How to Find the RTP of Online Slot Machines

Want to learn more about online slot machines? Well, this is the place. Return-to-player, or RTP, is a value you may have heard of, but what does it mean?

What is RTP?

So, RTP stands for Return-to-Player and is commonly seen as a percentage value. The value represents how much of the deposited funds will be returned to a player when a winning spin is spun. Therefore, if, say, £100 was put into an 80% RTP slot machine game when a lucky/skilled player hits the jackpot, they will get £80 back! The operating casino retains the other 20% of its profit from operating the machine and licence. The RTP is only considered for winning spins and those that equate to a considerable payout, i.e. the jackpot. Not every player will be able to claim the RTP.

As a higher RTP yields a greater prize for a winning player, slot machine users typically prefer a higher RTP value when choosing a slot machine game.

How to Find the RTP

The RTP should be listed on every slot machine game, either online or in the real world. When choosing a specific game online, there should be an information page or pop-up where you can read this and other vital stats that are useful to know when selecting a game to play. It might be visible on another related page if it’s not there.

However, if you read all these options and the RTP still cannot be found, then withdraw funds and log out of the site immediately. This is because not showing the RTP is a red flag for any casino operation. While there is no set limit on the RTP value, not displaying it raises serious questions about whether a site is being clear and transparent with its players.

When it comes to physical slot machines, users should be able to find the RTP value on the machine, either on the side or near the coin slot, potentially on a sticker. Again, if you can’t find the information, think twice about playing the game.

Once a game has a set RTP, the online casino cannot change it at will or when a winning spin has been landed. The software developers often set the values when the online casino licences the game from them, meaning that they are free from ad-hoc manipulation.

What is Considered a Good RTP?

Okay, so when considering RTP values, what are typically good values and underwhelming values? The RTP can range from 70% to 90% for real-world machines. This is common and depends on how the venue owner makes money from the machine on the premises, whether they own it or not.

Online slot machines tend to have a much higher RTP value. 90% can be considered low for online slots, where the average is 94-96%, and higher-paying machines can reach 99%. There are fewer overheads and more customers regarding these online variations, meaning that companies can afford to give out more money on winning spins.

Some interesting games do not have a set RTP. Instead, they have a changing value that fluctuates from win to win or even spin to spin. However, such games should still state the basic range to be clear to their players.