Slots Facts

What is RTP in Slot Machines?

The return to player measures a slot machine game's theoretical payout percentage. In other words, the amount you can expect to win over time from each wager you place on a machine. This article will help you understand what RTP is and how to find it.

Author: Manyspins Published: September 20, 2021 Last update: July 12, 2022

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In short: It’s a measure of how much you can expect to win, on average, from each bet. Slot game RTPs typically range between 93- 97%.

But what do these numbers mean? They tell us about the odds of winning. For instance, if your favorite slot game has an 80% RTP it means that for every $1 wagered by players, on average they’ll receive $0.80 back as a payout.

This article will help you understand what RTP is and how to find it.

1. What is RTP in Slots?

The return to player measures a slot machine game’s theoretical payout percentage. In other words, the amount you can expect to win over time from each wager you place on a machine.

RTP is an essential statistic for players looking to find the best casinos and fruit machines, as it offers a reliable way to compare one machine’s performance vs another.

However, this does not account for losses or jackpots- so this percentage varies based on individual games and play styles.

2. How does the percentage of return to player (RTP) work for slot machines?

The RTP varies from one slot game to another. This value shows how much money comes back into your bankroll over time.

Winning percentages are typically between 93- 97% depending on the type of slot game being played. A high RTP percentage gives you a better chance you have at winning! Keeping your bets small with a high RTP will be sure to boost your chances of hitting a big win over time!

The RTP will be displayed on the slots paytable. All our game reviews have a statistics table on the right side of the page that lists the RTP percentage. Any casino games listed on this site will also have a statistics table dedicated to cover information such as the RTP and volatility.

If you cannot find the RTP anywhere, an online search should bring up the spec sheet of your chosen game, which should clearly state its RTP.

3. Why are higher percentages better than lower ones?

Simply put, higher percentages are better than lower ones because you have a better chance of winning.

It is important to remember that paying to play casino games involves risk, so there is no guarantee that every session will be profitable. However, over time you should expect good returns from slots with a high RTP.

This means the more money you wager, the more potential for returns you have. For instance, if your favorite slot game has an 80% RTP it means that for every $1 wagered by players, on average they’ll receive $0.80 back as a payout.

If a different slot game has a 93% RTP, this means that for every $1 wagered by players, on average they’ll receive $0.93 back as a payout.

In general, the higher the percentage, the better chance you have of hitting a big win! It basically tells us about the odds of winning and losing – which is why high percentages are good!

4. The importance of knowing about this before playing slots

RTP is often confused for a game’s volatility (and vice versa). Although these two concepts are frequently linked, they are not synonymous. We will briefly explain volatility here:

Volatility

Volatility (or variance) is how the game’s RTP will be realized. Some online slots have very low risk and they always pay the same amount, where some games have high volatility and there are sometimes big payouts but you will also lose a lot more.

For example; if you play a game that has high volatility, you might win a big prize (normally on the bonus features and free spins rounds). However, you’re also likely to lose more as well. Conversely, if you play a game with low volatility, you might lose less but win lower amounts too.

Don’t be fooled

It is easy to say that the more volatile a slot machine game is, the more potential it has for big wins – but this does not always ring true. For instance, with RTP above 96%, games such as Blue Fortune can be very volatile, is likely to give dry spells while offering huge potential returns.

It is for this reason that players should not focus on volatility when choosing which RTP slots to play. RTP will always be more telling of the game’s actual performance, and it will offer you a much more reliable estimate of your expected winnings across time.

Again, all our slot machine game reviews have a section that discusses the volatility of each game – read through them and play free slots for free!

Can you use RTP to your advantage?

Yes! By using our Return To Player percentage tables on this site, you can quickly determine which casino game has a higher payout percentage than others. This will help you know which slots are likely to pay out more.

Simply follow these simple steps:

a) Get yourself a large sample of data from various online slots. This can be done by browsing the reviews on this site, as well as doing your own independent research.

b) Find the slot machine’s RTP percentage for slots you’re interested in – use our payout percentage charts to make it easy for you!

c) Bear in mind that the best slots aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest possible RTP, but rather the ones with an appropriate balance of risk and reward.

d) Bonus Tip!

Some online casinos give you a bonus every time you play – these normally match bonuses or free spins offers. Check out our casino bonuses to find out more.

Remember, it’s always worth shopping around and doing your own research before choosing a casino to play at!

5. Other things you should know about slots before playing

There are currently hundreds of slots games to choose from, but not all offer the same odds. The easiest way to tell if a slot game will be worth playing is by looking at the RTP percentage. Higher percentages are better because they represent a better chance of winning big. However, there are other things that can influence the RTP of online casino games:

Coin value

If the value of a bet is set higher, it means more coins are used per spin. The more coins you use, the higher your percentage of a potential return will be.

Slot volatility

This is measured by the standard deviation of the payout percentage of a slot machine game. The greater the standard deviation, the lower the volatility and therefore more stable returns for players.

Transaction costs

These include all of a player’s wagers plus any fees accrued by a casino, such as rake or house edge.

Location

Online casinos typically have higher payout percentages than land-based slots because they don’t have to pay for physical real estate (such as land, table games, or staff salaries). This means that they are usually lower than land-based casinos when it comes to the house edge.

Bonus rounds

Games with bonus features tend to be associated with lower returns due to the occasional free spins and multipliers that affect the RTP.

Jackpot wins

If a game type is progressive slots, it will decrease your return percentage as the prize money is given to one player instead of being distributed amongst players. Because this type of progressive game are different than standard games, the real RTP is slightly lower than what is advertised.

Online Gambling

If you’re wondering if any online casino can control the RTP of slots, the answer is no. The online slots are not owned by an online casino. They are run by slot providers who design and manage the games. This means that you can play the same slot game at multiple different casinos and still see the same RTPs.

Wrap up

The RTP is a measure of how much money comes back into your bankroll over time. The higher the percentage, the better chance you have of winning! Keep in mind that this doesn’t account for losses or jackpots- so this percentage varies based on individual games and play styles.

In general, slot games with high volatility will pay out higher but also lose more frequently because they are more unpredictable with the outcomes. If you’re interested in playing online slots, it’s important to look closely at their advertised RTP percentages before deciding which one to choose. You can expect different realizations from slot machines depending on whether they are progressive or not too- so make sure you know what slot type you’re playing! Remember, the casino will always have a house edge.

We hope you’ve learned something new about RTP today. If you found this information useful please like and share to help others better understand what it means when someone says “What is the RTP?”

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