Megabucks is a slot machine with a progressive jackpot, combined into a single network and covering casinos in several U.S. Owner and operator of this network is International Game Technology, better known by its abbreviation IGT. Megabucks slot an alternative to state lotteries and is incredibly popular among Americans. The World’s largest Slot Jackpots. Jackpots Megabucks in Nevada. Current Jackpot Amount. Jackpot Locations. The world’s first wide area progressive jackpot system, Megabucks has been awarding life-changing jackpots to lucky winners since 1986. Win big with this jackpot.

1. Megabucks Slot Winners
2. Las Vegas Megabucks Payout Rules
3. Megabucks Progressive Slots
4. Igt Megabucks Jackpot Payout

No game on the casino floor holds the same grip on the
general populace. Slots take up the majority of the casino
floor, they make tons of noise, and they’re designed to draw you
in. They also rank among the easiest games to learn and play,
offering the kind of mindless entertainment that we all crave
after a tough week.

We get lots of questions about slot machines, no doubt
because they’re so popular. We decided to gather the twelve most
common slot machine questions on one page and answer them once
and for all. If you’re a newcomer to slot machines, or an old
hand with some long-standing questions about the game, we expect
you’ll find an answer below.

Are Slot Machines Really Random?

Both online and land-based casinos operate slot machines that depend on a random number generator, or RNG, to ensure randomness. An RNG is a computer program that does nothing but spit out a steady stream of random numbers within a given range. Each of those random numbers is connected to a game symbol. The RNG’s random number selection leads to the collection of symbols you see on the screen. If enough of those symbols appear in the right combination, you win a prize.

Slot machines are tested to ensure randomness. Gaming regulatory bodies inspect machines on a regular basis. In short, if you’re playing at a legitimate casino, online or land-based, you’re not going to find a non-random slot machine. Understand that casinos make the most money on truly random games, ones that can’t be manipulated through player skill. Slots are designed to pay out less money than they take in – they don’t have to be rigged to be profitable.

Can Casinos Change the Payouts on Slot Machines?

There’s a question hiding behind this question – most people who ask this want to know if casino operators can change a machine’s payout while it is being played. The implication is that once a machine pays out a decent jackpot, the casino’s operator will flip a switch and the machine will “go cold” and stop winning. The answer here is simple – no, casinos don’t alter the way a machine behaves based on its recent performance.

Some slot machines are designed so that casino operators can alter their theoretical payout percentage, but it doesn’t work anything like what you think. Before a game’s payout percentage is tweaked, the game has to be turned off, a mechanic has to mess around on the inside of the game, and then it has to be turned back on. Casinos aren’t changing machine payouts on the fly, or in a sneaky way.

What’s the Difference Between a Class Ii & Iii Slots?

In some states, Class II slot machines are legal, while Class III machines aren’t. One example would be Texas – you can’t operate a Class III slot machine, though tribal groups are authorized to host Class II games. So what’s the difference? The main thing that separates the two is the way winnings are determined. For legal reasons, Class II machines must be connected to a central computer system which determines wins and losses. Class III slots are like traditional machines you see in the casinos of Las Vegas. These games are played independently of a centralized system. Generally, Class II machines must be based on the rules of bingo – you’ll often see a bingo card on the game’s pay table, and you may even have two spins instead of the traditional one spin found on Class III games.

Is There a Secret to Winning Slot Machine Jackpots?

The answer depends on what exactly you’re asking.

If you’re asking “Is there anything that I need to do in order to win a jackpot?” then the answer is yes. You have to bet max. We have yet to find a slot machine, online or at a brick and mortar casino, that will pay a jackpot without a maximum bet. You have to place a “max bet” in order to qualify for any slot’s jackpot payouts. That usually means wagering a credit on the maximum number of pay lines, though some machines also require a specific bet size in order to place a maximum wager. The only “secret” to winning a slot machine jackpot is to make sure and make yourself eligible for it, by placing a maximum-sized bet on each spin.

