Revealing the Secrets of Progressive Jackpots
Standalone Progressive Jackpots
The most common types of progressive jackpot slots are the standalone games, like Mega Moolah or Arabian Nights. This means that for a chance to win the jackpot prize you need to play that specific game - however, you can do so at any casino of your liking. Any bets placed on these games, at any casino online, contribute to the game’s progressive prize pool.
Networked Progressive Jackpots
Network Jackpots are becoming increasingly popular. These are progressive jackpot prizes that are linked across multiple games. This means that spins made by players playing different games, all contribute to the pot, resulting in bigger and faster-growing prizes. A great example is Playtech’s Age of the Gods series.
Must Drop Progressive Jackpots
You’ve probably heard the term ‘must drop’ - this refers to Progressive jackpots that by design are set to pay out before reaching a certain amount or time limit. These type of games are often linked to special promotions, but not always. Red Tiger’s Daily Drop Jackpot Network is a great example, featuring three jackpots that must drop while playing on any Red Tiger games connected to the Daily Drops network:
- The Super Drop Jackpot - Medium-sized progressive jackpot that falls multiple times per day.
- The Daily Drop Jackpot - Drops every day before before 11 PM, UK time with a prize that often reaches between $40k - $60k.
- The Hourly Drop Jackpot - This three to four-figure jackpot drops every hour of every day.
Differences Between Regular Slots and Progressive Jackpots
If you had to compare superpopular slot games (think Starburst or The Book of Dead) with blockbuster progressive slots (such as Mega Moolah or Hall of Gods) you would find that they differ from each other in several key ways. The major differences lie in their volatility, game mechanics, and features.
Volatility
While regular online slots tend to have medium to high volatility (meaning that while they may not pay out massive prizes frequently, players can expect more regular, smaller wins during gameplay), progressive jackpot slots are known for their high volatility. They have the potential to award supersized sums of money, but this comes at the cost of less frequent payouts. So, while playing a progressive jackpot expect long stretches without significant wins.
Game Mechanics
Regular slots feature set payouts for winning combinations and more often than not, include bonus rounds or free spins, with their main focus being on providing engaging gameplay rather than enormous jackpots. On the other hand, Progressive jackpot slots often have specific game mechanics designed to contribute to the jackpot pool. Some require players to place maximum bets or trigger bonus rounds to be eligible for the progressive jackpot.
Features
Cascading wins, special symbols that modify outcomes, expanding wilds, exploding symbols, bonus games and free spins rounds are quite popular on regular slots. These features engage as much as they entertain players through a rich gaming experience. Progressive jackpot slots are usually much simpler, and the thrills they offer come from the tantalizing prospect of landing that enormous jackpot prize.