In regular games of bingo, the jackpot is the amount awarded to the winner of the game when they reach full house. This amount is usually predetermined at the start of the game and may either be a monetary reward or in the form of an alternative prize.

When there is a straight forward jackpot on offer, there is not usually a limit on the number of balls that can be called before the jackpot is awarded for that particular game. Games which offer progressive jackpots work slightly differently.

In games of bingo which offer a progressive jackpot, the prize is only awarded if full house if met within a pre-determined number of calls. If nobody calls ‘bingo’ within this limit, the jackpot will roll onto the next game, increasing with the number of players and cards played in each game (hence its name).

As the value of the jackpot increases as it rolls from one game to another, the jackpot amount awarded is often much greater than prize monies offered in regular games of bingo. For this reason, games of bingo where a progressive jackpot is available tend to be incredibly popular.