How Progressive Jackpot Slots Work
A progressive jackpot is a massive real money prize players can win in a slot. Progressive slots are the most popular casino games in the United Kingdom. Why are jackpot slots the most searched games online? The answer is simple – they allow players to win millions from a single bet!
Accumulating Jackpot Prizes

The jackpot pool increases each time someone plays on it, and the amount continues to rise until one lucky gambler wins! After the win, progressive jackpots reset to their minimum value, and the process repeats. Keep an eye on the progressive jackpot tracker in your slot to know how much the slot is worth.
For example, player A makes a £2 bet on the Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah jackpot slot at AllBritish Casino, while player B makes a £2 bet on the same game but from a different casino. A percentage of each of these bets will be deducted and added to the jackpot.
How long will the jackpot amount grow? As history proves, someone somewhere will eventually form the winning combination required to trigger and win the jackpot. It could be a gambler who has only played for 30 minutes or another who has wagered on the jackpot slot for longer. The odds of winning mostly depend on luck.
If you need some imagery to get started, browse the biggest progressive jackpots on slot games at BestCasino. Compare the themes, check out the base game rewards (how much you can win on the game using regular symbols) and start spinning!
Types of Progressive Jackpot Systems
It’s noteworthy that progressive jackpots are not only found in slot machines. You can also find tabletop games and scratch cards with a jackpot.
1. Network Progressive jackpots
Network progressive jackpots have, by far, the most significant rewards in GB online casinos or apps. Such slot games pool bets from players across different casinos simultaneously. That is why the award pool is usually in the millions. Even if you log in to different casinos and check the progressive jackpot meter on the game, you will find that the award pool is the same!
2. Standalone jackpot slots
The jackpot starts at a standardised amount when you launch the game and will continue to increase as you play. Therefore, each non-winning spin will add a percentage of your bet to the jackpot. The more you play, the bigger it becomes. While this jackpot is more minor than typical progressive jackpots, they are often won.
3. Local jackpots
This jackpot has a bigger reward than standalone jackpots. Online casinos in Britain offer this jackpot via a single slot game or a network of linked slot machines at the casino. Also, note that the jackpot will appear and be available on all the involved games.
4. Must drop jackpot slots
If an online casino offers a must-drop jackpot, it must pay out the jackpot at a particular time each day. The jackpot can also be awarded when it hits a certain amount. Such jackpot slots pay out more frequently than bigger progressive jackpots in slot machines. Mr Green Casino has an hourly drop jackpot and 2 daily drop jackpots for its players.
What Factors Influence Jackpot Growth?
- The popularity of the game – Jackpot slots that are more popular amongst casino players have the biggest prize pools online. However, newer progressive jackpot slots have fewer players and, thus, fewer people contributing to the prize pool.
- Slot game provider – While all slot providers licensed by the Gambling Commission can create big progressive jackpot slots, older software companies are more trusted regarding jackpots. Therefore, the award in jackpot slots of well-established developers grows faster.
- Online casino where the slot games are hosted – Progressive slots hosted by top-ranked casino sites have more players, hence bigger prize pools. On the other hand, a progressive jackpot game that is mainly found in non-popular casinos will have a smaller reward.
- Bet limits of the game – While researching BestCasino, experts found that online jackpot slots with significant betting limits tend to have the biggest progressive jackpot. As we mentioned earlier, a part of each bet on the game contributes to the prize pool. So, the more significant the bet limit, the bigger the pot.
- RTP of the slot machines – Most of the largest British progressive jackpot slots online have an average RTP of 94%. This leaves 6% divided between the house edge and the prize pool. If a slot game has a high RTP, a winning combination in the base game will be significantly rewarded, but not much is left to contribute to the jackpot.
The random number generator is the most crucial determiner of wins in non jackpot slots. Therefore, the mechanism will also affect how much a jackpot grows in progressive slots. Each winning combination on the slot is triggered randomly by the RNG mechanism!
If the random number generator hits early, the winner takes the mega jackpot and the amount resets. However, the longer a Random Number Generator strikes, the bigger the pot grows.
Current Slots with Highest Jackpots
Here is a list of progressive slot machines that you can play today. We have also added extra information about the bet limits, in-game bonus features and average win to help you make an informed decision.
Game | Seeds At | Max win recorded | Min win recorded | Average win | Provider | Bet limits | Features |
Mega Fortune | 250,000 | 17,860,868 | 657, 050 | 17,860,868 | NetEnt | £0.10 – £25 | Free spins, Multipliers, Bonus wheel game |
Mega Moolah | 1,000,000 | 20,057,734 | 1,013,791 | 6,135,091 | Microgaming | £0.25 – £6.25 | Free spins, Multipliers, Jackpot bonus wheel |
Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah | 1,000,000 | 19,430,723.60 | 1,013,791 | 6,135,091 | Microgaming | £0.20 – £50 | Rolling Reels, Multipliers, Free spins |
Hall of Gods | NA | 7,820,888 | 608,749 | 5,619,688 | NetEnt | £0.20 – £50 | Expanding Wild, Free Spins, Pick Win |
Wheel of Wishes: WOW Pot slots | 2,000,000 | 42,149,180 | 2,025,388 | 19,785,884 | Microgaming | £0.10 – £25 | Power Spin, Jackpot Bonus Wheel |
Jackpot Giant | NA | 10,710,483 | 1,693,032 | 5,189,611 | Playtech | £0.50 – £4 | Giant Bonus, Giant Jackpot feature |
Joker Millions | 100,000 | 7,831,370 | 151,177 | 2,985,974 | Yggdrasil | £0.25 – £25 | Multipliers, Frozen symbols, Jackpot Spin feature |
Beach Life | 50,000 | 6,215,470 | 382,358 | 2,552,889 | Playtech | £0.5 – £10 | Sunken Treasure Bonus, Wilds and Scatters |
Funky Fruits | NA | 2,858,489 | 627,735 | 1,532,592 | Playtech | £2 – £10 | Jackpot bonus |
Gladiator Jackpot | 50,000 | 3,104,615 | 147,359 | 982,912 | Playtech | £0.25 – £1,250 | Free spins, multipliers, Pick ‘Me’ Style bonus |
All-time Biggest Progressive Jackpot Wins
A casino player’s biggest dream is winning a progressive jackpot and breaking the bank with millions in rewards. This dream has already come true for some players, who made millions of real money from just one spin on an online slot machine.
