Players in New Zealand love the thrill and excitement that spinning the reels of cutting-edge slots with massive casino jackpots brings. While many casino games offer exciting gameplay mechanics, engaging themes and attractive payout potential, nothing can compare to the progressive jackpot networks like Mega Moolah, where the seed value of its Mega Jackpot is $1 million!

With the ability to add these big win mechanics on top of pre-existing online and mobile slot machines, Kiwis can continue to play their favourite titles while still experiencing the rush of having multi-million-dollar casino jackpots up for grabs.

What Are Jackpot Slots?

Jackpot slots are a fantastic way to play for new and experienced online casino fans that provide the chance to win growing prize pools. One of the most attractive aspects of the catalogue of jackpot slots available at Guts casino is that each offers incredible entertainment value as a standalone video slot. In addition, you can claim an epic jackpot win if you trigger the progressive feature.

Progressive jackpot games tend to offer multiple-tiered prizes, with the top tier offering potential payouts in the millions of dollars. The game can provide such headline-grabbing rewards thanks to the fact that the prize pool is funded, in part, by fans of the feature. The network offers seed values at the minimum that the game will payout. With each game played, a small percentage of the stake is added to this seed value to build the prize pool to incredible heights.

Having players add to the total prize pool means it is far larger than those offered when the provider funds it themselves. Additionally, watching this incremental growth creates a sense of excitement.

These jackpot titles are not limited to a single casino to ensure that the prize continues to grow throughout the day. Instead, they are known as a network game. Players worldwide are all contributing to the same jackpot prize pool, which allows it to grow from its seed value to incredible heights in a brief period.

One of the unexpected upsides for players looking to manage their budgets is that this global participation in these types of jackpots has allowed the developer to keep the cost of spins relatively low when compared to high-value non-progressive slots. Despite Mega Moolah holding a world record for the biggest online slot payout, its maximum cost per spin is only $6.25. However, you can still spin to win one of its four jackpots for as little as $0.25, making it a very accessible game for any Kiwi to enjoy.

When checking out jackpot slots, we recommend knowing the difference between progressive and fixed jackpots casino games. While progressive titles function as above, with a seed value and then player-driven prize pools, fixed jackpot games do not. As the name implies, the value of these slots is that they offer fixed prize pools which will be calculated as you play.

For example, triggering the Mega Jackpot on a fixed jackpot slot could offer 2000x your bet. There is no growing prize pool in this instance, just the chance to trigger a big win multiplier. While the payouts are less on these games, the one benefit is that you do not have to wait for the prize pool to grow before it can be won. Many players can win these jackpots multiple times in a row.

Progressive Jackpots vs Daily Drops

One of the questions which often arises when discussing jackpots casino games is what the difference is between progressive jackpot slots and the increasingly popular Daily Drops jackpots.

As we have already covered, progressive jackpot slots like Mega Moolah and Wheel of Wishes offer players the chance to win incredible prize pools; however, there is no guarantee of when these jackpots will be won. As we have come to expect from games of chance, winning is a matter of luck and nothing more.

What made the Daily Drops progressive jackpots so popular in New Zealand is that the developer added time limits for winning the prize pool. At its core, the gameplay mechanics are the same as progressive jackpots, there is a smaller minimum seed value, and each spin of the Daily Drop slot machine sees a portion of player stakes added to the prize pool.

The Daily Drop progressive jackpot game has a ticker that shows the ever-increasing value of the prize pool and counts down to when the jackpot must be won. While there is no guarantee of exactly what time the prize will be triggered, the developer does guarantee that it will take place before the timer reaches zero. Once the Daily Drop prize is claimed, the jackpot meter and the timer reset, and the next Daily Drop begins.

While each participating venue can add or remove jackpot types, the three core prizes are the Mega Drop, Super Drop, and Hourly Drop. These are the prize tiers available in other progressive games, with the Mega Drop being the most significant jackpot and the Hourly Drop offering the smallest rewards.

In all fairness, even the Daily Drop jackpot prize comes nowhere near the values offered by traditional progressives. It averages payouts of around $50,000, and its biggest single win to date has been just shy of $80,000. The appeal of this new offering lies in the guarantee that it will pay out daily. Many players would rather compete for the smaller daily prize than hand their hats on the hope that they happen to be online when a Mega Jackpot finally pays out.

There is also the Must Drop progressive jackpot to keep slots fans engaged while waiting to see when the Daily Drop prize will be won. This game type is ideal for players who are short on time or waiting for the clock to run out on the bigger jackpots, as it is guaranteed to payout on or before the prize pool reaches $1000.

We recommend that fans of these games play high-value progressive and Daily Drops as it offers a wide spread of entertainment both in the long and short term.

Popular Online Casino Jackpots

Based on the games our Kiwi player base spends the most time on, we can confidently say that Wheel of Wishes, Fire Joker and Mega Moolah are the most popular progressive jackpot slots in the region.

