1. Determine the base return of the game type (covered in previous article)
2. Clock the Meter-Rise
3. Calculate The Cost
4. Establish a Play-Number (to be covered in next article)
5. Scouting (to be covered in a later article)

The first and most important attribute of a progressive is its meter-rise. The second and third most important variables are also meter-rise…there is no fourth. OK, there is a fourth, the base return, but even the machines with the worst return can become profitable with high enough progression.

Meter-Rise, also called meter progression, is what makes a progressive progress. It determines how much we make when we play, how quickly the progressive becomes playable, and the likelihood of reaching said mark. The effects are cumulative, making a geometric progression. Therefore, a bank of progressives with twice as much meter-rise might be about thirty times better than another identical bank except for the meter-rise (when looked at from the point of view of how often you’ll play it, and how much you’ll make when you do). A complete breakdown of this phenomenon is contained in Chapter 5 of my book, The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives. It takes up most of the chapter, so you’ll have to take my word for it now. I’m presenting a simplified version here, which isn’t 100% accurate, but it should be close enough to use.

To clock meter-rise, it is necessary to play a machine on the bank (or watch someone else do so), and divide the amount the meter...

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