There are 2 major types of progressive slots, standalone progressive slots and networked progressive slots which comprises of local and wide-area varieties: Standalone Progressive Slots. As the name suggests, standalone progressive slots are loners; they are not connected to any other machines or games at the online casino or other online. Stand-alone online progressives are single online slot games with a progressive jackpot. As with land-based slots, only money that goes into the online slot goes toward the jackpot, and only someone playing that slot can win it.
Stand-alone and linked progressives
The beauty of progressive jackpot slots is that the feature can be included in slots of all themes. Whether you prefer classic casino slots, fairytales, superheroes, the Wild West or Dragons Slots, you will be sure to find a progressive jackpot hiding in almost every theme. It may be more common to find them in the more modern versions of classic slots.
There are basically two types of progressive slots at land-based casinos across the US:
- Stand-alone progressives
- Linked progressives
Stand-alone progressives are single slot machines with a progressive jackpot.
A piece of every dollar put in the machine goes into a progressive jackpot that is contained on that machine. That means only money put in that specific machine goes into that jackpot and only someone playing on that machine can win that jackpot.
Linked progressives are different in that they have a jackpot linked from among multiple machines.
There are area linked progressives that feature multiple slot machines over a defined area feeding into the same single progressive jackpot. The area might include the same slots or group of slots in a single casino or group of casinos.
A piece of every dollar put into these slots goes into a single progressive jackpot that all these slots link to. That means only money put in these slots goes into that jackpot, and only someone playing one of these slots can win it.
Then, there are network-wide linked progressives that feature multiple slot machines over a wide network feeding into the same single progressive jackpot. Network-wide progressives offer the biggest progressive jackpots around.
The network will include the same slots or group of slots at a group of casinos in the same state, group of states or all across the country.
Once again, a piece of every dollar put into these slots goes into a single progressive jackpot. However, more slots over a wider network means more players, more dollars and bigger jackpots. Of course, the same basic jackpot principles apply, meaning only someone playing one of the slots in the network can win the jackpot.
Online stand alone and linked progressives
You’ll also find the stand-alone and linked progressive jackpot slots at online casinos across the US.
Stand-alone online progressives are single online slot games with a progressive jackpot. As with land-based slots, only money that goes into the online slot goes toward the jackpot, and only someone playing that slot can win it.
Linked online progressives feature multiple slots at a single online casino or group of online casinos feeding into the same progressive jackpot. Where the law allows and interstate agreements are in place, these online casinos may even be in different states all feeding into the same progressive jackpot. Once again, the same basic jackpot principles apply.
Popular online progressive jackpot slots in the US
Here’s a look at the five most popular online progressive jackpot slots and linked-progressive slot series in the country:
Divine Fortune
Divine Fortune is at more real money US casinos than any other progressive jackpot slot.
It’s a three-row and five-reel Greek mythology-themed NetEnt-designed slot. Players can win the jackpot via the Jackpot Bonus Game, triggered when you land three or more bonus symbols. Fill the screen with bonus symbols in the Jackpot Bonus Game, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Divine Fortune is known to have paid out some of the biggest jackpots in US online casino history. In fact, Divine Fortune has awarded more than $3 million in progressive jackpot wins in New Jersey casinos in 2020 alone.
That includes the following five $200,000-plus wins at NJ online casinos:
- $278,802.58 on March 15, 2020, at SugarHouse Online Casino.
- $271,476.08 on June 9, 2020, at Golden Nugget Online Casino.
- $268,223.23 on June 20, 2020, at Hard Rock Online Casino.
- $257,594.00 on Jan. 18, 2020, at Resorts Online Casino.
- $230,552.72 on March 31, 2020, at Hard Rock Online Casino.
The Divine Fortune progressive jackpot was worth over $250,000 on the Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network in mid-2020. Plus, it was once again over $140,000 at Golden Nugget Online Casino and over $120,000 at SugarHouse Online Casino and Betfair Online Casino in New Jersey in mid-2020.
A 40-year-old Lititz, Pennsylvania, man also hit the Divine Fortune progressive jackpot at PlaySugarHouse.com in PA in March 2020, winning $278,430.23. That marked the thirteenth Divine Fortune jackpot at PlaySugarHouse.com in Pennsylvania since its launch in the summer of 2019.
The Divine Fortune progressive jackpot at the BetRivers network in PA was up close to $75,000 in mid-2020.
Mercy of the Gods
Mercy of the Gods is NetEnt’s progressive jackpot slot follow-up to Divine Fortune and is available at a variety of online casinos across the US.
It’s also a three-row and five-reel slot, but Mercy of the Gods features an ancient Egyptian theme.