If you are interested in spinning the reels of some of the richest online slots the industry has to offer, we recommend starting here:

Mega Moolah by Microgaming

Launched in 2006, Mega Moolah is popular with players in New Zealand thanks to its pedigree as a top title in the progressive jackpot niche. Mega Moolah's big draw card is its propensity to payout jackpot prizes worth several million dollars, earning itself the nickname "Millionaire Maker".

The video slot is set in the African Savanna, with a golden sunset and Acacia trees setting the scene. The 5x3 reels are filled with quirky cartoon wildlife portraits, including lion, giraffe, antelope, buffalo, elephant, and monkey symbols. The developer paid homage to the origins of slot machines by adding low-value symbols based on classic playing card symbols.

The base game can be slow in delivering notable wins across its 25 paylines due to its very soft 88.12% RTP and medium volatility gameplay. Despite this, the slot machine offers an enticing maximum win of 11,250 times your bet. With stakes ranging from $0.25 up to $6.25, slot fans can take home a reasonable return even without winning the progressive jackpot.

Fans of free spins will be satisfied, as landing three monkey symbols on the reels during a single game will award you 15 free games. During these free spins, a 3x win multiplier is active, helping maximise your returns on each game. Free spins can also be retriggered by landing three additional Scatter symbols on the reels during the bonus round.

The progressive feature is where the casino game truly shines, with the RTP increasing to a robust 96.98%. The seed values for its various casino jackpots are $10 for Mini, $100 for Minor, $10,000 for Major and an astounding $1,000,000 for Major!

Since its inception, the network has paid more than $1 billion in prize money, with its largest single payout exceeding $32.7 million.

Wheel of Wishes WowPot by Microgaming

Another popular Microgaming progressive jackpot slot in New Zealand is Wheel of Wishes. This entertaining casino game is part of the WowPot progressive network which looks to challenge Mega Moolah for the position of leading jackpot series.

The slot leans into the mysticism of the far East, setting the reels against the backdrop of an arid desert and populating them with a series of arcane symbols. This rich set of symbols includes a magical lamp, a treasure trove, a spellbook, vials of potions and an ancient amulet. The Wild and Scatter symbol leans into the classic domed and arched shapes associated with the East to drive the theme home.

Wheel of Wishes is a low-volatility slot machine which tends to offer fewer base game wins, and even those that land is not often very big, which is evident from its maximum payout of 500 times you bet. The game features a fixed RTP of 93.34% during both the base game and the progressive jackpot round. The slot machine is accessible, with its minimum bet starting at $0.10 and climbing as high as $200 for those looking to bet big.

The WowPot progressive jackpot is the most appealing feature of Wheel of Wishes offering players the chance to win one of four jackpots. The seed values are $10,000 for Mini, $50,000 for Minor, $100,000 for Major and an astounding $2,000,000 for Major!

Released in 2020 the WowPot progressive jackpot has already paid out more than $100 million in cash prizes and continues adding new winners every month.

Fire Joker by Play’n GO

When you are looking for classic slot entertainment with the chance to take home a decent jackpot payout, Play’n GO’s Fire Joker is worth taking for a spin. Building on the popularity of fruit machine-themed games, Fire Joker forgoes over-the-top reel action, opting for a more straightforward 3x3 reel set with five paylines.

In keeping with its theme, the reels are set against a diamond backdrop, and the titular Joker is the highest-paying symbol and the Wild. The high-value symbols are made up of 7s, stars, and bars. At the same time, the low-value assets sport the instantly recognisable plum, berry, lemon, and cherry symbols.

To add to the excitement factor, the developer added two unique features to Fire Joker. The first is an instant respin triggered whenever two reels hold the same symbols, and only a third is needed to complete a winning combination. The second is the chance to start a Wheel of Wealth mini-game where you stand to increase your winnings by 10x!

Fire Joker is an entertaining medium volatility slot machine with variable RTPs that range from 84.26% up to a stellar 96.15% during various features. With a maximum casino jackpot of 800 times your wager, the game holds reasonable value given that the cost per spin starts at $0.05 but increases as high as $100.

How To Win Jackpot Games?

No formula or betting strategy guarantees you will win any casino jackpots. Wins and losses are left entirely up to luck, as all payouts are determined by a random number generator (RNG). However, reading the game's rules is always suitable for understanding how the progressive jackpot is triggered.

In most instances, this will include landing a specific series of symbols on the reels during a single game. A complete list of the winning symbol combinations and how to trigger the various jackpot payouts will be available in the paytable section of the slot machine.

Depending on which version you are playing, there may be special requirements, such as having to spin at max bet to trigger the Mega progressive option. Be sure to be clear on the rules before spending any money to ensure you get the most value for your bet.

We always recommend sticking to games you enjoy playing and managing your budget to ensure that you have been entertained regardless of the outcome. To boost your bankroll when playing online slots, claim the current casino bonuses, as these will extend your playtime, allowing you to enjoy your favourite games for longer.

Play at Guts, and you can do all of this in a safe and secure gaming environment from the comfort of your couch or while on the move! You’ll also have access to top-rated customer service and the best range of jackpot games in New Zealand.