It’s
exciting to dream about winning the big jackpot
on the progressive slot machines, but is it really
realistic to hope for? Just what are the odds
on these games? It depends on the machine, but
normally the higher the jackpot is, the lower
your chances of winning it. Single-machine jackpots
are usually paid out much more frequently than
jackpots shared among several machines at the
same casino. And machines linked among many other
casinos pay out even less frequently.
If you are playing video poker, the odds are limited
by the number of different hands that are possible.
The odds can vary based on the variety of video
poker you are playing and the hand you need to
get to win the jackpot. For example, the odds
are around 1 in 40,000 for getting the royal flush
when playing a jacks or better video poker game.
For other types of slots, it is more difficult,
if not impossible to determine the odds. This
is because casinos are not required to tell you
the odds on these machines. If you can get your
hands on the “par sheet” for a particular
game, you can determine the odds of hitting the
jackpot. However, these sheets are not readily
available to the public. For most of the machines
with huge, life-changing jackpots, the odds are
normally one in tens of millions. It is reported
that the odds of winning the jackpot on the Megabucks
slots is around one in 50 million.
The exact odds may not be available to the public,
but it is common knowledge that the machines with
big jackpots offer lower payoffs on other winning
combinations to compensate. They often return
a lower total payout as well. Where a regular
slot machine might pay out 92% of the money it
takes in, a progressive machine often pays only
88-89%. However, many players are willing to give
up that small difference to have a shot at the
big jackpot.
The most important thing to remember when playing
progressive slots is that you must always bet
the maximum coin. Although there a few progressives
that will pay out the jackpot on a smaller bet,
most will not. It would be a shame to have the
winning combination come up only to find out that
you are not qualified to win the big prize.
Sarah Harrigan
has been involved as a player and researcher on online casinos
and online gambling since 2025. She has created this site
as a safe haven for all gamblers, new and old. With over 2500
online casinos to choose from, the majority being unreputable
she felt compelled to use her experience as a player to give
back in terms of online gambling tips and strategies. Because
of her research background you will find her reviews very
honest and refreshing and we hope you will find this site
very useful.
