The world of online slots in the UK boasts a wealth of titles with varying features, themes, and bonus elements. We’d be lying if we hadn’t pictured at least once in our minds spinning the reels and winning a fortune; and with prize pots which can have no upper limit, progressive jackpot slots can, for those few lucky players, boast a serious windfall.
But what exactly are progressive slots, and what are the differences between progressive and non-progressive slots? Are progressive jackpots all they’re cracked up to be, or are there non-progressive slot advantages which better suit your play style? Keep on reading to learn more.
What is a Progressive Jackpot Slot?
Progressive jackpot slots, also known as 'Progressives', are a unique type of slot game that is known for the huge prize pots which grow with every spin of the reels, with top jackpots reaching into the millions of pounds.
Originating in the real-world casinos of Vegas, progressive jackpots can be defined as ‘stand-alone’ progressives, such as the Lion’s Share slot at the MGM Grand, which took 20 years to payout. Since it only featured within the one location, this could also be classed as an ‘in-house’ progressive jackpot (though these can have other slots affiliated). Online progressive slots, however, fall into the ‘wide-area’ category and can connect slots in a certain region, country, or around the globe.
Most commonly, when playing online, you’ll encounter ‘network’ jackpot slots. These are typically proprietary, with each well-known slot developer having their network, such as Jackpot King (JPK) from Blueprint Gaming, and ‘Mega Moolah’ from Games Global (formerly Microgaming), with a range of the top slots from the brand included in the network. Other developers may have more than one progressive network, with some, such as the ‘Age of the Gods’ progressive network, acting like a subcategory and only applying to slots in Playtech’s titular ‘Age of the Gods’ series.
How Do Progressive Jackpot Slots Work?
When you look at the progressive jackpot odds and math model of your chosen slot (more on this later), you’ll notice a small percentage; usually around 0.5-1.5% is ‘reserved’ for the jackpot. This is because a portion of each wager made on a progressive jackpot slot, or any jackpot slot in the network the machine is part of, goes towards the shared progressive jackpot prize pool, the grand prize of which is a pot that grows until a lucky player wins it. When this happens, it resets the jackpot to a seed amount (starting figure), where it will then build until it is won again.
Most networks come with 2-3 other lower value pots which start at lower seed values, and once the cap for the pot is reached, they will not grow further in value until they are won. Some progressive slots have a time limit to win, or in the case of ‘boiling-point’ progressive games, a value threshold; while others keep rising until someone wins.
When it comes to winning the jackpot, the prize is typically awarded at random, which is part of the allure of this type of slot, as any player can win on any spin. Sometimes the prize will be awarded outright, while other systems may activate a jackpot game, and it is only through winning this that the largest prize can be claimed.
The Odds of Progressive Slots
There are multiple ways to answer the question when it comes to how odds are calculated in jackpot slots, such as looking at the math model, including RTP and volatility, as well as the overall odds. It can be hard to pin down the overall odds of any slot game due to the sheer number of slots in existence and the huge range of styles, features, and bonus elements used. It is estimated that the odds of winning a jackpot in any given online slot range from 1-in-5,000 to 1-in-34-million+, and it can be assumed that progressive jackpot slots are within the lower range of odds, meaning your chances are in the millions.
Progressive jackpot slots feature lower RTP’s than ordinary slots. A progressive jackpot slot may have an RTP of 88-94%, whereas a normal slot may have 96%. This is because of two factors; the high prize on offer, and the portion of the players stake that is taken to add to the prize pot.
Volatility refers to the rate at which online slots pay out and the general value when a win occurs. Progressive jackpot slots typically have a high-volatility rating as this is more in line with the high potential prizes on offer.
Fixed Jackpot Slots
New players are sometimes confused by the differences between games with a "fixed jackpot" and games with a ‘progressive jackpot’. This is especially true for slots, where the biggest prize is called a "jackpot." This is what these slots mean by "fixed jackpot." Fixed jackpots are prizes whose value stays the same. It is usually won when a player hits a certain trigger, such as matching jackpot symbols. So, while these slots are technically ‘jackpot slots’, they fall under the Non-Progressive category.
Progressive vs. Non-Progressive Slots
To help keep things simple, we’ve compared the differences between progressive and non-progressive slots across various categories in the table below:
Progressive Slots | Non-Progressive Slots | ||||
Presentation/Theme | Can have any theme but tend to cover popular slot franchises, adventure, and money themes. The style of progressive slots tends to focus on high-quality graphics to emphasise the potential prizes at stake. | It can have any theme, ranging from casual to serious, with graphics ranging from cartoon to HD. | |||
RTP | Because of their progressive pot contribution, the RTP for progressive slots tends to range from 90-95%. | The current market average for non-progressive slots is 96%, with the general range being 94-97%. | |||
Volatility | Typically high. | Ranges from low to high, with current trends leaning towards the medium-to-high side. | |||
Top Prize | In-game jackpots can vary from hundreds to thousands. The progressive jackpot(s) typically follow a tiered system with smaller pots capped in the thousands/tens of thousands, with the grand pot uncapped and reaching into the millions. | Non-progressive slots typically have a top prize and/or fixed jackpot prize from 500-10,000x the total stake, but amounts above or below this are also possible. | |||
Player Type | Progressive slots are suited to more experienced players who view the potential (albeit slim) of winning the jackpot as an enhancement to their gameplay experience. | There are non-progressive slots designed for players of all skill levels and tastes. |
As you can see, progressive and non-progressive slots are not that different from one another, and neither type is objectively better than the other; they’re just designed to appeal to different player needs.
Play Online Slots Your Way At Spin Genie!
As we’ve learned, progressive jackpot slots are slots that are connected to a jackpot network, with increasing pots, while non-progressive slots may have in-game jackpots but these have fixed values and are not connected to any wider network.
When it comes to which is better, the answer is simple: whatever is best for you! Because your odds of winning a progressive slot are relatively slim (though not impossible!) The most important thing when playing both slot types is to pick a slot whose themes and features appeal to you and not the one currently offering the largest prize.
Luckily, at Spin Genie, you’ll find a huge selection of progressive and non-progressive jackpot slots, playable on your preferred device. Sign up and play today, and always gamble responsibly.
