can money be made at online slot progressives?

I normally play video poker but there are no progressives at the site I play so the highest possible expectation I can get is a little around 99.6% at double jackpo (although I can make some small cash with weekly bonuses - around $60 a week on average).

I have been experimenting with some of the slots that seem to give decent odds and have had a little success. Basically I wait for a jackpot to reach 3 or 4 times the starting amount and then play until I hit or (usually) someone else hits.

Is this realistic or is it still most likely that I am getting a negative expectation? I play at Bovada by the way.

As long as you get paid, you're OK. Otherwise its a Black Hole.

Not sure I understand. The site I play out pays money (have received checks) and I have hit one or two small jackpots (a couple hundred dollars).

I realize slots have a bad reputation but I just was wondering is someone knew the math of any specific games. I have spent some time trying to compile data of how often each symbol comes up on each reel. However it is rather tedious and I haven't gathered enough data to come to any conclusions yet.

Quote: orangeman

Not sure I understand. The site I play out pays money (have received checks) and I have hit one or two small jackpots (a couple hundred dollars).

I realize slots have a bad reputation but I just was wondering is someone knew the math of any specific games. I have spent some time trying to compile data of how often each symbol comes up on each reel. However it is rather tedious and I haven't gathered enough data to come to any conclusions yet.

I like to keep an eye on the Major Minor slot machine. Those have to hit by a specific number(I've seen majors of 500, 5000, 10000) and if they are very close you should play them. The problem I found is people scope them out and play them when they aren't profitable to the point where they become profitable and just never get up until they hit it. I've seen people call friends on the phone to give them money to keep playing.

Exactly, I've only once found a $50 must-hit minor in positive territory. I got it in relatively short order, and was already ahead from some bonus games at the time, so that was cool.

I saw a $500 that was close-but-not-quite, and someone must have hit it by the next time I had the chance to look at it.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't quite occur to me this meant on-line. I don't know if I would go after these kind of games on-line, if the Progressive is linked to other players who could be playing at the time, then that takes some away from the value.

Paging tournament king... Oh wait he's been nuked.

Quote: Mission146

Exactly, I've only once found a $50 must-hit minor in positive territory. I got it in relatively short order, and was already ahead from some bonus games at the time, so that was cool..

Do you have any references for when those turn positive?

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Personally, I'd be wary of progressives-- I've read a few articles about how at some places, the progressive slots are actually run by different groups who just ride on the site for a free... and have refused to pay out based on absrud technicalities.

Quote: Venthus

Do you have any references for when those turn positive?

Sorry to jump in, but here are the links from the Wizard:

https://wizardofodds.com/games/slots/mystery-jackpot/
https://wizardofodds.com/games/slots/mystery-jackpot-ainsworth/

Quote: Venthus

Do you have any references for when those turn positive?

See GPAC's links.

If anything, I'm even more conservative, because I give 0 value to the Major if going after the Minor and 0 value to the Minor if going after the Major (unless both are high, which has never happened for me, AND I've never seen a good Major) and I assume the 14% house edge.

Prior to Wizard weighing in, my original (wrong) method was even more Conservative:

https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/slots/11115-nice-little-jackpot-on-a-wongable-slot-from-wms/5/#post176877