Pokies and Slot Machine Information

The lure of the linked jackpot

December 30, 2006 on 5:12 pm | In Uncategorized |

Stand-alone pokies have been around for several decades. They’re fun to play, but the latest generation of slot machines have a feature which is becoming ever more common – the linked jackpot.

Note that linked jackpots are quite distinct from standalone jackpots – where all jackpot amounts and wins are confined entirely to a single machine in isolation.

The basic principle of the linked jackpot is simple. A group of slot machines, which could be in the same room, the same state or even nationwide via computer link all contribute part of every bet towards a central linked jackpot or jackpots. The linked machines usually display the jackpots in vibrant second screens and or overhead plasma or LCD display monitors.

There may even be several levels of jackpot – commonly there are three or four. The smaller jackpots increment more quickly and are won more frequently. The largest jackpots are won much less often – perhaps once every few months or less.

The more exciting large jackpots are those played across wider areas. An Aristocrat Money Train II jackpot operates across dozens of venues in the state of Queensland, Australia. Because so many venues and individual gaming machines are linked, the major jackpot increments very quickly – thousands of dollars per day.

A jackpot which accrues faster is also won more frequently – a real attraction for players.

The real big daddies of linked jackpots are found in Las Vegas, USA. The enormous numbers of tourists visiting and depositing the contents of their wallets and purses allows for massive jackpots to accrue.

The largest slot machine jackpot ever won was $US39,710,826.36 in 2003. Unfortunately under American rules the jackpots are heavily taxed – but a pretty hefty sum was still taken home.

Slot machine maker IGT maintains a list of superjackpots won online:

IGT jackpots

Linked jackpots may operate quite differently in different jurisdictions.

One type of jackpot link popular with players is that which has a known upper limit. This jackpot may top out at, for example, $50,000 and must be won before that level is reached. Some players like this jackpot type because on the rare occasion the jackpot reaches a level close to its ceiling, they know they have a chance of winning it over a small period of time.

There was a case reported in New Zealand some years ago of groups of people taking over an entire bank of linked machines when the jackpot ceiling was close – guaranteeing that one of their party would win it (unless they ran out of funds to play with!).

The more common jackpot type is a simple incrementing jackpot which has a known starting point (it may reset to $20, $2000 etc after being won) – but no published upper limit. A central computer selects a secret win point for the jackpot and as players gamble, part of each dollar goes to each jackpot. When the pre-selected jackpot threshold is met, the jackpot is won.

The new breed of slot machines are technologically advanced and feature entertaining graphical animated sequences during the jackpot wins. Some make it appear as though your interaction is deciding which jackpot you’ll win. You’ll see people getting super-excited as they play. They don’t realize that the jackpot they’re going to win was pre-decided in most cases and what buttons they press, in what order, won’t make the slightest bit of difference.

Kissing the machine, rubbing it, talking nicely to it, threatening to ignore it – none of these make a difference either. Look closely at the artwork on the top or bottom of the slot game you’re playing and in fine print you’ll usually notice a disclaimer about the jackpot selection mechanism.

You might wonder why the linked jackpot slots have become so popular. They definitely tend to turn over higher amounts of revenue than stand-alone slot machines. Whilst we could make all kinds of clinical observations about the ‘excitement factor’ and the lure of the elusive super-win which contribute to their popularity, we’d like your feedback instead!

What makes you want to play the linked jackpot pokie machines? Have you won a jackpot? What was the biggest, and where?