All You Need to Know About RTP in Slots

If you’ve ever heard somebody talking about RTP in slots and wondered what on earth they’re talking about, wonder no more. Here’s what RTP is and how you can make use of it to improve your slots experience with PokerStars.

What does RTP stand for?

As a player, it is important to understand RTP. It stands for “Return to Player”. Expressed as a percentage, this figure simply represents the amount of money a player can expect to win from their bets in casino slots or other games. If you play a game with an RTP of 95%, then for every £1 you bet you can expect to receive £0.95 back.

Essentially, RTP represents the house edge of the game. In this example, the house edge is 5%. This means that an RTP will always be less than 100% – if it were more, then the casino would be losing money on the game.

Of course, the RTP is calculated over a gigantic sample size of simulated betting rounds. It doesn’t mean that you will lose exactly 5% of your bankroll if you play a game with a 95% RTP. Even a long, sensibly managed gaming session over the course of hours is unlikely to reflect the true RTP of a slot.

Basically, for the individual slots player, the possibility of winning more or losing less than the RTP indicates is very likely. That said, there’s a good chance that you’ll be more likely to win in any given session if a game has a 98% RTP instead of a 90% RTP.

Why RTP Matters for Slot Players

RTP is one of the simplest ways to compare slot games at a glance. Although it doesn’t guarantee the outcome of any session, it does give them an idea of the theoretical return, which can help them make more informed choices. A game with 97% RTP, for example, is expected to return more to players over the long run than one set at 92%. Even a few percentage points can make a difference across thousands of spins, which is why many players look to RTP as a guide when looking for a new online slot to try out.

Is RTP the same as volatility?

In a word: no. However, the concepts are closely related enough that they wouldn’t legally be allowed to marry one another.

What is volatility in slots?

The volatility of an online casino slot refers to the way that the RTP is distributed. This is why there’s no guarantee you’ll win more on a 98% RTP slot than a 90% RTP slot over a small sample. To explain, let’s take two extreme examples of two different 95% RTP slots.

On the first game, you bet £1 per spin for 1,000 spins and lose 999 of them, winning £950 on one spin. On the second game, you bet the same £1 per spin for 1,000 spins and lose £1 on 300 spins, win £0.50 on 300 spins, win £3 on 300 spins and win £5 on 100 spins.

In both games, you’ve bet £1,000 and received £950 back for an RTP of 95%. The first game is a high volatility slot: it doesn’t pay out often, but when it does, it pays big. The second game is a low volatility slot that rarely pays out big wins but gives you frequent smaller wins.

What is a normal RTP for slots?

Most online slots will have an RTP of somewhere in the range of 92% to 97%. However, you may find some that are slightly lower or higher than this. The game developer, not the casino, is the one who decides what the RTP will be. If it is too high, the game will not be profitable for a casino to host; too low, and players will not enjoy the experience.

However, they also need to balance the RTP against the game’s volatility, the number of paylines and the frequency of bonus features and minigames to ensure that players have a good time spinning the reels. A slot with a lower RTP accompanied by a lower volatility and frequent bonus features is likely to be a much more popular game than a high RTP slot with extreme volatility. It isn’t fun to play more than a few dozen spins without hitting some kind of win, after all.

How to find a slot RTP?

Every slot you play at PokerStars Casino will have the RTP information freely available. When you head to the slots page you will see an “I” button on the game icon thumbnail. When you click this, you will be able to see the Return to Player percentage. You can also see other stats such as the bet limits and any bonus features available in the game.

If this button is unavailable, you will usually be able to find the RTP in the paytable of the game. Failing that, check the settings menu.

RTP in Land-Based vs Online Slots

There is a big difference between the RTP values usually found in land-based slot machines compared to those hosted on online casinos like PokerStars. The Slot machines found in land-based casinos often have RTPs between 70% and 90%, while online slots usually sit higher, around 94% and 97%. This is because physician casinos have plenty of operating costs – they have staff, rent, machine maintenance and plenty of other things to cover. Online casinos, on the other hand, have much lower overheads and can afford to offer a higher return-to-player. This gap, along with bonus features and progressive jackpots that online games can offer, is the reason why online slots have become so popular.

Common Misunderstandings About RTP

Many beginners make the mistake of believing the RTP is a promise of what will be returned to them during a game. In reality, it’s actually calculated over millions of simulated spins. In practice, a player might win far above or below the stated percentage within a short gaming period. Another common misconception is that studios and online casinos have the power to change the RTP at will, potentially taking advantage of players, but this isn’t the case. Online slots are heavily regulated, and they must be strictly reviewed, especially when it comes to the RTP, before they can be released. 

RTP and Responsible Gaming

Understanding RTP is also a key part of responsible gaming. Since RTP shows the long-term expected return, it helps set realistic expectations before playing. Slots are designed as entertainment first, with wins never guaranteed. By checking the RTP and knowing how it works with volatility and features, players can choose games that fit their playing style while keeping in mind that results will vary from session to session.

RTP Is a Guide and Never a Promise

Return-to-player is more than just stats on a paytable; It’s a window into the mathematics of a slot game and one of the clearest tools available for players who want to compare different titles and get a better understanding of how the game behaves in theory. Combined with volatility, bonus features, and an understanding of how progressive jackpots work, RTP helps to paint a fuller picture of what each slot has to offer. On PokerStars, this can be found in the information for every game, so every player can make smarter choices when spinning the reels.

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