Progressive Slot Games
Progressive Slot Games
Some of the best free slot machine games without downloading or registration to play for fun include More Chili, Wheel Of Fortune, Centurion, Fireball, Wizard of Oz, Monopoly. Free slots are a broad. Nov 10, 2020 A standalone progressive slot machine has a jackpot ticker on the game, but only bets placed on that specific machine feed the jackpot. This was, at one time, the only kind of progressive slot machine game available, but most progressives feature multiple machines that are linked together.
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot (a gambling grand prize or payout) which increases each time the game is played but the jackpot is not won. When the progressive jackpot is won, the jackpot for the next play is reset to a predetermined value, and resumes increasing under the same rule.
Many slot machines and video poker machines feature a progressive jackpot. The jackpot increases by a small predetermined amount each time the game is played. Often multiple machines are pooled or linked together to form a larger progressive jackpot which grows more quickly because more non-winning plays can be counted toward it.
Many lotteries feature progressive jackpots. After each drawing in which the jackpot is not won, a large amount of money is 'carried forward' to the jackpot for next drawing.
The Best Progressive Jackpot Slots Online. There are lots of great progressive jackpot slots, but there are a few that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Usually, this is because they combine massive progressive jackpots with smart bonus features and cool game themes. This is my list of the best progressive jackpot slot games. Slots can be fun and exciting, but the dream of winning a six- or even seven-figure jackpot is the real reason most people play. Because they give you a chance to make that dream come true, offering up huge jackpots that grow with every spin, progressive jackpot slots have become the most popular games at casinos across the US, online and off.
Progressive jackpot meter[edit]
The amount of the jackpot increases by a small amount for every play on any connected machine. The amount by which the jackpot advances is set by the casino ('the house'). A machine offering a progressive jackpot usually displays the amount of the jackpot, rather boldly, to attract players. After a player wins the jackpot, the jackpot resets to a preset minimum level.
For example, on a machine whose house edge is 5%, a generous jackpot contribution might be 1% (one fifth of the expected profit). The house is prepared to contribute some of the profit of a jackpot linked machine because players are attracted by the:
- relative novelty of progressive jackpots (generally, only a small fraction of the house's gaming machines will be connected to a progressive jackpot)
- constantly changing meter, often displayed on large LCD or LED displays
- large amount of the jackpot, which eventually motivates more players to play the game.
Qualifying[edit]
Usually the progressive jackpot is only offered to players who wager the maximum number of credits per play. All wagers, whether or not they are maximum-credit bets, contribute to the jackpot. As a result, a game which requires a 10-credit wager to qualify for the progressive jackpot tends to have its progressive jackpot rise to higher levels (relative to its break-even level) than a game that requires only a 5-credit wager to qualify.
Usually the jackpot can only be won by winning the combination with the highest payoff, e.g. a royal flush at a video poker game, or five of the most valuable symbols (lemons, cherries, alligators, etc.) on a slot machine.
Often, the displayed amount of such jackpots includes a base payout which is often simply the regular payout for the winning combination multiplied by the minimum qualifying bet. If the jackpot is 'reset' to this amount each time it is won then in essence the house is not providing any 'seed money' for the jackpot since the minimum that can be won in such a case would simply be the amount the player would normally be awarded for the jackpot-winning combination.
'Mystery' or 'must-hit-by' jackpots[edit]
A variation of the standard progressive jackpot is the 'must-hit-by' jackpot, which has substantial differences compared to traditional jackpots.
The value of every 'must-hit-by' jackpot is determined immediately after the preceding jackpot is won by a random number generator and stored within an encrypted computer connected to a gaming machine (or, more commonly, a network of machines) and is publicly disclosed to be within a certain range (for example, a small jackpot might be programmed to pay out at between $1,000 and $3,000). The jackpot pays on the wager that causes the jackpot to reach or exceed the threshold, with the maximum value within this range being the 'must-hit-by' amount.