The jackpot can be won in the Gift of Wealth Bonus Game, triggered when you land three golden heart bonus symbols. Fill the screen with golden heart bonus symbols in the bonus game, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Players have hit three six-figure jackpots on Mercy of the Gods online in New Jersey:
- $293,839.47 on Feb. 27, 2020, at BetMGM Online Casino.
- $137,351.07 on June 16, 2020, at Borgata Online Casino.
- $131,285.60 on March 27, 2020, at Borgata Online Casino.
The Mercy of the Gods progressive jackpot was also over six figures on the Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network in mid-2020. It was over $40,000 at Golden Nugget Online Casino.
The Mercy of the Gods progressive jackpot on the PlaySugarHouse/BetRivers network in PA was close to $45,000 in mid-2020.
Cleopatra mega jackpots
Cleopatra is an IGT-designed progressive jackpot slot featuring a familiar ancient Egyptian theme. It’s a standard three-row and five-reel slot that is available at a host of online casinos across the US.
You can win the jackpot in the Cleopatra Bonus game, triggered when you land three or more sphinx symbols. The Cleopatra Bonus game includes 15 free spins to start. Land the five Cleopatra symbols during your spins, and the progressive jackpot is yours.
Cleopatra is responsible for awarding one of the largest progressive jackpot win at an online casino in the US. It was a $373,500 jackpot at BetMGM in New Jersey on Feb. 13, 2020.
The Big One
The Borgata/BetMGM/PartyCasino NJ online casino network runs a linked progressive jackpot on a series of nine WIN Studios slots. The casinos call it The Big One. The Big One progressive jackpot can climb to over $330,000.
The Big One linked slots include:
- MGM Grand Millions
- Loot’EnKhamun
- Biker Pigs
- Going Nuts
- Melon Madness
- Book of Myths
- Spin Bandit
- The Win Genie
- Luck o’ the Jackpot
Chances at The Big One jackpot are awarded randomly on these slots. You are suddenly taken to a Big One jackpot screen where there’s a list of five progressive jackpots and a color wheel.
You spin the wheel, and it changes colors until randomly stopping on one. Every color corresponds to one of the five jackpots.
888 Jackpots
888 Online Casino in NJ has a series of linked progressive jackpot slots with a progressive jackpot that can climb to more than $1 million. The exclusive-to-888 slots include:
- Aztec Realm
- Mermaid’s Millions
- Oktoberfest Spins
- Rise of the Pharaohs
- Santa’s Super Slot
- Saved by the Bells
The games award the jackpot randomly. No matching symbols are required. However, bet size matters, and different bet sizes win different size jackpots. That means the big progressive jackpot is only in play with max bets.
Return-to-player rates and progressive jackpot slots
Normally, you look at a slot’s return-to-player rate to determine its volatility and playability. A slot’s RTP is the percentage of cash it takes in that it will theoretically pay back to players. A slot with a 99% RTP will eventually pay out 99 cents of every dollar it takes in.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to get back $99 out of every $100 you put in the game. However, it does mean someone eventually will. It could be you or some other player who catches the slot at the right time. In other words, a slot’s RTP is realized over the long haul, not session by session or spin by spin.
The slot’s house edge is the other side of RTP. That means a slot with a 99% RTP has a 1% house edge. That is, the casino ultimately makes a profit of one cent from every dollar put in the game. The higher the RTP and lower the house edge, the less volatile and therefore more playable a slot is.
However, you can throw all that out the window when it comes to progressive jackpot slots.
For the most part, progressive jackpot slots have low RTPs because so much of the money that players put into the game is siphoned off for the progressive jackpot slot.
That means most progressive jackpot slots are considered highly volatile. However, they’re still playable, because playing progressive jackpot slots is not about chasing more frequent, though smaller, payouts.
Instead, playing progressive jackpot slots is about taking your shot at the progressive jackpot. That means, when it comes to playing progressive jackpot slots, you can pretty much ignore the RTP and simply go for it.
Max bet is usually required to qualify for a jackpot
Slots are a game of luck, not skill. Therefore, there is no strategy players can employ to help them win a progressive jackpot. There are no guarantees you’ll ever hit the progressive jackpot, no matter how much money you put into a slot.
The odds are stacked against you in a big way. In fact, you’re going to need an astronomical amount of luck to win a progressive jackpot. That said, you also have to put yourself in position to get lucky. When it comes to progressive jackpot slots, that means making the maximum bet.
You should probably be betting the max on all online slots. This is particularly true when it comes to playing online slots with a progressive jackpot. The thing is, if you bet anything less than the maximum bet, you’re likely not even eligible to win the progressive jackpot.
If your goal isn’t to try to win the progressive jackpot, there are plenty of other slots more suitable for you. If you’re playing a slot with a progressive jackpot, it just makes sense to try and go after it. You simply have to play the maximum credits allowed to get access to the most paylines, bonus games, and the progressive jackpot.
