Online Slots Jackpot Guide

We all dream of winning cash, and online jackpot slots are one way to hit the jackpot while having a lot of fun. Our online slots jackpot guide helps you better understand these casino games and how you can maximize your odds of winning a jackpot.

What Is a Jackpot Slot?

If you're not familiar with jackpot slots, it's important to know what they are. It's not too difficult. They're video slots that have some type of jackpot prize. Jackpots are usually the most significant prizes available in a slot game, though this may depend on when it was last won. If you hit the jackpot days after someone else won, the jackpot may not be as high as you hoped.

How much you win often depends on the type of game. There are several types of jackpot slots, including:

Fixed Jackpots - Fixed jackpot games have pots that do not change. The jackpot may be 1,000x. They're never based on a percentage of players' bets, so the prizes never vary.

Games With Multiple Jackpots - Sometimes, slot games have multiple jackpots. You'll often see them as games where there is a Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand jackpot. They may be awarded randomly, or you might do something like spin a prize wheel to win one of the jackpots.

Local Jackpots - Local jackpots have a pot formed by collecting a percentage of the best made at that specific casino. As a smaller selection of players contributes to the pool, the prizes are often smaller. Only players who join the casino are eligible to win those jackpot slots.

Progressive jackpots typically have large pots, but they're not easy to win. As the pot is formed from the bets of thousands of players across various casinos, the competition to win them is fierce.

Pooled/Network Jackpots - Similar to a progressive jackpot, pooled or network jackpots have the biggest prize pools of all. They're also the hardest to win. Players who play a particular network's casino games contribute to the pot.

Learn How Jackpot Slots Work

So, exactly how do jackpot slots work? This can be confusing as games all have their own rules and game designs. You have to understand how that affects the odds of winning.

The mechanics are usually the same. Place a qualifying bet, spin the reels, and hope the right combination of symbols appears on the reels or a payline. To win a jackpot, you might need:

Five matching symbols on a specific payline
To trigger a bonus game where you win a jackpot
To see if the computer randomly awards the pot to you

The jackpot in a 5 reel progressive slot may be more appealing due to its size, but the more paylines you have, the more possible combinations it takes to win. That makes it harder to win a jackpot slot on games with dozens or hundreds of paylines. A 3 reel progressive slot with a single payline will be easier to win.

It's also important to consider the coin values. If a slot allows per line bets of a penny to 25 cents, the pot won't be as high as on a game that has per line bets of a penny to $5. The more money players invest, the higher the jackpots become. You could end up like slot game winners who landed some of the five highest jackpot slots payouts (converted to USD values).

$22.8 million on Mega Moolah - 2021 at Napoleon Casino
$21.5 million on Mega Moolah - 2018 at Grand Mondial Casino
$20.68 million on Wow Pot Mega - 2021 at 32 Red Casino
$20.29 million on Mega Fortune - 2013 at PAF Casino
$20.05 million on Mega Moolah- 2019 at Zodiac Casino

Another factor is to look at the rules regarding winning the jackpot. Sometimes, the only way to win is to risk the most money with a max bet or to ensure you're activating every payline on the reels. If you don't, you won't qualify, For example, the $1+ million jackpot in Shopping Spree slots is appealing, but you have to place the max bet if you want to be eligible to win it.

The Best Jackpot Slots for Players

How do you pick one of the best? There are always cycles of games that players do well on, and it changes from year to year. If you look at the list of the biggest jackpot wins, these video slots appear regularly.

777 Deluxe by Bovada
A Night With Cleo by Bovada
Arabian Nights by NetEnt
DC Super Heroes by Playtech
Diamond Rhino by Rival
Dragon Jackpot by Playtech
Jackpot Giant by Playtech
Mega Fortune by NetEnt
Mega Moolah by Microgaming
WowPot by Microgaming

Tips for Winning Jackpot Slots

But, how do you increase your s of winning a game that all comes down to chance? There's always going to be a lot of luck required, but there are things you can do to improve your odds.

1. Pay attention to the rules - If there are requirements on how much you have to wager, make sure you're following those rules. Otherwise, you're wasting money.

2. Look for high RTPs - Look for the RTP of the jackpot slots that interest you. If the RTP is under 95%, skip it.

3. Look at the paytable - You might not win a jackpot, but even moderately sized payouts are worthwhile. If you're winning back most or all of your wagers, you're not losing a lot of money trying to win the pot.

4. Choose games that meet your needs - If you need to stick to minimal wagers, don't pick progressive slot games that require you to bet $25, $50, or hundreds of dollars per spin. Many penny slots have jackpots that are just as worthwhile.

5. Try slot games using demo play - Before you risk money, play for fun. It enables you to get used to the game design, options, and features.

6. Set a budget - Before you even start playing, set a budget. If you reach that limit and haven't won a jackpot, stop for the day. If you spend too much on bets, you could end up in financial ruin.

7. Pick games nearing the pot limit - Some slot games are guaranteed to award the jackpot before a specific pot limit is reached. If the game says the jackpot is awarded by $25,000 and the pot is currently $24,800, you know a winner will soon be selected.

Jackpot Slots: An FAQ Guide

Now that you know the best practices for playing online slots for real money, do you still have questions? Check out our quick list of FAQs regarding jackpot slots.

How Often Do Players Win Jackpots?

Jackpots are won daily, but the highest-paying jackpot slots may go months between wins. It's impossible to predict exactly when someone will win.

When looking at lists of recent slot game winners, there were four jackpot winners with payouts ranging from $10,438 to $91,306 awarded on February 16, 2022. The day before that, six jackpots were awarded.

How Long Does It Take to Get Your Money? Can You Speed Things Up?

If you win a jackpot, you want that money as quickly as possible. Every casino differs when it comes to approval times and weekly cashout limits. You need to pay close attention to the rules to prevent disappointment.

For example, you've claimed a bonus and have a 40x wagering requirement to meet. Your withdrawal requests will not be approved until you meet the wagering requirement. When you claim bonuses, make sure you understand the rules.

If you've met all bonus terms and conditions, it's a good idea to talk to casino support to make sure you've submitted the appropriate documents. If you haven't submitted a copy of your photo ID, recent utility bill, and credit card authorization form, it slows down your casino payout request. Have all of that paperwork submitted and approved before making a cashout request.

The final thing to pay attention to is banking limits. If the casino only allows withdrawals of $5,000 a week or $20,000 a month, you need to ask if there are exceptions for jackpot winnings. If not, expect to get the money in regular payments for several weeks or months.

Can't You Trick the Game?

Many players feel there must be a way to trick the games into triggering a jackpot. Online casinos must ensure everything is random, so the casino software uses random number generators (RNGs) to guarantee the results are impossible to predict. There are no patterns or ways to fool the game into awarding a jackpot. When you play jackpot slots, there's no magic formula to ensure a win. It all comes down to luck.