There are so many different online slots to choose from that you might wonder how you can find one that suits you. Perhaps the best idea is to look at two of the most popular types of slots: progressive slots and classic slots.
By seeing what the differences between them are, you can decide which type suits you better.
The Biggest Prizes Are on Progressive Jackpots
The most obvious difference between these slots is that progressive jackpots have bigger top prizes. In fact, if you look at the paytable on a progressive slot, you’ll see that the rest of the prizes are very similar to classic but with the chance of a jackpot win added in.
You might think that this means that progressive games are easily better, but there’s another point to take into account before you make your decision. Those slots with jackpots can afford to pay out such huge sums because of a clever process where they take a small amount of each stake and add it to the top prize.
This has the effect of meaning that your chances of a standard win on a progressive jackpot are slightly lower than they would be on a classic slot. It isn’t a huge difference, but if you check the return to player (RTP) details you can see the exact numbers and which slots most appeal to you in this respect. You can learn more about these slots here: https://www.bovada.lv/casino/slots
The Basic Gameplay Is the Same
You might think that progressive jackpots offer a very different playing experience, but the truth is that the basic gameplay is identical in both types of slots. This is because the jackpots are added onto classic slots, sort of like an additional feature you can trigger. These also use similar themes, such as ancient Egypt, Norse Gods, retro slots, and so on.
Even a slot with a massive jackpot will still give you the chance to win on regular combinations of slots or on features like free spins. In fact, the basic gameplay is where you’re likely to pick up the majority of your wins.
How does the progressive jackpot come into play then? There are several ways that this is done on different games. For example, the progressive jackpot might just be awarded randomly to a player. This prize can drop at any time, so it doesn’t affect the gameplay in any way. However, you should be aware that it might only be available if you’re playing with a certain level of stake.
Another approach taken by some developers is to lead players into some sort of mini-game that they need to complete to earn the top win. You might be shown a set of objects to choose from or maybe given a wheel of fortune type-game with prizes on it to spin.
The Volatility Levels
All of the details we’ve looked at so far should help you to understand the key differences between progressive jackpot slots and classic slots. However, maybe you’re still left with some doubts about how likely you are to win on either type of game.
One of the most important points that explain this is the volatility level. This term is used in casino games to tell you the expected frequency and size of winning spins. This information is crucial in helping you to understand which games are right for you.
When a progressive jackpot is included, this tends to push the volatility level up, towards the highest levels. This is because there is the potential for massive prizes but they aren’t paid out very often. The basic game may balance this out to a degree by including a lot of smaller wins.
On classic slots, the volatility will be determined by how the developer has set up the game’s rules and payouts. You may have to look for reviews of the game to find out its volatility rating, although you can generally tell that a game is low volatility if the paytable includes a lot of lower prizes.
The Introduction of Hot Drop Jackpots
The online casino world is constantly changing, as new games and features are added. One of the most noteworthy changes in recent times has been the introduction of a new type of progressive jackpot called Hot Drop Jackpots.
While they work a lot like other types of progressive slot, there are a few differences to be aware of. This method uses three jackpots of different sizes, known as Super, Daily, and Hourly. You trigger the jackpot wheel and then spin it to discover which one you’ve collected.
In these games, the jackpot is triggered randomly, but it can also occur because of the Max Time and Max Prize triggers. These are features that make sure someone wins the money before the pool gets too big or it sits there for too long.
Classic slots and progressive slots both offer interesting ways of playing these games of chance. At the heart of each is a similar experience, but with enough differences to let you choose exactly how you want to play.