A jackpot is the top prize in a casino game, usually a slot. It is either fixed, a set amount or multiple of your stake, or progressive, a pot that grows as a small part of every stake is added to it until someone wins. Jackpots are paid for out of the game's RTP, so the chance of landing one is very small.
A jackpot is a game's top prize: fixed, or progressive and growing until won.
Progressive pots are funded by a slice of every stake, often across many games and casinos.
That slice is part of the RTP, so the base game returns less than the headline figure.
Mega Moolah's base game RTP is 88.12% excluding its jackpot contribution.
Jackpot slots follow UK slot rules, including the £5 and £2 stake caps.
Main types
Fixed, local progressive, network progressive
Funded by
A share of stakes, built into the RTP
Network examples
Mega Moolah, WowPot!, Jackpot King
Tax on UK winnings
None for players
Stake limit
£5 a spin (£2 for ages 18 to 24) on slots
What jackpot means in a casino app
In everyday speech a jackpot is any big win, but in a casino app it has a specific meaning: the largest prize a game offers, usually won by a special combination or a bonus feature. Some games have one jackpot, while others have several tiers, often named Mini, Minor, Major and Grand or Mega.
The key split is between fixed and progressive jackpots. A fixed jackpot is the same every time, while a progressive one keeps growing until it's won and then resets to a starting value. You'll find related terms in our casino app glossary.
Types of jackpot: fixed, local and network
The main jackpot types, with examples from games on our site
Type
How it works
Example
Fixed jackpot
A set prize, often a multiple of your stake
Wolf Gold's Mega jackpot, won by filling all 15 positions in its Money Respin
Local progressive
A pot that grows from play on one game or at one casino
Holmes and the Stolen Stones has five local progressive jackpots
Network progressive
Many games and casinos feed one shared pot
Mega Moolah, Games Global's WowPot! and Blueprint's Jackpot King
Must-win tiers
A pot that has to drop before it reaches a cap
Jackpot King Deluxe's Royal (under £3,500) and Regal (under £35,000)
Network pots grow fastest because so many players feed them. Blueprint's Jackpot King, for instance, links a wide range of its slots to one shared pool. OLBG's guide to Jackpot King slots (opens in a new tab) lists starting values of £50,000 for the main pot (no cap), £5,000 for Regal and £500 for Royal. See our Jackpot King entry for how its bonus works.
How a progressive jackpot is funded
Every progressive pot is paid for by the players spinning the linked games. A small share of each stake goes into the pot, and that share is part of the game's published RTP. The rest of the RTP is what the base game and its ordinary features return.
Two games on our site show the effect clearly:
Mega Moolah has a base game RTP of 88.12%, excluding its jackpot contribution. For every £100 staked, the regular game returns about £88.12 on average, and the jackpot share is returned only to the rare players who win a tier.
Divine Fortune is listed at 96.59%, which includes about 4.07 percentage points of jackpot contribution according to OLBG. Without the jackpot, the base game would return roughly 92.5%.
This is why progressive slots can feel expensive in normal play. Most players never receive the jackpot portion, so their sessions run at a lower return than the headline figure, and losses are likely over time.
Record jackpots and what they tell you
Network jackpots can grow very large. On 30 April 2021, SBC News reported a €19.4 million win on Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah from a €15 stake. On 20 December 2023, Wheel of Wishes paid a WowPot! jackpot of €38,461,200.95, described as the largest online slot jackpot, according to iGaming Business's report (opens in a new tab). WowPot!'s top tier is seeded at €2 million.
These amounts make headlines because they're so rare. No developer publishes the odds of winning a top tier, and the size of a pot doesn't make it any more likely to drop on your next spin. Treat any jackpot as a remote bonus, not a reason to play or to stake more.
A short history of the jackpot
Progressive jackpots began in land-based casinos. Wikipedia dates progressive jackpots in large casinos to 1986 and describes IGT's Nevada Megabucks as the first wide-area progressive, with a $1 million base jackpot. The first Megabucks jackpot, $4,988,842.17, was won on 1 February 1987.
