Published: 7 Sept 2025 | Updated: 3 Dec 2025
Have you ever wondered how much you could win in an online slot?
Depending on the game you pick, the top payout could be millions of pounds.
If you’re new to the world of online casino sites, you may have never heard of progressive jackpot slots. But these games offer players the chance to win huge payouts that grow bigger and bigger.
How do these jackpots work? Keep reading to learn:
- What progressive jackpots are and how they compare to fixed jackpots
- How progressive prizes increase in size during casino games
- How progressive prizes trigger and pay out
Progressive Jackpots at Online Casino Sites Explained
There are two types of jackpots available in casino games online:
- Fixed jackpots offer a set prize that remains the same at all times.
- Progressive jackpots increase in size until they’re paid out.
If you’ve played online slots or live casino games for a while, you’ll know that most offer fixed prizes. These can vary in size drastically. Some slots award a top prize of just 1,000x your bet, while others can pay out 200,000x or more.
However, progressive prizes can reach life-changing levels. For example, in 2025, one player won £11.5 million on Mega Moolah with a £1.50 bet. This is one of the most popular progressive jackpot slots on the market, along with Mega Fortune and Age of the Gods.
While wins like this are rare, the possibility of receiving so much can make progressive slots more appealing than others. They’re not just online, either. Progressive jackpots are available on slot machines at physical casino venues, too.
How Progressive Jackpots Grow
Progressive jackpot slots take a percentage of each bet that a player makes and add that to the jackpot. Depending on the number of players and wagers, jackpots can increase to massive levels in little time. In most cases, real-time jackpot values are shown alongside the reels for all players to keep track.
However, the structure of progressive prizes varies. Here are three of the different types available online:
- Network jackpots are funded by wagers on the same game across several online casino sites. These can pay out more than slots with a localised progressive jackpot (funded by players on one site only), especially on large networks.
- Time-sensitive jackpots (such as Red Tiger Gaming’s Daily Jackpots) are guaranteed to trigger once per day. As a result, players know there is a chance that they could win if they bet on a slot. However, the odds of winning the jackpot remain low — especially if many other people are playing.
- Tiered jackpots offer a few progressive payouts of different sizes. For example, these may range from a mini jackpot to a grand prize. The different jackpots available tend to be displayed on screen together.
The longer a jackpot takes to pay out, the bigger it can become — especially if it’s part of a slot that hundreds or thousands of people play each day.
Triggering Progressive Jackpots at Online Casino Sites
Want to know how you can trigger a progressive jackpot online? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Some jackpots pay out at random, while others require players to meet certain criteria.
Let’s have a closer look at the different setups:
Random Jackpot Triggers
These jackpots can trigger at any time. As long as a player has placed a paid bet on a game, they have a chance to win. This will be activated by a Random Number Generator (RNG), the same technology that ensures slots are fair and reliable.
Bonus Feature Triggers
Progressive jackpot slots may award their top prizes through a bonus feature only, instead of at random.
For example, slots on the Jackpot King network offer jackpot prizes in a bonus round. Players need to collect crown symbols throughout the feature to progress to the Wheel King round. Depending on the outcome of a quick wheel spin, players may win an enormous payout before the feature ends.
Symbol Triggers
Certain slots award progressive jackpots once a player lands a specific combination of symbols. This may apply to a particular payline and reel numbers only.
Betting the Maximum Amount
In some progressive slots, you may only have a chance of winning a jackpot if you bet the maximum amount on each spin. Using a smaller stake will prevent you from claiming a progressive prize, no matter how many spins you play.
Before you play any progressive slot, check the paytable or rules page for information on the jackpot structure. This will help you understand whether a jackpot is triggered at random or you must meet certain criteria first.
And here’s another critical point to remember: always responsibly play casino games (no matter how much you could win). Set a reasonable budget for yourself before you start playing, and stop before you go past it. Don’t chase a win that may never happen.
Whether you play on desktop or mobile, you may want to take advantage of safe gambling tools to mitigate the risk of overspending.
Conclusion
Progressive jackpots are common at online casino sites, and they may award life-changing prizes. But always check the rules before you play: research how the jackpot is triggered and the eligibility criteria. This is important to make informed betting decisions.
At Genting Casino, you can choose from an amazing range of progressive jackpot slots from leading brands. Play Eye of Horus Megaways, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, and many more today!