If your question is: “Is there anything I can do or a way I can behave in order to be more likely to win jackpots?” the answer is no. No amount of bet-sizing, no electronic gadgets, no special consideration at all will make it more or less likely that you win a big payout from a slot machine.

Is There a Better Time of Day to Play Slot Machines?

The answer to this question is really just an extension of the answer to the question above it. There is no good or bad time of day to play a slot machine. Casinos don’t make slots any more loose or tight because of the time displayed on the clock.

Then again, maybe yo’re not asking about the game’s odds. In that case, we think the right time of day to play slots is a totally subjective thing. It depends on if you like playing around other people, or if you prefer to avoid the crowds and have a bank of machines to yourself. We’ve noticed that most slot machine banks are pretty dead during the middle of the day. Early in the morning, you’ll find hardcore slot gamers and loners who aren’t all that interested in conversation. Later in the day and at night, you’ll find a more social game, though you may have to fight for a seat at certain busy casinos.

How Much Do Slot Machines Cost to Play?

The answer here is: “it depends.” One of the beautiful things about slot machines is that they’re endlessly-adaptable. Casinos have long offered slots that accept a range of wagers. The venerable “penny slot” is still very much alive and well. Meanwhile, at the other extreme, you can still find slot machines in some casino VIP department. We’ve heard of games that cost in the thousands of dollars per spin.

Let’s look at a real-world example of how much a slot machine costs to play. Imagine you’re playing on a machine at $0.25 per spin. You’ve looked up the game, and found that it has a theoretical payback percentage of 98%. If you’re moving at a gentle pace of 300 spins per hour, you’re spending $75 per hour on the game. Based on that 98% payback percentage, you stand to get back $67.65 per hour in wins. You should expect to lose about $7.65 for every hour of play.

How do I find out what a slot’s return is?

This can be a little tricky, and the answer depends on whether you’re planning to play slots online or at a land-based casino.

If you’re going to play an online slot, you can usually put the game’s name in a Web search and find the information the new-fashioned way. Some online slot manufacturers list this information right in the game’s menu, as part of the pay table or instructions. Still other manufacturers maintain a list of games and payback percentages on their website. We regret to report that, in some cases, you won’t be able to find any legitimate payback percentage data at all.

Land-based casinos are a bit different. Some casino manufacturers will publish this information somewhere in the game’s menu, like with online slots. Some casinos will post this information on a placard above or near the game or bank of games in question. Still other slots may require a quick Web search or a visit to the manufacturer’s website. If all else fails, ask a casino employee. If the information is available, we’re sure they’ll work to find it for you.

How Do I Pick a Slot Machine to Play?

That depends on why you want to play a slot machine:

• If you’re looking for cheap entertainment, you should find a game that allows a cheap max bet. If you’re looking for something a bit more expensive, you’re still in luck, because as the cost-per-spin increases, so does the game’s payback percentage.
• If you’re looking to win a huge jackpot, and you don’t mind chasing that jackpot with a decent-sized investment, concentrate on progressive games and games with lots of bonus rounds. The trade-off? These games have much lower payback percentages, to offset the cost of their larger payouts.
• If you’re looking to have a good time and expense isn’t an issue, look for the latest licensed slots. These games are based on the plots and characters of popular movies, TV shows, and video games, and feature audio and video clips, bonus rounds, and other fun extras.

What Does the Word “Volatility” Mean?

The word “volatility” in gambling refers to how much you win and how often you win during a given gambling session. When it comes to slot machines, we say that a machine has “low volatility” if it pays out small prizes relatively-frequently. We say that a machine has “high volatility” if it pays out rare but large jackpots and payouts. Those small bankroll-sustaining wins on low volatility machines are rarely if ever complimented by a huge win, while those big wins on highly-volatile games are rarely complimented by regular sustaining wins.

What Is a Slot Machine Tournament?

Slot machine tournaments are events where slot players come together to play a given machine for a specific period of time. The goal is to rack up as many wins and as many credits as you can during your specified play time. Players often compete in waves, so that everyone is playing on the same game with basically the same rules and odds. At the end of the tournament, prizes are awarded to a specific number of players, based on their performance. Online slot tournaments work similarly, except obviously there’s no need to play in groups, since online (virtual) slot machines are always open.

