Ever dream of hitting that once in a lifetime windfall? That really big win… that truly life changing bit of fun? We’re talking the multi-million-dollar bit of excitement… One way to do that is to play and win a Progressive Jackpot.
It might be almost as unlikely as winning the lottery, but that doesn’t make the prospect any less exhilarating.
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What is a Progressive Jackpot?
A Progressive Jackpot is a very special kind of slot; it can be found at most Canadian Online Casinos.
Most slot games have a set jackpot, but there are a few unique games that have a jackpot that have the ability to grow exponentially. In a Progressive Jackpot, a percentage of every bet placed on the game is added to the escalating jackpot.
There are a variety of ways that the jackpot can be won; and also, a number of ways that the jackpot can be built, and we’ll get into them all in a tick.
In the background of any jackpot, both set and progressive; casinos make use of a Random Number Generator (RNGs) to decide which symbols pop up when taking a spin on a slot. Casinos use RNGs to ensure the same extent of randomness from online games as you would get from a mechanical physical slot.
We’ll try to cover it all, that’s what we strive to do here at Bonus Ninja, we aim to show you the best casinos where you can play your favourite games.
How to play a Progressive Jackpot
One of the first games you might play when joining a new casino is a Progressive Slot game. It’s simple, fun, cheap and gives you the chance to win a massive reward.
So how does a Progressive Jackpot work? Every time a player plays the game a portion of the customer’s bet gets added to the overall jackpot.
The exact mechanics do change from game to game, and can include some of the following:
Random Jackpot
This slot jackpot is hit completely randomly, and it can be hit on any spin. Keep in mind that on some Progressive Jackpots you may need to play the maximum stake in order to hit the big reward.
Symbol combination
In certain Progressive Jackpot slots, you will only be able to win the jackpot if you collect certain symbols on a predetermined payline. In this case you might need to collect five of the highest symbols in the game.
Bonus game
There are some Progressive Jackpots where you can only win the big jackpot after you have entered the bonus or Free Spins round. At times you might need to first enter the Free Spins round and then get a specific symbol combination.
In other games you might need to collect certain symbols in the base game to activate a special bonus round. For example, you might need to spin a prize wheel and make a card selection. Uncover the right card, and the big jackpot will be yours.
Must drop jackpots
This is a really special one. Some Progressive Jackpots games will give a deadline for when the jackpot must be hit. If they do, it tends to add to the number of players trying to hit the jackpot at a given time.
Just think of it, you all play just waiting for the jackpot to go off. The plus side? It will, and you might just get lucky!
Types of Progressive Jackpots
The difference between a progressive and regular slot jackpots might be obvious, but that’s not to say the differences end there. There are actually a number of Progressive Jackpots to keep things exciting.
Standalone jackpots
In a standalone jackpot the prize is related only to the players taking a spin on the specific game, in a specific casino. The jackpot isn’t shared. This has a simple two-fold result; the pool is smaller so the odds of hitting the jackpot are higher, the pool is smaller so the jackpot is smaller.
Local jackpots
This one relates to a specific casino. One casino might choose to share the jackpot between their games. The jackpot is built by wagering on the slot games in a specific casino. If the jackpot is hit on any of the games, the player will win the full amount.
Network Progressive Jackpots
These are the biggest jackpots and the ones you hear the most about when talking about Progressive Jackpots. All games are linked over various casinos and networks. Every time anyone wagers on a specific slot regardless of what casino they are wagering at, they will add to the jackpot. The chances of hitting this one may be a lot less, but this is the one that can often reach the multi-million-dollar mark.
Popular Progressive Jackpots
Playing slots at a casino is a super exiting pastime, so much so that many slots have teamed together with popular themes in popular culture to offer interesting themes.
Mega Moolah
Let’s face it, this one is the big daddy! All the biggest online jackpot winners have taken a spin on this epic game. If you want to find a Progressive Jackpot that often hits the million-dollar mark, then this one is for you. In 2020 alone the game has paid out more than CA$50 million!
Hall of Gods
Brought to you by NetEnt, this special game manages to combine huge wins with very entertaining game play. Inspired by Norse warriors, when you play this 5-reel, 20 payline
game you’ll have the chance to win big bucks.
Beach Life
Looking for a sunny, fun option where you can also win a huge reward? Then Beach Life is for you! You might not win the biggest rewards in this one, but the extra summer treats make it worth it.
The biggest Jackpot wins
Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune are definitely the big ones when talking about winning life-changing jackpots. Mega Moolah might be the ultimate winner, but due to its popularity you might be better off going for Mega Fortune. No matter what you choose, the excitement is bound to keep coming.
