The grand prizes of progressive slots continue to increase steadily and sometimes reach millions. Sometimes they even grow to break the world record and make a lucky player literally a millionaire. We know that you want to be one of these lucky players. So, you should get as much information about the subject as possible. For example, how often do progressive slots payout? More importantly, how to tell if a slot machine is hot? Is it better to play old jackpot games like Bally slots or should you focus on next-generation jackpots? In this guide we have prepared for you, you can find answers to these questions and all other things about hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines.

Best Casinos For Hitting The Jackpot With Progressive Slot Machines

We will tell you how to hit at the casino but note that you still need a “casino” to play after learning the answer. And not any online casino will do: You need to play at the best ones. Luckily for you, we call ourselves “Analyze Casino” for a reason: We analyzed dozens of casino sites, checked their games & bonuses, and found the best ones. You can see our picks below. Pick one, join today, and let’s find out how often do progressive slots payout together!

Casombie Casino
265x75_ casombie logo
Casombie Casino Welcome Bonus (Skateboarder): Up to €1000 

  • 1st deposit: 100% up to €500;
  • 2nd deposit: 75% up to €300;
  • 3rd deposit: 50% up to €200;
  • Wagering requirements: 35x
  • Minimum deposit: €20
Windetta Casino
Windetta Casino Welcome Bonus: 215% Up to €2000 + 200 Free Spins

  • 1st deposit: 90% up to €500 + 75 Free Spins on Gates of Olympus;
  • 2nd deposit: 50% up to €500 + 50 Free Spins on The Hand of Midas;
  • 3rd deposit: 75% up to €500 + 75 Free Spins on Sugar Rush.
Cashwin Casino

Register today at Cashwin and get this amazing welcome package: Up to €1750 + 50 Free Spins

  • 1st deposit: 100% up to €1000 + 50 Free Spins
  • 2nd deposit: 100% up to €250
  • 3rd deposit: 50% up to €250
  • 4th deposit: 50% up to €250
  • Minimum deposit: €20
  • Wagering requirements: 35x (Bonus + deposit)
Time2Spin Casino
time2spin medium logo
Time2Spin Casino Welcome Bonus: 500% up to €3000 + 500 Free Spins

  • 1st Deposit Bonus: 200% up to €1000 + 200 Free Spins
  • 2nd Deposit Bonus: 100% up to €1000 + 100 Free Spins
  • 3rd Depsoit Bonus: 200% up to €1000 + 200 Free Spins
  • Wagering requirements: 35x (bonus + deposit)
  • Minimum deposit for the bonus: €25

Time2Spin Casino VIP Welcome Bonus: 600% up to €6000 + 600 Free Spins

  • 1st Deposit Bonus: 250% up to €2000 + 250 Free Spins
  • 2nd Deposit Bonus: 150% up to €2000 + 150 Free Spins
  • 3rd Depsoit Bonus: 200% up to €12000 + 200 Free Spins
  • Wagering requirements: 35x (bonus + deposit)
  • Minimum deposit for the bonus: €250
Damslots Casino
damslots medium logo
Damslots Casino Welcome Package: 750% up to £/$/€3000

  • 1st Deposit Bonus: 400% up to £/$/€800
  • 2nd Deposit Bonus: 150% up to £/$/€1,000
  • 3rd Deposit Bonus: 200% up to £/$/€1,200
  • Minimum deposit: €25
  • Wagering requirements: 50x (bonus)

Other bonuses are up for claim:

  • Crypto Bonus: 500% up to £/$/€500
  • Weekend Recharge Bonus: 75% up to £/$/€500
  • Daily Casino Cashback: 5% up to £/$/€2,000
  • Daily Extra Cashback: 30% extra cashback up to £/$/€2,000

What Are Progressive Slots?

To understand how to tell when a slot machine is going to hit, we need to explain what are progressive slot games and how do they work. Progressive slots are actually normal slot games. They can be classified as classic, video, or 3D according to their features. The rules are exactly the same: To qualify for a payout, you must place the same symbols next to each other. The difference from other slot games is that they have a big prize amount (jackpot). So, in addition to the payouts made by the symbols, there is another prize that can be won, and the amount of it is quite large.

