The Slot Machine that Might Change Your Life

Nothing is more exciting and more tempting that a great progressive slot machine with a climbing jackpot appears ripe to pay off. For many slot enthusiasts, progressive slots have long been their game of choice because of the chance to win jumbo jackpots for a comparatively small wager. Responding to player demands to offer more choices of progressive machines with even bigger, life-changing jackpots, the gaming industry has responded with the development of Wide-Area Progressive slots, which have the potential to pay out million dollar jackpots while keeping individual wagers relatively low. Those dollar slot players of bygone days, who wagered $3.00 per spin for the chance to win $5,000, are understandably excited by these new progressive machines requiring as little as $1.50 per spin for the chance to win a million dollars.

So, how do the casinos do it? How can they pay out these gigantic jackpots while requiring a smaller per spin wager? In part, it's because the odds of hitting the jackpot are akin to hitting the lottery. In addition, the progressive slots offer far fewer minimum payouts, unlike the stand-alone slot machines, which have a higher hit frequency. In a recent interview in Casino Journal, Jared Torres, director of game development at Cadillac Jack said that Wide-Area Progressive slot players are "willing to forego minimum payouts for the potential of getting a much greater reward."

What this all means is that progressive slots offer the biggest jackpots, but they also take the most money - and, faster, because the payback percentage on these machines is much lower than on other slots. If the slot gambler wants his bankroll to last longer, he will need to find progressive machines with smaller coin values. The wins, if they come, may not be as large, but the player will have fun for a longer period of time.

If you're eager for a chance to win a jumbo jackpot during your next casino visit, you can recognize the progressive machines by the lighted sign displays showing the ever-growing size of the jackpot. On these machines, (whether stand-alone or linked to a wide-area network of other machines) a small percentage of each wager is used to increase the amount of the jackpot. "Bet big or go home" should be your mantra. You MUST play maximum coins/credits on these machines to be able to win the big jackpot. If you don't make the maximum bet, you're only building the jackpot for someone else, with no chance to win it yourself. Since you're also giving up frequent, smaller payouts in the bargain, betting less than maximum coins is a very poor strategy, indeed.

Do keep in mind that ALL slot machines are random games of chance. As such, there is no strategy you can employ to improve your chances of winning that life-changing jackpot. It all comes down to luck - it's as simple as that. Go ahead and try your luck on the Wide-area progressive machines, but don't make it the backbone of your slot play. Instead, set aside a certain percentage of your bankroll for a shot at a big payday, but reserve the bulk of your bankroll to play the stand-alone progressives or your old favorite slot machines. With their better odds and more frequent minimum payouts, you'll enjoy many more hours for fun and entertainment for your gambling dollar.