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Learn the Importance of RTP and Volatility in Casino Games
Ever wonder how much a casino game can give you in return? Using RTP and volatility percentage, you can get a good idea on how much you can possibly win over the course of the game. Understand how to use RTP and volatility to your advantage in choosing the best games for you!
To have an idea on how high a game’s payout percentage is, you can check its RTP. RTP stands for ‘Return to Player’ which is how frequently you can possibly win payouts over the long term when you play the game. Every casino game—table games and video slots—has its own RTP based on the game’s RNG.
RTP is considered to be subjective because all this information is based on Random Number Generators (RNG) used in casino games. This means all wins are randomly generated and outcomes are unpredictable. Due to all games being won by RNG, it keeps the gaming experience fair for all players.
You can calculate the RTP of a casino game based on the total amount bet by players divided by the amount returned to the player. For the total amount bet made by players, this is based on the sum of the total bets wagered by each player. Amount returned to the player pertains to the total win given back to the player in each spin.
Another way to find out the RTP of a game is to use the game’s house edge if it’s known. When calculating using the house edge, all you need to do is subtract the game’s house edge from 100%. For example, the house is 4%, 100% is then subtracted from 4% to get an RTP of 96%.
The table below shows casino games with their respective house edge and RTP calculated:
|
Game |
House Edge |
RTP |
|
2.75% |
97.25% | |
|
2.45% |
97.55% | |
|
1.17% |
98.83% |
*Note: House edge in table games may vary for the dealer and player.
Playing based on the game’s RTP can give you an estimate on how much of what you wagered can be returned to you in the long run.
So high RTP slots give bigger payouts then?
Not necessarily, and the reason for that is something called variance.
Also known as volatility, this essentially refers to the risk level of each slot game. The higher the variance, the greater the risk to your bankroll. Conversely, low volatility games tend to serve up more frequent wins.
But here’s another important distinction:
High volatility slots = fewer wins, but these are of a greater size
Low volatility slots = more wins, but these are of a smaller size
This is only a general rule of thumb, but it stands up to scrutiny for the vast majority of titles.
In general, it's your personality type that will determine which slot games are right for you: if you are a patient type willing to spin the reels for a longer period of time before a win is triggered, then you might just enjoy high variance slots.
Alternatively, if you need to be winning on a regular basis to prevent yourself from ‘tilting’, perhaps low volatility slots are better suited to your personality type.
Higher Volatility = Higher Risk
Volatility is, in essence, the same thing as variance. Both tell us what we can expect from a particular slot, and inform us of the levels of risk that are inherent on the reels.
There can be a number of features that determine why a slot game might be considered highly volatile, or otherwise.
When a title’s biggest prizes are found in bonus rounds, free spins games or via win multipliers, these will need to be triggered via a specific combination – often by matching three or more of a specified symbol on your reels.
There are slots with fixed numbers of pay lines and coin values – these also tend to be more variant, because the player cannot modify the set-up to their requirements.
Of course, the most volatile slots of all are those linked to a progressive jackpot network, where you spin the reels hoping to land a huge prize worth millions of pounds/dollars.
Which type of slot is better? This is a decision that you will have to make for yourself, but clearly, there are advantages and drawbacks to both when comparing with the other.
How to find high volatility slots
Generally, there is a wealth of information about slot games that have been released for a while, and we always recommend reading the reviews of others when deciding which games to play.
In doing so, you will probably discover the volatility rate, alternatively you can just check our live RTP page for this information.
Another great option is to just play each game – ideally in free play mode. You will get an excellent sense of how the game plays as well as its variance, all without the risk factor.
So there you have it. These two handy tips will immediately help you to become a more profitable slot gamer without even hitting the spin button:
- Find out the game’s RTP
- Discover if it is high/medium/low variance
If you can unearth a high RTP, medium variance title, you are in a fantastic position!
Variance and volatility are another way of saying risk. With high-risk slots, we understand that our gaming sessions might not be fruitful ones – but the rewards speak for themselves.
