RTP and volatility are two main characteristics of slots, starting from the first one-armed bandits to modern video pokies. But in fact, slot machines also use several other mechanisms that can affect winnings. These include the random number generator, hit rate and variance.
Players often do not pay attention to them since they are more related to the side of the developer. These are technical parameters that are laid down at the development stage. Players are often more interested in graphics and gameplay. However, RTP and volatility are key aspects, and many do not fully understand what they are and how they may affect your winning chances.
RTP Basics
RTP in online casinos stands for Return to Player. This is a percentage that theoretically suggests how much money you can get back at the end of the gaming session. This value is one of the key characteristics of slots and gaming machines in all online casinos, regardless of reputation and fame.
Let’s take a classic example of a gambling platform in the form of GGBet and their website ggonline.bet. This online casino cooperates with many providers of slots and, due to this, adds various games to the platform. By clicking on the game or going to its settings, in 100% of cases, there should be information about the RTP. This parameter is always indicated as a percentage and usually looks like 96.54%, 98.9%, 92.2%, etc.
The higher the RTP, the higher the return size. A special mathematical formula is used to calculate the value. Don’t worry. These are normal percentages, and there is nothing complicated about them.
Example:
You deposited $100 into your casino account and decided to play the slot with an RTP of 96%. In theory, with a certain number of rounds, without any big wins or jackpots, you will end up with $96. The more spins were made, the higher the probability of the slot’s return rate. In this case, $4 is the House Advantage or, simply put, the profit of the online casino.
In some cases, the provider gives the platform a choice in the RTP parameter. That is, the game has RTP variability, for example, from 91% to 98%. As a result, the final RTP is established by the online casino.
Few Words About Volatility
In addition to RTP, other mathematical concepts are also used in online slots. An equally important characteristic of a slot machine is volatility, as mentioned above. Unlike RTP, which is an indicator of potential winnings, volatility is a parameter of the frequency of winnings and their size. There are three types of volatility:
- Low
- Average
- High
Low volatility means you won’t win often, but if you win, you’ll get more than, for example, a slot with high volatility. On the contrary, frequent wins, but their size is not so “impressive”. Average/Medium, as the name suggests, is the perfect balance between the previous ones.
RTP and Volatility: Wins and Features
Now, let’s return to the main question — How do RTP and volatility affect winning? First of all, it is worth understanding that RTP and volatility are theoretical indicators. In practice, the higher the RTP value, the more you can get back, and volatility is responsible for how many times you win and how much money.
It cannot be said that if a slot has an RTP of 98% and high volatility, you will always win. But at the same time, the chances are much higher in this case. This is exactly what gambling as a whole is built on — a game of chances.
All metrics in slot machines are based on spin rotations, but in any case, the results will depend on the RNG algorithms. Therefore, predicting the outcome of a game will always only have approximate/theoretical results.
Final Thoughts
RTP and Volatility in gambling are the main aspects that you should pay attention to. The strategy and gameplay of most gamblers are based on this. On average, most players choose slots with 95-96%+ RTP and high/medium volatility. In this case, the satisfaction from gambling and winnings is many times better. Low RTPs of 91-92% are typical for games that have a jackpot (and a fairly large one), the chance of which is low but which will pay off all the “costs”.
Every gambler must remember that the operating principle of slots is based on randomness. But this randomness can be levelled out a little if you have an idea of what RTP, volatility, and a number of other slot machine mechanics are.
