One of the most popular casino games people can play is the slot machine. It is popular not only because it is easy to use and does not require you to learn any rules or tricks for playing, but also because it can make you win big with a single pull of a handle. This is why you can see casinos online and on land having a huge selection of slot machines for their gamers to choose from.
When it comes to slot machine gaming, people tend to gravitate towards slot machines that give them the chance to win big. The machines that can do this are progressive slot machines that have ever increasing jackpots that when hit gives the player hundreds of thousands and even millions in winnings. Of course, progressive jackpot slot machines are not that easy to win at, but then again, so are regular slots.
This is where the question of which type of slot machine should you play on comes in. Should you try your luck on progressive jackpot slot machines or is a regular slot machine your best option for winning anything when it comes to the one-armed bandit? What makes one better than the other?
Before we answer these questions, let us first understand what each slot machine type is and how a person can win on them.
Progressive Jackpot Slot Machine
In a nutshell, a progressive slot machine has a jackpot that increases in amount as more people play on it. This means that progressive slot machines can have really massive jackpots until someone wins it. These machines usually have a base jackpot to begin with and this amount increases as more people play the machine over a span of time.
Progressive slots can be linked with others like it in order to make the jackpot prize go higher faster and to make it more enticing and exciting for players. Some of these machines are even linked across outlets and portals, which is what allows the jackpot to reach immense proportions, sometimes in the millions. When a person wins the jackpot, the prize starts at the base point again and slowly increases until someone triggers the jackpot yet again.
Regular Slot Machine
A regular slot machine also has a jackpot that you can win if you get the right symbols to line up on the reels. The difference however is that while progressive slots have an ever increasing jackpot prize until someone triggers it, regular slots have a jackpot that stays the same no matter how many people play on it. It can be won over and over again without the amount ever changing.
The amount that can be won on regular slot machines is considerably smaller than those on progressive slots. Prizes are usually based on how much you bet multiplied by the jackpot number of coins. For example, if you bet £1.00 and you hit the jackpot which brings with it a x3000 prize, then you get £3,000.00 as your prize. If you bet £2.00 then your prize would be £6,000.00 for a jackpot combination based on the pay table of your machine.
How to Determine Which Type of Machine is Best for You
When you are trying to choose which type of slot machine game to play, you will want to determine where your money is better spent. Most people would say that your best option would be to go for the machine that offers you the biggest payout, which is the progressive slot, but is it though? Should you just throw caution to the wind and bet your hard-earned- money on a machine that might possibly win you millions but has a low probability of doing so? Is a regular slot machine better at letting you win than progressive slot ones?
The answer to this question is actually dependent on a number of factors. For starters, the odds of winning at progressive slots are usually dependent on the design of the machine and the odds of the machine itself. These odds, which are called RTP percentage or return-to-player percentage, is the percentage by which a person gets to earn back the money they play at these machines - the higher the number of this percentage, the bigger the odds that you will win back the money you play on these machines.
Most regular slot machines come with upwards of 90 percent RTP, which can translate to getting 90 percent of every bet you make. So if you play £1.00 slots, you are paid back £.90 of what you bet on these machines, if you are lucky. Almost all machines, whether online or in real life, come with a 90% RTP or higher.
Progressive slot machines, on the other hand, can be somewhat tricky to win on. Since a lot of people are playing to win that one big jackpot, it’s basically a game of who gets it first. These also come with winning patterns that are more difficult to hit, some extra rules that need to be followed, and even an extra game that you need to win at in order to bag the top prize. In short, progressive slots are more difficult to win at than regular slots.
To determine which machine is best for you, you first need to figure out what your gaming style and intentions are. If you are playing to hit it big no matter what the cost, then progressive slots are best for you. If you want to win small amounts over time, slowly building to a substantial but not necessarily life-changing win, then regular slots may be best for you.
