What does RTP mean in the casino? Games with high RTP (Plinko, Couch Potato and others)
Elen StelmakhMaths in the casino. What is RTP and the volatility of gaming machines?
Virtual casinos are a great way to spend leisure time for all players. For example, Vostok online casino, which features products from the world's best providers, such as Igtosoftm EGT, Quickspin, Play'n Go, NetEnt, Microgaming and many others.
When it comes to choosing a site, beginners prefer bonus clubs and a wide variety of games. However, experienced users are more likely to pay attention to other parameters: reliability ratings, RTP and slot volatility.
There are various mechanisms used in machines that regulate the receipt of winnings. All online casinos use mathematical concepts such as: random number generator, drop rate, variance, volatility and others. To choose the most profitable slots with high RTP rates, you need to find out how these indicators affect the overall outcome of the game.
So, what is RTP or Return to Player?
RTP stands for "Return to Player". The translation sounds like "return to player". RTP is a percentage that, in theory, calculates how much you can get back at the end of a game session. The average is considered to be 95 per cent.
The parameter is usually specified as a percentage of the total number of bets played. The indicator shows the player the probability of winning and the amount they can receive after a certain number of spins.
The higher the RTP score, the greater the chances of payback and the frequency of winnings over a specific period of time. A special mathematical formula is used to calculate the value, and the initial characteristics are determined by the game manufacturer.
The RTP is calculated as follows: the ratio between the total amount of winnings and the size of the bets multiplied by 100 per cent.
For example: the return on the popular game Starburst has a score of 96.09%. This means that the player can expect a payout of $96.09 for every $100. The return for the player is 96% on average, and the casino's advantage is 100% - 96.09% =3.91%.
It should be borne in mind that the accuracy of the indicators depends very much on the distance. The more spins made, the more likely the slot is to be returned. If a player makes an average of 10,000 bets on 1 coin, in the long run they can return 9609 coins.
The Gangster Paradise game from the famous Novomatic brand has an RTP of 88 to 97.2 per cent. This means that the exact value is set by the operator. You can find out the slot indicator in a specific casino in the slot description.
Sometimes the retrigger level can fluctuate and change during the game. A striking example of a volatile RTP is the Gorilla GoWilder slot. Depending on the site, the payback percentage is between 92.3 and 97.45.
Video slots and games with high RTP
Modern slots and slot machines are powered byRNG and have almost no mechanical elements. However, among them you can find the most lucrative and enlightening devices with great chances of a big win. The ranking of the most rewarding slots includes:
- Plinko game from operators Spribe, BGaming and others (RTP 98%)
- Jackpot 6000 from provider NETENT (RTP 98.86%)
- Couch Potato from Microgaming. RTP 97.43%
- 1429 Uncharted Seas from Thunderkick. RTP 98.6%
- Bloodsuckers from NETENT. RTP 98%.
All modern certified slots presented in large online casinos have an rtp of at least 91%. At the same time, almost 90% of all slot machines have an average return rate or "return to player" of 94-98%. Here.
The formula for calculating RTP
The basic formula for calculating RTP is as follows:
RTP = winnings value/ betting value * 100%
However, the RTP indicator calculated before the installation of a new slot machine in the gaming hall and after a month of its operation will be different. It is influenced by several factors at once:
- The frequency of hits
- The frequency of bonus drops
- The maximum amount of winnings
- Variance
- Volatility, etc.
If the RTP is 95%, it means that for every $100 wagered, the player loses $5. Yes, sometimes you'll win and even hit the jackpot, but over a distance of a thousand, ten thousand or a million spins, you'll definitely drop 5% - that's the money the casino will make from you.
Who sets the RTP
Now that we know what RTP means, let's see who sets the value of this parameter. During the development of the game, the game developer adds a random number generator (RNG) to the programme, which ensures that each round of the game is not predetermined by anyone and is in fact independent. This RNG is checked for randomness by a reputable auditing laboratory, for example BMM, iTech Labs or eCOGRA (to name but a few). After that, the developer can use a proven RNG for games. Both the audit lab and the developer, using a licensed RNG, can activate audit programmes that launch hundreds of thousands of spins in a short period of time. The RNG algorithm used determines the game's RTP.
Can operators change or configure the RTP in slots?
It is impossible for operators to change the indicators, as the RTP is incorporated into the Programme code by the software providers. However, there is the possibility of hacking and altering the code by hackers, but this probability is reduced to zero due to the complexity of the process.
All the player's actions do not take place on the casino's web resources, but on the developer's, so no gambling portal is able to influence the rate of return. And independent bodies monitor the work of suppliers and the correctness of slot machine results. RTP parameters for automatons can be changed only after software updates and changes made by the developers themselves.
