What Does the Change in Progressive Jackpot Triggers Tell Us About iGaming Evolution

Progressive jackpots have been a big part of the slot machine landscape for years, but not everyone is aware that the win triggers have changed. Games are constantly evolving, and slots are no exception, but how has this occurred, and what does it tell us about the evolution of the iGaming industry?

The Arrival of More Slots and Hybrid Games

Casino jackpots are linked to classic slot machines in most people’s minds. We find it easy to picture the coins pouring out of one of these games while the bells sound, and everyone looks on in amazement.

Physical casinos used to have just a few of these machines, which were their high traffic slots that people would gravitate toward. Since we now play slots online, we can access a far greater selection of games that offer high prizes.

When looking at the lobby in an online casino, we see a big selection of progressive jackpot slots. Some of them look a lot like those classic slots, such as 777 Deluxe and 10 Times Vegas. Others introduce new themes, with Aztec’s Treasure and Big Money Bigfoot among the titles to catch our eye.

You might see that there are now far more ways of triggering jackpots apart from slots. You can also find card games, bingo, and other ways of playing that offer different jackpot options.

In this way, you can choose exactly how you want to play. If you want the timeless approach of trying to get matching symbols across a payline, there are still plenty of options for you. But if you prefer to try a new approach, you won’t be short of choice.

From Solo Machines To Progressive Mechanics

The early slot machines all had fixed jackpots. The first experiences that could be considered progressives had cumulative jackpots on that machine; people who had played it earlier contributed to the overall prize pool, and you could win a varying amount, depending on how long it had been since the jackpot last paid out. That concept proved very popular, with players getting understandably excited about the growing prize.

Later machines extended this idea a little further, connecting multiple machines within the casino into a network that all shared a progressive prize. This meant that you didn’t just have a chance at winning a prize that previous players had increased; you were actively competing against people at neighboring machines in an attempt to be the one to hit the big win. Still, the network was limited to nearby machines only, which slowed down how quickly the prize could grow.

This changed when multi-location machines landed in casinos. Suddenly, prizes could climb to very high numbers (especially considering what was on offer at the time) because various slots were linked across a phone line. This meant that the prize grew faster and that these games had a wider player base than any single location could command. It gave us an early glimpse of what the future would bring. These games offered many familiar mechanics, including a fixed return to player (RTP) figure, but they revolutionized how many people viewed casino prizes.

The Gamification of the Jackpot Win

The way that slot jackpots are paid has changed too. It used to be that you needed to simply get the right combination of high-value symbols, such as cherries or bells, to claim the top prize.

This type of winning mechanism can still be seen on some online slots, but it’s increasingly being replaced by a gamified experience. The winning combination mentioned earlier is now just the starting point for the real action where the jackpot can be won.

Once you see those five cherries – or whatever the trigger is on the slot you play – you'll be taken to a bonus round. This may be similar to the main game, or it could be a different set of reels or even a totally different setup. The aim is now solely to collect the jackpot, making this a high-octane part of the slots experience where every spin or action counts.

Knowing When a Jackpot Is Due

Perhaps the most interesting change has been in the way that we can see when a jackpot is due. The emergence of hot drop jackpots has added a new edge to these games, as you can see when a prize must fall by. The random element is still firmly in place, but this mechanism ensures that you can see when a daily or hourly jackpot is getting close to the winning deadline.

This has been a natural type of evolution that has meant that we can still enjoy the simplicity of slot jackpots but get added variety at the same time. The deadline element bumps up the excitement factor and increases the adrenaline that these games offer.