Progressive jackpot odds when the denomination doesn't affect the JP size

Progressive slot jackpots at online casinos often vary depending on the denomination. For example, for a particular slot, there's a specific jackpot for 25¢ players and a completely separate jackpot for $1 players, each fed by players of the respective denomination.

However, with some progressive slots, the progressive jackpot (PG) amount is the same for all denominations, and the PG is winnable even at the smallest denomination. It seems to me that the only way that's possible (without making the RTP drastically different between big and small denominations), is that the *chances* of hitting the PG go up as you bet more. For example, in one game, sometimes a treasure chest opens, and awards you one out of four items, the best being the PG. I'm thinking that if the odds of getting the PG at the $1 level are 1 in x, then the odds of getting the PG at the $0.25 level must be 1 in 4x, to keep RTP similar across denominations.

This seems simple enough, but maybe I'm missing something. Has anyone here ever programmed one of these, or seen a PAR sheet for such a game?

while my answers to your questions in your last paragraph are "no", what you suggest has to be true to keep the expected value the same across all denominations.

On some slots in Vegas I have seen wording printed on the machines that the odds of hitting the progressive vary by amount bet. So that would somewhat confirm what you suppose.

Quote: rsactuary

On some slots in Vegas I have seen wording printed on the machines that the odds of hitting the progressive vary by amount bet. So that would somewhat confirm what you suppose.

Well, that's pretty much a smoking gun! I'd be delighted if you (or anyone) could send me a picture the next time you come across such wording.

Quote: MichaelBluejay

Progressive slot jackpots at online casinos often vary depending on the denomination. For example, for a particular slot, there's a specific jackpot for 25¢ players and a completely separate jackpot for $1 players, each fed by players of the respective denomination.

However, with some progressive slots, the progressive jackpot (PG) amount is the same for all denominations, and the PG is winnable even at the smallest denomination. It seems to me that the only way that's possible (without making the RTP drastically different between big and small denominations), is that the *chances* of hitting the PG go up as you bet more. For example, in one game, sometimes a treasure chest opens, and awards you one out of four items, the best being the PG. I'm thinking that if the odds of getting the PG at the $1 level are 1 in x, then the odds of getting the PG at the $0.25 level must be 1 in 4x, to keep RTP similar across denominations.

This seems simple enough, but maybe I'm missing something. Has anyone here ever programmed one of these, or seen a PAR sheet for such a game?

I have programmed slots where there is a common progressive jackpot between denominations. On the quarter machine it is 4 times less likely to hit the progressive than if you are playing the dollar denom. Each denom has its own PAR sheet.

I think Nevada Gaming just started allowing this about 5 years ago.