Straight vs. Progressive slot machines

Payouts on slot machines are either straight or progressive. You will be able to see posted whether the machine that you are playing is straight or progressive, and for beginners the straight slots are usually recommended. Straight slots pay out according to the different combinations on the reels and the size of the bets. Only on straight machines can two consecutive players spin two jackpot spins and win.

Progressive machines are linked to one another and a portion of every bet on each of the machines is saved and added to the jackpot. The linked machines may be linked to a bank inside the casino, or there can be a chain of machines in different casinos, all offering the same jackpot. The progressive jackpots are at minimum a few hundred dollars, but they can reach the thousands, the tens of thousand or even the millions of dollars. When a player wins the jackpot, the slots are reset to the minimum amount and begin growing again until the next winner come along.

It is believed that player stand more of a chance of winning money from straight slots. However, there are others who argue that the Random Number Generators in use in most casinos create equal chances of winning either from the straight or progressive slots. Ultimately, it is up to the player to try his luck. Written by Timor Huston, Correspondent. 12.12.05