Online, Mega Moolah arrived in November 2006, and Blueprint released its first Jackpot King titles, including Genie Jackpots, in September 2016. Games Global's WowPot! followed in early 2020. Our jackpot slots on mobile guide picks up the story in apps.
Jackpots in UK casino apps: rules and tips
Jackpot slots are online slots, so the UK caps of £5 a spin (£2 for 18 to 24-year-olds) apply, along with the 2.5-second minimum spin time and the ban on autoplay. Stake size can matter: 88 Fortunes has optional gold symbols that make more progressive jackpots available, and Mega Joker's top RTP applies only at its highest stake with the Supermeter. Check the help screen for any such rule before you play.
Open the game's paytable and find the jackpot section.
Check whether the jackpot is fixed or progressive and whether your stake affects eligibility.
Note the RTP and whether it includes the jackpot contribution.
Set a budget for the session; a jackpot slot's base game can return noticeably less.
Welcome spins from our partners are for named or selected slots chosen by each casino, so check the eligible games in the terms before assuming a jackpot slot is included. 18+ and terms apply.
PlayOJO, whose app listing includes jackpot slots, offers new UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland) 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, a non-jackpot slot, for a first deposit of £10 or more. Spins are 10p each and winnings are paid in cash with no wagering; the offer is only available through the designated link and can't be combined with others.
Coral gives 100 free spins, 10p each on selected games, when you deposit and bet £10 on slots from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, and winnings are wager-free; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards are excluded.
Ladbrokes gives up to 500 free spins over 10 days, 50 a day, after you deposit and spend £10 on slots. They're 10p each on selected games, must be claimed by 23:59 daily, last 7 days and carry no wagering; PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, Moneybookers and prepaid card deposits don't qualify.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a jackpot in slots?
A jackpot is the largest prize a slot offers, won by a special combination or bonus feature. It can be fixed, such as a set multiple of your stake, or progressive, growing with every stake until someone wins it. Many games have several tiers. Our jackpot slots on mobile guide explains the types, and do casino apps have jackpots covers where to find them.
What is the difference between a fixed and a progressive jackpot?
A fixed jackpot is always the same amount, while a progressive jackpot grows as a share of stakes is added and resets after it's won. Network progressives link many games and casinos to one pot, so they grow fastest. Wolf Gold's Mega jackpot is fixed; Mega Moolah's is progressive. See our progressive jackpot entry and the Wolf Gold review.
Are jackpots smaller on casino apps?
No, a network progressive jackpot is the same pot whether you spin on a phone or a computer, because the app is just another way into the same game. What can differ is which jackpot games a casino offers and which RTP version it runs, which you can check in the help screen. See are jackpots smaller on casino apps and are the games the same as on desktop.
Do jackpot slots have a lower RTP?
Often, yes, at least in normal play, because part of the RTP funds the jackpot. Mega Moolah's base game RTP is 88.12% excluding its jackpot contribution, and about 4.07 points of Divine Fortune's 96.59% is jackpot contribution, according to OLBG. Unless you win the jackpot, you play at the lower base return. See what is the best RTP slot on a casino app and our RTP entry.
Is a jackpot due to drop when it gets very big?
No, a large pot doesn't make a win more likely on the next spin; each result is independent and decided by the game's random number generator. The only exception is a must-win tier, such as Jackpot King Deluxe's Royal and Regal pots, which must drop before they reach a cap, but even then the timing is random and can't be predicted. See our RNG entry and Jackpot King definition.
Do I pay tax on a casino app jackpot in the UK?
No, UK players don't pay tax on gambling winnings, including jackpots. The tax burden sits with operators instead: remote gaming duty rose from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026. UK-licensed casinos must also verify your age and identity before you can gamble at all, so your account should already be verified when any win lands. See do I pay tax on casino app winnings and our remote gaming duty page.
Can I use free spins on jackpot slots?
Only if the offer names that jackpot slot among its eligible games. PlayOJO's 80 free spins are on Big Bass Bonanza, which has no progressive jackpot, after a £10 first deposit. Coral's 100 free spins and Ladbrokes' up to 500 free spins need a £10 slot stake and are on selected games. All are 10p a spin. 18+ and terms apply. See free spins in casino apps and best jackpot slot apps.
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