One of the most appealing games for potential payouts at casinos is progressive jackpots. They are a mix of great entertainment and potentially life-changing jackpots – if they can be landed. Because of the potentially high yield from progressive jackpots, they come with a high risk.

No longer limited to land-based establishments, these jackpots are now easily accessible to players around the world. Whether we look at online casinos in the Philippines or in other countries, where online gambling is legal, slots have become accessible to more people, all hoping to share in a part of that dream. But a progressive jackpot win remains nothing short of a dream for most players because hitting one is extremely rare.

It’s estimated that a progressive jackpot can be anywhere from one in a million to  one in 50 million chances or more. That will all be down to the particular game’s RTP, which raises the question of whether they are worth playing.

What are the Odds of Winning a Progressive Slot?

Again, this will be determined by the RTP and volatility of a game. This can range anywhere from a 96% to a 98% RTP, but as progressive jackpots trend towards the higher number and at high volatility, it means they drop far less often.

It’s a world away from simple slots that have lower volatility, which returns more frequent payouts but of lesser value. Progressive slots are designed to be challenging because the more people play them, the more the jackpot prize goes up.

Putting into the Pot

Progressive jackpots work in a different format than other online casino games. That is because it’s not just one user at a time that puts it into the game. Progressive jackpot games are linked on a network, which means a greater collective input.

There could be many players on different online platforms playing the same slot at once, which means that the current jackpot isn’t static. It changes all the time as a percentage of every losing stake that goes into a machine contributes towards the pot.

Progressive jackpots don’t just pay out the top prize. They will also drop smaller prizes as well, just as any other type of slot will do. That is another factor that affects the overall output of the networked game.

Competition Fuels Play

What fuels extra incentive and anticipation of progressive jackpots is the sense of competition. Players are not playing solely against a machine, they are competing with other players, something similar to a clutch of bingo players all playing at the same time trying to fill their cards. That adds a layer of competitiveness that’s not typically seen in slot play.

Myth of Progressive Jackpots

The big myth about progressive jackpots is that they run hot and cold. Most players believe that after one has paid out a jackpot, it will be a long time before it drops again. But that’s not the case, it is completely random and everything is down to chance as it was before.

One previous spin has nothing to do with the next one, so it is just as likely to hit, just that the max jackpot may not be as big. What detracts players from a progressive machine after a jackpot has been landed, is that the prize drops back to the base level, so they are less inclined to play.

The Approach

One thing that a lot of players miss is the need to play maximum bets to get anywhere near the jackpot. The base game of the slot will operate just like any other regular slot, and the magic towards earning a shot at the jackpot comes from a bonus round.

That typically is collecting at least three scatter symbols to trigger it, but that will be dependent on the game. Again, if the maximum bet on a spin isn’t being played, then the top progressive jackpot is not available.

That won’t exclude you from a big win, but it will be a lower-value jackpot. Games typically have prizes like minimum, minor, major and mega jackpot prizes.

Are They Worth Playing?

So are progressive jackpot slots worth playing? That will be completely dependent on your gambling goals. They are far from ideal for players with small budgets because progressive machines, due to their high volatility, can absorb a lot of stake just to get through to the bonus round.

That’s on top of needing maximum bets for a shot at the top jackpot. Progressive jackpots typically require a bold approach with a sizable bankroll, because losses will happen. However, if you are prepared to absorb that and are prepared for that, then they are a viable option for shooting for a headline-making jackpot.