If you take all online casino software providers and combine their slots menus, you will literally have thousands of slot machines to choose from. These games are placed in three distinct categories, namely classic slots, 3 reel slots and video slots. Progressive slots fall into these categories too in terms of how they are constructed and there is no difference between these and ordinary online slots when you look at the layouts, functions and features. Progressive slot machines are approached in exactly the same way as any other slot – place a wager, spin the reels and hope for the best!

 

Progressive jackpot payouts

It is when it comes to the payouts that the difference between progressive jackpot slots and ordinary slots become apparent. Most progressive jackpots, bar those with a random jackpot, are triggered when the player lands 3 bonus symbols, for 3 reel classic slots, or 5 wild symbols in a progressive video slot, across one line. The payouts for winning combinations vary though depending on how much you wagered. If you wagered the maximum bet then you will be eligible to receive the entire progressive jackpot at its' current value. If you did not bet max, you will still receive the games' top non-progressive jackpot – as if you were playing a normal slot game. There are also still payouts to rake in on a combination of other symbols, just as you would with non-progressive slots.

 

Betting differences in progressive and non-progressive slots

Chasing a progressive jackpot is also quite a costly pastime because of the fact that a max bet is required. With ordinary online slots you have a lot of flexibility in terms of betting with your preferred coin value, and choosing how many coins you want to punt per pay-line. Bets on regular slots can be as little as just 1 cent and you can happily place this minimum wager with every spin – which really stretches your bankroll. With progressive slot machines the maximum bet can run into multiples of ten. So, if you are chasing a jackpot with a max bet of $10, as opposed to a game with a $0.05 average bet, you might want to think about how much you are offering up in the process. Progressive jackpots perhaps aren't the best games to play as your daily favourite game – but going all out once a month never hurt anyone!