Often such jackpots encompass a variety of games, with each game contributing a small percentage of wagers to the jackpot. Thus, these jackpots are often billed as 'mystery jackpots' since the conditions that cause them to be paid do not depend on achieving any specific result in the main game. Furthermore, it is not usually necessary to bet the maximum amount possible (or, often, to even bet any minimal amount above the minimum wager allowed by the software) in order to win a 'mystery jackpot' - although since it is a percentage of each wager that goes into the jackpot the odds of winning on a particular spin are usually in proportion to the amount of the bet. Or, to put it another way, one spin for twenty dollars would have the same odds of winning the mystery jackpot as twenty spins for one dollar each would, and also the same odds of winning the jackpot as would four hundred spins for five cents each.
Often, such games have several 'mystery jackpots' that usually differ by at least an order of magnitude both in terms of magnitude and frequency of payout, which can ensure that jackpots are seen to be won frequently (often, many times per day in the case of relatively small jackpots). One variation of this scheme (most often used by gaming corporations serving brick-and-mortar establishments over a large geographic footprint) is to have one main jackpot, several intermediate jackpots paid at the regional level, smaller jackpots paid at the site level and/or the smallest jackpots tied to each individual machine.
From the house perspective, a key financial consideration of such jackpots is that the portion of players' wagers directed to the jackpot are, in essence, only funding the portion of the jackpot within its specified 'range.' The gaming operator needs to fund each jackpot's minimum amount from the house edge of the main game, which is usually at least a third of the 'must-hit-by' amount especially in games with multiple jackpots as this creates an assurance that each jackpot will always be several times the value of the jackpot 'below' it. If the random number generator gives each value within the jackpot 'range' an equal chance of being the 'winning' value then under these conditions 'seed money' from the house would likely account for over half of the jackpot's total funding, for which the house would presumably need to compensate by increasing the house edge of the main game.
To counteract this issue and increase the average amount wagered before each jackpot is won, the mathematical formula used to calculate each jackpot is often skewed in such a way that makes it likely the actual average and median jackpots will be well above the average of the published minimum and maximum values. A simple example formula that would achieve this (expanding on the aforementioned example) would be simply to calculate the jackpot as being $1,000 plus the square root of a random number between zero and four million, which would result in a 75% probability of each jackpot being between $2,000 and $3,000 and a 25% probability of a jackpot being between $1,000 and $2,000.
Break-even point[edit]
In some games such as video poker, blackjack, or Caribbean stud poker, it is possible to compute an optimal playing strategy based on the average payoff (the amount of payoff times the chance of payoff). Because the jackpot of a progressive game constantly grows, it sometimes exceeds the break-even point for players, such that the jackpot wager becomes a 'positive expectation bet' for the player, with an average return to player (RTP) of greater than 100%. When the progressive jackpot is less than the break-even point, there is a negative expected value (house edge) for all players.
In the long run, with optimal strategy, a player can profit by only playing progressive games when their jackpots are above the break-even point, although the 'long run' can be quite long, tens of thousands of plays.
The break-even point cannot be easily calculated on a slot machine game, because the payback percentage for the game is normally unknown to the player. The break-even point in poker-based games can be calculated because the payback percentage for the game is a function of the paybacks and odds of the poker hands, which is based on a standard 52-card deck. The return of a slot machine is based on the published paytable, but also on the normally unpublished reels. For a five-reel slot machine, the player would need to know each symbol on each of the slot machine's five reels in order to calculate the odds. For a three-reel slot, the reels are normally weighted, and this would not be possible. However, in some circumstances the manufacturer may publish the payout of their machines.
Many online casinos allow the same game to be played in multiple currencies, in which case the break-even point and average return to player can change depending on the player's currency choice. This is because the jackpot amount may be converted between currencies so that the same amount is paid out to the winner no matter their currency choice, but the wager required to qualify for the jackpot is not. For example, consider a game that pays a $1000 / €900 / £700 jackpot, but requires a fixed $1 / €1 / £1 wager to qualify for the jackpot. In such cases, it is beneficial for the player to play in dollars, as the qualifying wager is a smaller proportion of the jackpot. Thus the break-even point will always be lower and the return to player will always be higher while betting dollars.[1]
Advantage play[edit]
Advantage players, who only play when the progressive jackpot provides them with a positive expectation situation, still generate revenue for the casino. Even though the player has an advantage over the house, the casino still profits from each play, because the bulk of the progressive jackpot has been pre-paid by the prior non-winning players.