Is There Any Strategy to Playing Slot Machines?

We think you can apply strategy to just about everything, slot machines included. Can players use some special skill or training to outsmart a slot machine and change the machine’s payback percentage or RNG? No, of course not. But slot machine players can and do use things like bankroll management to make their play more enjoyable, more affordable, and more organized. We recommend that slot players create and stick to a budget, that they quit if they get frustrated or upset, and that they join and use the casino’s slot or loyalty club. Those pieces of strategic advice are worth their weight in gold if you find yourself burning out or blowing your bankroll on slot machines.

How Big Are Slot Machine Jackpots?

The largest slot machine jackpot in history was worth $39.7 million. This prize was claimed in (where else?) Las Vegas, off a $100 bet on a Megabucks machine. The gentleman who claimed the prize said it was the only slot machine he played that session, having stuck the bill in the slot as a lark.

Does every slot machine promise payouts like this? No way. Lots of inexpensive slot machines have top prizes in the thousands of credits. We’ve even seen some expensive slot machines (with a high per-spin cost) paying out prizes in the tens of thousands of credits. If you’re looking for a specific size or type of payout, you should study the machine’s pay table, figure out how to win it, then put yourself in position to win it with every spin.

Conclusion

Slot machines have been a part of the American gambling
landscape since the 19th century. They’re still the most popular
and most profitable games in any casino, anywhere in the world.
But with that popularity comes myth, suspicion, and rumor. The
goal of this page is to dispel some long-standing myths about
the slot machine, and to prepare newcomers to slot gambling to
confidently step up to a slot machine for the first time. We
hope we’ve cleared up any questions you have about the world’s
favorite way to gamble.

You don’t need any special skills to play a slot machine. All you do is select the spin button and wait for results.

But this isn’t to say that you can’t do certain things to improve your chances of winning in slots. One of the easiest ways to boost your odds is by playing slot machines with high payback percentages.

Much like any other casino game, winning back more money gives you better odds of beating the casino.

Find out as I cover different methods of finding payback for popular slot machines in both land-based and online casinos. But first, I’m going to discuss exactly what payback is for those who know little about this concept.

What Is Payback Percentage and Return to Player?

Two terms that you’ll often see in the slots world include payback percentages and return to player.

Payback percentages and return to player (RTP) are the same thing, and they refer to how much money a slot machine pays over the long term.

Here’s an example.

• A slot machine has 94% RTP
• You bet $100 on this game
• 100 x 0.94 = $94
• This slot machine will theoretically pay you $94 for every $100 wagered

I stress the word “theoretically,” because slot machines don’t hit their intended payback percentage in the short run. Instead, these are volatile games that only realize their RTP after hundreds of thousands or even millions of spins.

You might think that this diminishes the value of finding RTP. But if you continually play slot machines with high payback, then you’ll have the best chance to win money.

Finding Payback for Popular Land-Based Slot Machines

The land-based casino industry features plenty of famous slot machines, including IGT’s Ellen, Aristocrat’s Game of Thrones, Bally’s Hot Shot, IGT’s Megabucks, and IGT’s Wheel of Fortune.

Given how these machines take millions of dollars in collective bets every day, you’d think that it would be easy to find RTP for each one. But the truth is that it’s really hard to get info on land-based slot machines.

One problem is that casinos can order different payback for the same game. If IGT offers 10 different RTP options for their Ellen slot machine, then many casinos will to choose differently from each other.

Another problem is that there’s just not much information out there on land-based slot machine payback. You can google different terms again and again and still not find RTP for the most popular slots.

But as impossible as finding brick-and-mortar slots payback may seem, there are a few different avenues you can take.

Look at State Gaming Reports

One of the most reliable ways to find RTP data on slot machines is by looking at reports from gaming jurisdictions.

These records contain general information on what payback you can expect from different casinos. You may even get lucky and find payback percentages on the popular games.

This 2017 report from the Nevada Gaming Control Board shows the state’s average win from various coin denominations, as well as Megabucks.

