Progressive jackpots grow over time as a slice of each bet feeds a shared prize. The three common types—local, pooled, and must-drop—behave differently under the hood. Knowing the mechanics helps you target better value and manage volatility.
What “progressive” really means
A progressive takes a fixed percentage of every qualifying wager and adds it to a prize meter. The meter resets to a seed amount when someone wins. The key levers are contribution rate, reset seed, and hit conditions.
House edge doesn’t vanish because a meter grows. You are trading base-game return for jackpot upside. That trade-off matters more on higher-volatility games and wide-area networks.
Quick glossary
- Contribution rate: share of each bet that feeds the meter.
- Seed: the reset amount after a win.
- Hit condition: rule that triggers a payout (symbols, random, or timer/threshold).
Local vs. pooled: network size and volatility
Local progressives collect bets from one casino or app. Growth is slower, but the field of competitors is smaller. You may see more visible “close to hit” patterns on busy evenings or promo days.
Pooled (wide-area) progressives aggregate across many venues or regions. Meters climb fast and can reach life-changing amounts. Volatility spikes because many more players chase the same pot, and wins are rare but large.
Practical trade-offs
Local games often have clearer cycles and friendlier minimum bets. You can sample more spins for the same bankroll and still see the meter move. Payouts are lower, but the time-to-result is predictable.
Pooled games offer the highest ceiling and the longest droughts. If you cannot absorb variance, scale down unit size or skip them. Check if the base game’s RTP was trimmed to fund the network; that affects long-run value.
Must-drop jackpots: timers and thresholds
Must-drop progressives pay before a stated deadline or value. Common flavors are “daily,” “hourly,” or “must drop by $X.” These rules change behavior near the end of the window or near the cap.
As the meter approaches its drop condition, effective value improves. More coins chase the same guaranteed payout, which can justify short, targeted sessions. The risk is crowding—wins happen, but average stake quality drops if you rush bets.
How to target must-drops
Track the typical drop range and time-of-day pattern. If a daily usually falls between $4,200–$4,600, entering at $4,550 is higher EV than at $3,800. Use small units; you want many tickets before the trigger, not oversized bets.
Confirm eligibility rules. Some systems require max bet or side-bet activation to qualify. If a side bet is mandatory, calculate your cost per minute and set a hard bankroll stop.
Compare at a glance
| Type | Feeds From | Typical Prize | Volatility | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local | Single venue/app | Low–Medium | Medium | Longer sessions, smaller roll |
| Pooled | Many venues/regions | High–Massive | High | Ceiling chasers, tiny units |
| Must-Drop | Varies | Low–High | Medium | Timed entries near thresholds |
Bankroll rules and common pitfalls
Set a unit size that survives variance. For locals, 200–300 units covers normal swings. For pooled progressives, use 400–600 units or micro-stakes; droughts are longer.
Avoid the “sunk meter” fallacy. A big tally of past losses does not improve your next spin’s odds unless the game has a true threshold trigger. Play where current conditions justify the price, not because you “came this far.”
Three-step targeting checklist
- Identify type: local, pooled, or must-drop; note contribution, seed, and any eligibility.
- Check conditions: current meter vs. usual drop range; network size; base-game RTP.
- Fit stake to variance: smaller units for pooled, timed bursts near must-drop thresholds.
Keep clean records. Log session start/end, bet size, meters on entry/exit, and any side-bet costs. Over a month, you’ll see which titles and times deliver real value and which just felt exciting.