Progressive jackpot slot strategy
Let’s face it, slots aren’t exactly strategy games. Particularly when you’re playing progressive jackpot slots, you’re trying to get lucky, and there is no strategy on earth that can help you do that.
That said, you must put yourself in a position to get lucky or you never will.
With progressive jackpot slots, that usually means making the maximum bet on every spin. In fact, to be eligible to win the jackpot on most progressive jackpot slots you must bet the maximum.
Check with the rules of each game to make sure that’s the case. If it is, and you understand playing progressive jackpot slots should be about taking your shot at the jackpot, anything else would be a waste of your time and money.
If you’re trying to book small wins instead, you should play low-volatility slots with high RTPs.
The thing is, chasing sizable progressive jackpots with life-changing money isn’t cheap. Maximum bets add up fast. Add in the fact there’s no guarantee you’ll ever win that jackpot, and you’re going to need to be careful. That means following the principles of a responsible gambling strategy.
Responsible gambling involves setting limits and sticking to them. Only play with money you can afford to lose, and when that’s gone, you have to quit. Show some discipline, don’t chase losses and you’ll survive to take a shot at that progressive jackpot again when you can play with another chunk of cash you can afford to lose.
Ultimately, this will help keep playing progressive jackpot slots a fun pursuit you do with disposable income. You’ll limit your losses and be able to take another shot at that progressive jackpot some other day.
Know your limits, stay within it
The reality is you’re more than likely going to rack up heavy losses chasing progressive jackpots online. That money in the jackpot has to come from somewhere. In fact, it’s being funded with every losing spin you and others make.
Mindlessly spinning away making maximum bets on a progressive jackpot slot can prove costly over time. Since there’s no guarantee you’re ever going to win, following responsible gambling principles and some proper bankroll management strategies can prevent you from getting in over your head.
Online gamblers should always set a limit of how much they can afford to lose in a particular session and stick to it. The key is making it a number that won’t have an effect on your life.
Applying this kind of common sense to managing your gambling bankroll can definitely help you limit your losses. Plus, that will make sure you can stay in the game long enough for you to get lucky.
If you lose the money you’ve limited yourself to, accept that today is not your day and simply walk away. Show some discipline. Do not chase your losses, and perhaps things will turn around when you return to play another day.
Progressive slot machines are some of the most exciting games in any casino. The chance to win life-changing money with one spin of the reels is an undeniably enticing opportunity for many slot players.
The chance of winning one of the big prizes is quite low, of course. Though there’s a major statistical difference between the two, trying to win a progressive jackpot is effectively the same as attempting to win the lottery.
However, in both cases, your chances of winning are zero if you don’t play. So, below is all the latest about playing progressive slots online or at a live casino in Pennsylvania.
Should hit soon jackpots
Although a progressive jackpot is unpredictable, it is possible to get a sense of when one might be close to hitting. Whether through deliberate settings from the manufacturer or the simple fact of random chance balancing out, we can estimate when a progressive slot tends to cash out its big prize and reset. Below, you can find out the current status of each progressive slot offered in PA online casinos.
What is a progressive slot?
A progressive slot is, in many ways, a normal slot machine. They tend to come in three or five-reel varieties and pay out to the player when the reels align in certain patterns.
The key difference is that a progressive slot machine features an ever-increasing top prize. As more players contribute to the game, the machine or title kicks a portion of each player’s wager into the pool.
Progressive Slot Games Online
You can always determine if a slot is a progressive jackpot title if there is some sort of running tally in its display. Since the top prize is the main attraction for progressive slot games, the game developer is certain to place it in plain view.
The jackpot will continue to escalate until someone happens to win it. The frequency of these wins varies from machine to machine, and as a general rule, a lower jackpot means higher chances of winning.
Once the top prize is hit, it returns to a baseline amount and begins to grow again. This amount is rarely zero, as most slot developers recognize the need to provide seed money as an attraction.
Jackpot slots tend to pay out less frequently than their regular counterparts. The need to hold back money to fund the jackpot means that the odds of the entire game have to be a bit longer. So, a player looking to eke out a small profit can likely find greener pastures beyond these games.
However, if you have a hunch that you may be due for a big score, or if you’re looking more for a boom or bust kind of game with a big potential upside, then a progressive jackpot slot might be just the thing for you.
Types of progressive slot machines
There are three types of progressive slot machines that you may encounter in either live casinos or online. The difference between the three boils down to the method by which the machine aggregates its jackpot fund.
- Standalone progressives: A single-machine progressive slot is exactly what you imagine. The progressive jackpot is generated solely by the contributions of players who have come before you. Needless to say, these jackpots tend to be the lowest in value. However, they can also be some of the easiest jackpots to hit, too.
