017. Disney purchased the Marvel franchise in 2009 and refused to renew Playtech’s licensing agreement after it expired in 2017. All was not lost for fans of the progressive network, though.
The developer simply replaced its Marvel games with the mythology-themed Age of the Gods series. The new slots are equally impressive in terms of graphics and gameplay. At the time of writing, the network comprises the following progressive releases:
- Age of the Gods
- Fate Sisters
- Goddess of Wisdom
- Furious 4
- King of Olympus
- Prince of Olympus
- King of Asgard
- Glorious Griffin
- Book of Dwarves
- Epic Troy
- Ways of Thunder
- Apollo Power
All of these slots link to the same network, which features four jackpot levels: Ultimate Power, Super Power, Extra Power, and Power. Players can trigger the bonus jackpot game on any spin, even a losing one. When they do, twenty golden coins appear on the screen, each corresponding to one of the four progressive jackpots. The player flips the coins and needs to reveal three identical symbols to win the associated progressive jackpot.
Other Must-Try Progressive Releases by Playtech:
- Jackpot Giant
- Beach Life
- Gold Rally
- Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven Jackpot
- Superman II
Yggdrasil’s Joker Millions
| Joker Millions Jackpot Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | April 2015 |
| Payline Number | 25 fixed paylines |
| Theoretical Return | 94.30% |
| Minimum Bet | €0.25 |
| Volatility | Medium to high |
| Jackpot Tiers | Single-tier jackpot |
| Seed Amount | €100,000 |
| Average Time between Wins | 20 weeks |
| Recorded Wins | 15 |
| Mobile Compatibility | Yes |
| Winning Criteria | Filling the entire reel grid with joker symbols (15 in total) triggers the jackpot |
Although Yggdrasil is not as experienced as Microgaming, NetEnt, or Playtech, the Swedish software supplier has already captured the hearts of players worldwide with the slick graphics and impressive sound effects of its slots. Joker Millions perfectly showcases the studio’s design expertise.
The slot plays on 25 paylines and links to a progressive jackpot that averages €2.8 million. Linked to the same pool as Empire Fortune, the Joker Millions pot drops approximately once every twenty weeks, with the biggest win to date standing at €7.8 million. As appetizing as the progressive prize is, Joker Millions offers additional merits, including a freeze-and-respin feature with column multipliers. Individual jokers can produce mystery wins of up to 1,000 coins.
Players must collect all fifteen jokers on the same spin to win the progressive pot. Do not get disheartened if you miss the jackpot; the base game offers a top prize that reaches €50,000. The Yggdrasil developers have also created several top-notch local progressives such as Holmes and the Stolen Stones, Jackpot Express, Ozwin’s Jackpots, and Jackpot Raiders.
Other Must-Try Progressive Releases by Yggdrasil:
- Jackpot Empire
- Holmes and the Stolen Stones
- Jackpot Express
- Jackpot Raiders
- Ozwin’s Jackpots
Microgaming’s Major Millions
| Major Millions Jackpot Slot Summary | |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 2005 |
| Payline Number | 15 paylines |
| Theoretical Return | 89.42% |
| Minimum Bet | $3 |
| Volatility | Low |
| Jackpot Tiers | Single-tier jackpot |
| Seed Amount | €250,000 |
| Average Time between Wins | 7 weeks |
| Recorded Wins | 82 |
| Mobile Compatible | Yes |
| Winning Criteria | Five wild symbols on payline number 15, with a coin covering each line |
Major Millions is another offering from industry behemoth Microgaming and is among the first releases linked to the studio’s progressive network. The military-themed slot launched in 2005, yet it still pays out huge prizes today and has turned several players into millionaires.
In 2020 alone, this quirky slot produced three seven-figure progressive prize drops: €1.6 million in March, €1.2 million in June, and another €1.6 million in July. Despite being more than fifteen years old, the game refuses to age. One of Microgaming’s most legendary creations, Major Millions has stood the test of time and continues to attract keen slot spinners with its massive winning potential.
First released as a classic three-reel slot, the game is also available to play on five reels with 15 paylines. In addition to the regular payers, it features a scatter symbol and a wild that holds the key to the progressive prize.
Winning the pot is a bit tricky. You need to land five wilds with the Major Millions logo simultaneously on payline number 15, so you must wager 15 coins per spin to qualify for the jackpot. Betting starts at $3 per spin, with 4.50% of each wager contributing to the accumulating pot.