Advantage gamblers sometimes organize teams of players to play machines where the progressive jackpots generate a positive expectation situation. Such teams often displace ordinary players, making the machines unavailable just when they are the most attractive to gamblers generally. Team members often have cell phones and work in shifts, calling a teammate to replace them when they're ready for a break. Some casinos have a policy of 'no team play', and will eject players suspected of playing on such teams. Such tactics do not work at online casinos because there are effectively an unlimited number of duplicate machines for players to play at, so the game cannot be monopolised by one player or small group.
Player's clubs[edit]
Most casinos offer slot clubs, which pay back a percentage of a gambler's wagers on their games in the form of cash rebates or other perks with a monetary value. Participating in a slot club can reduce the break-even point of a progressive jackpot game because of the value of the rebate on each wager.
Other jackpot games[edit]
Progressive jackpots are not limited to slot machines and video poker. Poker games sometimes include a progressive bad beat jackpot. Caribbean stud poker is another casino game which often has a progressive jackpot available, and some online casinos offer progressive versions of blackjack, roulette, and other casino games. Many lotteries feature progressive jackpots.
Progressive blackjack[edit]
A progressive blackjack game usually does not differ from conventional blackjack, apart from the addition of an optional side bet which gives the player a chance to win a progressive jackpot. The side bet wins if the player is dealt one of several specific card combinations such as four suited aces. The awards can range from several dollars up to 100% of the jackpot depending on the different card combinations, and the winning hand paytable can differ between casinos.[2]
Progressive jackpot records[edit]
Developers of progressive jackpot machines have been competing for the highest prizes since their inception. Microgaming, an online casino services providers, host a jackpot system which is cross-product, where multiple games contribute to the pool.[3] On the 28th of September 2018, a record jackpot was won on their game Mega Moolah totalling €18,915,872, which exceeded the previous record by approximately 10%.[4]
The previous record win had been held for over five and a half years by another progressive jackpot game called Mega Fortune, which is developed by casino software provider NetEnt. The total win on that occasion was €17,861,800. Interestingly, this is the third time that the world record has changed hands between these two games since 2011.[5]
In-House Jackpots[edit]
The In-House or Proprietary Progressive slot machines are the group of devices or programs that are linked together. These machines and applications are owned as well as operated by the land-based casino or its online variant. The progressive jackpots on these slot machines are not multi-million-dollar, but the winning prize is considered a substantial win. The In-House or Proprietary Progressive machines are most often hit compared to wide-area progressive jackpots.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Jackpots with known break-even values'. CasinoListings.com. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
- ^'Blackjack Side Bets'. WizardOfOdds.com. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
- ^'Progressive Jackpot Slots'. Holy Moly Casinos. 2017-10-29.
- ^'Mega Moolah Record Win » New Casino Sites'. New Casino Sites. 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
- ^'Progressive Jackpot Slots - Win Millions! CasinoGuide'. www.casinoguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
- ^'Slots 43: Types of Progressive Jackpots and Definitions'. In-House Jackpots. 2020-04-19. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
Free Online Slots – No Download Or Registration Required
Progressive Casino Slot Games Video Wins
Wheel Of Fortune
A staple of the Las Vegas Strip, now free to play online! In the Wheel of Fortune slot, you have 720 ways to win every spin. And two bonus games—the Mini Wheels and the Triple Extreme Spin—keep those multipliers rolling in. Try today!
Quick Hits Slot
The Quick Hits slot features FOUR bonus games for nonstop excitement. You might’ve seen this one at Bally’s Las Vegas, where it’s made instant millionaires. Now you can get in on all the action from the comfort of home. Get your quick fix of Quick Hits today!