- Network linked progressives: A linked progressive slot combines its player contributions with those physically located nearby. So, the contributions from players on different machines at the same location are the source of the escalating jackpot. Some linked progressive slot jackpots can feature impressive amounts of cash, but one might rarely win retirement money from a linked progressive.
- Area-wide progressives: Finally, a wide-area progressive slot casts as large a net for its pool as it possibly can. Machines in multiple locations, including in different states, can feed the number projected on the slot’s screens. Wide area progressives are responsible for the largest jackpots in all of the slot machines, and lucky players can potentially change the course of their lives with a single spin.
What is the most you can win on a progressive slot?
You may be wondering what we mean by “life changing” amounts of money. After all, the amount that may change your life is pocket change to Jeff Bezos or BillGates.
Nevertheless, the progressive slots in Pennsylvania tend to feature jackpots worth more than $50,000. Some of them even promise to return six-figure scores if you hit them. While these figures are rarely sufficient to allow one to quit a job, they can certainly add a healthy dose of breathing room for most people.
The truly large-scale progressives, however, are reserved for the land-based casinos themselves. Furthermore, one particular type of slot — Megabucks — is renowned for its outsized payouts. The Megabucks jackpot begins at $10 million, and players have had wins that have totaled nearly $40 million in the past.
Pennsylvania’s jackpot slots simply don’t field enough business to warrant those kinds of payouts. However, there is still plenty of money available for a healthy payday.
How to play for a progressive jackpot in Pennsylvania
Slots are not a winning proposition for most people. There’s a reason that, no matter what, a casino will always have slot machines available for players to try.
Progressive jackpot slots are no different in this regard and are worse for the typical player than an average slot title. With that said, there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re planning on making a try for one of the big-money wins.
Find the right games
Though it may seem painfully obvious, you need to make sure that the slot you’ve chosen to play is, in fact, a progressive jackpot slot. While all slots have a top prize associated with them, you need to find games that have a rolling total for their top prize.
The good news is that this rolling amount is the chief advertisement for the game, so it shouldn’t be hard to find. As it happens, there are three different jackpot games that you may find in Pennsylvania online casinos. They are:
- Divine Fortune
- Mercy of the Gods
- Unibet Casino
- FOX Bet Casino
- Jackpot Shores
- Unibet Casino
This list can change as casinos add to or change their lineups. However, the main point is that you should have no trouble finding a progressive slot in Pennsylvania if you’re looking to play on one.
Always bet the maximum number of coins
The dirty secret of playing for a progressive jackpot is that it requires you to bet the maximum amount on each bet. Otherwise, your spin will not be eligible for the progressive jackpot bonus feature, and you’re essentially playing a tighter-than-normal slot for no reason.
Now, to be clear, betting the maximum will not make you any more likely to win the jackpot. It’s simply the entrance fee to play yourself into the game, and it’s a game that you are, frankly, unlikely to win.
Truth be told, it is probably better to wager the maximum on any slot game in Pennsylvania that you decide to play. Players who choose to do so set themselves up for the maximum amount of upside that the game has to offer, progressive jackpot or not.
However, if you are looking to stretch your gambling money for as long as it will go, then a progressive jackpot slot is probably not the right choice. Find a standard slot that doesn’t punish you as harshly for nibbling around the edges.
Watch your bankroll
The flip side of the admonition to bet the maximum is to keep a close eye on your bankroll at all times. Because you are betting the absolute limit, you can rapidly burn through your set-aside funds if you’re not careful.
Progressive jackpots do require you to bet the max to be eligible. However, there is no time limit on your spin session, so take a breath, relax, and make sure that you’re not overextending yourself at a particular machine before each spin.
Don’t try to force the machine into a win
One of the biggest pitfalls for any gambler is his or her ego. It’s hard to accept that you’re playing a game in which you’ll ultimately lose. It’s so much more tempting to think that you’re going to get the better of the odds this time around.
Because of ego, some gamblers will try to force a slot machine to pay out through repeated play. Their thinking is that the machine has to “warm-up” at some point and that the consistent stream of losses cannot go on forever.
The truth of the matter is that no amount of priming or investment will make any difference to the machine. You’ll either win or you won’t, so don’t make the mistake of misunderstanding statistics and random chance as deliberate acts on the part of the game software or its developers.
Know when to walk
If you find that you are commonly spending more than you’d like, it is probably a good idea to establish a loss limit for yourself at the machine. Once you reach that limit, you walk away — no matter how lucky you may be feeling or whether you feel confident that things are going to turn around.
Free Progressive Slots Online No Download
The truth of the matter is that it is usually not going to be your night, and you need to have the discipline to avoid disaster to play successfully. However, with progressive slots, it only takes a single spin to get into the black forever. So, as long as you are playing responsibly, you can go for the big win!