Progressive vs Fixed Jackpots: Everything You Need to Know

Online casino games are fun to play, but you can take the thrills to the next level by playing jackpot games that could lead to massive wins, sometimes up to tens of millions. But before starting, you have to choose between the two types of jackpot games: progressive and fixed. Both offer the opportunity of a life-changing win, but they have key strengths and weaknesses that make each ideal for different types of players.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything about the two jackpot types to ensure you can choose the best option for your needs and preferences. We’ll focus on progressive vs fixed pokies, exploring their meanings, advantages and disadvantages. We’ll also highlight the best progressive jackpot pokies NZ and cover a few tips and best practices to help you maximise your chances of winning the jackpot.

What Are Casino Jackpots? Understanding the Basics

A casino jackpot is the highest payout that an online casino game can offer, triggered by landing a specific winning combination based on a random number generator (RNG). It is usually offered in slots and found in table and live games. There are two main types of casino jackpots: fixed and progressive.

What Are Progressive Jackpots?

Progressive jackpots have a top prize pot that grows in size with every wager placed on the game until won by a lucky player. The longer it goes without a winner, the larger and more exciting it becomes. It can grow into the tens of millions – the largest progressive jackpot win is a mind-boggling NZ$23,300,000!

An example of a progressive jackpot is the legendary Mega Moolah by Games Global, which awarded a NZ$23,300,000 win. It offers Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega jackpots starting at NZ$10, NZ$100, NZ$10,000, and NZ$2,000,000, respectively, and they grow indefinitely.

There are two types of progressive jackpot games:

• Local jackpot: A progressive jackpot exclusive to a particular casino or group of casinos owned by the same company. Only bets from these participating casinos contribute to the jackpot prize.
• Network jackpot: A progressive jackpot game that involves multiple casinos globally. All wagers placed by players worldwide contribute to the jackpot prize, allowing it to grow exponentially.

In both versions, the jackpot resets to the base amount once a player hits the winning combination, and the process begins again.

What Are Fixed Jackpots?

In fixed jackpots, also known as static or flat-top jackpots, the jackpot amount is determined beforehand and remains unchanged, regardless of the number of players. It offers a predictable payout, although it is not as substantial as that of progressive jackpot pokies.

A good example of a fixed jackpot is Pragmatic Play’s Sweet Bonanza, which offers a 21,100x max win that doesn’t change. Fixed jackpot slots should not be confused with pokies with a high fixed payout, such as Gates of Olympus and Big Bass Bonanza.

Key Differences Between Progressive and Fixed Jackpots

Progressive and fixed pokies have several similarities. In both, the player may be required to meet specific requirements to qualify for the jackpot prize, such as playing with real money, betting the maximum amount, or triggering a special bonus round, depending on the game. Both can be multi-level, offering Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand jackpots with different rewards.

However, some key differences distinguish them.

Payout Structures: How They Differ

The primary difference between fixed and progressive jackpots lies in their payout structures. Fixed jackpots have a predetermined jackpot amount that remains unchanged, regardless of the amount wagered or the number of participating players.

The top prize is usually offered as a multiplier of the stake, such as 5,000x, and doesn’t change when won. The game developer sets it, but some developers allow casinos to adjust it within specified limits.

On the other hand, the jackpot amount in progressive games grows until it’s won. It starts with a base or seed amount, such as NZ$2,000,000 for the Mega Moolah Mega jackpot, and grows with every wager. When the jackpot is won, the prize resets to the seed amount, and the cycle restarts.

Jackpot Size and Frequency: What to Expect

Progressive jackpot pokies prizes are often much bigger than those of fixed jackpots, but they can be smaller depending on your stake and progressive seed amount:

• Stake amount: Higher stake amounts on fixed jackpots can lead to a bigger jackpot prize than progressive games, especially in games with high multipliers. For example, if you won the jackpot with a NZ$100 stake on Fire Forge by Games Global, which has a 50,000x fixed jackpot, you’d receive NZ$5,000,000.
• Progressive jackpot seed amount: Once won, the progressive jackpot game’s prize resets to the seed amount, which can be lower than the fixed jackpot prize.

The progressive jackpot payout depends on the number of participating casinos, so the prize is higher if more casinos are involved.

When it comes to winning frequency, fixed jackpots are typically won more frequently due to the odds.

The Odds: Which Jackpot Type Offers Better Chances?

