Progressive jackpots: how they grow, how they're won and the catch

What makes a jackpot progressive

Pokie jackpots come in two kinds.

• Fixed jackpots pay a set amount, usually a multiple of your stake. The prize is the same however long it's been since someone last won it.
• Progressive jackpots grow. A small slice of every qualifying bet goes into the pot, so the prize climbs until somebody wins it. Then it resets to a starting amount, often called the seed, and starts climbing again.

Here's an illustration of the growth. If a game sends 1% of each stake to the pot, a $2 spin adds 2c. Ten thousand such spins add $200. The real contribution rates aren't published for Fair Go's games. The point is that the jackpot is funded by players' stakes, a little at a time.

Standalone, local and linked progressive jackpots

• Standalone: one game feeds its own pot.
• Local or in-house: several games at one casino feed a shared pot.
• Linked or network: the same game at many casinos feeds one pot, which is how the biggest prizes build up.

The more play that feeds a pot, the faster it grows, and the more players there are competing for it. Fair Go doesn't say which kind its progressive pokies use. If the game's jackpot screen doesn't say either, assume you can't tell how many players are feeding it.

Where the jackpot sits in the RTP

The jackpot contribution is part of a game's return to player, not a bonus on top of it. As an example, a pokie with a 96% total RTP that sends 1% to the jackpot returns about 95% through ordinary wins and features. The last 1% goes back to players too, but as one large prize to one winner.

So most players on a progressive pokie are paying into a prize they won't win. That's fine if you go in knowing it: think of it as a lottery ticket built into every spin. It also explains why jackpot games can feel stingy between big hits, because part of the return has been set aside for someone else's win.

Fair Go's figure of around 97% Operator claim is an average across its pokies and doesn't say how much of any game's return goes to jackpots.

How progressive jackpots are triggered

Games use one of three broad triggers, and the paytable says which:

1. A symbol combination. A specific line of jackpot symbols. Some of these games only pay the progressive at the maximum bet.
2. A random trigger. The jackpot can land on any spin. Often a bigger stake means a bigger chance.
3. A jackpot bonus round. A feature, often a hold-and-spin or pick game, decides which tier you win.

Bet-size rules matter more than the size of the pot. Fair Go says one of its games, Aztec's Millions, has a progressive jackpot that's winnable at any bet level. For its other progressive pokies Fair Go doesn't say, so read the jackpot rules before you choose a stake. Playing a max-bet-only jackpot at a lower stake means paying in without being able to win the top prize.

A growing pot doesn't make the jackpot more likely on your next spin. The chance per spin is set by the game, not by the size of the meter.

Progressive jackpots at Fair Go, by Fair Go's own descriptions

These are the Fair Go pokies whose published specs mention a progressive jackpot, checked 7 October 2026:

• Cash Bandits 3: a progressive jackpot, plus a vault bonus.
• Plentiful Treasure: eight progressive jackpots and a Hold and Spin feature.
• Aztec's Millions: a progressive that Fair Go says grows with every spin.
• Achilles Deluxe: Minor and Major progressive jackpots.

Two more games name jackpots without calling them progressive: Kev's Bush Bonanza (a Super Grand Jackpot) and Halloween Treasures (Mini, Minor, Major and Grand). We don't label those progressive because Fair Go doesn't.

Separately, Fair Go runs a promotion called Lobby Jackpots. Its description: Opt-in side jackpot at $0.01 per spin. Because you opt in, it's a side bet you choose to add. At $0.01 a spin, 1,000 spins add $10 to what you spend. For every jackpot title in one place, see our jackpot pokies page.

If you win: jackpots and Fair Go's withdrawal limits

A big jackpot win meets Fair Go's withdrawal rules. Its terms cap withdrawals at $7,500 AUD per customer per week Verified, and its banking page limits each transfer to $100–$2,500. Here's an illustration with a hypothetical $100,000 win:

• Win (example)$100,000
• Weekly cap$7,500
• Weeks to withdraw, at least14
• Transfers at $2,500 max each40 or more

Fair Go's FAQ also says: Processed within 2 business days of the request; account verification required first. Verify your account early so a big win isn't held up by paperwork.

If a bonus is active when you win, its terms still apply: 30x wagering and a $10 maximum bet. Fair Go says bigger bets can void promotion winnings, so stick to the cap.

Before you play for a progressive jackpot

• You've read the jackpot rules: how it triggers and whether your stake qualifies.
• You know whether the game has one pot or several tiers, and which tiers are progressive.
• You've accepted that the jackpot is a long shot and budgeted for the base game alone.
• You're not raising your stake because the meter looks big. The odds per spin haven't moved.
• You've set a session limit. Our responsible gambling page lists free, 24/7 help lines.

Jackpot pokies in the Fair Go lobby

Every pokie here names a jackpot in Fair Go's own description. Open a tile to play, or tap Info for our guide to the game.

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  • Progressive
  • Featured

  Play now: Cash Bandits 3 (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)Info about Cash Bandits 3

  Cash Bandits 3

  Up to 390 free spins at 23x

• • Progressive

  Play now: Achilles Deluxe (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)Info about Achilles Deluxe

  Achilles Deluxe

  Minor and Major progressive jackpots

• • Progressive

  Play now: Aztec's Millions (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)Info about Aztec's Millions

  Aztec's Millions

  Progressive jackpot that grows with every spin

• • Progressive

  Play now: Plentiful Treasure (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)Info about Plentiful Treasure

  Plentiful Treasure

  Eight progressive jackpots

Progressive jackpots FAQ