Jackpot slots fall into two broad categories: fixed and progressive. Fixed jackpots pay a set amount each time, whereas progressive jackpots continue growing until one lucky player lands the prize. Some progressive jackpot slots offer eight-figure prizes, so they’re some of the most popular games at online casinos.
In this guide to fixed vs progressive jackpot slots, we’ll explain how both types work. You’ll discover the key differences between them, and we’ll help you decide which option suits your playing style.
What Is a Fixed Jackpot?
A fixed jackpot is a prize with a specific value that never changes. It’s usually expressed as a multiple of your bet, such as 1,000x or 5,000x. If the slot has a 1,000x fixed jackpot, you’ll get $1,000 from a $1 spin and $2,500 from a $2.50 spin.
The prize doesn’t depend on other players, as it’s funded from the game’s standard payout structure. Money isn’t skimmed from each bet to fund a growing jackpot pool, so fixed jackpot slots tend to have higher return to player (RTP) rates than progressive jackpot games.
Many slots have several fixed jackpot tiers, which are often labeled Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand. For example, you might get 10x your bet for the Mini jackpot, 50x for the Minor jackpot, 100x for the Major jackpot, and 5,000x for the Grand jackpot.
These jackpot ladders are especially common on Hold and Spin slots, where you usually get the top prize if you fill the entire grid with bonus symbols.
What Is a Progressive Jackpot?
A progressive jackpot grows every time somebody plays the game. Here’s how progressive jackpots work: a small percentage of each bet you place will go into the jackpot pool. That means the prize keeps climbing until a player eventually wins it.
The jackpot then returns to its starting value, known as the seed, and the cycle begins again. The jackpot seed ensures the prize doesn’t reset to zero. For example, it might start at $100,000 and begin growing again, giving new players an incentive to spin the reels.
In some games, you’ll trigger a progressive jackpot by landing a specific combination of symbols. In others, there’s a separate bonus feature, such as Mega Moolah’s jackpot wheel, which is triggered at random.
Progressive slots often include several tiers too. The smaller tiers pay out regularly and reset at lower amounts, while the top tier can build up over months and reach millions of dollars.
How Progressives Grow: Local vs Networked Pools
Not all progressive jackpots grow at the same speed. It all depends on how many players are contributing to the pool. There are three main types of progressive jackpots:
- Standalone: The jackpot is tied to a single online slot. Only bets on that game feed the pool, so it grows slowly and tends to stay relatively small.
- Local: The jackpot is shared across several online slots at one casino. Local pools grow faster than standalone pools, but they’re still limited to one casino.
- Wide-area network: The jackpot is linked across many games and multiple online casinos. With thousands of players contributing at once, these pools grow the fastest and offer the biggest prizes.
Some networks also offer must-drop jackpots, which are guaranteed to pay out before a set time or amount. Daily drop jackpots are the most common example. They’re often worth playing if the deadline is rapidly approaching, as your chances of winning the jackpot increase.
The RTP Trade-Off
A slot’s RTP tells you how much the game returns over millions of spins. The average RTP for an online slot is roughly 96%. That means the game will return $96 for every $100 wagered in the long term. Individual sessions vary, meaning some players win and others lose, but the RTP highlights the game’s long-term average.
Most progressive jackpot slots have lower RTP rates than standard online slots. That’s because a portion of each bet goes immediately into the progressive jackpot pool. For example, Mega Moolah has an RTP of just 88%.
That’s not always the case. Divine Fortune by NetEnt has a 96.59% RTP, which is above average for a slot, but it still offers large progressive jackpots. However, as a rule of thumb, progressive jackpot slots tend to have below-average RTP rates.
Which Jackpot Type Suits You?
The right choice comes down to your budget and what you want from a session. Here’s a quick jackpot comparison:
- Choose fixed jackpots if you want higher RTP rates, predictable prizes, and more frequent wins. These games suit players with smaller bankrolls and anyone seeking longer sessions.
- Choose progressive jackpots if you like patiently chasing huge prizes and you don’t mind a lower RTP and long dry spells. Just check whether you need to meet a minimum bet to qualify.
Famous Progressive Jackpots
Progressive jackpot slots have produced some of the biggest wins of all time. Here are four of the largest payouts in history:
- WowPot! (Games Global): In December 2023, a player won €38,461,200.95 from a single spin on Wheel of Wishes. That surpassed the previous online record of €19.4 million set by Mega Moolah, and it remains the largest online slot jackpot on record.
- Mega Moolah (Games Global): This safari-themed series has broken the online record several times. A Belgian player won €19,430,723.60 on Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah in April 2021. Before that, British Army lance corporal Jon Heywood won £13.2 million on Mega Moolah in October 2015.
- Mega Fortune (NetEnt): A player in Finland won €17,861,800 on Mega Fortune at an online casino in 2013 from a €0.25 bet.
- Megabucks (IGT): The land-based record belongs to IGT’s Megabucks, which paid out $39.7 million at Excalibur in Las Vegas back in 2003.
FAQs
Progressive jackpot slots tend to deliver larger prizes than slots with fixed jackpots. However, your chances of landing the top prize are also normally slimmer if you play progressive jackpot slots. Neither is objectively better. When it comes to fixed vs progressive jackpots, the right choice depends on your bankroll, goals, and risk tolerance.
Progressive jackpot slots normally have lower RTP rates, as a portion of each bet you place goes towards funding the jackpot pool. You’ll often find that between 1% and 7% of your bet is instantly peeled off to contribute to the progressive jackpot.
No, you don’t need to place the maximum bet to win a progressive jackpot. However, you often need to meet a minimum bet to qualify. For example, you might need to bet at least $1 per spin to be in with a chance of winning the progressive jackpot, even though the game’s betting limits are $0.20 to $10 per spin.
The progressive jackpot doesn’t reset to zero after somebody wins it. Instead, it reverts to the jackpot seed, which is funded by the software provider, the casino, or both. For example, the jackpot seed might be $1 million, so if a player wins $8,342,012.88, the jackpot will return to $1 million for the next spin.
Ilija is a CCN writer with 7 years of experience covering all things crypto. Ever since a fateful run-in with Litecoin in 2013, he's been an avid investor and writer in the space. When he's not maniacally hacking away at his keyboard, Ilija spends his time either hiking in nature or holed up in his apartment gaming.
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