Mega Moolah – Paf Casino
Perhaps you think you need to place a big bet to win the big jackpot, but that isn’t always the case. In 2013 a Finnish player placed a simple CA$0.40 bet and managed to hit a massive CA$27 million jackpot. To this day, this lucky player has managed to remain anonymous. Who knows? He might just be your best friend and you don’t even know it!
Jon Hey Wood – Mega Moolah – Betway Casino
Back in October 2015, one very lucky 26-year old soldier from the UK won an epic amount of CA$22 million by playing the big daddy of progressive slots, Mega Moolah.
Mega fortune – Betsson Casino
Another player who choose to keep his name out of the media, this lucky Norwegian managed to hit a huge jackpot back in September 2011. Playing at Betsson, this player managed to snag CA$11 million by playing Mega Fortune.
Mega Moolah – Tipico Mobile Casino
This might not be the biggest win ever, but it is the biggest one won on a mobile phone. Just imagine waiting in the line at the post office and being able to hit a huge reward at the same time. That’s exactly what happened to this anonymous player back in 2017. This lucky punter bet on Mega Moolah and got lucky enough to win CA$11 million!
Alexander – Mega fortune – Folkeautomaten
Clearly living in the North of Europe seems to give you a better chance of winning the big one! This big winner was willing to disclose his first name (Alexander) and his age (30 years old), but very little else. Not to worry though we are sure that Alexander has been kept quite warm at night with his CA$9 million-dollar big win.
Other Progressive Jackpots
Generally speaking, when you think of Progressive Jackpots you probably think of slot games, but there are actually a number of other games that offer Progressive Jackpots. They might not get quite as big as slot jackpots, but that’s not to say they can’t be as lucrative.
Progressive Jackpots in Video Poker
Video Poker is a great game. It allows you to enjoy the same excitement of a slot game with the same game play as Poker. It requires a little more skill than slot games, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll realise that the low house edge makes this game very much worthwhile.
The Progressive Jackpot works the same as it does in slots; if you hit the correct combination or symbols, you’ll get the jackpot.
Progressive Jackpots in the Live Casino
You might think that Progressive Jackpots and Live Casino don’t really go together; but you would be wrong. Newer Live Casino games give you plenty of opportunity to hit a Progressive Jackpot. What’s not to love? The excitement of a Live Casino next to the heart pumping action of the possibility of hitting a Progressive Jackpot? Not bad for a little bit of afternoon entertainment. This option is particularly great when playing lightning versions of Live Casino games. Why not give them a go?
Progressive Jackpots in Online Bingo
Because bingo works in a similar way to a lottery, including a Progressive Jackpot makes sense. Every time a person buys a bingo ticket the progressive lottery jackpot will grow. Playing online creates a bigger pool, which allows you a bigger prizepool. The more people play, the bigger your chances of winning big!
Frequently Asked Questions
It completely depends on the game you are playing. Some prizes are shared between a number of casinos; while others are only shared within one casino. Obviously, the odds change. When thinking of one of multi-million-dollar prize pool, you know the odds aren’t going to be to great. We’ve worked it out to something like 1 in 3 million. But hey, if you could stand the chance of winning several million dollars, why not give it a shot?
No, not really. Progressive Jackpots aren’t really a game that you can influence. Due to RNGs each game gives you the same chance of winning the jackpot as the one before.
Yes, you can. Pretty much every casino game out there has been optimised to play on mobile. You might think that that doesn’t count for Progressive Jackpots, but it does. In fact, the biggest most recent big Progressive Jackpot winners have all been won on mobile.
You sure can. That being said unless you play for real money, you won’t be able to win a real jackpot. You can still play fun, so if you aren’t keen to take any risks you can always try play the game for free.
You’ve gotten lucky and now you want to know how to claim your moolah. This may not be as simple a task as you expect. It’s always a good idea to check out the terms and condition of a casino before you join it. For example, some casinos may only allow you to withdraw a specific amount at a time.
If you really have the feel that you are going to win a BIG jackpot, checkout the casinos T&Cs before going for that big jackpot.
Summary
There is no game in an online casino that gives you a bigger opportunity to win a massive fortune than a Progressive Jackpot. Sure, you can get lucky on certain table games, but to win a massive reward you’ll need to give up a huge stake. That’s not the case with a Progressive Jackpot. Every spin on a Progressive Jackpot gives you the same chance to win the big prize. Get lucky and you might become a millionaire!