Progressive jackpot slots have always been popular, but recently, there’s been a boom in progressive jackpots at online sweepstakes casinos. They look like your regular slot games, but these games offer the opportunity to win mind-boggling amounts of GC and SC. And with several casinos now offering platform-wide jackpot networks, there are more progressive slots than ever for you to try.
Progressive Sweeps Slots: Play Free Online Jackpot Games for Massive Prizes
This is a guide on how to play and win progressive jackpot slots and everything you need to know about them. Join the club of players looking to win life-changing amounts when you start playing the top games highlighted below. With the help of our expert SweepsKings team, I’ve rounded up the best progressive sweepstakes casinos where you can play these games for free.
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Sweepstakes Casinos with the Highest-Paying Progressive Jackpot Networks
1
7,500 Gold Coins + 2.5 Free SC
- Excellent referral program
- Sleek desktop app
- 1,000+ games from premier studios
2
7,500 Gold Coins on Registration + 2.5 SC
- McJackpot network
- iOS and Android apps
- All-around exceptional
3
15,000 GC + 2.5 SC No Deposit
- Live dealer games
- 150% first purchase bonus
- 50 SC for cash prizes
4
10,000 Gold Coins + 3 Sweeps Coins
- Live games by Playtech
- Partnered with streamers
- Tremendous slots coverage
5
2.5 SC and 7,500 Gold Coins on Sign Up
- Daily 5-figure payouts or better
- Progressive jackpot network
- Weekly tournaments
Any casino that’s worth its salt offers progressive jackpots nowadays. There are several I’m fond of, including WOW Vegas, who recently introduced the WOW Jackpot, Fortune Coins, and Hello Millions – all of which appear in my top ten list. However, I’m only focusing on the top three picks, and these ones below are the best casinos with progressive sweeps slots.
Jackpota: Proprietary Sitewide Jackpot Network
This is our top progressive sweeps slot casino, and the proof is right there in the name. Jackpota.com features slots from some of the industry’s best software developers, like Playtech and Pragmatic Play, which already have provider-supported jackpots. However, the casino goes a step further and provides its own progressive jackpot network, a platform-wide feature that’s linked across the entire game catalog, and offers a Grand jackpot starting from 100,000 SC and 200,000,000 GC.
The drawback with this casino is that there are multiple restricted states. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in any of the 37 states where it operates, you’ll have a chance to win a Jackpota jackpot. As a new player, you’ll receive 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC for free to start playing. Besides the Grand Pot, there are also Mini, Minor, and Major jackpot prizes to be won.
Chumba: Fireshot Jackpot Network
There’s not a large game category at Chumba, but this casino manages to offer one of the largest ranges of online progressive sweeps slots, 30+ titles. Chumba Casino has its own in-house progressive network known as Fireshot Jackpots – a four-tier jackpot shared between selected VGW titles like Stampede Fury and Reelin n’ Rockin. The Grand Jackpot seeds at 20,000 SC and 200,000,000 GC. On the Fireshot Inferno jackpot (an upgraded variant available on Dancing Gold and Stallion Grand), the seed amount is a whopping 250,000 SC.
Chumba is restricted only in Connecticut, Idaho (only GC allowed), Michigan, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. Everywhere else, you can sign up to try these games for free. Don’t forget to claim the Chumba casino welcome bonus of 2 Million Gold Coins + 2 FREE Sweeps Coins while you’re at it.
McLuck: McJackpot Network
If you love big wins, McLuck’s McJackpot offers the possibility to bag extraordinary wins on any spin, and on any slot game. It doesn’t matter the size of your bet. You always have a chance to win any of the four exclusive jackpots available here. The SC Grand jackpot offers at least $100,000, while the Gold Coin pot seeds at 200,000,000 GC.
In addition to the jackpot network, this progressive sweeps casino is one of our top recommended platforms if you’re looking for games by leading developers like Playtech, Novomatic, Evoplay, Relax Gaming, and more. McLuck also features Pragmatic Play’s “Jackpot Play” jackpot system. It has dedicated mobile apps for Android and iOS users and offers lots of recurring bonuses, tournaments, and prize draws; signing up alone rewards you with 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC FREE. The casino is only available in 38 states, though.
