Both players and industry insiders consider software supplier Microgaming a frontrunner in casino software development. Microgaming is not only one of the leading providers of quality casino games in the world, but was also the first company to launch an online gambling offering – the Gaming Club.
The company was established in 1994, when online gambling was still in its early stages, and quickly cemented its position in the industry. Over twenty years after its inception, Microgaming continues to lead the way in gambling software development. This success is attributable to the vibrant graphics, lifelike animations, and user-friendly interfaces of the games created by the developer.
Microgaming has launched over 850 quality games that range from video poker to staples such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat, as well as hundreds of first-rate slot titles. Some of the slots are in high demand among players because of the life-changing progressive jackpots attached to them, which often escalate to reach seven-figure sums. One Microgaming slot, Mega Moolah, even made it to the Guinness World Records for awarding the largest progressive win in history.
As a matter of fact, Microgaming’s progressive slots have paid out over half a billion euros in winnings to date, including tens of millions to individual slot fans who will never have to worry about paying their bills again. In the following article, you will find an overview of the most popular progressive slots by Microgaming as well as information on how their prize pools accumulate.
How Microgaming Jackpot Slots Work
Progressive jackpots on Microgaming slots tend to accumulate rapidly, a phenomenon attributable to the fact that the pools are shared across all the online casinos that run the developer’s software. A small percentage of each participating player’s bet is deducted and added to the overall pools.
Of course, what all players want to know is how to collect the mammoth progressive prize. This varies from one Microgaming slot to another. Some slots, like Mega Moolah, award the progressive jackpot at random and no particular combination of symbols is needed to trigger the prize. However, it is important to mention that the higher the player’s stake, the greater their chances of hitting the jackpot. Note that on such slots it is impossible to trigger the jackpot during a round of free spins or other bonus games.
On other Microgaming slots, including the popular Major Millions, winning the jackpot is related to the outcome of the actual spins, and players are required to land a specific combination across the designated payline to trigger the prize.
Another point of interest is that some Microgaming slots, such as those from the Mega Moolah series, have four-tiered jackpots and provide players with the opportunity to win one of four different progressive prizes, namely the Mini, Minor, Major and Mega jackpots.
As soon as one lucky player bags the life-changing prize on one of Microgaming’s progressive slots, the pool starts accumulating all over again. However, the pools do not accumulate from scratch but from a predetermined amount, called a seed. The size of this seed varies from one slot to another and is contributed by Microgaming. On some Microgaming slots, the seed amounts to £1 million. This encourages slot fans to continue playing after the pot has been won and ensures that the progressive titles remain appealing and worthwhile.
What is unique about Microgaming’s progressive slots is that their jackpots are not adjusted according to current currency exchange rates. Slot fans can collect the same numeric amount in about a dozen different currencies. This means that if you win 5 million credits while playing in euros, for example, you will be paid out this exact amount in that currency. Similarly, if you win 5 million credits when playing in pounds, the sum will not be converted and you still get to collect £5 million.
Best Microgaming Online Slots with Progressive Jackpots
Microgaming has launched a number of slot titles that have progressive jackpots attached to them. Below, we offer players brief overviews of five of the most popular progressive titles from this leading software developer, each offering lucrative jackpot prizes. Check them out to decide which ones appeal to you the most. If you wish, you can enjoy these titles while on the move, since Microgaming has adapted them for mobile play.
Real Money Casino Slots Online
Playtech Jackpot Slots
Microgaming Jackpot Slots
NetEnt Jackpot Slots
BetSoft Jackpot Slots
Major Millions
Major Millions ranks as one of the most popular titles in Microgaming’s slot collection, which is hardly surprising when we consider the massive winning potential it carries. The game truly lives up to its name and previously held the record for the biggest online jackpot payout when one lucky gentleman collected €1.5 million in 2002. However, this record was later broken by yet another Microgaming jackpot slot.
Major Millions is available in three different variations, namely MegaSpin, the five-reel variant, and the ever-popular three-reel version, which has attained the status of a classic. The good news is all three variants of Major Millions are linked to Microgaming’s progressive jackpot network. It therefore makes no difference which one you choose, as you still have the chance of winning the same progressive jackpot.
Let’s take a look at the five-reel variant of Major Millions, which offers 15 paylines. As the paylines are not fixed, players can choose which ones to activate and bet on. The game has a military theme, as the “Major” in question is, in fact, a high-ranking military officer. The symbols Microgaming has used for the reels relate to this theme and include boxes of ammunition, a pair of binoculars, tanks, warships, envelopes containing top-secret documents, and, of course, Major Millions himself.
Some of the most lucrative symbols to look for in this slot are the Major Millions logo, which is wild, and the explosion symbol, which is a scatter and can triple players’ winnings. To win the progressive prize, players are expected to land five symbols with the Major Millions logo on payline number 15. With a starting seed value of £250,000, Major Millions is definitely worthwhile.
