In most countries, the Return to Player, or RTP for short, needs to be listed on all slot machines. If you’ve ever read a decent online slot review, then chances are they will mention the RTP. This is because knowing the RTP is essential when choosing an online slot machine. Despite this, many people are blissfully unaware of what RTP means. That’s why we’ve put together this article. We’ll go through what RTP means and why it is important.

 

What is RTP?

A slot machine is a game of chance. Each time you spin the reels, there is a chance that you could win or lose, that spin. You know that. That’s why you play those games. You hope that you’re going to win some cash. Now, a lot is going on behind the scenes to determine whether you win or not. Most of this is randomised. You have no impact on it. The slot developers have little impact on it (despite programming the system to be random) and the online casino has no impact on it. One of these factors is the Return to Player rate. So, what is it?

Well, the RTP is how much of the money gambled on that slot machine can be expected to be returned to the players of the game. So, if the RTP is 97%, then this indicates that £97 out of every £100 gambled on that machine should end back up in the player’s pockets. This doesn’t necessarily mean that if you gamble £100 of your money, you’re guaranteed to get £97 back, though. You could get nothing, but more on that soon.

The other 3% is the house edge. So, for every £100 gambled on that slot, the online casino makes £3.00.

As we said, this is a pretty simple concept to understand. However, looking at the RTP often isn’t enough to determine whether a game is worth playing and how often it pays out – but more on that soon. For now, let’s explain why you need to know the RTP.

 

Why you need to know the RTP

Knowing the RTP of a slot gives you an idea of how good your chances are of winning. The lower the RTP, the more of an edge the house has on a slot machine. So, if there is an RTP of 90%, then the house would have a 10% edge (you are highly unlikely to ever find this in a slot machine), and since this now means that there is a far lower chance of winning on each spin, it may not be worth playing.

Although, as we said, the RTP won’t tell you the full story of the likelihood of winning. You could play a machine with an RTP of 99%, but other factors in the slot may mean that you don’t win for hundreds of spins, but more on that soon.

Every online slot machine you find listed at sites such as www.online-slot.co.uk will give you an idea of the RTP. It is a requirement for these games. So, this isn’t information that you need to hunt down. In an ideal world, you would play games with a higher RTP, because in theory, playing games with a higher RTP means that you are more likely to win some money back.

Whether you’re playing low-volatility slots for smaller, frequent wins or high-volatility slots for the thrill of trying to win a big jackpot, music can match the mood. Try listening to some upbeat new music for high-intensity gameplay or chill vibes for those longer sessions.

 

RTP doesn’t tell the full story

Many people assume that because a slot machine has an RTP of 97%, it means they are going to get at least 97% of their money back. That’s not the case. After all, some people win on slot machines, others can walk away with nothing. While an RTP of 97% means that a player has a decent edge, it doesn’t mean they will win. There is another factor at play, and one that is not going to be mentioned at all on a slot machine, hence why you need to consult slot machine reviews. This is volatility.

Since this isn’t a guide to volatility, let’s give you a brief explanation of it. Volatility is how much and how often a slot machine pays out. If you play a low volatility slot, you’ll get more frequent payouts, but they’re smaller. High volatility slots pay out less frequently, but the wins are much higher. So, you could (in theory) win frequently with a low volatility slot with an RTP of 97%, and win nothing on a high volatility slot with an RTP of 97%. Remember, the RTP is all about how much is going into the player’s pockets, not necessarily your pocket.

When you’re hunting down a slot machine to play, the RTP is important, but this should be looked at alongside the volatility to know what level of risk there is when playing that game.

 

Final thoughts

RTP is given as a percentage. It tells you how much cash is going back into a player’s pockets in a game. So, an RTP of 96% would tell you that 96% of all cash gambled on a game should eventually be returned to players (although, this doesn’t guarantee you’ll win). RTP needs to be looked at alongside slot volatility to gauge the frequency and size of potential wins.