Progressive jackpots provide players from across the globe with the opportunity to cash in on life altering prizes on a regular basis. On the other hand, no two jackpot networks are alike, since they vary in size and format. The generosity of each network will depend on how its games are linked amongst each other, with each type offering different benefits for players.

The most basic type of progressive jackpot is the stand-alone. This sort of game accumulates its prizes in line with the wager that players make on just one game. It's not linked to any other games, so the prizes accumulate very slowly. They are common within the land-based casino world, as technological limitations have restricted traditional casino operators from linking games across a wide area. Within the online casino world, these games are becoming obsolete, as players decide to wager on linked progressive jackpots that provide more generous prizes.

Local area progressive jackpots are certainly common within the land-based casino world, and they are becoming increasingly popular at online casinos. These kinds of networks link the prizes from a number of games. At land-based casinos, the games included within the network are often part of a 'game bank', which consists of several games that will be physically linked together on the casino floor.

An in-house (or proprietary) network links games within one casino. Companies like Party Casino and 888 Casino, who design their very own games, offer these kinds of progressive jackpots. There are some good online gambling agency casinos through which all available games contribute to one generous prize, for example Win-A-Day Casino and Slotland. They offer much more generous prizes than stand-alone and area games, but wide area networks continue to offer much more profitable cash prizes for players to enjoy.

The most generous type is the wide area network. This network links games across a range of casinos. The networks operated by Microgaming and PlayTech span lots of casinos, which is why it's not uncommon for games like Mega Moolah, Major Millions and Beach Life to pay out prizes worth millions of dollars.

Wide area progressive jackpots are becoming increasingly popular in the land-based casino world, as well. Traditional gaming operators now have the digital technology which enables them to link games across several land-based locations. As a result, companies like Las Vegas Sands and MGM can offer their very own generous wide area progressive jackpots that boast prizes worth tens of million of dollars.