Some lucky DraftKings Casino player in Michigan will soon set a new record for the highest online casino jackpot in US history. The only question is when, and exactly how big it will be. As of 3 p.m. on October 21, the DraftKings Progressive stands at $6.55 million and is still growing.
It will be the second time the record has fallen in just over two months. The biggest jackpot to date was $6.45 million, which hit at BetMGM Casino in New Jersey on the Fruit Blaster slot.
It remains to be seen which game will trigger DraftKings’ record-setting jackpot. There are no less than 22 games linked to the same jackpot in Michigan.
The winning game might not even be a slot. DraftKings allows players to make optional $0.20 side bets in games like blackjack, roulette, rocket, and video poker to have a chance at the jackpot. Slots players can earn their chance playing Divine Fortune Megaways, Fortune Coin, 88 Fortunes, or any of a dozen slots not featuring the word “Fortune” in their names.
The DraftKings Progressive surpassed BetMGM’s total on Friday. In an email announcing the impending record, DraftKings Vice President of iGaming Marketing and Operations, Jason March, said:
We take a lot of pride in providing our customers with a best-in-class experience, so it’s always exciting to see our jackpots reach historic numbers knowing one of our DraftKings Casino players is going to take home the largest U.S. jackpot in online casino history.
There’s no must-hit-by deadline for this jackpot. However, the headlines it’s generating are sure to bring in droves of hopeful players. Just like lottery sales skyrocket when Powerball or Mega Millions goes over $1 billion, the hype surrounding the DraftKings Progressive will accelerate both its growth and the odds of it hitting.
A Record Unlikely to Be Beaten in Michigan
The US online casino market has been growing by double-digit percentages each year since it began. With that increase in players and betting comes bigger jackpots. No matter how big the current jackpot grows before hitting, it’s probably only a matter of time before the record gets broken again.
That said, whatever happens to the US record, DraftKings is likely to hold the Michigan record for quite a while. No other operator in the state is currently in a position to beat it.
Although many online casinos offer progressive jackpots, various operators have different strategic approaches. Some aim to let the jackpots grow as big as possible, but others prefer to have them go off more frequently. Those higher-frequency jackpots don’t have time to grow quite as big.
DraftKings, BetMGM, and Borgata (also owned by BetMGM) are the sites responsible for most million-plus progressive jackpots in the US. The only other operator in the list of top ten jackpots is Hard Rock Bet, which doesn’t have a site in Michigan.
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Importantly, DraftKings doesn’t have a cap on its progressive jackpot. Theoretically, if no one wins this jackpot, it could go on growing forever.
Conversely, BetMGM and Borgata do limit their progressive jackpots. In New Jersey, the ceiling is $10 million, so there’s still room to beat DraftKings’ record there. However, in Michigan and Pennsylvania, it’s only $5 million. So, barring a change in BetMGM’s policies, DraftKings should retain the honor of having awarded the largest jackpot at a Michigan online casino indefinitely.
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