5 Best Progressive Jackpot Slots at Sweepstakes Casinos
The progressive online slots we like the most at SweepsKings don’t just offer big prize potential but are also some of the most exciting games to play with cool bonus features, great themes, and top-tier graphics. These five below are at the top of the Kings’ list:
Stampede Fury 2
- RTP: 96.01%
- Volatility: High
A 6×4 grid, 4096 ways to win, a free spins feature, and special symbols make this a great slot you’ll want to play any day. This VGW-powered game also comes with two progressive jackpots thanks to the Fireshot Feature – the harbinger of jackpots at Chumba Casino, where you can play this game. You need 8 or more Fireshot Coins or Diamonds to activate the feature, and there’s a Grand prize of 20,000 SC and 200,000,000 GC. Stampede Fury 2 outdoes its predecessor by offering an additional Fireshot Diamond Feature, which provides higher prize pots.
Gates of Olympus Jackpot Play
- RTP: 96.50%
- Volatility: High
Pragmatic Play are the masters of jackpot slots, and among the slots in the Jackpot Play system is Gates of Olympus, which, in my humble opinion, is the best slot released in the past few years. The high-volatility gameplay is full of action, animations, and lightning bolt displays. It uses a scatter pay system with free spins, multipliers, and, of course, jackpots. As part of Pragmatic Play’s Jackpot Play, this slot shares a local progressive pool with about two dozen of the developer’s other slot games. You can play it at Jackpota.com and McLuck or tune in for the same prizes on 5 Lions Megaways, Starlight Princess, and other slots of the same caliber.
Hot Hot Fruit
- RTP: 96.74%
- Volatility: High
Habanero’s Hot Hot Fruit is a classic fruit-themed slot with vibrant visuals, a lively soundtrack, and a special Hot Hot feature that doubles all symbols (except the Seven symbol) on the reels. Basically, you can have up to 10 matching symbols on a line instead of the standard five-of-a-kind.
This fruity delight of a slot is one of the best jackpot slot games linked to the provider’s progressive Jackpot Race network. It plays out on 5 reels and has 15 paylines, so it’s a great choice for anyone who likes simple slots. Try it out at Jackpota.com.
Sweet Bonanza Jackpot Play
- RTP: 96.64%
- Volatility: Medium-High
Another slot that benefits from the Jackpot Play network is Sweet Bonanza which is up there with the best slots of all time. You’ll be able to play this game at all sweeps casinos with Pragmatic Play’s Jackpot Play feature. The jackpot can drop on any spin, but you’ll enjoy thrilling gameplay meanwhile. This slot’s features include a scatter pays mechanism, tumbling reels, free spins, multipliers up to 100x, and medium-high volatility. The RTP on this progressive slot game is 96.64%, and it’s set on 6×5 reels with a Candyland backdrop.
Coin Up Hot Fire 3x3
- RTP: 96.75%
- Volatility: High
Visit McLuck.com to try this classic-style 3-reeler that comes with just 1 payline. 3 Oaks Gaming are experts in Hold and Win games, but this one is one of their best yet. The immersive game takes you back in time to the original classic slot games. At the same time, it displays polished visuals and plenty of in-game modifiers like the Mystery Symbol, Sticky Coin, and Jackpot Coin. You can win a Grand Jackpot of 500x your bet within the game. When you play at McLuck, you’ll also stand a chance to win the McJackpot progressive prizes.
How Online Progressive Jackpot Slots Work
From the time of the very first progressive slot (Megabucks slot machine) developed by IGT in 1986, these games have been a player magnet. The main draw is the large amounts that players stand a chance to win, often running in millions.
The reason for such huge sums is because progressive jackpots take a portion of all players’ bets to add to the prize pool. Only a very small amount is taken, usually 0.10 SC, but when you multiply this by the thousands or millions of bets, you can see how the jackpot can grow very huge.
