What are jackpots?
The main prize in slot machines is referred to as the jackpot in the United States. Often, this is a progressive jackpot, which means that multiple slot machines - both different titles and identical slots - are connected to this jackpot across various casinos. Every time a player places real money bets on any of these slots, a portion of the wager goes into the jackpot. In addition to progressive jackpots, there are also in-game jackpots, which accumulate based on the betting amounts placed by players on a specific slot. Jackpots are awarded either randomly, through special bonus games, or by achieving a specific combination of symbols.
How does this slot function work?
Internal jackpots
Slot machines with internal jackpots have a special allure. These types of slots make it somewhat easier for you to collect top winnings compared to progressive jackpots. Some Merkur slots are particularly worth mentioning in this regard because in these games, you have the freedom to decide how much risk you want to take in order to win the jackpot. For example, in games like Alles Spitze, also known as King of Luck, you can cash out your winnings from the storage at any time or continue to fill it up until you reach the jackpot and try your luck.
Progressive jackpots
In the realm of progressive jackpot online slots, a whole array of slot machines are interconnected. And not just the corresponding slots within a specific online casino, but also the slots of this type across all other online casinos. This ingenious setup causes the potential jackpot amounts to skyrocket, often reaching values in the millions. Two prime examples of this phenomenon are Microgaming's Mega Moolah and NetEnt's Mega Fortune.
distribution
When you win a jackpot, it naturally depends on the specific slot you're playing. Many progressive slot machines operate on the principle of randomness. This means that at any given moment, without a specific in-game event occurring, a jackpot payout can happen. If a slot utilizes a bonus game for the jackpot payout, even that can be triggered randomly quite often. Additionally, there are special bonus symbols that can trigger the jackpot bonus game, such as in the case of Mega Fortune.
Typically, you can win in-game jackpots by repeatedly achieving a specific combination of symbols or by consecutively obtaining individual wins that ultimately lead to the jackpot.