Progressive Jackpots Explained

Progressive jackpots are usually found at slots or video poker games. As players gamble, the pot increases with every wager placed. In essence, groups of machines are networked together to form one huge jackpot that grows as more players pay into the jackpot. These progressive jackpot games are immensely popular in land-based casinos and online casino websites.

Progressive Jackpot Meters

The total dollar value for each progressive jackpot is displayed on a meter and the whole amount can usually only be won by winning the combination required in order to win the highest payoff. In video poker, for instance, this may be a royal flush. In a slot game it could be lining up the five slot machine symbols (lemons, cherries etc.) having the most value. After a player wins a progressive jackpot, the pot is returned to a preset minimum amount and begins increasing again with every wager.

Progressive Jackpot Sizes

A progressive jackpot grows with each subsequent play on a linked machine. The casino ­- or ‘the house' - programs the rate at which the jackpot will advance. For instance, for machines where the house advantage is five percent, the contribution may be one percent, a fifth of the casino's expected take. Casinos make these contributions because it motivates players to try and win a truly enormous payout.

Qualifying
Every new bet contributes to the growth of a progressive jackpot. However, it's often only the players wagering the maximum number of credits per play who will qualify to win. Also, a game requiring a ten-credit bet in order to qualify will feature a larger jackpot than say a qualifying minimum of five credits.

Progressive Jackpot Strategies

Break-Even Points

In games such as video poker for example, it is possible to figure out a favorable strategy for winning based on every payoff's frequency against the odds of hitting that payoff. Because the jackpot in a progressive video poker game is always escalating, it can eventually achieve a break-even point whereby the machine offers a positive expectation wager for the player. A win valued at less than the break-even point suggests a negative expected value - or house advantage - for all players. A video poker player can make a profit over the long run with a successful strategy. However, a long run could potentially require many many plays.

Advantage Play

Due to the fact that other gamblers are constantly contributing to a progressive jackpot, even "advantage" players who only wager when the pot provides a positive expectation scenario still generate revenue for the casino. The player actually enjoys an advantage over the casino in this instance, though the casino is still generating a profit because most of the jackpot has been bought and paid for by the other bettors.

Team Playing

Some players in land casinos have been known to arrange teams of gamers to wager at machines where the progressive jackpots feature positive expectations. Unfortunately these teams typically dislodge regular players from the games, causing the machines to be unavailable during their most exciting periods. These team gamblers characteristically function in shifts, using mobile phones to contact teammates to replace each other during breaks. Some casinos maintain "no team play" policies and even banish gamblers suspected of team playing. Team playing is not an issue concerning online casinos.

Additional Progressive Jackpot Games

Besides slots and video poker, some online casinos offer progressive jackpots with a number of games including Caribbean Stud Poker, Roulette and even Blackjack.