• Penny Slots = 90.17% payback (9.83% house take)
• Nickel Slots = 94.54% payback (5.46% house take)
• Quarter Slots = 93.06% payback (6.94% house take)
• Dollar Slots = 93.94% payback (6.06% house take)
• $5 Slots = 94.16% payback (5.82% house take)
• $25 Slots = 95.03% payback (4.97% house take)
• $100 Slots = 93.21% payback (6.79% house take)
• Megabucks = 87.93% payback (12.07% house take)

Megabucks is arguably the world’s most famous slot machine. This game has paid out many of the biggest slots jackpots in history, including the largest one at $39.7 million.

This is why the Megabucks slot machine is the only one that regularly appears on the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s monthly/annual reports.

The data above shows that Megabucks only paid back 87.93% throughout 2017. This game doesn’t even match payback from Vegas penny slot machines (90.17%), which are notorious for being tight.

But it’s worth adding that the 87.93% payback refers to what Megabucks starts at after IGT seeds the initial jackpot.

Given that this is a progressive game, the jackpot grows with every bet. And Megabucks’ payback can be much higher than the 87.93% listed value.

Many famous slot machines with big progressive jackpots start around 88% payback, including Wheel of Fortune. You can then use the jackpot size to make an educated guess on how high the RTP has grown.

Be sure to look at your state’s gaming report to see what you can dig up on slot machine payback.

Odds are that you won’t find data on specific games, like with Megabucks in Nevada’s report. But you’ll at least get an idea of the casinos and coin denominations that are paying well.

Make General RTP Assumptions About Coin Denominations

Generally speaking, slot machines with higher coin denominations pay more money.

Of course, the statistics don’t always show this. A good example can be seen in the 2017 Nevada report discussed above, where everything from nickel to $100 slots are relatively even.

But also keep in mind that the $25 slot machines had the highest payback (95.03%). As for the $100 slots only paying 93.21%, this can be chalked up to a smaller sample size.

Only a small percentage of gamblers can actually afford to bet $100 per spin. This means that the $100 slot machines’ statistics will be more volatile than other denominations.

We can look at payback for coin denominations at Connecticut’s Foxwoods for evidence of this.

• Penny Slots = 89.88% payback (10.12% house take)
• Nickel Slots = 90.58% payback (9.42% house take)
• Quarter Slots = 91.95% payback (8.05% house take)
• Dollar Slots = 93.45% payback (6.55% house take)
• $5 Slots = 94.08% payback (5.92% house take)
• $25 Slots = 96.16% payback (4.84% house take)
• $100 Slots = 96.76% payback (3.24% house take)

You can see here that payback progressively increases when moving from penny to $100 slots. The biggest separation is seen when moving from the $5 slots (94.08% RTP) to $100 games (96.76%).

Making generalizations about slots payback percentages based on games’ coin size isn’t a guaranteed plan. But it’s a solid method to use when you don’t have any other information.

Be careful when seeking out higher-denomination slots just for the payback, though. You’re still going to lose more money on high-denomination slots overall, even with the increased RTP.

Here’s a comparison using the Foxwoods’ data to illustrate this point.

• I play a penny slot machine with 89.88% payback
• I make 100 spins on this game, which has a $0.50 minimum bet
• 0.50 x 100 x 0.1012 house edge = $5.06 in losses
• I play a $5 slot machine with 94.08% payback
• I play 100 spins on this game, which has a $5 minimum bet
• 5 x 100 x 0.0592 house edge = $29.60 in losses

If you really want to play the higher-denomination games, then by all means, do so. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you’ll win more money this way.

Look at Overall Slots Payback for Casinos

You won’t have much luck finding RTP for individual slot machines, but you can at least develop a composite average by looking at overall payback among casinos.

State gaming reports, like the ones discussed before, are good for doing this. Here’s an example from Ohio that shows the average 2017 slots RTP for their casinos.