Fixed jackpots offer better odds of winning because they are smaller and don’t have complex winning criteria. Most only require you to land a certain symbol combination to activate the bonus round, which can lead to the top prize.

In contrast, progressive jackpots have steeper odds because they are larger and often require players to bet the maximum amounts.

That said, there’s a trade-off in the progressive vs fixed pokies debate: either a lower chance of winning with a bigger potential payout or a higher chance of winning with a smaller potential payout.

Advantages of Progressive Jackpots

The advantages of playing progressive jackpots include:

• Massive prizes: Progressive jackpots offer the biggest payouts in online casino games because the prize can grow indefinitely.
• Thrilling experience: Watching the jackpot grow into the millions creates a sense of thrill and anticipation.
• Sense of community: Since players from different locations contribute to the growing prize pool, progressive jackpot pokies foster a sense of community.

Drawbacks of Progressive Jackpots

Progressive jackpots have the following disadvantages:

• Tougher winning odds: Winning a progressive jackpot is much harder than winning a fixed jackpot.
• High volatility: Progressive jackpot games are more volatile than fixed jackpot games, which means you can’t receive regular small wins as you aim for the top prize.
• Lower base amount: While progressive jackpots keep growing, they usually start from a smaller base amount than that of fixed jackpots. If you win it early, you may get a smaller prize than in fixed jackpots.
• Lower RTPs: Progressive jackpot games usually have lower RTP values, so you might get smaller payouts during regular play in the long run.

Advantages of Fixed Jackpots

The advantages of fixed jackpots include:

• Predictable payouts: With fixed jackpots, you know exactly what you are playing for, which can be motivating.
• Low volatility: Fixed jackpots are generally less volatile than progressive jackpots, which means you can enjoy smaller and more frequent wins that keep your bankroll steady as you aim for the top prize.
• Better odds: Statistically, you have better odds of winning the top prize in fixed jackpots compared to progressive jackpots.

Drawbacks of Fixed Jackpots

• Lower payout: Winnings in fixed jackpots are modest compared to progressive jackpots that haven’t been won in a while.
• Less exciting: While pursuing a fixed prize can be motivating, it is less exciting than going after a constantly increasing prize.
• Win limited to stake amount: The top prize is usually in the form of a multiplier, such as 1,000x, so the win depends on the amount you stake. This means budget players with low stake amounts don’t have the chance to land a life-changing win in fixed jackpots.

Best Progressive Jackpot Pokies to Play in New Zealand

Progressive jackpot slots feature a diverse range of themes, gameplay, and jackpot prizes, providing unique experiences. In this section, we’ll explore the best progressive jackpot pokies in New Zealand and highlight why they stand out.

Top Progressive Jackpot Games

The best progressive jackpot pokies NZ include:

• Mega Moolah: A legendary African safari-themed slot from Microgaming that offers four different jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and Mega, which can be triggered randomly on any spin.
• Mega Fortune: A luxury-themed slot from NetEnt with three progressive jackpots: Rapid, Major, and Mega, triggered by landing three or more bonus symbols on a payline.
• Divine Fortune: A Greek mythology-themed game from NetEnt that features three jackpots: Minor, Major, and Mega. To win the jackpots, you have to trigger the jackpot bonus game and fill the rows with bonus symbols.
• Wheel of Wishes: A magic-themed slot from Alchemy Gaming that offers four progressive jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major or WowPot, triggered by landing two or more scatters to activate the Power Spin bonus round.
• Queen of Alexandria: An ancient Egypt-themed slot from Microgaming with four jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major, and WowPot. To trigger it, you have to land the progressive symbols to activate the Progressive Wheel Feature.

Other popular progressive jackpot slots in NZ include Hall of Gods, Arabian Nights, and Age of the Gods.

Why These Games Stand Out

Each of these progressive games stands out for its unique reasons. The top two, Mega Moolah and Mega Fortune, hold the record for some of the largest online slot jackpots ever won. Mega Moolah is dubbed “Millionaire Maker” due to its history of awarding massive prizes, as it is responsible for the top seven biggest jackpot wins. The other titles have also awarded life-changing prizes over the years.

Other than massive prizes, these progressive slots stand out for their immersive themes, sounds, and engaging animations. NetEnt and Microgaming excel in this area, known for their visually rich and well-animated slots.

