How important is RTP for Online Slots?

They say the house always wins. And sure enough, many casino games are designed with an in-built advantage for the operators. So, how come some gamblers win more than they lose? How do casinos make money from games that pay out millions to winners?

The secret lies in the house advantage (edge). Casino games are designed to keep some of the money wagered by players. This money goes to the operators as profits. The remaining cash is called RTP and is paid back to players through wins.

RTP is short for Return to Player and is calculated as a percentage. Essentially, a 90% RTP means a game is designed to pay back 90% of wagered cash. A 99% machine only features a house edge of 1%. So, why is RTP important?

RTP Influences How Often you Win

By default, slot machines determine when you win and lose. They feature programs with Random Number Generators aligned with various slot symbols. When you place a bet, the reels spin and display a series of images.

If 3-5 symbols programmed to produce real money wins appear, you win. If they don’t, you get a choice to play again or move on to a different game. Theoretically, RTP influences how often paying symbols appear on a slot game: The higher the percentage; the higher your chances of triggering real cash.

Unfortunately, many slots feature complex designs. And that means RTP isn’t the only thing that influences wins.

Game Variance/Volatility

Game variance influences two things: The amount of cash you win and how often you win. Low variance slots help you win small amounts regularly. On the flip side, high-variance games help you win decent or huge amounts scarcely.

What’s the better option? It depends. If you like the feeling of winning, you might choose low-volatility games. But keep in mind, you win little cash. On the other hand, you might settle for games with some dry spells but incredible wins when you hit a paying symbol.

In-Game Features

Traditionally, a slot machine had a few paying symbols and lots of non-paying images. As a result, it was either you won money or you didn’t. These days, you get a lot more options. For example, you can activate a bonus round and play a few rounds for free.

You could also trigger a wild feature that converts all other images into winning symbols. Or you could activate cascading reels that help you win consistently. There are also multipliers that can multiply your profits 10x to 1000x.

Thanks to the features mentioned above, you could activate lots of free spins but fail to win real money. Or you could win a lot of real cash with only a few spins. With that in mind, your best chances of winning lie in slots with the highest RTP. They are designed to pay most of wagered money, after all.

Game Design

It’s true—some slots have an RTP that changes depending on how it’s designed. Take the Ugga Bugga slot by Playtech as an example. The game is widely known to have an RTP of 99.07%. But what you might not know is that the RTP only applies if you bet maximum coins. Otherwise, the game’s RTP is 98%.

On the flip side, the RTP could also change depending on the choices you make. Maybe selecting one character comes with a better RTP or opting to play the progressive jackpot lowers the RTP.

How can you Find High RTP Slots?

As we’ve determined, the best way to win at slots is by choosing high-RTP games. So, how do you find them? For starters, select games from well-known software companies: NetEnt, Playtech, Microgaming, Play’n GO and Betsoft.

Not only are games from trusted developers popular; they also feature high Return to Player (RTP) rates. Another tip is to choose video slot over progressive jackpots. And not all video slots; avoid branded slots: Game of Thrones, Guns N’ Roses, Narcos and Avengers, to name a few.

Reading online reviews can also help you discover best-RTP slots. They are popular with players, so review sites tend to publish their names. Of course, read more about these games to learn about their variance, and what you need to activate the highest RTP.

Tips for Winning at High-RTP Slots

Choosing high-RTP slots is just one of the steps of winning slot machines. They are games of chances. And as such, not even an RTP of 99% guarantees that you will win regularly. However, there are some things you can do lower the casino’s house advantage:

Bet Maximum Amounts

Because some slots increase RTP when you bet maximum amounts, it’s a great way to increase your chances. What’s more, maximizing your wagers ensures that you win decent cash. When playing high-variance games, in particular, there’s no point in lowering your bet sizes. It only extends your gaming time but won’t help magnify your profits.

Use Fair Bonuses

Think about it. Bonuses give you a chance to win a slot without depleting your cash balance. And in doing so, they help you minimize risk while improving your winning potential. Of course, not all bonuses are suitable for free spins. Choose incentives with a low number of wagering requirements.

Bet at Top-rated Casinos

Admit it—you read reviews before you buy anything online. It’s a great way of knowing where to spend your money. And it helps you avoid disappointments by shopping blindly. Reading reviews also provides the same benefits for casino players.

You’ll know the best rated slots and you can choose them over games people avoid. In the process, you also save time you would have spent experimenting with different games.

Conclusion

RTP is one of the most important factors when choosing online slots. But it’s not the only one. That’s why some high-RTP games have poor ratings: Because they excel at one of the factors but fail in others. So, read reviews, choose games from well-known companies and choose casinos wisely.