If you’re playing a $1 slot game, you’re not likely to hit a big jackpot. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to win a small progressive jackpot. The odds of hitting a certain combination on any slot machine are entirely randomized. However, if you know which slots to play and how much to wager, you’ll be able to stretch your bankroll.

The simplest way to calculate the probability of a jackpot is to look at the total number of symbols that appear on each reel. The more symbols that are present, the lower the chance of hitting the winning combination. Then you can calculate the probability of hitting a specific symbol by multiplying the total number of possible combinations by the frequency of that particular symbol on each reel.

However, this method of calculating probabilities can be misleading. When a slot machine is programmed to pay out a jackpot, all wagers on that particular machine contribute to the total pool of potential combinations. Since this doesn’t account for the fact that some symbols occur more often on different reels than others, a progressive jackpot may appear to be growing faster than it actually is.

This is a common problem with jackpots in brick-and-mortar casinos, as well. To combat this, most operators use a mathematical formula that adjusts the total value of a jackpot based on the average amount wagered before it is won. This can prevent a single jackpot from appearing to grow more rapidly than it should, and it can also help ensure that the jackpot is won relatively frequently (e.g., multiple times per day in the case of small jackpots).

Some online casinos have progressive $1 slots that are linked to a larger network of machines. These types of games can offer higher payouts and have a $1 million minimum jackpot, which is significantly bigger than the typical slot game jackpot. One of the most popular examples is Aristocrat’s Dragon Link jackpot brand, which offers high- and mid-denomination bets and a jackpot that resets to $1m when it is won.