Progressive slots can be life-changing since the jackpot continues to grow until won. Not all progressive jackpots dish out millions though. You can play slots with multiple jackpots with prizes in the hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands.
Finding the right progressive slots to play is no easy task. With thousands of games to choose from, many non-progressive prizes match or even beat the progressive ones.
This page covers everything you need to know to get the best from progressive slot machines in Michigan. You will find information about online slots with progressive jackpots as well as linked progressives in live casinos. Examples of the best games with jackpots, plus how to take advantage of bonus deals and promotions.
Progressive jackpots come in many sizes. There are also different ways to link them between games. Here are some of the types of jackpot you will find:
The biggest prizes catch your eye and make the headlines when they are won. You will often see slots with more than four progressives. A common way of organizing them is with names like Grand, Major, Minor, and Mini. Some slots have fixed bonuses for the smaller jackpots, with only the biggest ones progressively increasing.
There are minor variations too. Some jackpots are programmed so they ‘must pay by’ a specified amount. Konami slots frequently use this system. The biggest difference between jackpots is not how they work, it is how they are won too.
Creators of slots are always dreaming up fresh new ways to award jackpots. On older reel slots, lining up the top symbols (sometimes on a specified win-line) is enough to trigger a jackpot. Other games use scatters, bonus games, wheel spin features, picks bonus features – or even pay their biggest prizes completely at random.
Here is an example of each type of jackpot:
Michigan will soon be home to the biggest and best online casinos. You can play thousands of slots via casino apps or browser-based web casinos. You can find a few progressive slots online that are normally available in live casinos. You will also find new progressive jackpots available exclusively online.
Each online casino in Michigan is licensed through a live venue. Here are three of the best brands for players seeking progressive jackpots.
Most online casinos overlay the prizes for jackpot slots on the tiled graphics you find in the lobby. You will find a big spread. Prizes range from four figures to seven figures. Many of the games will not be recognizable for players that are new to online casinos. They were created exclusively for online play and are not found in live casinos.
Here are some popular progressive slots you will find online that highlight the depth of the gameplay and themes available to you:
Not all casinos allow you to win progressive jackpots with bonus funds. The problem is that you will often not know which ones until you check out the small print.
As well as bonus terms that explicitly exclude jackpots, you should look for caps on the amount you can win. For example, if a casino caps wins from a no deposit bonus offer at $100 and does not have a carve-out for progressive jackpots, you cannot benefit from hitting the big prizes. In this case, a better strategy is to use the bonus on a lower volatility game, clear your funds, and then enjoy the jackpot slots with this extra money.
A different approach used by some online casinos is to exclude jackpot slots from contributing to your bonus playthrough requirements. This does not stop you from playing them. Any wagers you place simply count as zero towards clearing your bonus.
Here are the types of bonus that can be used to win progressive jackpots at some casinos:
Free spins promotions, loyalty rewards, reload bonuses, and leaderboards can also be enjoyed in conjunction with progressive slots. As with the welcome bonus offers, you should always read the terms and conditions before you play.
There are many non-progressive slots that can pay amounts equal to the bigger progressive jackpot games. If you search through the fine print in the rules of many games, you will find things like ‘250,000’ coin top prize per spin.
Slots with bonus features, free spins that feature wilds, multiplier symbols, and picks-games can all award big prizes.
Live progressive slot jackpots include some giant ‘MegaBucks’ wins in Las Vegas. The single biggest win was over $39 Million. This was won at the Excalibur Hotel in 2003. Online jackpots can grow to life-changing sizes. The biggest online prize was €19 million, which was won on the Mega Moolah slot from MicroGaming in 2018.
Returns from slots are calculated over the long run. While spinning 10 million times will get you the exact percentage return stated for each game, short gambling sessions will see huge swings of fortune. Slots with progressive jackpots take part of the price for each spin to add to the big prize pool. This means less money is available for the regular prizes.
On average, most people playing will get smaller returns from progressive slots. When you add in the small number of players that win the huge prize, the returns are in-line with other games. Jackpot slots are not tighter than regular slots though if you count the returns over long periods.
This will depend on the game. Some slots only give you access to progressive jackpots if you play the maximum bet or over a certain level. Others let you win at any bet level. Proportionally, you will have a better shot at winning the more you bet.
Reel slots will frequently pay jackpots only for the third/fifth line.
Whenever you play a slot with a jackpot, either online or live, it pays to double-check the rules.
This depends on the size of the prize and the casino. Smaller jackpots in live casinos are paid in single lump sums. For larger prizes, for example, MegaBucks, you have a choice: take a smaller lump sum or spread the entire prize out over several years.
Online casinos can also have terms stating that big jackpots are paid in monthly installments.