How large it grows depends on the reach and there are three common categories of progressive jackpots in this regard:
- Standalone progressive – single game, same casino
- Local progressive – several linked games, same casino
- Wide-area network progressive – single game, multiple casinos
Progressive jackpots keep growing until one lucky player wins it. Each jackpot has a seed amount (starting value), which it resets to. The McJackpot, for instance, seeds at 100,000 SC, and is a local progressive.
On the online scene, jackpots have become even bigger, not to mention more accessible. You can win from the comfort of your mobile phone. With sweepstakes apps being the only way for many US players to access casino games, the large user base means that sweepstakes progressive jackpots can grow bigger than ever.
Progressive Jackpot Rules
Triggering a progressive jackpot at slots is usually a random occurrence, but when you check the paytable, you’ll realize there’s often some rule or requirement that has to be in place for a jackpot to hit.
- Bonus game: Many progressive slots tie the jackpot to a special bonus game. Only if the bonus game activates do you have a chance of winning the pot.
- Special symbol combination: This kind of jackpot trigger requires you to land a particular symbol combination during the base game. This can release the jackpot directly or unlock some other feature like a jackpot wheel where you spin to reveal the jackpot prize you’ve won.
- Max bet: Some jackpots will trigger regardless of the bet size. Others will only trigger on the max bet.
- Opt-in: You usually have to opt in for the SC jackpots. Once you opt-in, you’ll remain a jackpot participant until you opt-out.
Winning Odds and Payouts
Generally, the odds of winning a progressive jackpot are small. There are plenty of players like yourself trying these games at any time. So, depending on the game and where you play, your chances could be as little as 1 in 10 million. On the other hand, the payouts these progressive sweeps games can offer are so large that those odds are only fair. It’s a case of high risk, high reward. The size of the jackpot not only affects your chances of winning but also how often the prize will drop. Smaller jackpots may hit more often, but bigger ones tend to take longer to drop.
The RTPs on progressive slots are usually lower than those of other types of sweeps slots, usually around 95% or less. That’s because of the bet contribution reserved for the jackpot. Basically, if there’s an 8% contribution on a slot with a 96% standard RTP, the return to player becomes 88%. The higher the contribution, the lower the base game RTP. For this reason, if you’re not playing for the jackpot, I suggest you stick to non-jackpot slots that offer better RTPs and chances of winning regular game prizes.
How to Play Progressive Slots at Sweepstakes Casinos
If you’re ready to give progressive slots a try, you’ll need to register at any of our recommended sweepstakes casinos. Here’s a quick step guide on how to play progressive sweeps slots at any of these highly-rated platforms:
1. Choose from our top progressive sweepstakes casinos
2. Enter your details such as email, name, state, etc.
3. Verify your email address
4. Claim your free sign-up offer
5. Buy a Gold Coin bundle. This is optional but there’s a special welcome bonus deal to claim on your first purchase.
6. Start playing online progressive sweeps slots for free
Free Play
There are two ways to play at casinos with progressive sweeps slots – standard mode and promotional mode. Standard mode is also known as free play and this is where you use Gold Coins to play progressive jackpot slots. Gold Coins are regularly given as bonuses, but you can also purchase them. When you play with GC, the jackpots will be in Gold Coins as well.
GC jackpots can be huge, but this currency doesn’t have any real-world value, so you can only use it to stake on more free play slots at the casino.
Real Money
Sweepstakes Coins are the redeemable virtual currency at these casinos. Usually, 1 SC is equivalent to 1 USD. So when you hit a 200,000 SC jackpot, for instance, that translates to $200,000 when you redeem it.
The only ways to earn SC is through bonuses like the sign-up offer, daily login bonus, or as an add-on anytime you buy Gold Coins. In order to participate in SC jackpots, you usually have to opt in. By opting in you agree for a portion of your bets (or bankroll) to be taken to grow the pot.
Player verification is an important aspect of legit sweepstakes casinos, especially when playing with SC. You’ll need to provide an ID document and proof of address before you can redeem real money from social casinos. Because these prizes are huge, the casino will usually disperse them in installments.
Progressive Jackpot Winning Strategies
There’s no handbook on how to win progressive jackpots. Winning a progressive jackpot is really a thing of luck. However, if you’re looking to increase your chances, then you should try the following tips:
- Check the game RTP – Go for slots with higher RTPs. Regardless of the jackpot, these ones pay better.
