Progressive Slots
We’ve come a long way since the first slot machines were introduced to casinos in the late 1800s. The biggest real money prize available on the Liberty Bell machine at the casino was 50 cents, paid out in nickels. Granted, that would be more like $17 in today’s money when adjusted for inflation, but that’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the absolutely massive real money jackpots you can win at Bovada Casino. Thanks to the invention of casino progressive jackpots, you can win six figures with just one spin of the virtual reels.
You also don’t have to go to your local casino to play. Bovada has over 200 online slot games ready and waiting for you – many of them with a healthy online casino progressive jackpot attached. We’ll help you, the players, get the most out of these progressive slots when you play at Bovada; this handy online casino guide will show you how these online play features work, how those casino jackpots get so big in the first place, and what you need to do to unlock those massive real money payouts.
How Progressive Slots Work
Today’s online casino slots are actually quite similar to the old Liberty Bell machines: Put your coin(s) in, watch the slot reels go ‘round and ‘round, and if the right casino symbols show up, you’ll be greeted by a cascade of coins. Of course, everything is done electronically these days – and thanks to improvements in networking, International Game Technology (IGT) was able to release the first online casino progressive slot in March of 1986: Megabucks, which is still going strong today.
Progressive slots kick off with the jackpot set at whatever the initial amount will be. Then, as players continue to put coins into the machine, a small amount is taken from each spin and added to the jackpot, which continues to grow until someone finally wins. Then the jackpot is reset and starts growing again. The prizes can get really, really big in the meantime; the largest jackpot ever awarded in Las Vegas was on a Megabucks machine in 2003, a gigantic $39.7 million.
It’s the networking that makes these progressive jackpots so huge. You can still find some stand-alone progressive slots in Vegas, where only that one slot machine contributes to the jackpot. But when Megabucks first came out, IGT had each machine on a local network, connected via phone lines to a computer at their main office. The jackpot was (and is) shared among all the machines on the network, with every slot spin adding a little more to the pile.
Online slot games at Bovada are mostly individual, with the exception of a few table games that share a slot jackpot. You can see how big the jackpots can get when you browse the Slots menu in our online casino, as the online progressive games have banners advertising their size. When you open one of these progressives, you’ll see the jackpot at the top of your display, getting bigger with every slot spin.
How to Win at Progressive Slots
Depending on which game players play, players might have to complete certain actions before they can win the online progressive jackpot. Some games award the jackpot randomly, so every spin is a possible winner, no matter what symbols players come up with. Other games require one to line up special symbols or unlock Bonus Games that trigger the jackpot. Players can find out how to qualify for any specific progressive by consulting the game description for the chosen online slot.
Some online slots will also require you to make the maximum play bet (max bet) in order to qualify for the online progressive jackpot. This is similar to the game play in video poker at online casinos. In Strike Gold, for example, you can normally bet either one or two coins per play spin, but if you want to win the online slots progressive, you have to bet the maximum two coins. You can make this easier by hitting the “Bet Max” button at the bottom of your display.
While winning a progressive real money online jackpot is incredible, be careful while you’re chasing down that big money – these online slot games should be played for entertainment purposes only. In theory, if the online real money jackpot gets big enough, you can have a positive expectation with every play spin, but in practice, it could take thousands of slot spins before you win the real money jackpot, so managing your slots bankroll should be a part of your progressive jackpot strategy.
To avoid falling into this slots trap, treat the progressive jackpot as a special added feature of the game, and not the main reason to play. Find a slot that you enjoy playing for its own merits, and while you’re at it, remember to size your bets accordingly for each spin, based on the size of your bankroll and how many spins you’d like to get in per session. This will help you get the most out of your entertainment dollar when you play at Bovada Casino. The chance of taking down a giant progressive will put even more excitement into your game play.
Types of Progressive Slots You Can Play
Progressive slots fall into many of the same play categories as regular slots, each with something different to offer discerning players:
3-Reel Slots
This is the way all slots used to be. To keep that classic Las Vegas feel, games like 5 Times Wins Progressive give you three reels and a pared-down selection of symbols including Cherries, Bars and Sevens.
5-Reel Slots
For a more modern look with additional paylines, try the 5-reel slots at Bovada, including Birds of Fury and Big Money Bigfoot.
Video Slots
As the technology improves, more and more slots are adding advanced graphical elements to their games. Check out Indiana Jane and Cash Money Mermaids to see what all the fuss is about.
Rival Slots
The folks at Rival Powered have created some amazing progressive slots. Don’t miss out on Money Magic or Major Moolah, two visually impressive games with tons of cash to be won.
Most Popular Progressive Slots at Bovada
With nearly 50 different progressive slots up and running at Bovada Casino to play, there’s something for every kind of player. But where do you start? Try the Most Popular section; at press time, A Night With Cleo and Gold Rush Gus are the leading progressives at Bovada. We’ll tell you more about those games in a moment. Also very popular: 777 Deluxe, a throwback slot with all the familiar symbols from the one-armed bandit days – with a modern twist, and a progressive jackpot if you line up three gold Sevens.
Progressive Slots with the Biggest Jackpots
Because the progressive jackpots at Bovada Casino are reset whenever they’re won, the biggest jackpots available will naturally change over time, but chances are you’ll find a giant wad of cash waiting to be won in any of the following five slots:
Shopping Spree
If you need some retail therapy, spin up five Diamonds when you play Shopping Spree – using the max bet – and you’ll be rewarded with a whole lot of spending money.
Food Fight
Getting to throw food at people during the bonus round is a lot of fun, but the most fun comes from the progressive jackpot, which is yours when you play bet max and spin five Chocolate Pudding symbols on one of the game’s nine paylines.
Super Diamond Mine
If you place the max bet in Super Diamond Mine and come up with five Mine symbols, the progressive jackpot will be all yours.
Gold Rush Gus
The graphics in Gold Rush Gus are fantastic, the game itself is highly entertaining when you play, and when you dig up a Treasure Chest with a big shiny Diamond inside, you’ll win the jackpot.
A Night With Cleo
As mentioned, this is one of the most popular slots at Bovada to play, and not just because of the adult theme – there’s also a massive jackpot waiting to be won, with the prize awarded at random.
Where to Find Progressive Slots at Bovada
Are you ready to rumble? You’ll find all the progressive slots at Bovada Casino by opening up our Slots menu and selecting Progressives. There are dozens of games waiting to be played – tap or click on the thumbnail to open your chosen game and start spinning. Some of the thumbnails show you how big the jackpot has grown for that game, indicated by the red banner just above the title. New games are being added all the time, so keep checking in at Bovada to see what’s available.
If that weren’t enough, you can give these progressive slots a spin for free using the Practice Play mode. Game descriptions are included for each slot, so you can get familiar with the specific rules and gameplay before switching to the Real Money version. Try all the games that catch your eye, see which ones you like most, and start hunting down those big progressive jackpots at Bovada Casino.