Many jackpot games run several tiers at once, often labelled mini, minor, major and grand, with the smaller ones won far more often. Some tiers can only be won at a minimum stake or with an optional side bet switched on. Playing below the qualifying level still feeds the pot while leaving the top prize out of reach. The qualifying stake for each tier is listed in the game rules beside the amount it stands at.
Progressive jackpots differ by how widely they are shared. A standalone progressive grows from the stakes on a single game, a local one is shared by several games in one casino, and a network jackpot collects from the same games across many casinos at once. The wider the pool, the larger and rarer the top prize. The jackpot display usually names its type, and the game rules say which casinos or titles feed it.
Jackpots are won in one of two ways. Some need a specific combination, such as five jackpot symbols on a line at the maximum stake. Others are triggered at random after any spin, often through a jackpot wheel or a bonus game that picks one of several tiers. Random triggers usually give a larger stake a better chance of starting the jackpot game, a rule the game information states plainly in most titles.