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Quick answer: jackpot slots are slots with a big top prize on top of their normal wins. On progressive jackpot slots, a small slice of every bet goes into a prize pool that keeps growing until someone wins it, which is how jackpots reach millions. The biggest online slot jackpot on record is €38.4 million, won on the WowPot network in December 2023. The trade-off: the base game usually pays back less, and the top prize is very hard to hit, so play for fun with money you can afford to lose.
Where we play jackpot slots
1win is our top-rated casino (9.9/10), with thousands of slots and a crypto withdrawal that took 15 minutes in our test.
Play at 1win18+. T&Cs apply. Not available in every country. Game libraries vary, so search the lobby for jackpot slots.
Best jackpot slots at a glance
| Slot | Provider | Jackpot type | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Moolah | Games Global | Networked progressive | Several record jackpots |
| Wheel of Wishes (WowPot) | Games Global | Networked progressive | €38.46M (2023 record) |
| Mega Fortune | NetEnt | Progressive | About €17.8M (2013) |
| Divine Fortune | NetEnt | 3-tier jackpot | 96.59% RTP |
| Hall of Gods | NetEnt | Progressive | €7.5M (2017) |
| Age of the Gods | Playtech | 4-tier progressive | Random trigger |
| Red Tiger Daily Drop | Red Tiger | Must-drop | Pays every day |
| Mega Joker | NetEnt | Progressive + Supermeter | Up to 99% RTP |
Some slots add a separate jackpot game: EGT’s 50 Amazons’ Battle connects to the four-level Jackpot Cards, and Wolf Gold pays three fixed jackpots up to 1,000x in its Money Respin.
We checked every figure against at least two independent sources and say so where they disagree. Casinos can run lower RTP versions of some games, so check the info screen before you play.
18+. T&Cs apply. Check that online gambling is legal where you live.
Biggest online slot jackpots on record
| Date | Game | Jackpot |
|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | Wheel of Wishes (WowPot) | €38,461,200.95 |
| April 2021 | Absolootly Mad: Mega Moolah | €19,430,723.60 |
| September 2018 | Mega Moolah | €18,915,872.81 |
| October 2015 | Mega Moolah | €17,879,645 (Guinness World Record at the time) |
| January 2013 | Mega Fortune | About €17.8 million |
The 2015 Mega Moolah win came from a 25p bet and was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest online slot jackpot payout. Records like these are extremely rare, which is exactly why the pools grow so large.
How progressive jackpots work
A small share of each stake goes into the jackpot pool. The pool grows with every spin until a player triggers the win, then resets to a starting amount called the seed. Depending on the game, the jackpot is won through a random trigger, a bonus wheel or a special symbol combination. Every result is decided by a random number generator, so no pattern or timing makes a win more likely.
Types of jackpot slots
| Type | Who feeds the pool | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Networked (wide-area) progressive | The same game or network across many casinos | The biggest prizes, won rarely |
| Local (in-house) progressive | Games at one casino or operator | Mid-sized prizes |
| Standalone progressive | One game only | Smaller prizes, won more often |
| Must-drop (daily or hourly) | A network of games with a payout deadline | Smaller prizes, guaranteed to pay by a set time |
| Fixed jackpot | Not a pool; a set top prize | Steady, known top prize |
The best jackpot slots
1. Mega Moolah (Microgaming / Games Global, 2006)
| Jackpot type | Networked progressive, 4 tiers (Mini, Minor, Major, Mega) |
|---|---|
| Mega jackpot seed | 1 million (in £, $ or € depending on market) |
| Base RTP | 88.12% (low because part of each bet funds the jackpots) |
| How it is won | A random jackpot wheel after any spin; bigger bets raise the chance of getting the wheel |
The most famous jackpot slot online. Every trip to the wheel pays at least the Mini. The Mega Moolah family has paid several record jackpots; read our Mega Moolah review.
2. Wheel of Wishes – WowPot (Games Global, 2020)
| Jackpot type | Networked progressive, 4 tiers (Mini, Minor, Major, WowPot) |
|---|---|
| WowPot seed | €2 million |
| RTP | 93.34% |
| How it is won | A wheel symbol in the centre 3×3 area during Power Spins guarantees one of the four jackpots |
Home of the biggest online slot jackpot on record: €38,461,200.95, won in December 2023. The WowPot network had paid out more than €225 million by then. Read our Wheel of Wishes review for how Power Spins and the jackpot wheel work.
3. Mega Fortune (NetEnt, 2009)
| Jackpot type | 3 progressive tiers |
|---|---|
| Top jackpot seed | 150,000 |
| RTP | Sources quote 96.0% to 96.9% |
| How it is won | Three or more bonus wheel symbols start a three-ring wheel that can move inwards to the Mega jackpot; bigger bets raise the chance |
A luxury-themed classic that paid about €17.8 million to a Finnish player in January 2013, a record at the time.
