Slots Odds, House Edge & RTP
- How To Calculate Slot Machine Volatility Indicator
- High Volatility Slots
- How To Calculate Volatility Beta
- How To Calculate Slot Machine Volatility Ratio
The odds of you winning on a slot are usually represented in a machine by what casino game software developers like to call ‘The return to player rate’; otherwise known as the RTP
Variance and volatility are one and the same thing. Two terms one meaning; how risky is this slot machine? Basically the volatility of a slot is directly related to how often and how much it pays out. Another way of looking at it is that volatility = risk. High volatility means high risk, low volatility means low risk. When it comes to online gambling, there are special figures to estimate and classify slots. The slot machine is considered as high volatility if the payout ratio is higher than x10 000. If the rate varies between x5 000 and x10 000, the machine is considered a medium volatility one. Low volatility – is lower than x5 000.
Closest casinos with slots near me. You’ll see something like this: Expected RTP 95%.
Another way of looking at it, and what you’ll read in other places, is: House Edge 5%.
What they are basically saying is the same thing but in reverse. In one you are specifying how much a video slot machine is expected to give back to the players, on the other you are saying how much of the money the machine gives back to the mobile casinos online.
We prefer to talk about RTP because it’s what is clearly marked out on the online mobile slots we’ve played. So it avoids confusion when you see it.
You can think of it like this: for every 1 coin (Dollar, GBP, Euro) you put into the machine, the slot machine is going to give out 95 cents/pennies back to the player.
The RTP is calculated over the entire lifetime of the slot machine over millions of spins.
Of course if it was as simple as that, it wouldn’t really be gambling, it would be paying 5 cents for a spin. That’s because the RTP is calculated over the entire lifetime of the slot machine over millions of spins. It works on averages. When you win €1.90, you are getting not just your 95 cents, but the 95 cents from another player who didn’t win on their spin.
It simply means that all in all, over time, the machine is going to give out to the casino 5 cents for every coin put it. Sometimes the machine will pay out huge amounts and the casino will be down, but it will average out in the long run.
Look for machines with high return to player rate.
So on this basis, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you should head for the slot machines with the higher return to player rate.
Generally, anything over 95% is great, 96% and 97% is even better. Less than 90% and you should generally avoid. Those machines are so tight they ask their mothers to pay for a drink of tap water in their own homes.
A good return to player rate (RTP) is anything over 95%. The higher the better.
Higher payout rates don’t always mean better however. Variance plays a very important factor in how often the machine will pay out.
A machine with 97% payout rate, but low variance, will give you tiny little wins often. A machine with 94% RTP rate but high variance will take patience, but you can win hundreds of thousands for your troubles.
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You need to do your research. LuckyMobileSlots.com is the best place to find all the information on all the mobile slots machines new and old and what you can expect from each.
Generally, the higher the payout, the better. It’s a great starting slot strategy.
What is Slot Variance? What is Slot Volatility?
Variance and volatility are one and the same thing. Two terms one meaning; how risky is this slot machine?
Basically the volatility of a slot is directly related to how often and how much it pays out. Another way of looking at it is that volatility = risk. High volatility means high risk, low volatility means low risk.
Not many casino slot game providers like to publish this information. Sometimes it’s obvious and sometimes it’s not. But depending on the type of player, you might be more or less attracted to one type of slot machine over the other.
There is no right or wrong answer; different players will enjoy different types of mobile slots. You might even find a new favourite game and it might be a variance you had not expected.
Most of the time, you just have to spin to find out if this slot machine is the one for you, is it entertaining and is it fun to play?
When should I play low variance slots?
Low variance is all about entertainment. This slot game will pop, sizzle, spark. It will give you lots of little wins, and often. What it won’t do is give you a big life changing win at 400x your bet.
Great lower variance slots?
Foxin Wins, Starburst, Mermaids Millions.Find them all at:
You should play low variance slots when:
- You just want to be entertained
- You don’t have a large bankroll
- You want your game play to last for as long as possible
- You want to try and walk away from the mobile casino on the positive rather than negative
- You want lots of actions, bonus features and everything coming at you at once! Entertain me slot!
Of course low variance slots don’t always pay out small, some have even the chance to win progressive jackpots or as much as 80 or 100 times your original bet. But a low variance slot is low risk for a reason. It’s there to help you make your budget last as long as possible and possibly even walk away with a little 20% extra on top.
For beginners and those who just want entertainment, we recommend low variance mobile slots.
When should I play high variance slots?
