Simple – you don't, and don’t believe anyone that says otherwise. There is no special sign that a progressive slot is due a payout, as these games just don’t work that way That's what makes the prospect of hitting the jackpot so exciting. In spite of what some players might think, the odds of hitting the jackpot don't go up as the winning total goes up. What is true is that more people play as it hits increasingly huge totals, which is why you never see billion-dollar jackpots emerge.