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Progressive slot machines have jackpots that steadily increase over time as more people play them.  There is usually a reasonable starting jackpot, and the amount increases until someone wins.  Then the process repeats itself.

The jackpots in progressive slots can be huge.  It is easy to find the machines that offer progressive jackpots at the casino.  The jackpot amounts are displayed prominently in brightly-colored lights.

Here are some tips to consider if you are thinking about playing progressive slots.

First, you should decide whether you would prefer to play progressive slots or regular slots.  Casinos usually have close to the same profit margin on each type of machine, so you can bet that if there is a huge jackpot, the smaller prizes are lower to make up for it.  Because it is more likely that you will win the smaller payouts, you could be trading in some of your winnings for a long shot that will never pay off.  Only you can decide whether the shot at the jackpot is worth the tradeoff.

Next, keep in mind that jackpots get huge for a reason.  It is because of the ridiculous odds against winning that jackpots reach the tens of millions of dollars.  Do you feel lucky enough to be 1 in 50 million?  The odds of winning that life-changing jackpot could be up in that range.  It’s hard to know the exact odds because casinos are not required to disclose them.  However, in general, the higher the jackpot is, the lower the odds of winning.

When playing for progressive jackpots, look for the highest jackpot on similar machines.  For example, if there are several stand-alone progressives that are identical except for the amount of the jackpot, go for the higher jackpot.  The odds of winning will be the same for similar machines, regardless of the amount of the jackpot.

You might also notice that one interconnected group of progressives offers a much higher jackpot than another similar-looking group in another part of the casino.  Chances are, the differences in the amount of the jackpot have more to do with the time since the last win than the odds in this case.  Go for the higher jackpot.

Avoid playing on machines if the jackpot meter is not moving.  Either the jackpot is not progressive or it has topped out, and has reached its maximum.

Always bet the maximum number of coins when playing progressive slots.  Most of these machines will not pay the jackpot on smaller bets, so this is extremely important.  There’s no point in playing the progressive machines if you are not going after the jackpot.  You will get higher paybacks on the lower-level combinations playing regular slots instead.

Don’t think that a certain machine will pay out soon just because the jackpot is high, even if it’s higher than it’s ever been before.  The payout of the jackpot does not happen when it reaches a certain level.  It is always random.  The chance of hitting the jackpot on any individual spin is always exactly the same, regardless of how long it has been since the last win.

Even in video poker, where it is possible to figure the machine’s payback level, it is not safe to assume that the jackpot must hit soon because it is over that level.  The machine could go far past that level this time, and hit twice within a short period of time afterward.  There is no such thing as a sure thing.  You can never predict what will happen in slots.

Progressive slots are slot machines that build up a jackpot that is paid out when someone hits the highest winning combination on the machine.  This jackpot can build up for a long time, and is sometimes quite huge.  There are three kinds of progressive slots.  They are single-machine progressives, local-area or proprietary progressives and wide-area progressives.

Single-Machine Progressives

These machines are just like regular slot machines except that there is a jackpot for the top prize that grows just a little bit larger with each play.  There is a minimum payout for the jackpot, and every time someone puts a coin into the machine the jackpot gets a little bigger.  Many of these machines have minimum jackpots around $1,000.

Local-Area Progressives

The local-area or proprietary progressives are a group of slot machines owned by the same casino or gaming company.  These machines are linked together and share a common jackpot.  The jackpot grows whenever a coin is played in any of the linked machines.  The prize is usually larger for larger groups of machines.  Many casinos offer prizes such as boats, cars or other expensive items as the jackpot for these types of machines.

In the case of proprietary video poker machines, players can use the pay schedule posted on the machine to determine when the jackpot has grown past the 100% payout level.  This can be very helpful when determining which machines to play.

Wide-area Progressives

Wide-area progressives are a large group of machines in many different casinos that are linked together to one gigantic jackpot.  These games are huge networks that cover multiple states.  Some of these games include Megabucks, Wheel of Fortune and Betty Boop.  Wide-area progressives are owned and operated by the manufacturer of the game, and the casino shares in the profits.