High variance slots are all about that great big win in the sky. You know. That moment when you see those 5 in a row line up and you hit a multiplier, on a free spin round, with a random instant prize bonus game and suddenly you see the big letters… BIG WIN… flash before your eyes.
But uninitiated players beware; these slots are high risk for a reason.
Great higher variance slots?
Treasures of Troy, Dead or Alive, 300 Sheilds, Gonzo’s Quest.Find them all at:
You should play high variance slots when:
- You have the cash to spare
- You are chasing huge wins and nothing but 500x your bet will satisfy you
- You don’t mind walking away once you’ve spent your budget
- You don’t mind not getting a lot of action and are happy to wait for the bonus features to hit, safe in the knowledge that when those winning combinations show up… you’ll be one happy mother clucker. (Yes we changed that word on purpose. This may be an over 18 website but we have manners.)
There is no doubt that if you are not willing to be in for the long haul with high variance games, you’ll walk out with less than you come in.
The only possibly winning strategy when playing high volatility games is to check your budget and figure how much you would need to spend for about 150 to 300 spins. If your budget allows that, then you have a chance to walk out a happy gambler, or at least, not a poorer one.
How Can I tell the variance or volatility of a slot?
With great difficulty.
Unless we are told by the casino game software (and which we put on LuckyMobileSlots.com) the only way to really get a feel for the variance of the video slot is to play.
If however, this answer doesn’t satisfy you, there is another ‘indicator’ or ‘hint’ that you can use to ‘guestimate’ the variance of a slot.
When in doubt
Free play the mobile slot first and get a feel for it before you play with real money.
But just in case you hold us accountable, ‘’, means that this mantra is not set in stone, it is just a guideline. A lot depends on how many symbols, reels, in-game or progressive jackpots and paylines you have in the slot machine.
Check out the paytable
First things first. If the slot has something like ‘win a million trillion coins!!’ written on it, chances are it’s at least medium to high volatility.
The higher the maximum win, the more chance this slot will take it’s sweet time giving it to you in the base game or bonus games.
Secondly, look at the difference between what you will win when you get 4 of a kind in comparison to 5 of a kind symbol wins.
If the difference is only about 3x to 5x more, you are probably looking at a lower volatility slot like Starburst. If, however, the difference is more 10 or 15 times than the 4 of a kind win, then you might be looking at a high variance slot like WMS Raging Rhino.
What Next? Raging bull casino no deposit bonus 2020. Comfortable with how to manage the risks, bet within your budget and the types of slots available? Do you think you’ll be able to recognise the bonus features and styles of slots? Then it’s time to find a mobile casino to play at. Check out our list below of mobile casinos that offer video and classic mobile slot to play on your mobile.
Learn more about mobile Slots All Casino Guides »
Your chances of winning with slot machines vary from one game to the next. You may first look to a game’s return to player (RTP) to determine your odds. RTP shows how much you can expect to win from a game in the long run. If a slot features 97% RTP, then it’ll theoretically pay back $97 for every $100 wagered.
Best slot machines wheel of fortune. Many online slots providers offer payout percentages for their games. You can usually find this info in the help screen or simply google it. Volatility is another important factor towards determining your winnings. It measures how closely short-term results line up with the RTP.
Unfortunately, volatility isn’t easily accessible. Most games don’t offer a volatility rating like they do payout percentages. Luckily, you can figure how volatile a slot is through one simple way. I’ll discuss this method along with other ways that you can measure your short-term odds of winning.
Why Is Volatility Important to Your Slots Results?
Slot machines offer a wide range of payouts. They deliver small prizes, jackpots, and bonuses. You earn more money for landing combinations with high odds. A prize that only hits 1 in every 500,000 spins will pay far more than a prize that’s delivered 1 in each 1,000 rounds. The former type of payouts are what make slot machines exciting. However, they also increase the volatility.
The house must retain its edge with each slot to make profits. Therefore, they can only program big payouts to hit every so often. Meanwhile, they program smaller prizes to be delivered more frequently. Low payouts help pad your bankroll as you chase bigger wins. In summary, larger payouts make slot machines more unpredictable. Low-paying prizes, on the other hand, decrease the volatility and see you win more often.
You should consider volatility whenever choosing a slot machine. Assuming you have a large bankroll, then you may not be too affected by short-term unpredictability. If you’re hoping to stretch out a small bankroll, then you should look for less-volatile slots. These will bring more payouts and keep you in the game longer.
Jackpots Tell Everything
You might already know what kind of volatility you’re comfortable with. But how do you determine the predictability of a slot machine? In the best-case scenario, you’ll choose a game that offers a volatility rating. Some slot machines feature this rating in the help screen.