Jackpot Game | Biggest Win | Year won | Casino |
Wheel of Wishes: WOW Pot | 42,149,180 | 20th December 2023 | 32 Red Casino |
Mega Moolah | 18,915,721 | 28th September 2018 | Grand Modial |
Mega Moolah | 20,057,734 | 30th January 2019 | Zodiac Casino |
Mega Fortune | 17,860,868 | 20th January 2013 | Paf Casino |
Mega Moolah | 16,496,060 | 5th April 2020 | Jackpot City Casino |
Book of Atem: WOW Pot | 15, 183, 085 | 14th April 2021 | 32 Red Casino |
Mega Moolah | 13,615,861 | 8th May 2020 | Luxury Casino |
Mega Moolah | 13,212,882 | 6th October 2015 | Betway |
Mega Moolah | 12,945,603 | 5th March 2019 | Luxury Casino |
Hall of Gods | 7, 820, 888 | 18th April 2015 | Betsson Casino |
What are the Odds of Winning a Progressive Jackpot
So, how likely are you to win a progressive jackpot? There are a lot of variables that can affect a progressive jackpot, which makes it difficult to calculate the precise odds of winning. However, by studying progressive jackpot wins from the past, it is safe to conclude that there are higher chances of winning a network progressive jackpot during peak hours (when most players are active on the game).
Still, statistics on casino players in Europe indicate that they would rather play high-risk, high-reward slot games, hence the popularity of progressive jackpots. Gamblers are reminded that when playing a jackpot casino game, the odds are stacked against you.
Therefore, it is always recommended for players to wager within their budget limit. You can scroll to the bottom of the guide to see how to play progressive jackpots responsibly.
How to Win a Progressive Jackpot
After winning a progressive jackpot, the winners are often asked what they did to improve their chances of winning. According to experts, the steps below can help you win a progressive jackpot.
Playing Maximum Bet
Some progressive slots have a minimum bet a player must make to qualify for the jackpot. Usually, there is a bonus feature to be activated before the jackpot finale takes place. This could be a wheel of fortune or a free spin. Such features are more straightforward to activate when playing with the max bet.
Timing and Frequency of Play
It is advisable to play progressive jackpot slots during peak hours, when there is a huge number of players gambling on it. This can be in the evenings, on the weekends or during special holidays.
Jackpot Triggering Mechanics
Before you can start playing, you need to understand how a progressive slot game works. Smart gamblers read slot reviews or play slot games in demo versions before getting a feel of what the slot offers and how the jackpot-trigger features work. Always have an idea of what activates the jackpot in a game so that you can be alert when it happens.
Identifying ‘Hot’ and ‘Cold’ Machines
You might have logged in to a British casino and found a game’s category titled ‘hot slots.’ By definition, hot slot games come with higher chances of paying out, meaning you are more likely to form a winning combination in these games. A jackpot game in the ‘hot’ selection offers more odds of winning.
‘Cold machines’ typically offer little wins and less frequently. If a progressive slot game is ‘cold’, you have few to zero chances of winning even in the base game.
Setting Realistic Expectations
It is wise to keep in mind that there might be hundreds of thousands of other online gambling fans who are playing a progressive slot game. Therefore, anyone can win! In most jackpot success stories, the players didn’t expect to win; it just happened. You will have more fun playing the jackpot if you set realistic expectations.
Responsible Gambling
It is exceedingly essential to practice responsible gambling when playing progressive games. Whether spinning online slots or playing a live progressive blackjack game like Live Texas Hold em Poker, always remember to have limits.
If you struggle with responsible gaming, here are some things you can do to ensure you engage positively.
- Set budget limits – Have a budget for each session or jackpot game.
- Set time limits – Chasing after a jackpot can be risky, so players are advised to take breaks.
- Avoid playing jackpots and other types of real money games at online casinos when under the influence.
- Self-voluntary exclusion – If you feel like you have a gambling issue, opt-in for self-exclusion to take a long-term break from gambling.
All top GB casino sites and apps on the BestCasino list have responsible gambling tools and instruments for players. If you need assistance, contact customer support or get in touch with gambling care organisations like GamCare or BeGambleAware.
References
- Gambling Commission – Measuring progressive jackpots
- Gambling Commission – How to calculate return to player (RTP)
- Be Gamble Aware
- GamCare – TalkBanStop
- NHS – Help for problems with gambling
- Support Line – Organisations providing support, information, advice
- Gambling Commission – Gaming machine categories
- XACE – Gambling Statistics UK 2023