Think of it like buying a lottery ticket: you understand that your stake is at risk, but you wager it anyway in the hope of being rewarded with a fantastic prize.
It’s a personality thing, as much as anything else. Are you willing to sit tight and keep pressing that “spin” button, knowing that the next big win could be just around the corner?
Naturally, high volatility slots are better suited for those with larger bankrolls, who can work through the “dry spells” that accompany such games in the pursuit of that next winning spin.
The old saying “speculate to accumulate” doesn’t apply here – this is pretty much all-or-nothing gaming in which the line between risk and reward becomes blurred.
That’s because high variance slots offer pay-outs of 3000x, 5000x or even 10000x your stake – and that’s before we even go into the astronomical sums available in progressive jackpot slots!
Who should play high volatility slots?
The conditions of high volatility slots mean that they’re not for everyone. Indeed, only certain personality types can prosper playing these sorts of games:
- Those comfortable with risk and reward
- Those willing to wait for a win
- Those with larger bankrolls
- Those with strong discipline
- Those with plenty of patience
- Those who want the chance to win big!
Low variance slots
For everything you’ve read about high variance slots, the opposite pretty much rings true for their low volatility siblings.
These are aimed at players who enjoy the thrill of winning – where the release of endorphins that a winning spin brings is key – more than necessarily seeing slots as a way of making money.
Low variance means lower risk (i.e. your stake has more chance of making a return), and so rather than hitting the spin button with fingers crossed, it is done more in anticipation than hope.
Be warned though, dry spells in low volatility slots can see your bankroll diminish significantly.
The modus operandi of low variance slots is entertainment. You can ring every ounce of enjoyment from your staking plan when you know that your next win should be along shortly.
If you plan on enjoying lengthy online slots sessions at Bitcasino, then low variance games are your smart choice. You will win some spins and lose some, but hopefully, you walk away with a profit in hand.
As you might expect, you’re very unlikely to win a big jackpot pay-out here. Instead, the onus is on accumulating lots of little wins that – if it’s your lucky day – could add up to a significant pay-out anyway.
Here’s another tip: if you have joined Bitcasino and armed yourself with one of our fantastic deposit bonuses, then low variance slots are a smart way to accumulate some real-money winnings to use in your account!
Who should play low volatility slots?
If you want to win a life-changing sum of cash, may we advise you to try your hand at a high variance slot?
Yes, you’re not guaranteed to win a single penny there, but you’ve got to be in it to win it, as the saying goes.
The sorts of gamers who might enjoy low volatility slots include:
- Those who play largely for fun
- Those who play long sessions
- Those who are on a tighter budget
- Those who are new to slots
- Those who seek entertainment
- Those who enjoy old-fashioned slots
- Those who need to win often
Is there such a thing as medium variance slots?
If you were wondering if there was some kind of middle ground between high and low variance slots, you’re in luck!
Medium volatility games exist in that happy place somewhere in the middle, where you can enjoy a steady stream of winning spins while having the lure of a decent-sized jackpot to play for – as high as 1000x your stake, in some cases.
These titles are perfect for players who want a little bit of risk, but plenty of reward, from their slots. It’s a good way to maintain your bankroll with slow and steady gains, and if you can win big, then that’s just the icing on the cake.
Examples of each type of slot
To give you a better understanding of the line between high and low variance slots – and what a medium volatility game looks like – we thought we’d walk you through some examples taken from the Bitcasino slots library.
The software developer Endorphina has made a large number of high variance slots, and arguably the pick of the bunch is Voodoo.
This spooky slot only has ten paylines across its five reels, so you will be waiting around for those winning spins to come along, but then there is a stonking jackpot of 20,000 coins to be won into the bargain!
With a second jackpot available of 10,000 coins, it could be well worth riding out the losing streaks in Voodoo.
If you’re looking for a low variance slot to enjoy, give Tree of Fortune a try.
Produced by the team at iSoftBet, this features the unique 243 ways to win feature, which rather than just accepting winning combinations from left-to-right on your reels, actually pays out when symbols appear in a variety of patterns.
