Simply stated, a progressive jackpot is the highest payoff you can get from a gaming machine such as video poker or slots. The jackpot is called ‘progressive’ because its value increases every time a game is played and the prize is unclaimed.

To win a progressive jackpot, a player will have to get the most difficult combination of the game – normally a royal flush in video poker or a series of symbols on a specific row on a slot machine (alligators, cherries, lemons, etc.).

In some casinos, you have to play on several machines at the same time to win a progressive jackpot. In these instances, the progressive jackpot tends to increase in value quickly because more players are playing at the same time.

It’s easy to tell how much the progressive jackpot is worth by looking at the progressive jackpot meter. Once someone wins the progressive jackpot, it is re-set to a minimum level.

There are only so many ways a player can win a progressive jackpot. In slots, this means betting the maximum coins allowable. If you don’t, you may get the big jackpot’s winning combination of reels but that still won’t give you a progressive jackpot because you didn’t bet max coins.

The progressive jackpot also means playing the maximum paylines. If there are five paylines in a game of slots, you must play all five. Otherwise, you won’t win the progressive prize even if you get a winning combo which you didn’t pay for.

In video poker, aiming for the progressive jackpot means going for nothing less than the royal flush. This means sacrificing some pretty good hands to get the big prize.
Having a high pair is good, but you should break it up if you want to go for the progressive jackpot. The same goes for a two pair. Even if you have a flush, you must break it up if you want to get a royal flush. Sometimes, it just is not worth it.

There are also games such as Caribbean Stud Poker and others that give you a chance at the Progressive Jackpot if you make a separate side bet.

Progressive Jackpots are available at most Online Casinos, a couple of very generous ones to look our for are Mega Moolah and Major Millions, available at all Microgaming Casinos and Safecracker and Gold Rally available at all Playtech Casinos.