• JACK Cleveland = 92.34% payback (7.66% house take)
• Hollywood Columbus = 92.17% payback (7.83% house take)
• JACK Cincinnati = 91.56% payback (8.44% house take)
• Miami Valley = 91.24% payback (8.76% house take)
• Hollywood Toledo = 90.95% payback (8.95% house take)
• Belterra Park = 91.08% payback (9.92% house take)
• Hard Rock Rocksino = 91.06% payback (8.94% house take)
• Scioto Downs = 90.96% payback (9.04% house take)
• JACK Thistledown = 90.87% payback (9.13% house take)
• Dayton Raceway = 90.47% payback (9.53% house take)
• Hollywood Mahoning Valley = 90.09% payback (9.91% house take)

These figures show what you can expect in terms of all slot machines at these casinos.

The best deal was offered at JACK Cleveland, where players earned an average of 92.34% payback. The lowest overall RTP is seen at Hollywood Mahoning Valley, where players faced 90.09% payback on average.

Of course, there are no guarantees when you go off of composite averages. You can sit down to a random slot machine at JACK Cleveland that pays less than games at Hollywood Mahoning.

But the key is that you at least have a better chance by choosing casinos with superior payback.

Google Different Slots Payback/RTP Terms

One final way that you can look for land-based payback percentages is simply by googling terms. You can choose specific terms such as “Ellen slot RTP” or “IGT Wheel of Fortune RTP.”

I’ve spent a good deal of time searching for various terms regarding land-based slot machine payback. Unfortunately, most of these efforts have turned up little-to-no information.

If your initial searches don’t produce anything worthwhile, you can always switch things up. For example, google “Hot Shot slot payback” instead of “Hot Shot slot RTP.”

But again, information is scarce on payback for individual slots. The best you’ll normally do is finding general info like state gaming reports and articles.

Finding Payback for Popular Online Slot Machines

Looking for online slots RTP is a much easier task compared to doing the same for land-based machines. The main reason why is due to the nature of how the internet slots industry works.

Online gaming providers produce games and normally offer a uniform payback percentage across all casinos. This differs from the land-based industry, where the casinos have options in terms of RTP.

The end result is that the same slot machine you find at one online casino has identical payback in another casino.

On another note, you can expect higher RTP from online slots. The reason why is because internet casinos can run these games cheaper due to less overhead costs.

They don’t have to pay for big slot machine cabinets or people to maintain the games. Instead, everything runs through internet software.

Now I’m going to look at a few different ways that you can find RTP for online slot machines.

Search for Individual Games and Their Payback Percentage

If you already have a specific online slot in mind, then you can quickly find payback by searching for it. Here’s an example:

• You want to know payback for NetEnt’s Blood Suckers
• You google “Blood Suckers slot RTP”
• A number of available results show that it offers 98.0% payback

The good news is that you don’t even need to select one of the search results in most cases. You can instead read the description snippets under each link to spot the payback percentage.

In the case of my search for Blood Suckers’ RTP, I only had to scroll down to the second result’s description to find the answer. Of course, you should start clicking website links if you don’t find what you’re looking for in the descriptions.

Looking at the individual games works great if you already have favorite slots and want to know their RTP.

Look at an Online Slot Machine’s Help Screen

Much like land-based slot machines, older online slots fail to list their RTP. But most of the new online slot machines do offer this information.

All you need to do is visit an internet slot machine’s help screen to check for the payback. Here’s an example.

• I’m playing Thunderkick’s Esqueleto Explosivo
• I select the help screen
• I scroll down and quickly see that this game offers 96.0% RTP

Sometimes you’ll play games that have multiple pages on the help screen. In this case, all you need to do is keep scrolling until you find the payback percentage.

You’ll notice that certain online slots makers always put the RTP in the help screens of their newer games. Examples include NetEnt, Quickspin, and Thunderkick.

Google Individual Online Slots Makers

What I’ve discussed so far works well for finding payback percentages on popular online slot machines. But if you like a certain slots maker’s style, then you can look for RTP on all of their games.

This is nice because it gives you a complete list of a specific provider’s slot machines. You can then use this info to choose the highest-paying games.

