How Do Progressive Jackpots Work?

A man counts dollar bills. Adem Altan/AFP

A bettor in New Jersey hit headlines across the country after she clinched a $3.5 million payout from the MGM Grand Millions slot towards the end of 2021. 

The BetMGM customer, known as Dori B., decided to play this popular casino game after seeing the size of the jackpot. 

“I thought, ‘Someone is going to hit it, maybe it could be me,’” she said. . “On the night I won, all it took was a $10 spin. One second later, I became a millionaire – thanks to BetMGM – my life has changed forever.” 

It broke the record for the largest online jackpot in US online casino gaming history, eclipsing the $3.2 million that another BetMGM customer won, although it did not quite match the world record payout of €19.4 million that a Belgian player won on Mega Moolah in April last year. 

MGM Grand Millions and Mega Moolah are progressive jackpot slots. What does that mean, and how do they work? 

What Is a Progressive Jackpot Slot? 

Progressive jackpot slots are the best games for players that want the opportunity to earn a life-changing payout from a relatively small risk amount. 

They work differently from the majority of the video slots that you will find at online casinos like BetMGM, DraftKings Casino, Caesars Casino, and BetRivers. 

Every time a player places a bet on a progressive jackpot slot, a fraction of the bet amount goes into the prize pool. It continually increases in value on a progressive basis until someone finally triggers it. 

Lots of players try their luck at progressive jackpot slots because they are enticed by the opportunity to win a huge payout. That volume of players helps the prize pool swell, leading to some of the enormous prizes mentioned above.  

Progressive Jackpot Slot Options 

Most progressive jackpot slots span multiple online casinos across the country. That ensures a lot of players take part, inflating the prize pools on a progressive basis. 

Mega Moolah is the most famous of the lot, as it regularly breaks world records for the largest payouts. It is produced by Isle of Man-based company Microgaming, which is also responsible for the popular Major Millions and Wow Pot! progressive jackpot slots. 

BetMGM also has its own exclusive progressive jackpot networks, which are only available on BetMGM and sister site Borgata online casino. They include MGM Grand Millions, Going Nuts, and Loot’En Khamun. 

Some progressive jackpot slots have a low Return to Player (RTP) rate, but most of the games mentioned above have average RTP percentages, which is helpful when you consider that they also provide the opportunity to become an instant millionaire. 

However, to win a progressive jackpot, you will need to successfully line up lots of winning symbols. The mechanics vary on a game-by-game basis, but the chances of triggering the jackpot are low, and it is akin to playing the lottery. 

However, lottery draws are extremely popular for the same reasons as progressive jackpots, so they will continue to captivate players across the country in the years ahead as legal online casino gaming continues to spread.