They also offer thrilling bonus features, such as free spins and multipliers, along with innovative gameplay mechanics that make each spin exciting and unpredictable.

Which Jackpot Type Should You Choose? A Detailed Guide

Both jackpot types offer the promise of a life-changing win, but they work in different ways and provide different experiences, appealing to different players. In this section, we’ll focus on the comparison between progressive and fixed pokies to help you choose the ideal option. We’ll also explore some playing and winning tips and strategies.

Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Progressive and Fixed Jackpots

The best type of jackpot for you depends on your individual gaming goals and preferences. To identify it, consider the factors below:

• Payout size: If the size of the jackpot is important to you, progressive jackpots are your best bet. However, keep in mind that they may have a lower starting amount than fixed jackpots.
• Volatility: If you seek steady wins to stay motivated as you chase the top prize, choose fixed jackpots: their low volatility offers consistent and reliable payouts over time. However, if you don’t mind longer dry spells, progressive jackpot pokies may be for you.
• Odds: Fixed jackpots offer better odds of winning.
• Requirements: Fixed jackpots have fewer requirements than progressives, which have maximum bets and other eligibility requirements.
• RTP: Progressive slots usually have lower RTPs than fixed jackpots, which means they return less of your wagers in the base game over time compared to fixed jackpots.

If you’re still not sure which jackpot type to choose, you can try both. NZ casinos like Royal Stars have them in demo mode, so you can test a few sessions with both to discover which option suits your playing style.

Best Practices for Playing Each Jackpot Type

If you choose progressive jackpots, you should first check the eligibility rules, because they often have conditions like maximum bets or special triggers. Since progressives are volatile, stick to small wagers to ensure your bankroll can weather long dry spells.

If you decide on fixed jackpots, choose low-volatile, high-RTP games to increase your win frequency and keep your bankroll healthy. You may be tempted to place higher wagers because the win depends on your stake, but it’s wiser to keep your bets moderate to play longer.

Nonetheless, whichever type of jackpot you choose to play, ensure your gaming experience remains enjoyable by:

• Keeping your expectations realistic: Casino jackpots are exciting, but remember that the odds of winning are extremely low. Play for fun and avoid chasing the top prize because it can lead to overspending and frustration.
• Setting a budget and sticking to it: While jackpots can be enticing, they can deplete your bankroll quickly if you’re not careful. To play longer, set a wagering budget and stick to it, taking regular breaks and avoiding the temptation to chase losses. You can utilise responsible gambling resources, such as deposit and wager limits.
• Avoiding chasing losses: Jackpots can have long losing streaks like any other online casino game, so you should resist the urge to increase your bets or exceed your budget in hopes of recovering them. You can’t land a jackpot just by sheer will.

How to Maximise Your Chances of Winning

Random number generators trigger Jackpot wins, so there’s no way to guarantee success – if there were, jackpot wins would be more frequent. However, you can maximise your chances of winning by:

• Checking the rules: Before spinning the reels, check the rules for participating in the jackpot to understand how the game works. Some have max bets and other requirements that you must meet to qualify.
• Focusing on slots with smaller jackpots: It may feel counterintuitive because the allure of a multi-million-dollar prize is hard to resist, but the odds of winning smaller jackpots are significantly higher than those of bigger jackpots.
• Playing in demo: Practice the games in demo mode to create a wagering strategy before you start aiming for the top prize.
• Considering the RTP values: Casinos often adjust the RTPs of their jackpot games, so check the RTP values of different jackpot games to choose one that aligns with your preferences.

Conclusion: Progressive vs Fixed Jackpots—Which One Wins?

In the progressive vs fixed pokies debate, the winner depends on the player, as both options have different strengths and weaknesses. Fixed jackpots don’t offer a prize as big as that of progressive jackpots, but they come with lower volatility and higher RTPs, so they offer steady wins that can keep your bankroll healthy. They are also more likely to hit than progressives.

On the other hand, progressive jackpots can offer tens of millions in prizes, but with their high volatility and low RTPs, you need a strict bankroll management strategy or regular deposits to play longer. Plus, the max bet requirement in some games can quickly drain your funds because of the low odds of winning the jackpot.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Jackpot for You

You need to consider your needs and preferences to choose the right jackpot. If you like taking risks and have a bankroll that can handle long losing streaks, go with progressive jackpots. But if you have a smaller bankroll and prefer frequent and predictable wins, fixed jackpots are right for you.