Here’s an example on finding RTP for RealTime Gaming (RTP) slots.

• I google “RTG slots payback”
• I select multiple websites
• These sites collectively offer RTP on many RealTime slots

Sometimes the info you need will be dispersed throughout several search results. Other times you’ll find a neat list that covers every slot machine.

Don’t Forget About Slots Volatility

I covered the importance of payback percentages earlier. But it’s also important to consider how volatility affects your returns.

Volatility refers to how much your short-term results will fluctuate when playing slot machines. This means that you might not win much money in the short term even if a game has good RTP.

High-volatility slot machines have more unpredictable results than low-volatility games. If you’re trying to stretch out a small bankroll, then you want to avoid games with high volatility.

Some online slots developers actually give a volatility rating for their slot machines. Pragmatic Play is one example, and they use between one and five lightning bolts to indicate volatility.

But the vast majority of internet slot machines still don’t offer this information. That means you need to look at the jackpot size and the pay table to make a rough guess on a game’s volatility.

Megabucks Slot Winners

Generally speaking, volatile slot machines have big jackpots and few small payouts. Therefore, you want to look for the opposite of this to make your bankroll last longer.

How Progressive Jackpots Affect Payback

Several of the most popular online slot machines are linked to huge progressive jackpots. These include Microgaming’s Mega Moolah, NetEnt’s Mega Fortune, Playtech’s Jackpot Giant, and Random Logic’s Millionaire Genie.

These games are just like Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune in how they start with low payback. But the RTP steadily grows as more players pour money into these games.

Mega Moolah starts off with 88.12% payback. This figure quickly grows as the Mega Moolah jackpot adds millions of dollars in value.

Unfortunately, calculating exactly how much a progressive jackpot affects RTP is next to impossible. The reason why is because slots games don’t list the exact odds behind every payout.

This is different from video poker, where we can always figure out payback percentages based on the odds of getting certain hands.

Nevertheless, you can make educated guesses based on where a jackpot value begins up to its current point. If Mega Fortune is seeded at $500,000 and grows to $5 million, you know that RTP has also increased by a significant amount.

Of course, the odds are very slim that you’ll win the progressive jackpot. This means that you’ll be dealing with the base payback figures.

Las Vegas Megabucks Payout Rules

If you’re not comfortable dealing with between 88% and 90% payback, then I suggest choosing popular online slots that don’t have big progressive jackpots. These games will pay back money on a more consistent basis.

But if you like to dream big, then, by all means, play the bigger progressive slot machines. Just wait until the jackpot grows, though, so that you theoretically get higher expected value from your wagers.

Always Read the Help Screen to Ensure You Earn Max Payback

One more point I’d like to stress is how you should always check out the help screen to learn all the rules.

Megabucks Progressive Slots

I already discussed how this is a good way to figure out a game’s RTP. But the help screen also explains the different stipulations behind earning max payback.

You may have to use all of the pay lines or bet a certain coin size to qualify for the highest RTP. Furthermore, the progressive jackpot and/or bonus features may only be available for max bettors.

The aforementioned Game of Thrones slot machine requires a 100-credit wager to trigger the Fire & Blood bonus. If you don’t have a chance to unlock this bonus, then you’re not playing for the highest payback.

The last thing you want to do is play a slot machine under the guise that you’re earning a certain payback percentage, only to find out that you’re not. Check out a game’s help screen and learn the rules before you start betting real money.

Conclusion

Igt Megabucks Jackpot Payout

Finding payback percentages is far easier with online slots thanks to all of the available information.

You can find this info either by googling popular games or even the slots providers themselves. The latter is great for when you like a certain slots maker and want to know which of their games offer the best RTP.

In contrast, land-based slot machines offer very little payback info. Megabucks is one of the few popular slots with an actual payback figure listed online.

This leaves you having to sift through state gaming reports and making guesses based on coin denominations and progressive jackpot sizes. It’s not an exact science, but this at least gives you some clue.

In summary, use the methods that I’ve covered here to find payback percentages for popular slot machines. Consistently doing so ensures that you’ll win more money back as you continue playing slots.