Mega Moolah Isis
The slots that comprise the Mega Moolah series easily rank among the most popular progressive online casino games in the world. As a matter of fact, Mega Moolah is often referred to as the “millionaire maker” and has even made it to the Guinness World Records with the highest payout ever awarded by an online slot game.
Microgaming has launched several variations of the Mega Moolah slot. These include the original Mega Moolah with its African savannah theme, Mega Moolah Summertime, Mega Moolah 5-Reel Drive, and Mega Moolah Isis. All of these are linked to the four-tier progressive jackpot network, so players can win one of four progressive prizes: the Mini, Minor, Major and Mega jackpots. The seed for the Mega jackpot starts at an impressive £1 million whenever the prize is won in GBP. If a player wins in another currency, the jackpot will be reset to a converted seed value.
The Egyptian-themed variant, Mega Moolah Isis, is a favourite among slot players. The game offers 25 paylines spread across five reels. Some of the special features included are scatter and wild symbols, rounds of 30 free spins with 6x multipliers, and the Gamble feature, which enables players to potentially double or quadruple their winnings.
As for the progressive jackpot, the bonus game that awards it is triggered randomly and does not depend on a specific combination lining up on the reels. The bonus game features a wheel with sectors in different colours. Each colour corresponds to one of the four progressive prizes. Note that there is only one sector on the wheel that awards the Mega jackpot, and this is coloured white. However, if you fail to win the biggest prize, you are still guaranteed one of the other three progressive prizes.
King Cashalot
King Cashalot is yet another exciting slot by Microgaming that offers colossal progressive prizes. The game’s medieval theme and bright, vibrant graphics attract a great number of slot fans. In addition, King Cashalot, which features 9 paylines across five reels, is the first game ever to offer the “Pick-until-Collect” bonus game. Some of the symbols players are likely to encounter on the reels include a turkey, a pudding, a knight, a jester and the titular king himself.
The dragon is the bonus symbol in King Cashalot, so whenever players land three of these on the second, third and fourth reels, they will trigger the Treasure Bonus round. Another lucrative symbol is the jester scatter, which can increase players’ returns by multiplying their wins by the total number of credits staked. However, if players are aiming to collect the life-changing jackpot, they are required to land five king wild symbols on the 9th payline.
Treasure Nile
Ancient Egypt appears to be among the most popular themes that inspire slot software developers, and Microgaming is hardly an exception. The leading casino games supplier gives players the chance to indulge in the vividly coloured masterpiece that is Treasure Nile and potentially end their gaming session by collecting the huge progressive prize the game has to offer.
Treasure Nile is played on five reels and has 9 paylines in operation on each spin. The coin value for each of the nine paylines is set at £0.50, and it is possible to bet only one coin per line. Thus, players will spend £4.50 per spin.
Some of the symbols included in the game are the Eye of Horus, the death mask of Tutankhamun, the Sphinx, cobra snakes, and the Egyptian god of the dead, Anubis. Some slot fans frown upon Treasure Nile because they think it lacks features. This is not entirely true. Despite the absence of free spins and bonus games, the slot features a wild symbol, represented by the pyramids, and the Scarabaeus beetle scatter. In addition, winning combinations can be read in both directions, from left to right and from right to left, which is also considered an advantage.
However, the symbol all Treasure Nile fans hope to see on the reels is the death mask of Tutankhamun. Those who succeed in landing five King Tut symbols on the 9th payline will trigger the progressive jackpot and collect a life-changing amount of money.
Fruit Fiesta
Microgaming’s Fruit Fiesta is particularly suitable for fans of the classic fruit machines. Originally, the game was available only in the three-reel format, but later Microgaming revamped the software and upgraded this popular progressive slot. This resulted in the launch of the five-reel version of Fruit Fiesta, which has 15 adjustable paylines to offer.
The retro look and classic fruit theme form part of the appeal of this slot. It therefore makes sense that some of the symbols appearing on the five reels include oranges, watermelons, apples, lemons, plums and pineapples. The lucky sevens and the triple bar are the two highest-paying symbols in the game. The slot also features a scatter and the Fruit Fiesta logo, which is the wild symbol.
The coin value in the game cannot be adjusted, as it is permanently set at £0.05, with the option to wager a maximum of one coin per payline. Nevertheless, players can choose the number of paylines they activate and bet on. Players can qualify for the lucrative progressive jackpot only if they activate and bet on all 15 paylines, with a maximum bet amount of £0.75, which is quite reasonable considering that you can potentially collect a massive prize.
The jackpot is not awarded at random, as players are required to spin five wild symbols with the Fruit Fiesta logo on payline number 15. Even if you fail to do so, fret not – you can collect a consolation prize of 9,000 coins as long as you land five wild symbols on one of the remaining fourteen paylines.
