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1 Progressive slots review

Progressive slots review

Progressive jackpot slots are a special variety of online video slot games that offer players enormous prize pools that can reach millions or even tens of millions of dollars. Unlike normal fixed jackpot slots, where the maximum payout is preset, progressive jackpot amounts continually increase until finally won.

The ‘progressive’ name refers to how the jackpot progressively gets bigger each second. This is achieved by automatically pooling a percentage of each player’s bet placed on the game into the rising jackpot amount. As more players join in, the prize pool keeps escalating until a lucky spin finally awards the whole accumulated amount to the winning player.

Progressive jackpots first started appearing at land-based casino slots in the 1980s, but they only took off later with online slots, where it became possible to connect and group games across different casinos on shared progressive networks. This allowed developers to increase prize pools faster and to unprecedented levels previously impossible in individual venues, turning players into millionaires overnight.

Today, online progressive slot jackpots offer life-changing money that far exceeds most land-based casino payouts, which is a significant part of their appeal and popularity among online players. Chasing millions for pennies is an exciting prospect!

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How progressive jackpot slots work

The reason why progressive jackpot slots online can accumulate so much cash is that they connect many players across various online casinos and games together under the same umbrella, all contributing to one central ‘pot’.

This pot, displayed on the game’s screen as the constantly rising jackpot meter, increases by a tiny portion of every bet by every player playing that progressive game (usually 0.5-1%). Since hundreds of thousands of bets per day can be placed collectively across a progressive network, this causes exponential jackpot growth.

These pooled bets flow into one out-of-this-world progressive payout waiting to drop. To put into perspective how many bets it takes on average to trigger a mega jackpot win, it would be similar to filling 10 football stadiums with players.

So while any individual player rarely wins the top prize, the sheer scale of collective bets leads to staggering multimillion prizes dwarfing any normal online slot. Of course, the lure of life-changing money, despite the micro odds, is exactly why progressive slots online are so popular!

The best progressive jackpot slots

Mega Moolah

Without question, Mega Moolah reigns as the most famous name in top-tier online progressive slots. Its main ‘Mega’ jackpot frequently pushes past the $10 million mark, cementing its slot supremacy.

Launched in 2006 by gaming giant Microgaming (now, part of the Games Global group), the African wilderness theme features 5 reels and 25 paylines with plenty of wild animals and free spin bonuses across the savanna landscape. But its randomly triggered ‘Wheel of Fortune’ jackpot bonus is what really sets Mega Moolah apart, promising one of 4 progressive prizes.

In 2021, Mega Moolah made history by awarding a record-shattering €19.43 million jackpot to a Belgian player. Other Mega Moolah multimillionaires have been made too, furthering its legendary reputation.

WowPot jackpot network

The aptly named WowPot is powered by one of Microgaming’s fastest-growing pooled jackpot networks, frequently dishing out multi-million dollar prizes living up to its name.

WowPot links together many of Microgaming’s most popular slots (9 Blazing Diamonds, Book of Atem, Sherlock and Moriarty, etc.), allowing the mystery jackpot meter to rapidly rise into the millions thanks to massive collective liquidity.

Although launching in 2020, WowPot churns out freshly minted millionaires and multimillionaires weekly across its titles. Back in early 2022, $3 and $5 wagers incredibly transformed into $3 million and $5 million jackpots!

Thanks to cracking the magic million-dollar mark often, WowPot has carved its name among the very best online jackpot slots from Microgaming’s impressive stable. In December 2023, the world’s largest jackpot of $42.14 million was hit by a lucky winner, whcih elicited universal admiration with the gambling community.

Mega Fortune

This highly volatile 25-payline slot is all about the luxury life, featuring stretches limos, yachts, champagne, diamonds and, of course … big jackpots! The aptly named Mega Fortune (released by NetEnt) frequently lives up to its title by doling out multimillion-dollar prizes.

In fact, back in 2013, it earned a Guinness World Record for the largest online jackpot payout ever at the time when a lucky Finnish player scooped €17.9 million (over $20 million). So while the WowPot series hogs the limelight, Mega Fortune also has pedigree in spades, so to speak!

Hall of Gods

With a name like Hall of Gods (NetEnt) and a slick Norse mythology theme, featuring ominous vikings, axes, and helmets as symbols over 5 reels, you might expect this progressive jackpot slot to churn out godly sums. And you wouldn’t exactly be wrong!