4. Divine Fortune (NetEnt, 2017)
| Jackpot type | 3 tiers (Minor, Major, Mega) |
|---|---|
| RTP | 96.59% |
| How it is won | Three or more gold bonus coins start the jackpot game |
| Bet size | Minor and Major jackpot values scale with your bet |
A Greek mythology slot with one of the highest RTPs among jackpot games. Read our Divine Fortune review.
5. Hall of Gods (NetEnt)
| Jackpot type | 3 progressive tiers (Mini, Midi, Mega) |
|---|---|
| RTP | 95.3% to 95.7% |
| How it is won | Three bonus symbols start a shield-smashing pick game; bigger bets raise the chance |
| Notable win | €7,525,932.97 at Folkeautomaten in June 2017 |
A Norse-themed jackpot slot that has paid several multi-million euro jackpots.
6. Age of the Gods (Playtech, 2016)
| Jackpot type | 4-tier progressive (Power, Extra Power, Super Power, Ultimate Power) |
|---|---|
| RTP | 95.02% |
| How it is won | Randomly on any spin, followed by a coin-matching game |
| Series | Dozens of Age of the Gods titles share the jackpot system |
Playtech’s long-running jackpot series. The jackpot game is triggered at random on any spin, and then a coin-matching game decides which of the four jackpots you win.
7. Red Tiger Daily Drop jackpots
| Jackpot type | Must-drop network jackpots |
|---|---|
| Launched | April 2019 (hourly jackpots added October 2019) |
| How it works | Jackpots must pay out before a deadline, such as every hour or every day |
| Available on | Red Tiger slots at casinos in the network |
Instead of waiting years for a giant pool, must-drop jackpots pay out much more often. The prizes are smaller, but someone wins every day.
8. Mega Joker (NetEnt)
| Jackpot type | Progressive jackpot funded by 3% of stakes, awarded at random in the base game |
|---|---|
| RTP | Up to 99% in Supermeter mode at max bet (much lower otherwise) |
| Volatility | High |
| Special feature | Supermeter: move base-game wins to an upper reel set with a better paytable |
A retro fruit machine with an unusually high top RTP, but only if you use the Supermeter correctly.
Does your bet size matter?
Often, yes. On many jackpot slots, including Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune and Hall of Gods, a bigger bet raises your chance of reaching the jackpot feature. On Divine Fortune, the smaller jackpots scale with your bet. A few older games only pay the top prize on the maximum bet. Big jackpots have still been won from small stakes, such as the 25p Mega Moolah bet in 2015, but always read the jackpot rules in the game’s info screen.
Pros and cons of jackpot slots
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Life-changing top prizes | Lower base-game RTP than many regular slots |
| Small stakes can still win on many games | Odds of the top prize are very long |
| Several jackpot tiers, with smaller ones won more often | Some games give better jackpot chances on bigger bets |
| Must-drop jackpots pay out every day | Easy to overspend chasing the pool |
Tips before you play jackpot slots
- Read the jackpot rules: check whether your bet size affects your chance of winning.
- Check the RTP: jackpot slots often have a lower base RTP because part of each bet funds the pool. For better long-term returns, see our highest RTP slots.
- Set a budget: jackpot chasing can burn through money fast. Decide your limit before you start.
- Pick a casino that pays: big wins need a casino with a proven payout record; see our best payout casinos.
- Try must-drop jackpots if you want more frequent, smaller jackpot wins.
Playing on a small budget? See our penny slots guide. Want bigger swings? See our high volatility slots.
Myths about jackpot slots
- “A jackpot is due”: no. Each spin is independent, so a big pool is not more likely to drop.
- “Casinos can switch the jackpot off”: results come from certified random number generators, and networked jackpots are run by the game provider. Choose licensed casinos with a good record.
More myths are busted in our slot machine myths guide.
Where to play jackpot slots
Our top-rated casino is 1win (9.9/10), with thousands of slots and a crypto withdrawal that took 15 minutes in our test; new players can use promo code Ultragambler (see our 1win promo code page). iWild (9.8/10) has a 7,000+ game library. Game libraries vary by country, so search the lobby for the jackpot titles above.
Jackpot slots FAQs
What is a jackpot slot?
A slot with a large top prize on top of its normal wins. On progressive jackpot slots, the top prize grows with every bet until someone wins it.
What is the biggest online slot jackpot ever?
€38,461,200.95, won on Games Global’s WowPot network (Wheel of Wishes) in December 2023.
Can you win a jackpot on a small bet?
On many games, yes, and big jackpots have been won from small stakes. But on some games a bigger bet raises your chance, so check the rules.
Is a jackpot more likely to hit when it is very large?
No. Every spin is random, so the size of the pool does not change your odds.
What is a must-drop jackpot?
A jackpot that must pay out before a deadline, such as every hour or every day, so prizes are smaller but won much more often.
Are jackpot slots worth playing?
They are fun for a small part of your budget. For better long-term returns, regular high-RTP slots are usually the better choice.
Important: check your local laws before you play
Online gambling laws differ from country to country, and in some places it is restricted or not permitted at all. Check that online gambling is legal where you live and that the casino accepts players from your country. You must be 18 or older (or the legal gambling age in your country, if higher). Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.
