Getting Started with Progressive Jackpots - Rules & Guidelines

How to Play Progressive Jackpots

In the last few years, progressive jackpots have become an attraction for the casino players. Have you heard of the legendary Mega Moolah? Players can’t seem to get enough of these nifty little creations!

And we will be honest: neither can we.

The charm of progressive jackpots is dual: they are just like slot games, only better.

So, as you can already guess, they are effortless to master and even easier to love.

So, let’s see what the primary rules and terms that you need to grasp before you go chasing the never-ending jackpots are:

The Anatomy of Progressive Slots

Progressive jackpots use the same mechanics as regular online slots. In fact, there are very few differences between the two types of games.

Indeed, it is maybe even better to say that progressive jackpots are just a subtype of video slots.

The major difference between them is the nature of the jackpot. While online slots might feature fixed jackpots, in progressive slots the jackpot amount is continually growing. That means that you can win more than in regular slot games. 

Useful Terms

In this text, we will be using a few expressions that you are perhaps unfamiliar with. To dispel any potential confusion, have a look at some useful terms and definitions below:

• Reels: The reel layout is the board where you can keep track of the action. All progressive jackpots have the grid that typically has 5 reels, but the number of rows varies. The standard is 5×3, but providers nowadays are expanding the grid with additional reels and rows. 
• Pay table: The pay table is the reference point for all values in the game. Here is where you can check the payouts for each combo that you make on the reels. 
• Exposure: Exposure is the winning potential of the game.
• Jackpots: This refers to the amount of money that you can get if you win the topmost prize. They can be either fixed or progressive.

Defining the Player Type

Every slot player belongs to a certain type. In other words, every single punter is categorized according to his gaming preferences. However, the most important thing that you need to decipher before you enter progressive slots is the risk level.

In other words, it is important to know what kind of gameplay interests you the most. Are you looking for high risk with high payouts? Or do you prefer laidback games that do not offer excessive winning potentials?

Whatever you choose, make sure to follow that type. Typically, progressive slots are designed for high rollers because they entail high risks with a massive payout. Hitting the progressive jackpot is not easy, and players usually experience dry spells before they get lucky.

How to Decide on Betting Amounts

If you know what kind of gameplay interests you, it is time to set the bets. For each round, you can adjust the total bet by customizing bet levels and coin value. Make sure your total bet fits your balance – you don’t want to lose what you cannot lose.

If you are just starting with progressive jackpots, we highly recommend starting slow. Small bets allow you to test out the game to see whether you like it or not.

As the game progresses, you may choose to increase the bet or keep the initial one.

Bet settings are almost always in the lower part of the game screen, right next to the Spin and Autoplay buttons. Set the bet that you want to use, and then click spin.

Paylines and Winning Ways

Paylines are the winning patterns that you need to form on the grid to win a prize. Some games offer 5, 10, 20 winning patterns – we call these paylines. If they exceed 40, we call them winning ways.

Moreover, paylines can be fixed or adjustable. What does that mean?

It means that in some games, you may change the number of active paylines that you want to use. Fixed paylines cannot change; you use all of them automatically.

This is especially important in progressive jackpots. For instance, imagine landing a winning combination on a line that you excluded: that would be such a shame!

However, you have to keep in mind that, with adjustable paylines, adding more lines affects your bet. You might need to invest more per round if you want to use them all.

Symbols on the Reels

Now that you know how (and where) to place bets and spin for a chance to win, it’s time to meet the symbols. Icons on the reels are your ticket to these big wins because, if you make the right combo, you win!

• Low-value symbols: These are the symbols that pay the least in the game. They typically look like card royals and suits.
• High-value symbols: High-denomination icons usually include the main characters of the game. They pay big sums if they land in winning combinations on the reels.
• Wilds: Wild is one of two special symbols in the game, the other one being the Scatter. Wilds are the jokers of the game, as they can replace any symbol and bring you more cash.
• Scatters: Scatters serve to open the Free Spins feature.
• Bonus Symbols: Some progressive jackpots feature several jackpots. Winning them requires hitting the Bonus Wheel where you randomly get one of the pots. If there is the Bonus Wheel, chances are you will have a bonus symbol that triggers the wheel.