The game doesn’t have a major jackpot – the top-paying feature, 15 free spins, is where you can accumulate wins, and so Tree of Fortune is a game in which winning small amounts regularly is key.
As medium volatility slots go, we offer plenty – and one of our favourites is Booming Games’ Big Apple Wins.
An old-style fruit machine slot, the Big Apple that the title refers to is actually New York City, in a game inspired by all things NYC related.
Most importantly, this is your standard medium variance game in that “little and often” wins are commonplace, but with scatters and wilds appearing on the reels, there is always the opportunity that you could land the 2000x big prize.
Remember, Bitcasino players can enjoy all of our slots for free in demo mode, so you can get to grips with the different variances and decide which best suits your style.
Play It Safe or Dare to Take the Risk With Volatility
When taking a game’s volatility into consideration, you are deciding whether you win payouts frequently but in small amounts or it might take a long period until you receive huge payouts. There are usually three modes it can be set to: low, standard, or high. Some video slots allow you to choose what type of volatility you want to play in.
Casino games with low volatility are ideal to play when you are a beginner at casino games. There is less risk when you play because you can win frequently, but your wins come in small portions. On the other hand, you can also choose to play in high volatility mode. In high volatility, you can win a huge payout but it will take a long period of time before it occurs.
Check out the following games to test out what volatility suits you more when you play casino games:
Casino Games with Low Volatility
- Fairy Tale
Endorphina has weaved their own Fairy Tale filled with enchanting magical fairies up in the clouds. Fly to the brilliant skies of this casino slot and experience magic come to life when you draw the powers of the Wilds, Scatters, and Free Games. Marvel at the wonders of these fairies and you might get the opportunity to get your happy ending.
- Mini Baccarat
In Play’n GO’s version of Mini Baccarat, your objective is to guess correctly which hand is the highest or have a tie. The player and dealer must try to reach 9 or get a card value combination closest to 9. Bet on who you think will win and you’ll receive your reward when you guess correctly.
Casino Games with High Volatility
- Battle of Emperors
Fight alongside historical figures who can control China with a steel blade in Battle of Emperors made by Gamatron. Take a role in one of China’s greatest wars in history and earn huge payouts in the long battle between the Yellow Emperors. Go through the Bonus feature and Free Spins to get a chance at winning the jackpot and glory for all of China.
- Texas Hold ‘em Poker
Try your best to maintain your poker face when you play One-Touch’s Texas Hold 'em Poker. It is a casino table game where your goal is to achieve the highest card combination among the other players. Compared to other poker variants, you are only dealt with two cards and they must build a high card set based on the 5 community cards placed in front of you.
There are 3 rounds in Texas Hold’em Poker where you can observe if your cards can make the right combination to win. Each of the community cards is revealed in every round and decide whether to raise your wager if your cards are good or you can bluff. Otherwise, you can forfeit your cards to avoid any losses.
Win at slots – or have fun trying
You can never master slot games. You can never beat them. It’s not about luck. Or karma. Or about the world being out to get you.
Slot games have a random number generator built into them as well as a return to player rate. These are algorithms, really clever pieces of software, and you can’t cheat them to guarantee a winning spin.
However, you can make your odds of winning better, and you can guarantee that – in the long term – you have a greater chance of a payout.
How? By implementing many of the theories we have discovered in this guide:
- Play high RTP games – or being patient with low RTP titles
- Play low variance games – or being patient with high variance titles
- Play slots with plenty of bonus features and special symbols
- Manage your bankroll effectively
- Never play when your mindset is wrong
- Take the time to learn your craft by playing for free
How You Play the Games Lies With You
Now that you know how RTP and volatility works, you can now decide how you want to play games. It can vary for everyone, so you can experiment which style suits you more by playing any of the casino games in Bitcasino. By trying out new games, you can open yourself up to a whole new genre or type of game while winning money!
With a click of a button, you can check out which way you prefer—RTP or volatility—when it comes to choosing a casino game and you can find your favourite type in our selection.
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