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It may be a simple enough premise, but there's a huge range of jackpot slot options out there. The following sections will talk about the different types of progressive jackpot slot games, some of the best online casino options to play them, and even a few tips and tricks to keep in mind.
Without further ado, let's get into what Canadian players can expect when they go looking for jackpot slot games in Ontario.
Regular Slots vs Jackpot Slots: Know the Difference
Regular (Standard) Slots:
With a typical online slot machine, the jackpot will pay a predetermined multiple of your initial bet. This will often be anywhere from 100X to 500X, but it will always be a fixed payout, based on the money you put in.
Progressive Slots:
With progressive jackpot slot games, the grand prize is always getting bigger and bigger, until a player hits the jackpot. (The jackpot is always "progressing," moving higher and higher.) Generally, a portion of each bet will go towards increasing the size of the jackpot.
Pros for Regular Slots
👍 Win requirements for jackpots are generally easier to achieve than with progressive jackpots
👍 Players always know exactly what the payouts are going to be
👍 Minimum bets will often be lower than progressive jackpot games
Pros for Progressive Slots
👍 Jackpots are much higher, and may even be uncapped
👍 An onscreen display shows you the jackpot in real time
👍 Progressive jackpots are collected separately, and the casino has to pay out every penny of it
Our Favorite Sites for Ontario Jackpot Slots
If the idea of playing a progressive jackpot slot has perked your interest, you're in luck. People in Ontario have a variety of online destinations for playing slots of all kinds, including many different flavors of progressive jackpots. Here's a selection of our top-rated operators for progressive slots:
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Jackpot City Online Casino We'll start our jackpot slot reviews with a casino that's got big prizes front and center, right in its name. Jackpot City has a variety of table games and standard slots, but where the operator really shines is its selection of progressive jackpot games. Mega Moolah, Maple Mega Moolah, Kings of Cash and Hyper Gold are just a few of the most-played options. -
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BetMGM Online Casino As one of the biggest names in the gambling industry, it's no surprise that BetMGM is a leader in Ontario jackpot slots. With responsive games, an easy-to-use interface and a huge player base, the progressive jackpots are always climbing. Progressive jackpot games include Mega Moolah, Megasaur, Gladiator and Vegas Night Life. -
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Party Online Casino With a focus on a welcoming, fun vibe, Party Online Casino also has an impressive range of gaming options, including progressive jackpot games. Partnering with top developers allows them to bring players responsive, polished titles like Melon Madness, Mega Moolah and Thunderstruck Mega Moolah.
Six Different Types of Jackpot Slot Games: Your Cash, Your Call
Whether you're a high roller who likes the atmosphere of an old-fashioned retail casino or a penny player who exclusively plays online, there are many different types of jackpots you can play for. Here, we'll explain the differences and similarities between them, along with some of the pros and cons of each.
🎰 Fixed Jackpot Slots
"Fixed" jackpot games are what we referred to as regular or standard slots in the section near the top of the page. They're standalone machines (digital or online) that have a fixed, set-in-stone pay table, with a jackpot that pays out a multiple of your bet size. There's a huge range for jackpot payouts, but most fall within the 100-500X range.
🎰 Progressive Jackpot Slots
Progressive jackpot slots feature jackpots that are always rising (progressing) to higher and higher levels as more people play. A portion of the money played into the game goes towards building the jackpot, which is almost always displayed onscreen. You can find progressive jackpots at retail and online operators. Many progressive jackpot games are of the standalone, single-machine variety, but certainly not all of them. Which leads us to...
🎰 Network Jackpot Slots
If you're playing jackpot slot games in Ontario, some of the biggest prizes can be found in network-linked games. The jackpot for a network game can be built up using a combination of money put into real-life machines at casinos and at slot games that live on multiple online platforms – even competing operators that use the same game developers! This not only lets you play "against" gamblers from across the world...it helps build up some of the biggest jackpots you'll find.
🎰 Local Jackpot Slots
Local progressive jackpot games are somewhat similar to network games but are typically limited to several linked machines in a single retail casino space. Despite the smaller scale, joining machines this way can still lead to much higher jackpots than you'd find on a standard slot machine, particularly at busy casinos or at peak playing times. And while you're still unlikely to hit a big payday, it's more likely to happen for a local progressive jackpot than a network jackpot.
🎰 Must Drop Jackpot Slots
With very steep odds and win requirements, you might very reasonably wonder if you'll ever see a progressive jackpot hit, let alone take home the prize yourself. Well, Must Drop progressive jackpots have a built-in mechanism that guarantees a jackpot to pay out in a given timeframe. These types of games are programmed to have a jackpot winner on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, before resetting the progressive jackpot to its starting amount. As the name implies, jackpots have to "drop" on a predetermined schedule that's clearly communicated to players.
💡 Tips and Strategy for Ontario Jackpot Slots
So what are some strategies and advice for playing jackpot slots? Good question.
Since a portion of every bet played is going towards building up the jackpot, the average return-to-player (RTP) and return on investment (ROI) percentages will be lower than a standard, standalone slot game. Nevertheless, you should always look for games that pay out a competitive portion of the money that's played into them.
Importantly, you should also look for a game with a level of volatility that matches what you're looking for. Do you want to have a shot at a bigger payday, or a better chance to walk away in the plus column overall? You can usually find this sort of information (along with RTP and ROI) online, as Ontario online casinos and game developers really don't have any incentive to hide those kinds of statistics.
Last, but not least, you should be realistic about your chances to win a progressive jackpot. For many progressive slots, particularly networked games, your odds to hit a jackpot are on par with winning the top prize on scratch tickets, or even the numbers games that state lotteries offer. There's no doubt that having a chance at life-changing prizes adds to the thrill of playing for some people – but it's also important to keep your expectations in check to avoid disappointment and maximize fun.
Jackpot Slots Ontario FAQ
With progressive jackpot games, a portion of every bet played goes into a non-fixed jackpot that keeps growing and growing until a player hits it. These payouts are generally much higher than regular slot jackpots, but also significantly less likely to hit. For more info on the different types of progressive slots, check out the descriptions above.
As mentioned in the "Tips and Strategy" section just above, the same basic advice applies to standard and progressive games. You want to look for healthy RTP and ROI numbers, and make sure you have a clear understanding of specific win conditions. As for your chances of hitting the jackpot, it's important to remember that the odds are stacked against you to win, and there's no way to significantly increase your chances. Be realistic and play responsibly to get the most out of your gaming budget.
Author
Tom Ober is a professional writer living in New Hampshire. An avid Boston sports fan, he's rooted with his heart (and wallet) for the local teams for many years. When he's not stationed in front of a game on the TV, he's probably playing Gin Rummy or a video game that's roughly 30-40 years old.