Interesting. Licensed gambling establishments cannot adjust RTP slots, but this rule does not apply to gambling halls and virtual platforms that operate without a licence. Scammers have many ways of changing machine settings, so it's important to check for a licence to ensure fair play.
Who can influence RTP
One of the most frequently asked questions by players and operators is whether the developer can configure the RTP to the needs of a particular operator, or does this parameter remain unchanged?
Let's be clear. Once the game developer has assigned the RTP to the game, nobody else can change this parameter. In other words, neither the player nor the operator can interfere with payouts in games.
It is very rare for a game developer to create a game with flexible RTP settings. Although this is more the case with online slots and slot machines. And while the casino operator can set a variable RTP for offline slots, the online game developer remains solely responsible for the RTP of the games.
How to find out the slot RTP
For those who want to know what kind of RTP a particular game has, it's easy to help. When entering the casino (whether online or land-based), the player needs to enter the name of the slot machine they want to play in the Google search, or the name of its manufacturer (or game studio), adding the acronym RTP to the search.
RTP and volatility
As we wrote above, there are many factors that determine a player's chances of winning slots. RTP is far from the only one. Another important factor is volatility.
For example, a slot with high RTP and high volatility may not be as popular with players compared to a slot with high RTP and low volatility. This is because, in the first case, the probability of winning decreases. Volatility shows how often and how much you can win on a particular slot game.
Volatility can be low, medium or high.
Volatility | Influence on practice |
High | Prize rounds are rare, but their average size is quite high. Highly volatile slots are suitable for risk-taking players. |
Low | Payouts are made frequently. Their size is noticeably smaller and often doesn't even cover the cost of a spin. Machines with low volatility are suitable for users who want to maximise their session and not take any risks. |
Medium | The so-called golden mean in terms of frequency and payout level. Slots keep their balance well and leave chances for big wins. |
RTP and variance
Variance is often confused with volatility, but these are different concepts. Variance shows a deviation from RTP, i.e. the difference between the player's expectations and their results.
Variance characterises a particular slot at a particular time - whether it is possible to win on it frequently or not (even despite its volatility indicator). Here, too, we'll explain with an example.
If the RTP of an online slot is 96 per cent, the player expects a refund of 96 cents on each bet of 1 euro. But as the RTP is calculated on the basis of several million bets (spins), the player will only receive the specified RTP by making the total number of bets included in the calculation cycle.
In addition, the total number of players in a given game or the fact that several thousand players can play in a single game at the same time can affect the change in the payout amount for a player.
The change in the RTP in relation to the bets placed by the players is called the variance.
The actual RTP indicator changes at different intervals, unlike the theoretical one, which is assigned by the developers to a specific online slot. For example, if a player checks the RTP on a particular slot on a spin, he may notice that at the moment of a winning spin, the instant payout can be more than 100 per cent, and on a losing spin - less than 100 per cent.
Who really needs to know about RTP
Bearing in mind that RTP is a theoretical indicator and does not affect the player's real chances of hitting the jackpot in the game, let's answer the question: Who can really use knowledge of this indicator in a given game?
Most of the time, RTP and volatility are important to those who play regularly. Payout values often affect their strategy, and they try to find a game provider that offers games with higher payouts. Of course, it's unlikely that the declared RTP will be reached in one gaming session, but over time, the theoretical and actual RTP can be equalised.
The RTP set by the developer on the slot cannot be 100 per cent or higher, because it is not profitable for the operator and the game provider. As a result, the casino operator is forced to find a balance between high and low RTP games. A higher payout percentage is not as beneficial for the operator, but attracts players, and a lower one ensures the casino's profit, but is less popular with players.
Thus, the operator must offer players a wide range of games so that both the player and the casino get what they want. But even when the operator makes a choice in favour of games with lower payouts, the luck factor for the player cannot be excluded. For example, if the declared RTP on an online slot is 95%, but several players have managed to collect very rare winning combinations at high stakes, the actual payout rate for such combinations can exceed 100% or even 200%.And then you will have to play many more spins for the actual RTP to match the theoretical one.
By the way, the fact that a player has achieved a big win now does not exclude other big wins for him in the near future. Here, the luck factor and the unpredictability of the RNG come into play, and the winnings of each new round do not depend on the previous one.
It's also worth clarifying that RTP is objectively important when comparing two identical or almost identical slots.
Elen Stelmakh is a creative individual dedicated to advancing gaming culture through articles and visual design. As a full-time EGamersWorld author and designer for a gaming website, Elen not only creates content but also infuses it with energy and creativity.