Casino games are one of the world’s most popular gaming categories, alongside other hits like sports and adventure games. Often labeled as ‘iGaming’, these titles include a series of favorites, such as table games like roulette, card games like blackjack, and staples like bingo. These are some of the most recognizable games in the world thanks to films like 21 and Croupier.
But if you’ve spent any time at a virtual casino, you’ve probably heard of progressive slots, which are incredibly popular. Slots, officially the world’s most-played casino game, are all about excitement and intriguing new themes and layouts. Progressive slots are also focused on the winning payout, incrementally boosting that number with each play.
Sounds incredible right? Let’s dive into the world of progressive slots and explore what the actual definition is of a progressive slot and how you can get started adding this game to your list of favorites.
What Are They?
A progressive slot is the exact same as any other digital slot game—except its prize pool works a bit differently. Usually, slot games include payouts that are directly related to the winning combination on the screen. Different combinations are tied to different payouts, usually with one extraordinary combination possible.
Progressive slots also include these tiered payout combinations. However, they differ in that a small portion of each stake is put into a separate prize pool. This prize pool is on the table for players along with all the traditional paying combinations. This means that bets are sometimes a bit higher—along with the chances for a massive payout.
Digital progressive slots work differently than those at brick-and-mortar establishments. At a physical casino, the progressive slot is tied to a single machine or, in some rare cases, multiple machines that contribute to the same ‘jackpot’. However, at online establishments multiple slots can be part of a progressive slot payout, meaning that multiple players can play for it at the same time—and contribute to its growing jackpot.
Progressive Slots vs. Regular Slots
Above, we outlined one basic difference between progressive and regular slots. This is tied to the payout pool that progressive slots have, which is separate from the other payout systems. This is the ‘jackpot’ payout. However, regular slots also have a jackpot payout—it’s simply not progressive.
In other words, a regular slot machine might offer five different payouts depending on which combination you hit. From there, bonus rounds might also enliven the action with multipliers, which multiply and boost the total amount you should be paid out. Regular slots also have a jackpot—but it won’t grow in value the more people play. Instead, it’s set from the start.
Progressive Slots vs. Jackpot Slots
You’ve likely seen jackpot slots offered alongside progressive slots—but you should know that these are actually the same thing. Jackpot slots refer directly to the ultimate payout, which is the ever-growing jackpot pool. The term ‘progressive’ in progressive slot refers to how that jackpot progressively grows. In fact, some players will only target jackpots that look close to ‘busting’ or paying out—though this is usually unreliable.
Where Can I Find Progressive Slots?
You can find progressive slots at just about any online casino. As we mentioned above, slots are the world’s most popular casino game. That means that most virtual providers offer dozens of different choices—progressive slots included.
Is There a Specific Strategy for Progressive Slots?
Most casino games involve at least a little bit of strategy. However, slots are largely based on chance, which is overseen by a random number generator (RNG). This means that there are limited choices for players who want to think strategically.
Generally speaking, there are two types of tactics that slots players focus on. First, most will only play games that include a return-to-player of over 95%. This RTP shows how many times a player should be paid out if they play 100 times. Second, fans of progressive slots tend to focus on those with high jackpots, since this means there has been a lot of action and it’s possible the slot will pay its jackpot soon.