These huge jackpots are usually paid out as an annuity over 20 years.  The casino and the manufacturer purchase an insurance policy to cover the payment of the annuity of the course of its payout period in case either of them should go out of business.

The jackpot for any of these machines is determined in the same way as it is for any slot machine.  The random number generator inside of the slot machine’s computer generates a number for each play, and if that number corresponds to the number for the winning combination, then the player wins the jackpot.

Progressive slots are slot machines that offer large jackpots for the highest winning combination.  They are much more exciting to play due to the possibility of winning that huge payoff.  However, they also offer lower odds than other slot machines.

Every time someone plays on one of these machines, the jackpot increases a little bit.  Over time, it can grow unbelievably huge.  The jackpots on some machines even reach a million dollars or more.  The competition is high, since everyone else has their eyes on that big jackpot too.

Some of these machines are linked to other progressive slot machines in the same casino, while some stand alone.  Others are linked to many other machines, not just in the casino you are playing in, but all over the country.  These machines are the ones with the largest jackpots, but they also have the lowest odds.

If you are going to play progressive slots, it’s important to play the maximum number of coins each time.  For most of these machines, you will not be qualified to win the jackpot if you play less than the maximum bid.  You will be in for a huge disappointment if you spin the winning combination on a smaller bet.  If you don’t play the maximum bet, the jackpot will get bigger as a result of your contributions, but you will never win it.

Make sure you pick out the progressive slot machine you will play on carefully.  They are not all the same.  When selecting a machine, you should consider the number of reels and the size of the payouts.  Your chances of winning the smaller payouts is greater, so make sure they have not been reduced significantly to make up for the jackpot.  It is normal for them to be a little lower than on other slot machines, since a portion of each bet is applied to the jackpot.

You can also play progressive slots online.  The number of games available at online casinos is astounding, and you never have to wait for a machine.  Since everyone plays at online casinos from their own home, an unlimited number of players can play the same game at once.  Of course, you won’t get the ambiance of playing at a casino when you play progressive slots online.

It is a good strategy when playing progressive slots to pocket any winnings that you make from the machine.  Don’t keep feeding it back into the machine.  Once you have won, keep the money separate and move on to another machine.  Don’t stay too long at any one machine.

Keep yourself disciplined while playing progressive slots and avoid the temptation to sink too much money into the same cold machine.  Make sure you don’t put more into the machines that you had planned.  Don’t get discouraged when you don’t win.  Come back and try again another time.  Sooner or later someone will win that jackpot.  It might as well be you.

Progressive slots are the machines to play.  The reason for this is because they will pay out higher if you win.  There are many kinds of progressive slot machines, but all of them have some similarities.  Progressive slot machines are connected to the same bank.  The bank can be shared between several casinos, or it can be linked to the progressive slot machines in a single casino.  The jackpots on progressive slots can be very high, even millions of dollars.  They keep growing until someone wins.

Always bet the maximum number of credits when playing progressive slots.  Most of the machines will not pay out the jackpot if you win on a bet less than the maximum.  Also, play on the machines that offer the biggest jackpots.  Your chances of winning are about the same regardless of the size of the jackpot.  Make sure you set a playing limit before you start and stick to your limit.

Not all progressive slots are created equal.  There are three main types.  They are stand alone, proprietary and wide area progressive slots.

Stand Alone Progressive Slots

A stand alone progressive slot machine is a machine that is not linked to any other slot machines.  These machines have a meter that displays the amount of the jackpot.  The jackpots on stand alone slot machines are usually much smaller than on other progressive slots.

Proprietary Progressive Slots

Proprietary slots are a group of linked slot machines that are all located either in the same casino or in different casinos owned by the same company.  These progressive slots offer larger jackpots than the stand alone progressives, but not as large as the wide area slot machines.

Wide Area Progressive Slots

Wide area progressive slots are machines that are owned by a company outside of the casino.  The jackpot is shared among other machines throughout the country, which can lead to extremely high jackpots, even into the millions.  Your chances of winning these huge jackpots are lower than on progressives with smaller jackpots.