Whether you’re playing on the casino floor or in your home, the word jackpot sends your heart racing with anticipation of a life-changing win. While the screams of victory in movies like Oceans Thirteen might suggest you can hit one on every spin, chances are your odds will be less than stellar. Luckily, there are certain rules that can help you maximize your chance of winning a jackpot game.

Generally speaking, jackpot games are slot machines with larger maximum payouts. However, they can also include other types of casino games such as blackjack and roulette. While the design and layout of a jackpot slot machine may look similar to regular ones, there are important differences that you should be aware of.

There are two main types of jackpots: local and progressive. Local jackpots are set by each individual casino, and the prize pool grows by a small percentage of every player’s bets. These jackpots can only be won by players who are registered at the same casino as the game in question. Progressive jackpots are much bigger, and they build up over time as players bet on connected machines. Unlike local jackpots, these are not capped at a fixed amount, and the jackpot minimum automatically resets after a winner is declared.

When you win a jackpot, it will trigger a signal back to the casino’s monitoring room, and an attendant will rush over to verify the win. They’ll ask to see your government-issued ID, and you won’t get a cent until you provide it. Some jackpot winners, especially those who are nonresident aliens, have to wait years before they can finally receive their money.