Cleopatra
One of the most exciting rulers of Ancient Egypt is the inspiration behind one of the casino’s most iconic games: the Cleopatra Slot. It’s no coincidence that she’s the most powerful symbol in the game, triggering the bonus feature that delivers tons of coins. Try for free today!
Golden Wolves
Michael Jackson
Monopoly Slot
Divine Fortune Slot
Triple Red Hot 777 Slot
Da Vinci Diamonds Slot
Lobstermania 2 Slot
The traps are set, now it’s time to pull in those wins like you’re Lucky Larry himself. This slot is like a staycation, with a beach setting and three jackpots, including the motherlode! Hit the ocean and start chasin’ crustacean in Lobstermania 2 for free today.
Above, you’ll find a selection of free slots that you’ll likely recognize if you’ve ever been to the Las Vegas Strip.
These are the tried-and-true favorites. From Monopoly to Cleopatra, these are loved at both online and land-based casinos for their exciting gameplay, unique themes, and incredible winning potential.
Playing free slots online is one of the best ways to try out these popular titles and practice your strategy. Many players also enjoy free play to relax and experience casino fun risk-free.
Where To Play Online Slots?
Free Slot Machines
The fastest and easiest way to play online slots is to find free slot machines. Of course, this page features 10 of the best free online slot machines that you can enjoy right now.
But this isn’t the only site that hosts free slot machines. Thousands of sites host a free version of some of the most popular titles in the world. In fact, if there’s a slot you played at a casino that you’d like to revisit, a simple web search would likely pull up the free version.
You can play free slots via your desktop or mobile browser. These streaming versions of the game require nothing more than a click, and you can start playing. Another option is to play free slots apps, and many exist in both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store for Android.
The reason people play free slot machines is for a variety of reasons. The most common is simply for entertainment. Like some would play mobile games like Candy Crush or Words with Friends, fans of slot machines like to play the free versions every now and again.
Another good reason is to practice on the free version and take what you learn to the paid version. The goal is to get more wins or improve your Return to Player (RTP).
Legal Online Casinos
Progressive Online Slots Games
Legal online casinos with paid slots only exist in a few US states:
- Delaware
After recent changes in legislation, online casinos will soon launch in Michigan. If you’re not physically located in one of those states, playing real-money online slots is technically breaking the law. At the very least, the online casino operators are violating the law by offering their games to people in the state.
However, the consistent introduction of online gambling legislation in states across the country means that list may grow beyond these five states in the future.
In states where online casinos are legal, you can deposit money, bet on the slots, and withdraw any winnings. Like the brick-and-mortar casinos, the most popular slots at the online casinos have progressive jackpots, which can grow to over a million dollars.
You can also play any of the slots at online casinos for free in “demo mode,” where you’re using practice credits instead of real money. You can often do this before you even create an account.
Sweepstakes Casinos – Slots For Cash Prizes
In all of the US except for the State of Washington, you can legally play at sweepstakes casinos, a category of social gaming that also includes online poker and sports picks. This is a great option in states like California, Florida, and Texas, where real money online casinos are prohibited.
The two main sweepstakes casinos are Chumba Casino and LuckyLand. Both offer a large selection of slots that you can play for two different types of currencies: Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins.
Gold Coins are used simply for fun and can’t be redeemed for a cash prize or gift card. However, you can also play in Sweeps Coins. Any Sweeps Coins that you win can be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards. You just need to have the minimum number of won Sweeps Coins before you can redeem.
To receive Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, no purchase is required. Once you join, you’re given both types of coins for free to play with. You can also purchase additional Gold Coins. Some Gold Coin packages of include Sweeps Coins.
Check this out to learn more about How To Play Sweepstakes Casinos.
How To Play Slots For Fun Online
Playing free online slots is the same as playing paid online slots, minus the need to deposit any money or even create an account. That’s why playing slots for fun online is free in every US state, including the State of Washington.