Another thing to consider when you are choosing slot machine types to play is your budget and playing time. If you want to play for a longer period of time, then a standard machine is what you should play on. If you want to win small amounts constantly and have a bigger chance of bringing home money after a day of playing slots, then regular machines are indeed the way to go.
If you are a gamer who wants to hit it big and are not averse to playing on a machine that everyone else is trying to win big on, then you should play on a progressive jackpot machine. You should know before you start playing however that most progressive slots have a lower payout ratio than regular slots, so the chances of winning small but constant amounts on these machines is pretty slim. You should also be aware that in order to win the jackpot, you need to bet max every single time, so this can translate to higher costs when you are playing.
When Is It Best to Play on Progressive Slot Machines?
When you are aiming to win big on slot machines, then progressive slots are the way to go. There are some things you need to keep in mind before you start feeding these machines your money though. When it comes to progressive machines, there is such a thing as perfect timing in order to increase your chances of hitting it big. When is it best to play on these massive jackpot machines? Here are some of the better times to do so:
When no one has won the jackpot in a long time – when the machine has been sans a winner for ages, it is ripe for the picking, so to speak. This means you should definitely try your luck on it. Who knows, you might be the next slot machine gazillionaire out there! The logic behind this is actually pretty simple. When a machine’s jackpot has risen to exponential heights and no one has won it yet, it is a good idea for you to try your luck on it since more people will be playing on it.
You can compare it to playing the lotter when the prize is still pretty low to betting your numbers when the prize has reached hundreds of millions. More people will bet, which can mean that there is a higher chance of someone winning since there will be more lottery number combinations out there.
When the jackpot has reached massive amounts – this is still technically the same as playing when no one has won the jackpot in a while. The jackpot prize of a progressive slot machine, particularly one that is connected to a single prize all around the world, will become massive when no one has won it for a long time and when people continuously play it. When a prize gets too big to ignore, and more people play it, the chances of someone winning the jackpot increases as well.
When you are feeling lucky – have you ever had those days when you feel like you can never lose? Those days when everything is going right for you and all that you say or do benefits you in one way or another? Well, if that is the case, you should try your luck at a progressive machine. Who knows, your good luck may carry over and win you the jackpot. Of course, when you play, try to set a budget so you don’t go overboard and bet everything you have simply because you are feeling lucky. Setting a limit will help you control the urge to continue betting even when your luck has already turned.
Which Machines are Better to Play At?
At the end of the day, it all comes down to which machines you are comfortable and feel lucky to play at. If you find that you are luckier playing on regular slots than you are on progressive ones, then stick with the machines that make you feel like a winner. Also, try to choose machines that have a higher RTP since these usually give you more chances of winning than others.
If you are after a big win that can change your life however, then progressive slots are where it is at. Just be careful when you do try your luck on these machines since these can be very addictive and can lure you into thinking that the next spin will give you the jackpot that you crave. Set a budget for your progressive slot machine gaming, always bet max, and try your luck when you are feeling lucky.
There is no such thing as a better slot machine to play on when it comes to choosing between regular and progressive slots. It’s all a matter of which machine you enjoy playing at and which ones give you the satisfaction that is felt when you win. It is also a matter of finding the machine that you can easily understand when you play since there are actually quite a few that are too complex for some people to understand.
The one thing you should always keep in mind when you do gamble on these machines, whether online or in a real life casino, is to do so responsibly. Luck can turn in an instant and if you notice that your luck has taken a downward trend, it might be a good idea to give it a rest. Always set a budget when you gamble so you don’t bet away your life’s earnings, your home, and everything else that you own just because you are feeling lucky.
Responsible gambling is, after all, what you should practice in order to enjoy your slot machine gaming without having to worry about going beyond what you can afford. Once you reach your limit, stop and tell yourself that you can game another day since your budget has been reached. It is also a good idea to set a time constraint on your gaming so that you can still walk away with winnings when you are feeling lucky on these machines or on the tables.
