The Math Behind Online Slots Progressive Jackpots

If you have ever walked through a major Las Vegas casino like the Golden Nugget or Bellagio, you won’t have failed to notice the prominent jackpot displays on the slot machines. You can’t miss them, brightly displayed on the top of many machines. You’ll also have noticed that they constantly tick upward, growing in value.

These prizes are called progressive jackpots. They are highly common in both online and offline casinos. Some prizes can be worth millions of dollars, which is a key reason for their popularity. But how do they work? What is the math behind them? And how are the winners determined? Let’s dive in with an explainer:

What are progressive jackpots?

All casino games, including online slots, technically carry jackpots – a top prize. Yet, a progressive jackpot is a little different. It is a jackpot funded by each player’s wagers, allowing it to grow constantly. The progressive jackpot usually starts at a base amount – known as a seed – and then each bet on the game adds an amount to that seed. For example, the seed amount could start at $100K, which is the minimum amount that could be won. Each bet then provides a wagering contribution. This is usually only a small percentage, like 1%. So, if you are betting $1, 1 cent would be added to the progressive jackpot on each played spin.

The power of the network

If the average bet is $1, it will take many spins to grow the progressive jackpot to the millions of dollars they can potentially reach. This is achieved through the network, meaning the jackpots for a particular game are linked across many online casinos worldwide. So, millions of players are potentially throwing their proverbial penny into the pot on each spin. The jackpot might also be linked across different games. This collective action allows it to grow quite quickly.

How the jackpot is won

The progressive jackpot is awarded randomly. Often, it triggers without being part of the leading slot game. Here’s how it works: An RNG (random number generator) will decide the exact amount when the jackpot will pay. For example, it might pay when it reaches $1,379,423.52. Nobody knows this figure, not even the casino operators. The person who wins the jackpot will be the person whose spin nudges the progressive jackpot to that level through their contribution. For instance, if the jackpot (in our example) stood at $1379,423.51, and your $1 spin provided the final 1 cent, taking it to $1,379,423.52, you would be the one to win.

Some things to consider

While the jackpot is determined randomly, you can appreciate that it is weighted toward players playing for higher stakes. The reason for that is the value of the wagering contributions. For example, if you are playing $20 spins, you add more to the progressive jackpot than someone playing 20-cent spins. You are, therefore, more likely to be the one who tips the jackpot over the winning threshold. It is also important to note that some progressive jackpot slots require a minimum bet amount to be eligible for the progressive jackpot award.

Progressive jackpot strategies

All online slots are based on RNGs to determine outcomes, so you cannot, in essence, predict the result of any given spin. That said, you will find that plenty of players will track the value of progressive jackpots online. Indeed, some websites are devoted to monitoring the most significant jackpot awards globally. You can’t predict precisely when the jackpot will hit, but you can see when it reaches a considerable sum. Some jackpot hunters will wait until this occurs, then try their hand at securing a considerable progressive. Nothing is guaranteed, but they know they have a shot at securing a prize worth millions.

Other types of progressive jackpots

Finally, we should note that some progressive jackpot games have certain rules, which again players might incorporate into a strategy. For example, some slot jackpots are timed—paying before a certain time of the day or before it reaches a specific amount. These prizes are usually smaller than the big headline jackpots attached to some games, but they have the advantage of laying out parameters for when they will pay.