In 2016 for example, British grandmother Sarah Walsh stunned the slots world when she was gifted nearly $9 million from the Hall of Gods’ haul after simply placing a 60 cent wager. So for those looking to appease Odin and unlock some Nordic riches, the Hall of Gods should prove a worthy progressive contender!

Beach Life

As one of the world’s largest pooled progressive jackpots online, Beach Life from Playtech certainly lives up to its name when the reels align, substituting sandy beaches for piles of cash. Back in 2015 for instance, an intrepid Scottish lad transformed his $1.14 spin into nearly $6.6 million instantaneously.

This 20-payline online progressive slot packs plenty of summer vibes across its 5 reels, featuring sun loungers, cocktails and bikini-clad beauties as far as the eye can see. But aside from lots of eye candy, the real top prize here is the Beach Life progressive bounty just waiting to drop at any moment.

Pros and cons of progressive slots

PROS	CONS
✔ Opportunity to win multimillion dollar life-changing money from small stakes (unmatched elsewhere)	❌ Odds of winning the mega jackpot are microscopically slim
✔ Jackpots rise rapidly from collective player liquidity to create huge prizes	❌ Bankroll can deplete rapidly chasing elusive grand prize
✔ Fun and entertaining gameplay keeps players engaged outside jackpot chasing	❌ Jackpot hunting can become an unhealthy obsession for some players
✔ Large jackpot pools promote big value entertainment for budget	❌ Games with higher volatility bring bigger swings and risk
✔ Smaller minor jackpots hit more frequently than main jackpot	❌ Players may misunderstand true (low) odds and overspend relative to chance

Controversies and theories of manipulation

While progressive slots are powered by certified random number generators to ensure fair outcomes, some players over the years have speculated that online casinos somehow ‘rig’ these games to pay out jackpots less frequently. However, these accusations of manipulation have always proven to be conspiracy theories without any evidence.

Some key facts for progressive slot games:

Independent testing labs and gambling regulators thoroughly audit the randomness of slots, including progressives, on an ongoing basis. Manipulation would be quickly detected.
Published pay-out rates account for all jackpots triggered over tens of millions of spins. The results match the expected mathematical probability.
Casinos could not secretly ‘alter’ slots without illegally accessing certified software of vendors like Microgaming or Playtech.
While jackpots seem ‘overdue’ at times, probability dictates that extremes of either frequent or long-delayed payouts remain possible.

So, while some losses may spur baseless speculation from frustrated players, all evidence confirms certified fair results that have not been tampered with. Progressive jackpot frequencies follow established volatility parameters over extremely large samples. Any control or manipulation would require conspiracies of immense scale that simply do not hold up to facts or reason.

Best progressive slot wins

Game Name	Jackpot Won	Comments
WowPot	$42,149,180	A new world record for a progressive jackpot win (Dec 2023).
Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah	€19.4 million	Set a new record in April 2021.
Mega Moolah	€18,915,721	Won at Grand Mondial Casino in September 2018.
Mega Fortune	€17,860,868	Set a world record in January 2013 at Paf Casino.
Mega Moolah	£13,212,882	A British soldier won in October 2015 at Betway.
Mega Fortune	€11,735,446	Won at Betsson Casino in September 2011.
Arabian Nights	€8,635,872	Won at Betsson Casino in November 2012.
Hall of Gods	€7,820,888	Won by a Norwegian player in April 2015.
Joker Millions	€7,831,370	Won at LeoVegas Casino in November 2018.
Beach Life	£5,219,723	Won at Betfred Casino in February 2012.
Major Millions	$4,262,257	One of the largest payouts for this game.

FAQ

What are progressive slots?

Progressive slots are online casino games in which the jackpot increases over time from a portion of players’ bets until won.

How to play progressive slots?

You play progressive slots the same as regular online slots – select bet size, lines and spin the reels trying to match symbols across paylines.

How do progressive slots work?

A small part of each bet fuels the rising jackpot shown on screen. The more people play, the higher the prize grows until one lucky player triggers the grand jackpot.

How to win progressive slots?

To win a mega jackpot you need to match the rarest symbol combination. Lower wins follow regular slot pay table rules. It’s completely random luck! In some slots, the JP is awarded at any time, without the need to line up any symbols.

How often do progressive slots hit?

Jackpot frequencies vary across progressives but mega jackpots usually hit a few times a year per game. Lower minor jackpots hit more frequently.