If you have ever played at an online casino that advertises their slot titles with progressive jackpots, you knew that website had some special to offer. The availability of these games in 2016 shouldn’t really be a surprise; progressive jackpot games are some of the most popular on the Internet today, largely owing to the seven-figure jackpots that some of these titles reach. Any slot machine game that offers a progressive jackpot is bound to be popular, and so I have compiled this list of ten tips that will help you maximize your chances of winning enough money to retire from online casino play in comfort.
Read the Rules Thoroughly
It should go without saying that you should never commit your funds to any online slot machines without thoroughly reading their rule set and pay tables first – this is especially true with any titles that offer progressive jackpots. Owing to their spectacular size, many slot machines demand specific requirements in order to actually qualify for a chance to win these jackpots. This usually means that you have to bet a certain amount of money and/or activate a certain number of paylines on a spin to have a shot at winning the progressive jackpot. Most games will require that you place a maximum-sized bet, so be sure to read the rules before spinning – you don’t want to actually win, only to find out that the payout was a fraction of what you thought it would be.
Jackpot Slot Game Playing Tips
Having read the previous, I’m sure you could no doubt infer that playing slot machines that offer progressive jackpots aren’t cheap – don’t expect free slot machines to offer progressive jackpots. But as is the case with many casino games, higher wagers are rewarded with increased chances of winning the big jackpot. If the game offers you the chance to maximize your bet size per spin, don’t shy away from investing more in the short term – you’ll do a lot to set yourself up for long-term payouts. You can read reviews and try plenty of progressive slots for free in our Slot Machine section!
Choose When to Play Carefully
Gamblers are a superstitious bunch, and will always blather on about which slots are “hot” and which ones are “cold”. They are usually referring to which games are paying out versus the ones that aren’t. There is certainly some logic behind this – if you see a game that has an unusually high jackpot level, this is your chance to strike. Games that are overdue for a jackpot have a slightly increased chance of giving the big payout, so your money is better spent on these games while their jackpots last.
Never Chase a Progressive Jackpot
That said, be smart about how much you bet. One of the most common and dangerous psychological traps that gamblers fall into is the “sunk cost fallacy” – that’s because they’ve already spent so much money, they can’t stop or it was all for nothing. This manifests itself as “chasing” the jackpot – the gamblers who believe that they are owed the jackpot because they have contributed so much of their own money to it. This is almost always a futile exercise, as the odds of ever winning are minimal. What an end up happening is that some other player wins and then you find yourself out of a lot of money.
Set Aside a Progressive Slots Budget
Given the astronomical odds of actually winning a progressive jackpot, never convince yourself that the money you spent is an investment that’s due for a payout. Before you start gambling, have in mind a set figure that you intend to spend on progressive jackpots, and stick to it. Not only will this discipline help to keep your finances solvent, but it will also enable you to keep your winnings rather than spend them all trying to win the progressive jackpot. Just remember this, the outcome of the spin is always determined after you spin rather than before, so don’t think you are losing out on anything by forgoing that 101st spin.
Look for the Highest Payout Percentage
As is the case with any slot game, progressive slot games have payout percentages that will vary from one title to the next. You’re never going to find a rate that exceeds 100% – that would mean that the casino was losing money on that game. But there is a measurable difference between a game that offers a payout rate of 95.7% versus one that is sitting at 97.1%. Playing the game whose payout percentage is relatively high (>97%) means that you are giving yourself a mathematical advantage towards winning that progressive jackpot, as well as plenty of smaller prizes.
Play Regularly If You Can
Before you commit any funds to the progressive game you want to play, check to see how often it actually pays anything out. Some games are rather stingy about how often they pay out the jackpot, which results from the fact that the chances of winning the progressive jackpot on those games isn’t as good. Games that pay out more regularly offer you a better chance of scoring that big win, so you are better off gambling your money on those titles.
Make Sure No Cash Out Limits
Some casinos will try and trick you, making you think that you are getting your jackpot in one lump sum when in actuality you would receive a small monthly payment instead. Don’t fall for that trick – check to see if the casino is actually going to pay you what you are owed when you win it.
Be Wary of Terms and Conditions
Casinos are especially stringent about the rules that govern their progressive jackpot payouts, given that the amount of money they would have to give out can hit the seven-figure range. If you ever see free slot machines that advertise a progressive jackpot, be intensely wary – it’s almost certainly too good to be true. Even if you aren’t playing on a free slot machine, the game you are playing probably has a lot of rules that govern if/when/how you can win the progressive jackpot. These rules vary from one casino to the next, and your failure to follow all of them could result in your winnings being voided.
Auto Play Strategy
Players who want to play games passively will often set up their game’s auto-spinner to keep going at a wager rate just high enough to quality for the jackpot. These hundreds of small spins that qualify give you a better chance hitting that progressive jackpot. This works best on games that have a relatively low limit for qualifying for the progressive jackpot.
Finally…
Online casinos everywhere breathlessly hype progressive jackpots as the ultimate ticket to an early retirement. As you can imagine, online casinos have a financial incentive to exaggerate the odds of winning and downplay the risk of losing. But in spite of the very long odds of actually winning one of these massive jackpots, the chance that you could actually win that seven-figure sum advertised in huge numbers is enough of an incentive for millions of players to give it their best shot.
As long as you don’t treat winning that progressive jackpot as a personal goal, you should be fine. Ultimately, playing these games should boil down to a decision of whether or not you enjoy them. They’re just games, after all – it’s not your job to play them for twelve hours a day. I would certainly encourage you to give a progressive jackpot game a spin now and then, just don’t make it your sole focus.