The return-to-player (RTP) percentage, sometimes referred to as the payout percentage, is one of the most important stats to consider when playing online slots. This single percentage gives insight into the house edge for a slot machine and has serious implications for your overall chances of winning at Evolve Casino and other gambling platforms.
What Is Slot RTP?
RTP stands for “return to player” and it gives the percentage of wagers that will be paid back to players over an extended period of time. Expressed as a percentage, RTP shows the house advantage and projected payback on a particular slot machine. For example, an RTP of 96% on a $1 slot indicates that for every $1 wagered, 96 cents will be paid back to players over time while the casino keeps 4 cents.
Every slot machine is programmed with a set RTP that represents the statistical long-term average with a large number of spins. This percentage does not mean that you will win back exactly 96% of the money you wager. Rather, it shows what players can expect the machine to pay back over hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of spins. In the short term, your results may vary substantially from this figure based on luck. However, the higher the RTP, the lower the house edge and the better your odds are over extended play.
How Slot RTP Impacts Your Chances of Winning
Slot RTP has major implications for a player’s chances of winning. For instance, Game A has an RTP of 92% Game B has an RTP of 97%
Over the course of 1,000 spins wagering $1 per spin ($1,000 total), the results would be:
Game A (92% RTP):
- Amount Wagered: $1,000
- Amount Won: $920
- Amount Lost: $80
Game B (97% RTP):
- Amount Wagered: $1,000
- Amount Won: $970
- Amount Lost: $30
While short-term results may vary, Game B with the higher 97% RTP gives back more to players over time. The house edge is just 3% compared to 8% for Game A.
Clearly, all other factors being equal, the higher the RTP, the better chance you have of coming out ahead in your gameplay over time. Even just a few percent difference in RTP has a big impact on your overall chances of winning.
| RTP Percentage | 100,000 Spins | 250,000 Spins | 500,000 Spins |
| 92% | $8,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| 94% | $6,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| 96% | $4,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| 98% | $2,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
Based on the data shown, over extended play, slots with a higher RTP lead to substantially lower projected losses compared to slots with a lower RTP percentage.
Impact of Volatility on RTP
While RTP shows the statistical average payback to players over time, another important metric called volatility also impacts gaming results. Volatility, sometimes referred to as variance, shows how much a slot’s payouts vary from the statistical norm.
Low volatility slots have smaller wins that hit frequently. Your money lasts longer and allows you to play for longer periods. High volatility slots feature larger payouts that hit less often – your bankroll goes faster but with the chance for bigger wins.
Ultimately, while volatility changes the size and frequency of payouts, it does not impact the programmed RTP. A 96% RTP slot will pay back 96% on average, regardless of whether it has low or high volatility. However, higher volatility raises the risk since bankrolls tend to deplete faster during cold streaks. Managing volatility is key to maximizing your slot play.
Finding the Best RTP Slots
Slot RTPs can range anywhere from around 75% to the high 90% range. As a general rule, you should stick with slots offering an RTP of 95% or higher. This gives the casino just a 5% or less edge while awarding over 95 cents back to players per dollar wagered.
Online casinos are legally required to publish the RTP percentage for all games offered. This info can typically be found in the help or pay tables section of each slot game. However, casinos are not obligated to prominently display this info so you may need to hunt for it.
Review sites also compile and publish payout percentages on top-performing online slots. Referring to these guides can help quickly identify the games offering the best RTPs. Focusing your play on high RTP slots gives you the best statistical chance of winning over time.
Bottom Line
While luck plays a major role in your gameplay results, RTP is the one factor that players have full control over. Seeking out and exclusively playing slots with 96% or higher RTPs provides the best odds for winning over hundreds of thousands of spins. Couple a great RTP with proper bankroll management, and you put yourself in a prime position to potentially walk away a winner.