If this additional prize is static (which means the amount does not change like the Reel Em In slots), you are playing a fixed jackpot game. However, if the reward continues to increase after every game played and lost, it is progressively growing. Therefore, games with this feature are called “progressive jackpot slots”. For example, Mega Fortune, which is among Netent slots, is such a game. The amount of the grand prize continues to increase until a player wins, and can sometimes reach millions.

  • Slot Tournament
  • Slot Tournament

    Looking for a challenge and an opportunity to earn big? Come check our article on slot tournaments

    Slots Tournaments

Top online casinos selection

Rank

Casino Name

Bonus

Casino License

Rating

Get started

1
Up to €1000
Curacao
Rating 9.99 out of 10
2
215% up to €2000 + 200 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.99 out of 10
3
Up to €1750 + 50 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.98 out of 10
4
500% up to €3000 + 500 Free Spins
Costa Rica
Rating 9.98 out of 10
5
Up to €3000
Curacao
Rating 9.98 out of 10
6
100% up to €1000
Curacao
Rating 9.97 out of 10
7
Up to €800 + 75 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.95 out of 10
8
Up to €2000 In Welcome Bonuses
Curacao
Rating 9.93 out of 10
9
100% up to €300 + 20 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.92 out of 10
10
Up to €4000 Welcome Package
Netherlands Antilles
Rating 9.91 out of 10
11
Exclusive 166% + 66 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.86 out of 10
12
100% up to €500 + 200 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.83 out of 10
13
Up to 360% Bonus - No Max Deposit Limit
Curacao
Rating 9.80 out of 10
14
Up to €600 + 170 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.76 out of 10
15
150% + 250 No - Wager Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.72 out of 10
16
200% Up To 1BTC + 100 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.65 out of 10
17
100% Up To €500 + 500 Free Spins
Malta
Rating 9.62 out of 10
18
100% up to €1500 + 150 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.50 out of 10
19
100% up to €500 + 200 Free Spins
Curacao
Rating 9.45 out of 10
20
€1050 + 300 Free Spins
Netherlands Antilles
Rating 9.40 out of 10

How To Tell If A Slot Machine Is Hot?

This term refers to understanding how to tell when a slot is close to hitting the jackpot. In other words, whether the progressive jackpot game is about to pay or not. So, how do you know when a slot machine will hit? Well, the old-timers had a way. Slot machines have a history of almost 150 years. They were invented in the late 19th century, and their designs remained unchanged until almost the 60s. The original design of the slot machines resembled the old clocks that had be to wind up to work: What spun the reels was springs and gears. After a certain number of spins took place, the springs and gears came to a certain position and remained steady for a while. The resulting kinetic energy caused a particular part of the slot machines to heat up. By tapping this section, professional gamblers could have understood how hot it was and see if the machine was about to pay. The terms “hot” and “cold” originate from this period.

Of course, hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines does not work this way anymore. A computer program now decides when to pay and uses an RNG (Random Number Generator) software for this. In other words, digital software answers the how often do progressive slots payout question. When you press the “spin” button, RNG creates random numbers and compares them to the numerical counterparts of the jackpot symbols. If the result is positive, those symbols appear on the screen and you win the jackpot. If it is negative, you have to try your luck again. Today, the question of how to tell when a slot is close to hitting the jackpot does not make any sense, because even the person who programmed that game cannot answer it. Each spin is independent of each other and nobody knows what the result will be. Below, we will share a few tips that can help you for hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines, but remember: There is no 100% sure way to predict when progressive slots will pay.

How Often Do Progressive Slots Payout?

Further Information

It is not possible to answer the question of how to tell which slot machine will hit, but we know that every progressive jackpot game pays eventually. In other words, we have statistical data showing the frequency of payment. Using this data, we can answer the question of how often progressive slots payout. Unfortunately, it is not possible to say that there is a certain pattern of payment frequency. When we look at the dates of past payments, we only see “chaos”. For example, Mega Moolah made the last three payouts on these dates: 30/12/2019, NZD 4,966,561; 5/4/2020, 16,496,347 CAD; 8/5/2020, 13.615.861 NZD. In other words, it waited four months without paying, but decided to pay in a row in April and May. Therefore, it is not possible to mention a certain frequency of payments. We can answer the question of how often the progressive slots payout simply by saying “nobody knows”.