You can play any type of slot for free. This includes classic three-reel slots as well as 3D five-reel slots with immersive bonus games and other special features.
The gameplay, including the odds of winning, is the exact same between the free slots and the paid slots. However, if the slot normally has a progressive jackpot, that will be absent from the free version.
Do you need to sign up or deposit to play free online slots?
No. And, in most cases, there’s no way to create an account much less make a deposit.
However, some land-based casino websites, which do offer player accounts, have free online slots on their website. This came into even more prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can you win playing free online slots?
Yes. Just like in the paid version, you can win without limits on the free online slots. But what you win is additional freeplay credits, and refreshing the web browser will reset your bankroll.
How Do Slots Work?
Slots are by far the most popular casino game for a few key reasons:
- Huge winning potential
- The option to play for low or high stakes
- The gameplay is extremely simple
Once you know the basics of slots, you’ll be able to play any type that you’ll come across. While each title can seem wildly different, they all work in fundamentally the same way.
The object of a slot machine is for a winning combination of symbols to appear when the reels stop. This is true whether it’s a three-reel or a five-reel slot.
Setting Paylines
A winning combination of symbols is based on paylines that run across the reels. A slot can have as few as five paylines or over a hundred.
Usually, the symbol combinations are left to right across the paylines, and each payline can win independently. That means the more paylines you play, the higher your chances of scoring a payout.
In slots, wins are multipliers, not set amounts. So if you’re playing a slot with 25 paylines and your total wager is $5.00, each payline would have a value of $0.20. If one scored a 100x multiplier, you’d win $20.
To play all paylines for the highest possible value, you can select “Max Bet.”
Should You Always Do Max Bet?
No. You should always play with however much you’re able to lose.
However, playing max bet does two things: gives you the best chance of winning the highest possible prizes.
Further, you may need to play Max Bet to qualify for certain prizes, including the progressive jackpot. Check the rules of the specific slot to make sure.
Slot Payback (AKA Return to Player)
A slot’s payback is how much a player can expect to keep of their bankroll based on the average net wins. This is also known as Return to Player (RTP). A high slot payback is 90% or higher, and a low slot payback is 70%.
No slot has an average lifetime payback that’s equal to or greater than 100%. However, some players seek out the games with the highest RTP to ensure the highest chances of regular wins. Others prefer the longshot slots, which have the lowest RTP but normally the highest potential prizes.
Bonus Features
A slot’s biggest selling point aside from the jackpot, RTP, and overall theme are the bonus features. These are usually triggered when three or more “scatter” symbols appear on the reels. You then have the opportunity to win more money, either through free spins, a minigame, or selecting a hidden prize.
Wild Symbols
The Wild symbol usually best matches the theme of the game. For example, Cleopatra is the Wild symbol in the Cleopatra slot.
Wild symbols can take the place of any other symbol aside from the scatter (and possibly other specialty symbols) to create winning combinations. Five wild symbols will often trigger the top prize fixed jackpot.
Progressive Jackpot Slots
When a slot has a progressive jackpot, it means a portion of every bet placed by everyone playing the slot contributes to a running total. The total progressive jackpot continues to increase as people play until it’s won by a lucky player, then it’s reset and starts again.
How to win a progressive jackpot depends on the slot. In some cases, it’s simply randomly awarded at the end of a spin, and you may need to “Bet Max” to qualify. Others will involve a bonus game.
Different Types Of Slot Machines
Because slots are always innovating, it’s difficult to create a list of the different types. Instead, let’s look at the key factors that separate one slot from another.
Number Of Reels
Three-reel slots are usually the simplest, where one payline runs across a maximum of three symbols.
Five-reel slots are the most common and can range from a handful of paylines to 743 All-Ways-Pays slots, which covers every possible combination of symbols going up and down and left to right across the reels.
Four-reel, six-reel, seven-reel, and other slots are pretty much nonexistent in physical casinos but you can find some online relatively easily.
