A jackpot slot is exactly what it says - a slot machine with a jackpot prize, which is the biggest potential payout. There are several types of jackpot slots, including:

Local jackpots

Local jackpots have a prize pool that is formed exclusively by bets made by players at a particular casino. These are usually on the smaller side due to the smaller number of players contributing to the total and can only be won by players registered with the casino in question.

Progressive jackpots

Progressive jackpots offer prizes millions - but they are hard to win. These types of jackpots cover vast networks and grow each time a player bets. Each bet contributes a small percentage to the top prize. We recommend you check out Microgaming's The Dark Knight Rises.

Network or pooled jackpots

Network or pooled jackpots offer the biggest prizes of all. Each bet made on a specific pooled jackpot game, across multiple casinos, contributes to the top prize. The real money payouts are staggering. Give Mega Fortune by NetEnt a spin today!

Fixed jackpots

Fixed jackpots, also known as cash pot jackpots, don't change. They are a feature of the slot game that isn't influenced by players' bets. Our favorite fixed jackpot slot game at the moment is Golden Egypt by IGT.

Slots with multiple jackpots

Slots with multiple jackpots are just that. These additional jackpots are usually triggered during bonus games, but some are triggered randomly. A popular multiple jackpot slot is Mega Moolah by Microgaming, which has a total of four jackpots!

There a number of factors that influence how jackpots work. Firstly, the number of reels can influence how likely you are to hit the jackpot. The more reels, the harder it is to hit it, so to boost your chances, play classic slots, which only have between 3-7 reels.

Another factor is the minimum and maximum coin size. If a slot machine’s minimum is $0.01 and the maximum is $0.10, it will pay less than a machine that has a minimum bet of $0.05 and a maximum of $0.25.

Often, slots with more reels have high maximums but standard minimums, such as $0.01 or $0.05. Playing the maximum number of lines increases your chances of winning, but it’s more costly than just playing one line. Some machines offer up to 80 or more paylines!

You should also take into consideration whether the slot game offers more than one jackpot because the base jackpot isn't always the biggest payout on offer. For example, the base jackpot may be worth 4,000 coins, but the bonus games may include another worth 6,000.

By now you're probably itching to get the reels spinning to see if you can scoop the jackpot, but where to start? We suggest the following 10 jackpot slots which have proved a real hit this year...

1. Goldfish by IGT

2. Monopoly Megaways by Big Time Gaming

3. Quick Hit by Bally

4. Buffalo by Aristocrat

5. Game of Thrones by Microgaming

6. Cleopatra by IGT

7. Double Bubble by Gamesys

8. Rainbow Riches by Barcrest

9. Bonanza by Big Time Gaming

10. Book of Ra by Nowomatic

Now to the all-important stuff: how to win jackpots on slot machines. You might already know that that the outcome of a slot game will always be random. Yes, slots really are just games of chance. However, there are a number of tips to boost your chances of landing a real money win:

• To win the maximum jackpot you must make the maximum bet.

• Progressive jackpots pay very little if you hit and don’t play the maximum.

• Find a machine that offers a range of prizes.

• Play machines that include a decent number of payouts in the moderate range.

• Play machines that fit your budget and will allow you a maximum number of spins.

• Only play online slots with an RTP of 95% or higher.

• Play the machine in free mode first to understand it fully before risking real money.

• Read the payout table and all instructions.

• Try to play a little every day rather than hours at a time.