You’re looking at two rtp slot games both having similar 96% rtp, however, one of them will empty your balance quickly and the other one will be fun for hours. The reason why? Because RTP is not everything in the gaming world. High RTP slots are the one having 96% and more, but volatility is the difference.
In order to properly identify which slot machine is the best for you, and your bankroll, you need to understand both of these important slot machine metrics. The volatility of a game is what dictates your bankroll life expectancy, as well as the excitement level (also known as tension) of each of your spins. In this guide, we’ll take a look at what both RTP and volatility actually are, how they differ from one another, and how you can use this information to find slots which cater to your needs and playing style.
What is RTP in slot machines?
RTP is short for return to player. It is the theoretical percentage of all money wagered on a slot that the game is expected to pay back over time. This percentage is built into the game, but it does not predict the result of a single session. You can also check casinos with slots at www.mobilecasinos24.com to see which licensed sites offer these games and what bonus limits apply before signing up.
How RTP is calculated
The developers determine the RTP via a computer run which performs millions to billions of spins. Mathematicians program a computer to look at every possible pay combination from the paytable to determine the theoretical pay-out through the base game and feature games.
Once that has been done, regulatory bodies and third-party test labs will confirm those numbers hold true to real play. It is also possible to figure out actual RTP based on the ratio of total payout to the total money wagered. For instance, the RTP of a slot machine that paid out $100,000 during the past month and took in $110,000 in revenue would be 90%.
RTP percentage explained
A return to player of 96% means that for every $100 wagered in millions of spins, the slot machine returns $96. The other 4% is the house edge, which is just 100 less the RTP number. Most online slots have an RTP that sits right around 96%. For slot machines located in land-based casinos, however, payouts of 90% or even 92% are more typical.
Your individual results can fluctuate widely from the theoretical percentage. You can hit a jackpot on your very first spin. You can lose everything in the blink of an eye. You need to average thousands of games (say 10,000 to 100,000 or more) to see the true power of RTP.
High RTP vs. low RTP slots
In general, an RTP of 96% or higher is considered good, while anything below 94% is considered low. A higher RTP means the slot returns a larger share of stakes over the long term, but it does not necessarily produce more frequent or smaller wins—that depends on volatility and hit frequency. Over extended play, however, your bankroll may drain more slowly.
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Some low-RTP slots feature progressive jackpots because part of each bet funds the prize pool instead of being returned through regular payouts. You may still land a much larger win than on a 99% RTP slot, but the chances are usually lower, and the expected loss is greater over time.
What is volatility in slots?
Volatility, or as it’s commonly referred to as variance, indicates the risk associated with a slot machine and can reveal the typical size of the wins it awards as well as how often they land. This is about the way a game is set up to dispense returns, not necessarily the RTP. With a high volatility slot, for example, you might not see a single win for the next 30 spins, before winning 50x your bet with the 31st. On the other hand, low volatility slots will have a steady stream of smaller wins, and ultimately, the same total will be awarded over the course of all spins.
Games makers will program volatility into every slot machine. You have no ability to change these ratings. There are three types of slot machines, which are distinguished by how often they pay out.
Low volatility slots
Low volatility games give out smaller rewards more often and are good for a longer play-time with smaller bankrolls. Max wins of around 500x your stake or less is the norm in this category. Starburst is one of the best-known low-volatility slots. It has straightforward gameplay that delivers a consistent stream of small payouts and no nerve-wracking long stretches with no wins at all.
Winning spins are more frequent, although these winnings are relatively low, like in an equal ratio to the bet or close to it. But, this gives you more time to play and recover from losses, making it good for people who want longer play sessions and lower stress.
Medium volatility slots
The slots of medium volatility are somewhere in between, providing more frequent, smaller wins but at the same time, larger rewards appear from time to time. The highest multiplier here is approx 5,000x. Take the Bank exemplifies slots in this category with a good balance between wins and risk.