Video Vs. 3D Slots
Video slots are the most common form of five-reel slots and often feature bonus and free spin features. 3D slots are the same, except they use 3D animation and graphics whereas video slots use 2D.
Denominations
Penny slots earned their name by allowing players to bet with just $0.01. But some slots can cost a minimum of $1.00 per spin, and betting the max can make your overall wager climb to as high as $125 or more.
Volatility
When a slot is labeled low volatility, it means it pays out low wins regularly. When it’s labeled high volatility, it means you’ll often go for several spins without winning, but the winning streaks are often larger when they do come.
Coin Play Vs. Paylines
Coin play means you’re simply setting the coin value that applies to the multiplier wins. Some variations, called Buy-Your-Pay Slots, won’t allow you to win certain amounts or activate certain features unless you increase your coin value.
Paylines are either fixed or variable. For both, you set the value of each individual payline, and multiplier wins apply to that payline. But with variable paylines, you can set the number of lines you want to play as well as their value. With fixed paylines, you automatically play all of them.
How To Play Slot Machines
Brick-And-Mortar Casinos
The most common place to play slots is at a land-based casino. In most states, casinos are either commercially operated or tribal-owned and located on Native American lands.
The ten states that do not have any land-based casinos are:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Georgia
- Utah
- Nebraska
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Vermont
The highest concentration of casinos and slot machines in the United States can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada. And not only that, it’s also where you can find the largest jackpots of all time. In fact, the top six biggest casino wins ever were all on Vegas slots.
Another major hotspot is Atlantic City, New Jersey, where several casinos operate in close proximity. But if you live in the continental United States, there’s a good chance that there’s a casino with over a hundred slot machines within driving distance.
Why are slots the most popular game at the casino?
Slots can make up 75% or more of a casino’s total gambling revenue. That means the rest comes from all table games and poker tables combined. Why? Because slots are fun, attractive, and can turn relatively low wagers into multi-million-dollar payouts.
The Most Popular Slots Offer The Highest Payouts
It should come as no surprise that the easiest way to get people to play a slot is by offering an enormous potential jackpot.
Enter the slots area of a Las Vegas casino, and you’ll find dozens of options with a top prize that can be well into the millions. All it takes is one single spin to win it all. That’s hard to resist.
So it’s no wonder that the progressive jackpots are the most popular. The most talked-about usually is.
Free Online Slots FAQ
Yes. No matter where you’re located in the US, it is completely legal to play free slots online.
Because you’re playing with demo credits rather than real money, it’s not considered gambling. And if you download a free slots mobile app, you don’t even need an internet connection to play.
Yes, you can win real money playing slots online. However, you’ll need to be in one of the three states (DE, NJ, and PA) where it’s legal to win money legally. Michigan and West Virginia will soon offer legal online gambling as well.
To win cash prizes, anyone located in the US (except for the State of Washington) can legally play at sweepstakes casinos, which have a wide range of online slot machines.
You can also play free slots using demo credits that cannot be redeemed for prizes right here at bonus.com and elsewhere.
No. You do not need to create an account to play free slot games online. Even if you’re playing in demo mode at an online casino, you can often simply go to the site and select “play for fun.” Only online casinos and sweepstakes casinos require signup to play.
No. You do not need to download anything to play free online slots. The titles are instantly available directly through your web browser. However, there are a number of free slots on your phone whether on your Android or iOS device.
Yes. Most of the popular Las Vegas slots are available to play for free online. That’s because a lot of the gaming software developers provide their titles to both brick-and-mortar casinos as well as online casinos. Plus, the demand for the most popular options make them particularly readily available.
Yes. Because you do not have to create an account, you’re not providing any of your personal information. Unsafe slots are those run by illegal online casinos that take your payment information. Free slots are always completely safe simply because they don’t accept real money.
The benefits of playing free slots include:
- The ability to play simply for the fun of it.
- Testing a game to see if you like it.
- Practicing strategy before risking real money.
- Placing huge bets that you otherwise wouldn’t want to do.
Progressive Slot Games