Online pokies machines are one of the most common forms of betting in the world. There is nothing mystical about winning and there are certainly very few secrets to how they work. In reality; it all boils down to simple mechanisms and even simpler mathematics. Once one understands the basic idea, one has an excellent idea of how to increase the chances of winning the jackpot. It’s a ubiquitous word: wherever you go, you’ve heard someone or something say «jackpot». But it’s even more prevalent in casinos, whether online or offline. This is why there are so many betting sites on the various online casino sites. They want to hit that life-changing and huge stack of money in a single try.
Everyone loves a bargain or something for nothing, and online gambling has plenty of that. With the number of online casino players on the rise, they needed to find the best online casino that offers a range of promotions and incentives to entice new customers and keep regular/loyal players coming back.
As the games change, so do the ways to win, including very big prizes, similar to land-based casinos. Especially games such as NZ online pokies; the odds are always against the player, but everyone hopes to hit the jackpot and completely change their life with that huge amount of money.
Some lucky people have already hit the jackpot in recent years. I’m not saying it’s impossible to win one. Still, there is a lot to understand about this word. There are different types of jackpots, and this article will deal with those types and how they work.
Types of jackpots In New Zealand Online Pokies
Fixed jackpots
Fixed jackpots are «cashpots» or standalone or flat jackpots referring to traditional slot machines that pay a fixed amount of money each time they are won. Most online slot games have a fixed jackpot, e.g. 600,000 coins, regardless of how much you bet or 100 times your stake. The prize never gets bigger, but is reset and can be won as soon as it is hit.
Since the jackpot is in the game, the amount won does not depend on how much you initially bet. It’s entirely possible to hit the jackpot twice in a row and get the same amount each time, whereas this would be impossible with a progressive jackpot. Still, when playing online, it is worth checking and knowing the specific wagering requirements, as many casinos may not pay out the jackpot immediately; you may have to wager a minimum amount to get your winnings.
Most players prefer fixed jackpots, as they have a more even chance of winning and less fluctuation. They actually have a much higher hit frequency than progressive jackpots, which means that the probability of winning is much higher and the risk is very slightly lower because, hey, you know what you’re going to win when you hit the jackpot.
Of course, it’s like any other slot game — it uses random number generators, so ultimately it’s all about chance. With fixed jackpot games, you can’t be sure of winning, but if someone wins by chance, it can be very expensive!
Jackpot Spins
While there are quite a few slot games that have a tiered jackpot system, i.e. Mini, Big and Mega jackpots in each jackpot online slot game, overall there are nowhere near as many as you’ll find in the traditional versions of these titles.
In-house jackpots
In-house or proprietary progressive jackpots are basically a series of interconnected devices, each of which is owned and operated by a casino. The progressive jackpots found in these online pokies are nothing like the multi-million dollar, wide-ranging progressives, but the payout is a pretty decent pot. In-house or proprietary progressives are hit more often than the broad progressive jackpots.
Progressive jackpots
If you’ve ever bought a lottery ticket, you’ll know what they mean by a progressive jackpot: the pot keeps growing, sometimes six or seven figures, until someone wins it and it’s reset. So a progressive jackpot is a jackpot that can «roll over» until someone wins and takes their winnings. Eventually, if no one claims the pot, it grows and grows, further inflating the game.
As with progressive jackpots, a portion of the bet is added to the potential jackpot with each spin. So all the wins are added up over the spin and grow until all the win conditions are met; once won, the jackpot is triggered again.
Usually, the remainder of the cash bet is paid out in smaller prizes, and a good chunk is taken off the top for the casino itself. It often pays to scan online casino review sites to find out which games and which casino providers carry the best progressive pots with the most money to be won.
Network jackpots
Some games are «network jackpots» where all host casinos contribute to the same jackpot. For example, if you play the Jackpot Giant game at Betfair, you are playing for the same pot that Ladbrokes is hosting in the same online casino game.
These jackpots can get quite high, however, as usual, it’s worth checking the paytable and the exact betting limits and requirements if there are extra rules at your preferred site. For example, they might say you can’t win with free spins, or they might say «no online casino bonus», or that you have to wager a total of $10,000.