Progressive Vs Regular Slot Payouts: Do They Affect Each Other?

No, they don’t. These payouts are independent of each other. You can win the jackpot during the free spins round, for example, or right after scoring a big win from symbols. Most of the jackpots are random and do not even require landing a specific set of symbols, they can happen anytime. Betsoft slots, for example, usually work like this: You can suddenly win the jackpot while playing the game casually. Hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines is random and regular symbol payouts do not affect it.

  • Online Slots Guide
  • Online Slots Guide

    Do you want to give regular slots a try? Come check out our article!

    Online Slots Guide

How To Hit At The Casino: When Do Slots Pay?

So, how often do progressive slots payout, really? More importantly, how to tell when a slot is close to hitting the jackpot? As mentioned above, nobody can tell, but we can share a couple of tips with you:

  • If a game’s jackpot prize is unexpectedly higher, this means that it will pay out shortly. For example, if a game with no payout greater than 100,000 EUR in the past has a jackpot prize of 110,000 EUR, it will pay in a very short time. (It is not possible to know the exact time, of course.)
  • Choose progressive slots that don’t require you to play with the maximum bet and divide your bankroll among them. In other words, don’t choose a single game and spend your entire budget on it: Every spin is a new chance to win, and making a spin in every game will be much more useful in the long run.
  • RTP is still important. Choose progressive slots with high RTPs, as long as possible. This won’t increase your winning chances but it will affect the payout frequency. As a result, you will win a prize much sooner. The average RTP of progressive slots is somewhere between 88% and 92%. Try to find 93% and more.

Progressive Slot Myths You Should Forget

1
There is no “system”, “tactic”, “strategy”, or any other kind of “secret” that guarantees a win in progressive slots. This is impossible. If someone is claiming the opposite, he/she is lying.
2
There is no such thing as a “hot” or “cold” slot machine. These are legends that are very outdated and have no validity anymore.
3
As long as you play in legal and licensed casinos, slot games are not “rigged”. There is no need for this because slots are designed to make the casino profit in the long run.
4
There is no such thing as a “loose” slot. Therefore, casino workers do not know where such games are and cannot help you.
5
Raising the bet does not change your chances of winning. (Note, however, that some games require you to play with the maximum bet to activate the jackpot.)

World’s Biggest Progressive Jackpot Win

Tip

This title belongs to Mega Moolah. On October 6, 2015, a man named Jon Heywood played the Mega Moolah game developed by Microgaming and earned 17,879,645 EUR. This payout has entered the Guinness Book of Records. Mega Moolah is still the world’s most winning progressive slot and paid a total of 79 million EUR in 2019 alone.

Pros And Cons Of Progressive Jackpot Payouts

PROS
  • They are big - big enough to make you a millionaire
  • Winning them is almost always a random event, you don’t need to learn new rules
  • They still offer regular payouts too, the jackpot is not the only prize you can win
  • Every online casino offers them
CONS
  • The RTP rates are almost always lower than regular slots
  • Winning the grand prize will require much more spins when compared to the regular payouts

Frequently Asked Questions about Progressive Slots Payouts

This depends on their RTP (return to player) percentages. Each game has a different RTP rate. If it is 95%, for example, you can recover 95 EUR/USD of every 100 EUR/USD you invest, and this means the payout frequency will be satisfying.
Until the RTP reaches 100%, the bets of all players are collected in a pool. Once the game surpasses this rate, the next player who spins the reels wins the jackpot.
Like all other slots: randomly. The winning conditions may be completely random, or they may require landing a specific set of symbols. Read the paytable of the game to find out.
Is it better to play progressive slots? If you do not have a limited budget, sure – they pay bigger and better. However, their payout frequency is low when compared to other slots, so they may not be the right choice for low rollers.

Learn How To Hit Jackpot On Slot Machines, Spin The Reels!

That’s it: Now you know much more about jackpot games. Nobody can tell how often do progressive slots payout but there are a couple of tips for hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines. We shared all of them above and you know how to hit at the casino now – it is time to make some practice. Join one of our recommended casinos, pick a jackpot game, and start spinning the reels: Good luck!