Progressive jackpots: the price of the lottery ticket

A progressive jackpot grows with every stake from every connected player: a percentage of each spin feeds the prize. That implies an uncomfortable truth displayed quietly in game sheets: the jackpot contribution is deducted from base RTP — you buy the lottery ticket on every spin.

The extreme example in our archive

Mega Moolah: base RTP 88.12% — nearly 8 points below market average; the gap funds the record-setting prizes. By contrast, Divine Fortune runs a local jackpot at 96.59% RTP — the genre's rational compromise.

Jackpot types

Networked: fed by all operators running the game — huge prizes, minuscule odds. Local: your operator's players only — smaller prizes, better frequency. Fixed (EGT's Cards): four tiers dropping relatively often at small values — effectively a bonus feature, not a lottery.

Practical rules

Check whether the jackpot requires max bet or a side bet — on some titles the prize chance only exists above a stake threshold. And size your expectations: a progressive is entertainment with the ticket priced in, not a plan.

18+. No guide makes gambling profitable — only safer as paid entertainment. Responsible gambling →