I thought putting a list together of the best progressive slot machines was going to be easy. After all, any list of the best of anything should be easy. But, when I started making a list, I ended up with more questions than answers.
In the end, I came up with six progressive slots games worthy of a spot on the list. Four slot machines are online progressive slots and two are only found in land-based casinos.
Of course, there are 100s of progressive slot machines available online and in land-based casinos. But only these six deserve a spot in this post.
What did it take to land on this list of the top progressive slot machines? The main factor was popularity. But large progressive jackpots and game features also came into play.
Table of Contents
The Top 4 Best Progressive Slot Machines Online
I didn’t know whether to start with online progressive slots or land-based casino progressive lots. I finally decided on online slot machines first because that’s how I play most of the time. But you can read about the best land-based progressive slot machines in the section following the online section.
Online progressives and land-based progressives operate the same. So, it doesn’t matter where you play. All that matters is finding the best progressive slot machines.
1- Mega Moolah
Mega Moolah belongs at the top of the best online progressive slot machines because of the huge jackpots gamblers have landed over the years. The Microgaming slots game offers four progressive jackpots. Over 70 lucky slots players have won the top jackpot, and the number keeps going up.
Unlike many progressive slots games, Mega Moolah only has 25 pay lines spread across five reels.
The Mega Moolah bonus wheel triggers randomly. With many progressive slots games, you have to hit a specific combination to win the progressive jackpot.
Once the bonus jackpot wheel triggers, you spin the wheel. If the wheel lands on one of the four progressive jackpot spaces you win. The top jackpot gets all of the press, but you’re more likely to hit one of the smaller jackpots.
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The Mega Moolah top jackpot rests at 1,000,000 when someone wins, so it’s always worth at least a million. As far as I’m concerned, the only downside to Mega Moolah is it’s not available where Microgaming casinos aren’t available. This leaves most US-based gamblers out of luck.
2- Mega Fortune
Created by Netent, a leading slot machine developer, Mega Fortune offers a big online progressive jackpot.
Mega Fortune uses 25 pay lines, five reels, and three rows. At first glance, it looks like a lot of other online slot machines. But the progressive jackpot starts at £150,000 and frequently climbs over a million.
In addition to three different progressive jackpot levels, Mega Fortune also features free spins and wild symbols.
When you get three bonus wheel symbols anywhere on the reels the Mega Fortune bonus round launches. Push the spin button and the wheels start spinning.
Three wheels spin and advancing to the third wheel unlocks the chance at the progressive jackpot. When you land on an arrow on the outer wheel you advance to the second wheel. Hitting another arrow advances to the third wheel.
Fortunately, once you unlock the bonus round, you’re in for a nice prize. Even when you don’t land on an arrow you win.
You can only play Mega Fortune in online casinos using Netent games.
3- King Cashalot
King Cashalot, a Microgaming progressive slot machine, uses nine pay lines and five reels. Nine pay lines make it simpler than most other progressive slots games, but King Cashalot still provides a jackpot that often goes over 1,000,000.
To win the progressive jackpot, line up five King Cashalot symbols on the ninth pay line. But you have to bet the maximum coins to win the progressive jackpot. Imagine lining up five King Cashalot symbols on the ninth pay line and not winning the progressive jackpot.
The progressive resets to 100,000 after each win. But the progressive hits only once or twice most years, so it quickly grows.
4- Hall of Gods
In addition to Mega Fortune, Netent also lands a second progressive slots game on this list. Netent introduced Hall of Gods in 2012, and it’s still going strong.
Hall of Gods uses three rows, 20 pay lines, and five reels. To unlock the chance to win the progressive jackpot, you need to land three hammer symbols anywhere on the screen. Hammer symbols only appear on the third, fourth, and fifth reels.
When the bonus feature gets triggered, you pick shields. If you match three shields, you can win one of the three progressive jackpots.
The three possible progressive jackpots are mini, medium, and mega. When you match three mega jackpot shields you win the top progressive prize.
Other features of the Hall of Gods include wild symbols, scatter symbols, free spins, and multipliers. And if you haven’t guessed by the name, Hall of Gods uses a mythology theme. But it’s not just any mythology theme. Hall of Gods uses Viking mythology for the theme.
The 2 Best Land-Based Casino Progressive Slots
I don’t play many slot games in land-based casinos anymore. Most of the time, I play online progressive slots games. But there are two progressive slot machines that even casual slots players know about.
Every land-based casino knows top jackpots bring gamblers into the casino. So, most casinos offer many different slots games with progressive jackpots. But the fun game play also plays an important part in keeping slots players coming back for more action.
The two slots games in this section combine entertaining game play with huge jackpots. And these games continue attracting gamblers year after year.
Here’s more information about the two best progressive land-based slot machines.
5- Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune slots, the most famous slot machine in history, belongs at the top of any top slots list. Based on the popular television game show, Wheel of Fortune, this slot machine brand has dominated the casino market for as long as I can remember.
IGT manufacturers all Wheel of Fortune slot machines. And there are several variations of the base game. Of course, the way you can quickly pick out a Wheel of Fortune machine is the big spinning wheel that looks a lot like the wheel when you watch the television show.
You don’t have to line up a bunch of special symbols to have a chance at the Wheel of Fortune feature where you get to spin the wheel. You just need the spin symbol to land on the third reel.
Every Wheel of Fortune slot machine doesn’t have a progressive jackpot. But the Wheel of Fortune progressive slot machines are the best in most land-based casinos.
On quarter machines, the jackpot starts at $200,000. And on $1 and $5 machines, the jackpot starts at $1,000,000.
You can play many different online knockoffs of Wheel of Fortune, but official Wheel of fortune slot machines are only available in land-based casinos.
6- Buffalo Grand
The Buffalo theme of slot machines has been available in land-based casinos for a long time. But the Buffalo Grand slot machine sits at the top of the food chain. Not only does it offer a unique slots experience, but it also has big progressive jackpots.
The first things that jump out about Buffalo Grand slots are the big screen and unique reel setup. Instead of a classic reel setup, Buffalo Grand uses a 4 – 5 – 5 – 5 – 4 set. And instead of traditional pay lines, the slot machine uses an all-ways pay line system.
You win anytime you line up at least three symbols on any possible line from left to right and two symbols in a row for the Elk and Buffalo symbols.
Buffalo Grand offers four jackpots, and the current totals display on the screen at all times. The top jackpot, called the grand, provides the largest pay out. The other jackpots include major, minor, and mini.
The bonus wheel triggers when you line up at least three bonus wheel symbols. You have to launch the bonus wheel for a shot at the top prizes.
You can’t play Buffalo Grand in online or mobile casinos. So, if you want to ply, you have to find it in a land-based casino. Fortunately, it’s popular so you don’t have to look far.
Conclusion: The Best Progressive Slot Machines
You can’t go wrong playing any slot machine offering a progressive jackpot. You’ve got to get lucky to win a progressive, but even small progressive jackpots can change your life.
The top online progressive slots game I recommend is Mega Moolah, but Mega Fortune is a close second. And land-based casino slots players can’t go wrong with Wheel of Fortune progressive or Buffalo Grand. Any of the best progressive jackpot slot machines on this list can change your life with a single spin.
Even if you have to make large bets on every spin to unlock a shot at millions, imagine how much your life can change when you hit a big progressive jackpot.
