Jito
Jito is a Solana project that runs auctions for MEV (extra income from ordering transactions). Validators that run Jito's version of the validator software, called Jito-Solana, collect tips from these auctions and can share them with their stakers. Jito also runs a liquid staking pool, JitoSOL, that spreads stake across validators meeting its criteria.
Why it matters to you
If your validator runs Jito, part of the MEV tips it collects can reach you. How much depends on its MEV commission: at 5% you get 95% of your share. If it doesn't run Jito, that stream is zero, however well the validator runs otherwise.
Jito also matters as a warning sign. Some validators are on Jito's blacklist. We treat that as a red flag and cut the validator's Score, even if its other numbers look fine.
If you'd rather not pick a validator at all, JitoSOL is one of the liquid staking options: the pool picks validators for you, and you hold a token instead of your own stake account.
Where you see it on this site
In the list and on validator pages, a dash in place of the MEV commission ("rewards / MEV") means the validator doesn't run Jito. A validator on Jito's blacklist carries a red Blacklisted flag, and we cut its Score by 15%.
Questions
No. Jito is the project; JitoSOL is the token you get when you stake through its liquid staking pool. You don't need JitoSOL to benefit from Jito. Stake natively with a validator that runs Jito, and your share of the MEV tips comes to your own stake, minus that validator's MEV commission.