Mystery jackpots
Mystery jackpots, or progressive jackpots, are another way to win big as they award points randomly, sometimes not even for a winning combination. The machine is initially set to choose between the starting value and the maximum jackpot, and randomly chooses between the starting value and the maximum jackpot. Once the machine crosses this point, it pays out big. This is why most of these jackpots are called «must hit» jackpots.
Multiple jackpots
Many of the biggest online pokies games offer multiple progressive jackpots to give you a better chance of winning. NetEnt’s Hall of Gods, for example, has a huge jackpot as well as two smaller, more localised pots. All three jackpots are made up of player bets, but the smaller jackpots may be reserved for specific casinos or regions. It’s worth checking whether your chosen casino offers an in-house progressive jackpot.
Top software providers with progressive jackpots
Not all gaming software providers are the same when it comes to jackpots. This is especially true for progressive jackpots. This section lists the best designers and their game collections.
- Playtech — Their payouts are not as high as some competing brands, but their total of 40 progressive games is by far the most in the industry.
- Real Time Gaming (RTG) — Although the overall jackpot selection is relatively small, it is not uncommon for jackpots to exceed $1 million.
- NetEnt Entertainment — This designer has 16 progressive jackpot games, some of which have multi-level payouts.
- Microgaming — When it comes to jackpots, this company is the best. They have 18 progressive games in total, which include a mix of slot machines and video poker machines.
- Cryptologic — Their software has 16 progressive games, some of which are split across dozens of games. While they do not offer record amounts, their payouts are above average.
- WagerWorks — This company offers only one progressive jackpot, but it’s a jackpot linked to three different machines.
- Rival — All four of their progressive jackpot games are slots, and traditionally these have the lowest payouts.
- Gamesys — This software has six progressive games, but each offers two progressive jackpots (12 in total).
- Vegas Technology — They have seven progressive games, including slots, blackjack and stud poker.
- Slotland — This software developer offers 15 progressive games exclusively for Slotland Casino, connected via a site-wide network.
How the jackpots work
There are a number of factors that affect how jackpots work. Firstly, the number of reels affects the chances of winning. The more reels there are, the harder it is to crack. So to increase the odds, play classic slots with only 3-7 reels.
Another factor is the minimum and maximum coin size. If a slot machine has a minimum bet of $0.01 and a maximum bet of $0.10, it will pay less than a machine with a minimum bet of $0.05 and a maximum bet of $0.25.
Usually, multi-reel slots have higher maximum bets, but the minimums are the usual minimums, such as $0.01 or $0.05. Playing with the maximum number of lines can increase your chances of winning, but it is more expensive than playing with just one line. Some slots offer up to 80 lines or more!
You also need to consider whether the slot game offers more than one jackpot, as the base jackpot is not always the maximum prize offered. For example, the base jackpot may be worth 4,000 coins, but the bonus game may also include another bonus worth 6,000 coins.
Jackpot slot bonus
Multipliers and bonuses can be your best friends when playing jackpot slots in online games. This in-game bonus can increase your chances of winning or increase the amount you can win. Multipliers are available in most games, but the most common multipliers you’ll encounter are in the free spins. Others can be crazy multipliers, which means they can significantly increase your winnings.
As with progressive jackpots, progressive jackpots have their place in this game — winning them means that the value of the jackpot gradually increases each time you perform a certain action. Finally, bet multipliers can be accessed by landing a predetermined number of scatter symbols, or by landing more symbols than the original number of symbols required to access the bonus.
Bonuses are an important part of the progressive jackpot slot world. They allow users to earn additional rewards and benefits and increase the stakes of the game to the exciting jackpots that every player wants to win. There are no strict rules on how often and how much bonuses can be triggered, as this varies from operator to operator. However, most games include elements of free spins, multipliers, re-spins or ‘wheel of fortune’ spins.
Conclusion
In this article, we have looked at the most important jackpots in the history of online casinos, evaluated the most popular slots with jackpot features and how to win a jackpot. Now you know what to play to get rich!
Remember, though, that the people who made history probably didn’t want to win the biggest jackpots. So above all, choose games that you enjoy, not because they might steal the jackpot. At the very least, do so because there are thousands of other players chasing the same jackpot, no less. Let the jackpot be your extra motivation and add a little flavor to the game!