A progressive pokie funds its jackpot from a slice of every bet, so the base game returns less than a comparable fixed-prize pokie, and the jackpot makes up the difference only over a very large number of spins. A worked example shows where the RTP goes.
Where the RTP goes
How a progressive works
In a standalone pokie the biggest prize is fixed. In a progressive, a small share of every bet is added to a prize pool, and the pool pays out when a spin triggers it. The pool can be local to one casino, or shared across a network of casinos, which is how the large ones grow.
Where the RTP goes
The game’s total RTP is the sum of the base game and the jackpot share. If a progressive has a 92% total with 3 percentage points feeding the pool, the base game returns 89%. Compared with a fixed-prize pokie at 96% the player gives up 7 points per bet, in return for a ticket on a prize no fixed game offers.
Real games differ: some studios publish the base-game and jackpot parts separately, others only the total. Read the information screen where you play and treat a missing split as unknown.
What the record looks like
The largest reported win on this type of game is £13.2 million, paid in October 2015 on a 25p stake, and recognised by Guinness World Records at the time. It shows the tail of the distribution: a stake of 25p, a prize of more than 50 million times the bet. It does not show the odds, which the studio does not publish as a simple number.
When a bigger pool is better value
Suppose the jackpot component is worth 3 points of RTP at the pool’s average size. A pool 30% above its average then adds about 0.9 points, taking the total from 92% to about 92.9%. That is better, but still below a 96% fixed game. The comparison for a pool to beat a fixed game is size, not novelty: a pool has to run well above average to close a gap of several points, and you cannot see how close to a trigger it is.
How to treat it
- Price it as a lottery ticket sold per spin: the cost is the points of RTP you give up.
- Small bets can still trigger the jackpot, though on some games a larger stake improves the odds: check the rules screen.
- Do not raise the bet to “catch” a pool at its peak: the maths of a random trigger has no memory.
- Wagering on a bonus plays at the base RTP, so jackpot pokies are an expensive way to clear one.
Compare with volatility and what an hour costs in cost per hour.
Questions readers ask
Are progressive jackpots rigged?
They are random and audited under the studio’s licence; the point is that the maths is stacked toward the house through the lower base RTP, like every casino game.
Does a bigger jackpot mean it is “due”?
No. Each spin is independent, so a large pool does not make a trigger more likely on the next one.