The Hottest Progressive Jackpots of 2023

In simple terms, a progressive jackpot game is an online slot that apart from standard prizes, it also offers one or more prize pools that grow progressively over a period of time until someone wins the prize. At that point, the jackpot amount is reset to its initial value, and the prize pool starts growing again.

Where does the pot money come from?

A progressive jackpot slot features a jackpot prize that is made of two components. Either the online casino or the game provider will put up an initial amount towards the prize. This is called the jackpot seed, and this is the first component. Next, every time that a player places a bet on the progressive jackpot slot, a portion of the bet is taken and deposited into the central prize pot. This pot accumulates over time, growing larger with every spin, and the more players playing that game, the quicker it grows.

Here's a breakdown of how progressive jackpots operate:

• Initial Seed: Every progressive jackpot game starts with an initial seed amount, which is the minimum guaranteed prize. This seed amount varies depending on the game.
• Contributions: With every wager made on the game, a small percentage of the bet amount is added to the jackpot pool. This can be a fraction of a cent or a fixed percentage of the bet.
• Networked Jackpots: Many progressive jackpots are networked across multiple online casinos. This means that players from various gambling sites contribute to the same jackpot, causing it to grow rapidly.
• Winning the Jackpot: The action that triggers a jackpot win varies from one game to the other, but generally, you need to either land a specific combination of symbols or fulfil certain criteria. This can be as simple as lining up the highest-paying symbols or triggering a bonus feature within the game.
• Random or Specific Conditions: While some progressive pots can be won randomly on any spin, others may require players to meet specific conditions, like placing the maximum bet or entering a bonus round.

Here’s our top 10 of online progressive slots, ranked by popularity:

1. Mega Moolah by Microgaming: First released in 2006, this legendary slot features a fun African safari theme with colorful graphics. It's renowned for its 4 progressive jackpot prizes, including the record-breaking Mega Jackpot, which has made multiple millionaires. In 2015, it set a Guinness World Record for (at the time) the largest online slot jackpot ever won, with a prize of over €17.8 million.
2. Mega Fortune by NetEnt: Another iconic slot with 25 paylines and five reels, and of course, its three progressive jackpots. The biggest of these three jackpots often seeds at more than a few million, which is what makes Mega Fortune so attractive.
3. Hall of Gods by NetEnt: The Hall of Gods jackpot slot invites players to battle mythical Norse creatures and gods on reels filled with mythological symbols, expanding Wilds and Bonus symbols that trigger the bonus game. That’s where you can hit one of the three massive progressive jackpots - Mini, Midi, and Mega. The Mini pot starts seeding at 2x the stake, the Midi at 100x the stake, and the Mega jackpot at 2,000x the stake, and that’s without the contributions! With them, the largest pot starts seeding at 6,000x the stake!
4. Arabian Nights by NetEnt: Travel into a Middle Eastern world of magic carpets and genies with this 10-pay line slot, packed with Scatters and Wilds that can take you to the most incredible wins. Apart from a maximum win potential of 12,000x stake in the base game, Arabian Nights also offers a single progressive jackpot that can be quite rewarding.
5. Major Millions by Microgaming: With a retro feel and a history of delivering substantial jackpots, Major Millions is linked to Microgaming’s global progressive jackpot network, which means it can deliver a sensational jackpot prize.
6. The Goonies Jackpot King by Blueprint Gaming: Jackpot King is a progressive jackpot network that connects several games in the series, including the original The Goonies slot, as well as other installments like Crabbin for Cash Jackpot King, Eye of Horus The Golden Tablet Jackpot King, Fishin' Frenzy Even Bigger Catch Jackpot King, and more. Each game offers a different theme, from Ancient Egypt to fishing, and features multiple progressive jackpots.
7. Temple Tumble 2 Dream Drop by Relax Gaming: Get ready for an action-packed adventure with Temple Tumble 2 and its progressive Dream Drop jackpot feature, which can grow to impressive amounts. It's one of the first Dream Drop jackpot slots released by Relax Gaming, paving the way for many more to come.
8. Beach Life by Playtech: Set on a sunny beach, this progressive slot offers the chance to win a massive jackpot while soaking up the virtual sun. Landing five wild Sun symbols on the 20th payline triggers the game’s progressive jackpot. Being one of the most popular Playtech slots around, it’s no surprise to learn that the jackpot payout increases rapidly. Beach Life held the record for the highest progressive jackpot prize ever won, which at the time amounted to $3.6 million.
9. Sherlock & Moriarty WOWPOT! by Microgaming and its partner Just For The Win: It's the fifth release from the WowPot! series, featuring the one and only Sherlock Holmes and his arch-nemesis Moriarty. You'll benefit from Mini, Minor, Major, and Wowpot! progressive jackpots, as well as a sweet pack of free spins triggered by three scatter symbols.
10. Divine Fortune by NetEnt: Get ready to be transported back in time to ancient Greece with beautifully designed symbols and an engaging bonus feature. For a chance to crack the pot, you’ll need to land three bonus symbols in the main game. The bonus symbols are collected inside an amphora, and when full, it will trigger the jackpot bonus game with three jackpots.

Progressive jackpots are highly volatile, which means that the odds of hitting the jackpot are typically quite low. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible, and we have seen many players hit million-dollar prizes. However, the odds are extremely challenging. Why?

Here are some key factors that influence the odds:

• Jackpot Size: When a jackpot prize pool grows to a sizeable amount, it attracts a greater number of players, which means individual chances of scooping up the prize decrease.
• Game Mechanics: Progressive jackpot slots that require specific conditions for a chance to win the prize usually have lower odds than other jackpot games that offer random chances on any spin, since a player would need to meet precise conditions to hit the jackpot.
• Bet Size: Some games have a minimum bet requirement for players to have a chance to win the jackpot. This means that the size of your bet has a direct influence on the odds.
• Number of Players: Some types of progressive jackpots are networked across multiple online casinos or games, which means the pool of participating players can be substantial, hence further reducing the odds of any one player hitting the jackpot.

