How Progressive Jackpots Work

Progressive Slots are some of the most popular slots games around, mostly because of the high Progressive jackpots that they offer. This article will give you an idea of how the game is played and how the jackpots are determined.

Progressive slots are basically slot machines that are linked together with other slot machines. The progressive jackpots that they offer are made up from a percentage of all the money collected from each of the progressive slot machines connected to the network. What this means is that the jackpot continues to grow with every deposit a player makes into the network. This is why progressive jackpots are typically made up of quite large amounts of money. Little wonder then that progressive jackpots are some of the most valued prizes in the gambling industry.

While pouring your entire bankroll into winning progressive jackpots is not necessarily a good idea, the potential to win such a huge prize is definitely worth the risk of placing at least a part of your bankroll into winning it. There are a few things to keep in mind when doing so however.

First of all, there are actually three different kinds of progressive slot machines: Stand Alone Progressives, In House or Proprietary Progressives, and Wide Area Progressives. The Stand Alone Progressive slot machine is not connected to any other slot machines. The jackpot is drawn only from the coins that are played in that machine. In House or Proprietary Progressives are linked to other slot machines in a single casino. While the jackpots may not be as large as those with Wide Area Progressives, they can be quite substantial nevertheless. Wide Area Progressives are usually operated by a single independent operator, and they are connected to slot machines in casinos all over the world, which may or may not belong to the same owner. These types of progressive slot machines typically offer the biggest jackpots.

You also have to realize that you will have to play the maximum allowable amount of coins with each spin in order to get a chance to win the jackpot. Playing with anything less than the maximum amount will only serve to contribute to the progressive jackpot without actually giving you the chance to win it.

While Wide Area Progressives are tempting for the huge jackpots that they offer, the payouts they offer on the winning lines are usually lower than with the two other types of progressives. For this reason, it may be better to play the Stand Alone or In House games instead.
Most casinos do not actually use progressive slot machines for the tournaments. Most slots tournaments are timed events, in which every player is given the same amount of playing credit and the same time to play them. This makes it impractical for the casinos to use progressive slot machines for tournaments. While slots tournaments are definitely enjoyable events that can be quite fun and exciting for players that are in it for the competition, they really cannot compare to the huge prizes offered by progressive slot machines.

Finally, as tempting as the progressive slots are, they are essentially games of chance at the core. There is no guarantee that you will win the jackpot, so it would be best to play the games for fun.