How a Progressive Jackpot Grows
A progressive jackpot works in three stages.
1. It starts at a seed amount. When a jackpot is first set up, or after it has been won, it begins at a set starting value, often called the seed or reset value.
2. It grows with every bet. A small percentage of each bet on the connected games is added to the jackpot. The more people play, the faster it rises.
3. It is won and resets. When a player wins the jackpot, they receive the current amount, and the jackpot returns to its seed value.
A fixed jackpot is different. It is a set prize, such as a fixed multiple of the stake, that never changes no matter how much is played.
Types of Progressive Jackpots
Standalone Progressive
A standalone progressive is linked to a single machine or game. Only bets on that machine add to the jackpot, so it usually grows slowly and tends to stay smaller than linked jackpots.
Linked Progressive
A linked progressive connects a group of machines, usually in the same venue, to a shared jackpot. Bets on any of the machines in the group add to the prize, and any of them can win it. In Australian pubs, clubs and casinos, linked jackpots are often shown on a display above a bank of machines.
Wide-Area Progressive
A wide-area progressive connects machines across several venues. Because many more bets feed into the same prize, these jackpots can grow much larger than local ones.
Online Network Progressive
Online slot developers can link the same game, or a family of games, across many casinos. Every bet on the network contributes to the jackpot, which is why online network jackpots can reach very large sums.
Tiered Jackpots
Many pokies offer several jackpots at once, often with names such as Mini, Minor, Major and Grand. Lower tiers are won relatively often and may be fixed or slowly rising, while the top tier is the rarest and largest. Hold-and-spin style games, such as Lightning Link and Dragon Link, are well known for this kind of jackpot ladder.
Mystery and "Must Drop" Jackpots
A mystery jackpot is won at random, rather than by landing a particular symbol combination. Some mystery jackpots are set to be won before they reach a certain maximum amount, which may be displayed on screen. With these, the jackpot is guaranteed to be won by someone before it reaches that figure, so the chance of it dropping on any particular bet increases as it gets closer to the limit. Even then, it could be won on any of the many bets placed by all players on the linked games, so there is no way to know whether it will land on yours.
How Progressive Jackpots Are Won
Depending on the game, a jackpot may be won by:
- Landing a specific combination, such as five jackpot symbols on a payline
- Winning a bonus game, such as a jackpot wheel or a hold-and-spin feature where filling the screen awards the top prize
- A random trigger that can happen on any spin, as with mystery jackpots
The game's paytable and rules explain how its jackpots work.
Does Bet Size Matter?
In some games, the chance of triggering a jackpot increases with the size of your bet, or you must play at a certain bet level to be eligible for the top prize. In others, every bet has the same chance. Check the game rules before you play, and never raise your bet beyond your budget in pursuit of a jackpot.
How Jackpots Affect a Game's RTP
Every jackpot is funded by the players who play the game. The percentage of each bet that goes into the jackpot is part of the game's total RTP.
Example: A pokie has a total RTP of 94%. Of that, 90% is returned through normal wins and bonus features, and 4% goes into the progressive jackpot.
This has two important effects:
- The base game usually pays less. Because part of the return is set aside for the jackpot, everyday wins are funded from a smaller share of the RTP. Games with large progressive jackpots often have lower base-game returns than similar games without one.
- Most players never receive the jackpot share. The jackpot portion of the RTP is concentrated in one rare, large prize. For almost everyone who plays, the return they actually experience comes from the base game alone.
This is also why jackpot games tend to be highly volatile. A large part of their return is held back for prizes that very few players ever win. Our Slot Volatility Explained guide explains why this matters for your budget.
What Are the Odds of Winning?
The odds of winning a top jackpot are very small, and they are rarely displayed. To put large prizes in context, GambleAware NSW explains that the odds of winning a typical $5,000 prize on a $1 poker machine are 9,700,000 to 1. Top jackpots on linked and wide-area systems can be much larger and rarer still.
A rising jackpot does not mean a game is about to pay. For most progressive jackpots, each spin is independent and the chance of winning does not change as the prize grows. The main exception is a "must drop" mystery jackpot, as described above, and even then the chance that it lands on your particular bet remains small.
Common Misconceptions About Jackpots
"A big jackpot means the machine is due to pay."
For most jackpots, no. Results are decided by a random number generator, and the size of the prize does not change the odds of winning it. See Pokies Myths Explained.
"A higher jackpot means a better game."
Not necessarily. A larger jackpot often means a larger share of the RTP is set aside for a rare prize, which can mean lower everyday returns.
"Someone just won, so the jackpot won't hit again for a while."
No. A jackpot that has just reset can be won again at any time, although it will be smaller.
Playing Jackpot Pokies Responsibly
Growing jackpots are designed to be exciting, and it is easy to keep playing in the hope that the next spin will land the big prize. Treat any jackpot as a very unlikely bonus, not a reason to play longer or bet more. Set a budget and a time limit before you start, and stop when you reach them.
Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.