- Focus on SC jackpots – Only SC jackpots are redeemable for dollars, so make sure you focus on Sweepstakes Coin play.
- Check the paytable for jackpot rules – If a jackpot can only trigger on the max bet, you’ll have zero chances of winning if you play with any other bet size.
- Claim as many SC bonuses as possible – There are multiple ways to earn SC bonuses at sweepstakes casinos. So claim these bonuses from every avenue possible to ensure you have enough SC to play with. The more you play, the greater your chances of hitting the pot.
- Manage your SC bankroll – Use your Sweepstakes Coins wisely. If a jackpot doesn’t require the max bet, use smaller bets to enable your Sweepstakes Coins to last longer. A lucky McLuck player won over 300,000 SC from the McJackpot on a SC 0.20 play, so as long as you are in the game, you stand a chance to win big.
- Hunt for ripe jackpots – When a jackpot is near its seed value that means it has recently just dropped. And it’s unlikely that it’ll trigger again soon. Instead, go for jackpots that haven’t been triggered in a long while and have grown hefty enough to drop.
Pros and Cons of Playing Progressive Jackpot Slots
Pros
- Opportunity for life-changing real money prizes
- Available to play for free with virtual currencies
- Exciting bonus games for triggering the jackpot
- Usually multiple jackpots in one - Mini, Minor, Major, Grand
- Big winnings can come out of a small bet
- A sense of community gaming since you're competing for the jackpot with other players
Cons
- Minuscule chances of winning
- Often come with lower RTPs than other slots
- The gameplay may not be that entertaining since focus is on the jackpots
Are Progressive Sweepstakes Slots Fair?
Progressive online sweeps slots are fair because they use random number generators (RNGs). The job of RNGs on sweepstakes casinos is to ensure that the outcomes of the gameplay are random, and the RNG also ensures randomization of when the jackpot will drop.
At regular online casinos with progressive slots, the casino’s state-approved license is what tells us that the site, as well as its offerings, are safe and fair for US players. However, sweepstakes casinos don’t take cash bets, so they are largely unregulated. As a result, the fairness of progressive sweepstakes slots depends on the RNG, and for us here at SweepsKings, it also depends on the quality of the game vendors.
In addition to using RNGs, the legit operators we recommend feature popular software providers like Pragmatic Play and 3 Oaks Gaming, which are renowned and licensed slot companies with a sturdy reputation. Their games are vetted by third-party institutions such as GLI and iTech Labs, and accreditation by these agencies, as far as slot games are concerned, is the top guarantee for fairness.
FAQs
Can I win real money on progressive sweeps slots?
Yes, you can win real money prizes when you play progressive sweeps slots. You'll need to play in SC mode in order to redeem your winnings for dollars.
What are the best progressive sweepstakes slots?
The best progressive sweeps slots include Stampede Fury, Hot Hot Fruit, Coin Up Hot Fire, Gates of Olympus (Jackpot Play), and Sweet Bonanza (Jackpot Play).
How do you play a progressive sweepstakes game?
These games work like any regular slot where you bet and spin the reels. The jackpot feature can activate at any time during your gameplay.
Can I play progressive jackpot slots in my state?
Progressive sweeps slots are available to play anywhere that sweepstakes casinos are allowed. This covers most US states, except for a few like Washington and Michigan, where sweepstakes gaming is explicitly banned.
Where can I find free play progressive jackpot slots in the US?
Online progressive sweepstakes games are available on casinos like Jackpota.com, McLuck, and Chumba. You can access these platforms via their online websites or on relevant mobile apps.
Author: Mike F.
Updated:
Mike is SweepsKings’ SEO wizard and uses his skills to produce content that answers questions you haven’t even thought of yet! He personally fact-checks all articles posted on SweepsKings and leverages his vast iGaming marketing experience to keep the site feeling fresh.
Mike is SweepsKings’ SEO wizard and uses his skills to produce content that answers questions you haven’t even thought of yet! He personally fact-checks all articles posted on SweepsKings and leverages his vast iGaming marketing experience to keep the site feeling fresh.
