Eagle Bucks / Thunder Cash / Mustang Money / Grand Dragon
Cash jackpots grow with each bet and pay before a set limit. The same approach covers several Ainsworth games, though the meter settings can differ.
When to play
Use the cash jackpots marked “must hit by.” Match the jackpot name and cap first. Entries depend on RTP and meter speed. Each row lists the settings used to calculate it.
- Minor · $50 cap · 0.45% meter
- $49+
$20 reset; paired Major $350–$400 at a 0.20% meter. Assumes total RTP of 86% or more.
- Major · $400 cap · 0.20% meter
- $396+
$350 reset; paired Minor at least $25 at a 0.45% meter. Assumes total RTP of 86% or more.
- Major · $10,000 cap · 0.15% meter
- $9,710+
Assumes 90% return from all wins OTHER than this jackpot.
- Major · $10,000 cap · 0.15% meter
- $9,810+
Assumes 85% return from all wins OTHER than this jackpot.
- Major · $10,000 cap · 0.15% meter
- $9,860+
Assumes 80% return from all wins OTHER than this jackpot.
When to stop
Stop after the jackpot you entered for pays. Recheck the other meter before starting another chase; a reset jackpot is a new decision.
How it plays
Each jackpot starts at a reset value. Part of each bet moves the meter toward a hidden hit point. Reach that point and the jackpot pays, then resets. A hit can come before the posted limit.
The cash jackpot is separate from normal line wins and free games. A larger bet moves the meter faster per spin. It does not reduce the total amount you need to bet to reach the same point.
On Eagle Bucks, three or more shield symbols start 10 free games. One bonus version holds a full eagle reel on reel five. Eagles on the middle three reels can fill their whole reel. Three more shields add five games.
On Thunder Cash, three or more Thunder Cash symbols start eight free games. Lightning wilds stay in place through the bonus. Three more bonus symbols add five games.
The meter approach also applies to MHB versions of Mustang Money, Mustang Money 2, Grand Dragon, Dollar Streak, Panda King, Ming Warrior, and Multi Win 7. Check each machine’s actual jackpot range and growth rate.
Notes & game details
Notes & warnings
- Count total bets, not the cash you put into the bill acceptor, when measuring a meter. Divide the meter increase by the amount bet.
- A 0.15% meter needs about $6.67 in bets to rise one cent. Watch several meter changes so rounding does not fool you.
- The $10,000 rows exclude that jackpot from the stated return. A casino’s total RTP includes jackpots, so do not use it as the return from other wins.
- At $9,900, a $10,000 cap with a 0.15% meter can still take about $66,667 in total bets to reach the cap. That is about 6,667 spins at $10. Total bets include recycled wins; they are not the same as cash lost.
- These calculations assume the jackpot belongs to your machine. A jackpot shared with other players needs a separate calculation.
- On a multi-game cabinet, check which themes and bet levels share the meters. Switching games does not necessarily give you a new jackpot.
- The illustrated cabinet has its own jackpot settings. Use the values on the machine you are playing.
What makes it AP
You inherit the money already added to the jackpot. As the meter gets closer to its limit, less play remains before it must pay.
The $10,000 entries use a model where the hit point is equally likely anywhere between the current meter and the cap. For a current meter of J and a cap of M, the average award is (J + M) ÷ 2. The average amount bet is (M − J) ÷ (2 × meter rate). Subtract the expected loss on that play from the average award. Use 0.0015 for a 0.15% meter.
The rating
The red rating covers the large-jackpot chase: a late hit and poor line wins can leave a large loss even after the jackpot pays. A near-cap $50 jackpot puts far fewer dollars at risk.
How the colors work- Run length
- Large jackpots can take thousands of spins. The smaller jackpots can be much shorter plays.
- AP type
- Must-hit-by jackpot
- Maker
- Ainsworth
- Related names
- Mustang Money · Mustang Money 2 · Grand Dragon · Dollar Streak · Multi Win 7 · MultiWin 7 · Panda King · Ming Warrior · Ainsworth MHB · Rhino Rumble