For example, you might see a game’s volatility rated at 3 out of 5 stars. This figure means that the game falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Again, though, most slots don’t offer this information.
Here’s a comparison to illustrate this point:
Slot #1
- A slot machine offers a $3,000 progressive jackpot.
- Based on the top prize, this game’s volatility is likely very low.
Slot #2
- A slot boasts a $2 million progressive jackpot.
- This huge top prize indicates a highly volatile game.
Remember, this method is rather rudimentary. However, the jackpot can still provide quick information on a slot machine’s proposed volatility. You should focus on the seeded amount when dealing with progressive jackpots. After all, the seed amount represents what providers must pour into the game.
How To Calculate Slot Machine Volatility Indicator
Two games could feature identical $100,000 jackpots. But if one is seeded at $10,000 and another at $5,000, then the latter will probably be less volatile. After all, the provider doesn’t need to put as much money into the game in this case.
Other Factors that Determine Volatility
You can only learn so much by looking at the jackpot alone. Therefore, you should consider the following factors to get a truly accurate determination of volatility.
Size of Other Payouts
The jackpot isn’t the only payout that can be large. Some slot machines feature several large prizes beyond the jackpot. I consider any payout worth 500 coins or more to be big. Assuming a game boasts 3-4 or more prizes like this, and then it’s quite volatile. In contrast, games that don’t feature many, or any, payouts worth 500 coins will pay more consistently. They don’t have large prizes that they must make up for by putting you through numerous losing streaks.
Bonus Rounds
Most slot machines offer bonuses, including free spins, pick’em rounds, re-spins, and second-screen rounds. These bonuses are meant to increase entertainment value by introducing different gameplay. However, they can also feature big prizes. In some cases, the top bonus payout is larger than the jackpot. Such bonus prizes ramp up a slot machine’s volatility.
Random Features
In addition to bonuses, slots can also offer random features, including extra wild symbols, additional scatters, and expanding wilds. For instance, a slot might randomly throw more wild symbols onto the reels. Or, it could turn a regular symbol into an expanding wild. Such features help turn losses into wins and wins into even bigger prizes. However, these random payouts also take away from the regular wins.
Cascading Reels
This feature refers to when symbols from winning combinations disappear. Icons from above fall into their places and potentially create more wins. Cascading reels give you an opportunity to net more payouts in a single round. However, they’re yet another feature that boosts the volatility level. After all, cascading reels give you the opportunity to net lots of payouts in a single spin. You’ll go through plenty of rounds where you don’t win anything with these games.
Number of Winning Ways
Many modern slots offer countless ways to win. Some games now boast hundreds of thousands or even millions of winning ways. These Megaways slots feature reels that hold a varying amount of symbols. Certain games allow reels to hold up to 12 icons. This format is further enhanced by the lack of paylines. With Megaways, you form wins by landing symbols in adjacent reels. I’ve seen online slot machines that offer between 117,649 and 60,446,176 ways. This sheer number of winning possibilities is definitely exciting. However, the fact that you can unlock so many ways also makes the payouts less consistent.
Should You Play Volatile Slot Machines?
The key theme here is that volatile slots boast big jackpots and/or other features. These games are more exciting than less-volatile games, but they also don’t pay as frequently. You must weigh how you feel about waiting on payouts versus chasing big jackpots and bonus prizes. If the latter excites you most, then you shouldn’t have any trouble dealing with volatility.
However, you’ll likely experience frustrating times where you quickly lose your bankroll. These situations are often the result of volatile slot machines. Assuming you want to maximize your entertainment time while playing slots, then you should opt for more-consistent games. Sure, playing for 1,000-coin jackpots and only being able to unlock one bonus feature isn’t quite as thrilling. But you’ll win a higher volume of payouts on less-volatile slot machines.
High Volatility Slots
Conclusion
If you’ve ever wondered why you go through extreme hot and cold streaks with slots, then you can look to volatility. Volatility determines how much you can expect to win in the short run. You can choose less-volatile games to boost the number of payouts you win in the immediate future.
Unfortunately, the same slots don’t offer big jackpots, Megaways, and multiple bonuses. You must take a greater risk when choosing slot machines that offer the latter. Everything comes down to your personal preferences. Are you hoping to stretch your bankroll, or spin for the largest jackpots and bonuses?
How To Calculate Volatility Beta
How To Calculate Slot Machine Volatility Ratio
You can’t rely on jackpot size alone, though. Some slots are really volatile, because they offer large bonus prizes, Megaways, random features, and/or cascading reels. That said, you should take these other factors into consideration to get a more-accurate depiction on a game’s volatility.