These are good games for players who like frequent action and still hope for big wins. They have win frequencies that fall somewhere between the low and high volatility games. You’ll get wins more often with these compared to high-variance games, and you’ll have more multipliers or bonus re-triggers than with low-volatility games.
High volatility slots
The volatility of these slots can reach heights that will see payouts happen less frequently than usual, but the rewards when they hit are much, much larger. While the highest possible payouts can reach 5000x, some games (such as Dead or Alive 2) can reach 111,111x. Some examples of the top high-volatility games include games such as Book of Dead which has been one of the most popular high-volatility slots ever released, and its free spins feature includes expanding symbols which can create substantial payout opportunities.
You need larger bankrolls to survive the cold streaks in these games. Experts recommend 200-300x your bet as a safe minimum. You could play 99 spins with no wins at all only to have a win on your 100th spin. This also goes for progressive jackpot slots.
RTP vs. volatility: key differences
RTP and variance are two different concepts that work independently of each other and together affect your slot play, and understanding how they differ can help you choose the right slot machine for you.
RTP measures long-term returns
So RTP tells you how much you will return on your bet after spinning thousands, even millions of times, not for a single sitting. A slot with a 96 percent RTP will, theoretically, return $96 for every $100 wagered, but this is a long-term average. What happens to you, individually, may be very different from the theoretical RTP of the game. In fact, two players will often get completely different returns from the same game if they spin for the same length of time.
Volatility measures payout frequency and size
Volatility determines win distribution patterns rather than overall return percentages; it does not dictate a win frequency or total payout. The lower the volatility, the greater the chance of receiving a win, on any given spin, with wins in low volatility games occurring at the frequency of 40-50% of spins, typically between 2x to 3x the size of the stake bet. In contrast, high volatility games tend to offer smaller or no win on 50 spins and then offer a 5,000x the stake bet on a single spin. A win frequency, or hit rate of 25% to 35% is indicative of low volatility, while 15% or below for a high volatility game.
How they work independently
These metrics operate independently, yet they both define the game experience. Two slots with the same 96% RTP can feel different based purely on their volatility. The high volatility option may not pay out for a long time, but the wins it awards are larger. The low volatility slot pays small winnings often. While the returns over the long term are the same, the journey is distinct.
Why both metrics matter
Smart slot selection comes down to considering both aspects together. A 98% RTP slot with high volatility demands larger bankrolls than a 96% RTP slot with low volatility. High RTP high volatility slots require a much higher bankroll than lower RTP low volatility slots. Savvy players will look at both these factors at once, rather than just filtering through slots by RTP percentage. They look at what kind of games fit their budgets and preferences.
How to choose slots based on RTP and volatility
Selecting the correct RTP slot hinges on finding the metric that fits both your situation and your personal preferences.
Match volatility to your bankroll
Your choice of volatility is a matter of how much you have to spend. In turn, players with budgets below $50 should play slots with low to medium volatility and RTP over 96%. You will prolong a gaming session and increase the likelihood of withstanding an extended period without big wins.
Volatility means you need a bigger stack. At a minimum you want 100-200 bets to sit to the side before you begin playing at a high variance casino slot. Instead of playing at $1.00 per spin, play at $0.20 per spin, which will extend your play 5x with no effect on the underlying math.
Your playstyle matters
Low volatility suits low-risk tolerant players who want lots of games without big payouts. High volatility works best for those chasing large wins and are willing to take the chance of longer losing streaks.
Check the paytable and game features
Paytables display RTP, volatility indicators and much more. Generally, big gaps between the minimum and maximum payouts suggest high volatility. You should also consider if bonus buy features and multipliers work to your advantage, for example.
Use demo modes to test slots
Demo mode is your risk-free chance to sample the mechanics and get a feel for the payout tempo. While spinning 50 or 100 virtual rounds will certainly help you gauge the frequency of wins, it’ll obviously never recreate the stress of actual bankroll depletion.