How Do Progressive Jackpots Work?

Progressive jackpots are popular at casinos because everyone loves the idea they might be able to win hundreds, thousands, and maybe even a million dollars or more. Progressive jackpots are offered in addition to all the other prizes you could win while playing a slot game. They can sometimes be offered in other casino games as well, although slots are arguably the most popular versions of these games.

The premise is quite easy to understand. Every time someone bets on a spin, a small percentage of that bet is put into the progressive jackpot to make it bigger. Sometimes there might be linked machines all sharing the same jackpot, in which case it can climb higher more quickly. The bigger the bet placed, the greater the amount that goes into the jackpot. It is known as a progressive sum because it will progressively grow as more people play the game.

Some games will include several jackpots, each one bigger than the last. There may sometimes be a jackpot game to trigger to determine which one you might win. Other times, the jackpot will be awarded according to a random trigger which is unknown. If one player spins the correct combination of triggering symbols onto the reels, the jackpot will drop – even if no other wins result from the combinations shown. The size of a progressive jackpot can vary from a few hundred dollars to many thousands… and possibly into seven figures on some of the best machines.