Odds vary significantly between games and players should always approach progressive slots online knowing that winning a jackpot is a rare event. Online progressive slots can be entertaining as long as you are in control of your budget and losses.

How Are Progressive Jackpots Paid?

A jackpot big win payout does not happen instantly, especially if the sum is substantial. The time it takes for the money to reach the winner is usually dependent on the policies of the casino and game provider. The win must first be verified by the operator, which can take up to a few days. Once this is settled, then the casino will discuss with the winner on the best way to transfer the money. Operators tend to make a big deal out of big wins, since these offer them a way to market their online casino site. That is why we often read big win stories in the headlines.

As for the payment method, this may vary depending on which options are available at the casino, and the preferences of the jackpot winner. One thing to look out for when planning to play casino online is the payout policy. Check if there’s a maximum withdrawal limit and whether it also applies to progressive jackpot winnings.

Big progressive jackpot wins are always cause for celebration, not only by the player who wins the money but also by the online casino where the jackpot prize was won. Here we’ve listed five of the biggest jackpot payouts in the history of online gambling:

• €19.4 million win on Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah – This win claimed by a player from Belgium is currently the biggest jackpot payout of all time. It was won on the Microgaming progressive jackpot slot in 2021.
• €17,879,645 payout on Mega Moolah – Jonathan Heywood from the UK took home this hefty jackpot in 2015 while playing at Betway online casino. Heywood, a former soldier, went to work the next day and completed his shift but later quit his job, invested his cash, became a property developer, and paid lavish sums to his friends and family.
• €17,861,800 on Mega Fortune – A player from Finland won this progressive jackpot prize while playing at Betsson back in 2013. The 40-year-old jackpot winner had wagered just €0.25 on the slot but earned the biggest jackpot in history at the time.
• £15,183,085.96 on Book of Atem WowPot – A British player won this jackpot at 32Red in 2021. The player, known only as Mr M, declared that he was so shocked by the unexpected win that he had to Google how many zeros make up a million.
• CA$20,057,734 jackpot on Mega Moolah – A Canadian player won the huge prize at Zodiac Casino.

These incredible wins are but a few examples of hefty progressive jackpot wins that have made the headlines. Of course, a chance like this comes only once in a lifetime, but they are sure nice stories to remember when playing online progressive slots.

Standalone Progressive Jackpots

The most common types of progressive jackpot slots are the standalone games, like Mega Moolah or Arabian Nights. This means that for a chance to win the jackpot prize players need to play that specific game - however, you can do so at any casino of your liking. Any bets placed on these games, at any casino online, contribute to the game’s progressive prize pool.

Networked Progressive Jackpots

Network Jackpots are becoming increasingly popular. These are progressive jackpot prizes that are linked across multiple games. This means that spins made by players playing different games, all contribute to the pot, resulting in bigger and faster-growing prizes. A great example is Playtech’s Age of the Gods series.

Must Drop Progressive Jackpots

The term ‘must drop’ refers to Progressive jackpots that by design are set to pay out before reaching a certain amount or time limit. These type of games are often linked to special promotions, but not always. Red Tiger’s Daily Drop Jackpot Network is a great example, featuring three jackpots that must drop while playing on any Red Tiger games connected to the Daily Drops network:

• The Super Drop Jackpot - Medium-sized progressive jackpot that falls multiple times per day.
• The Daily Drop Jackpot - Drops every day before 11 PM, UK time with a prize that often reaches between $40k - $60k.
• The Hourly Drop Jackpot - This three to four-figure jackpot drops every hour of every day.

Differences Between Regular Slots and Progressive Jackpots

If we had to compare superpopular slot games (for instance, Starburst or The Book of Dead) with blockbuster progressive slots (such as Mega Moolah or Hall of Gods) we would find that they differ from each other in several key ways. The major differences lie in their volatility, game mechanics, and features.

Volatility

While regular online slots tend to have medium to high volatility (meaning that while they may not pay out massive prizes frequently, players can expect more regular, smaller wins during gameplay), progressive jackpot slots are known for their high volatility. They have the potential to award supersized sums of money, but this comes at the cost of less frequent payouts. So, while playing a progressive jackpot expect long stretches without significant wins.

Game Mechanics

Regular slots feature set payouts for winning combinations and more often than not, include bonus rounds or free spins, with their main focus being on providing engaging gameplay rather than enormous jackpots. On the other hand, Progressive jackpot slots often have specific game mechanics designed to contribute to the jackpot pool. Some require players to place maximum bets or trigger bonus rounds to be eligible for the progressive jackpot.

Features

Cascading wins, special symbols that modify outcomes, expanding wilds, exploding symbols, bonus games and free spins rounds are quite popular on regular slots. These features engage as much as they entertain players through a rich gaming experience. Progressive jackpot slots are usually much simpler, and the thrills they offer come from the tantalizing prospect of landing that enormous jackpot prize.

Differences between Offline and Online Progressive Slots

Naturally, the types of progressive jackpots that depend on a physical area are common in brick-and-mortar casinos. But when it comes to online progressive slots, physical distance is not an issue. Thus, players from all over the world can play on one progressive slot regardless of their location.

Also, the Return to Player (RTP), which is the slot's payout to players in winnings, is usually considerably lower at land-based casinos. This is due to brick-and-mortar casinos having rent, labor, and other considerably higher costs than an online casino.

While brick-and-mortar casinos provide a great buzz and exciting gambling experience, they require traveling and booking time off. However online casinos are available 24/7 through any internet-enabled device.