Slot RTPs And How They Effect Your Casino Gaming

Game Developers and Slot RTPs 

Recently there has been quite a lot of discussion in gambling forums about slot RTPs. The reason being is that some online casinos offer lower RTPs than others. Many online players think that the RTP over a short period of time is insignificant. But you might be surprised to see the difference that a lower RTP can make. Today we’re going to take a look at all the important factors you should take into consideration when it comes to slot RTPs.

What Is RTP And Why Does It Matter?

RTP stands for “return to player.” You’ll see it on virtually all online and offline video slot machines. This is a way that gamblers and iGaming operators can see how much money a jackpot slots machine is going to take from them. But keep in mind that it’s over a long period of time. For example, an RTP of 97% for a slot machine means that, on average, there will be a payout of $97 for every $100 that the player inserts. From the casino’s point of view, it represents a $3 profit. So it follows, that a slot machine that has an RTP of just 90%, will on average pay out only $90 for every $100 wagered.

The Holy Grail for any slots player is the mythical 99% RTP. We should mention that Bet365Casino comes very close with any games having an RTP of at least 98%. They also offer all new players a great welcome bonus of 100% up to £25, which will certainly help you to get started.

Being Sneaky About The Real RTPs

When talking of slot RTPs, it’s important to consider the thousands of spins a player will make on a slot machine during a single session of play. This is why these figures can prove to be very significant. Coupling this with an ever-increasing cost across the iGaming industry, then it’s easy to see why some operators and online casinos will offer slots machines with a lower RTP. Simply to increase their profits. We have also seen some reports of what can only be classed as shady behaviour, with some websites. Some of these have resorted to lowering the RTP without informing the players. In fact, we know of one global bookmaker that was actually presenting games at a different RTP than they were actually advertising them. And yes, it was lower not higher!

Although the iGaming industry is in a constant state of flux, we have to ask ourselves whether all developers offer different RTP versions across a game? After examining many online and offline sites we can say the answer is no, no they don’t. But, unfortunately, there is still a growing handful that does.

Which Developers Offer Different RTPs?

For many years the software casino development company, Play’n Go used to offer their games with a number of different RTPs. This would allow the casino itself to choose a game version that suited its business model. Most online casinos do try to offer the very best RTP version of a gamer. This makes sense as it’s in order to attract new customers. But having said that, there are also many casinos, often licensed offshore in places like Curacao, where they have no need to legally display the actual RTP of a slot. Here at Jackpotfinder.com, we find this to be rather a worrying trend. This is because there are some incredibly popular slots like Book of the Dead and Reactoonz. With these, Play’n Go may offer up to five different RTPs ranging from 88% to 96%

As you can imagine, there’s a significant difference between these two numbers. More especially when you consider how the larger online casinos will experience millions of spins through the slot games every day. If a casino is running Book of the Dead at an RTP of 88%, then the casino can expect to make a $12 profit. This is for every $100 the customer spends.  Conversely, if Book of the Dead is being run at a 96% RTP, the casino will make just a $4 profit from the same $100 wagered. That’s 3 times the money for the lower RTP. Keep these numbers in mind when formulating your jackpot winning strategies.

Some Companies Have Variable RTPs

Another company that offers variable slot RTPs is Red Tiger Gaming. They offer casinos and an online sliding scale to choose from. Nevertheless, most online casinos that are UK-facing tend to run higher versions of the RTPs. You’ll find that offshore licensed casinos, with their lack of regulation and oversight, tend to run some of the worst RTP versions you can find on the internet.

Some other companies that offer varying RTPs are StakeLogic, Parriplay and more recently, NetEnt. On the other hand, there are games developers like Big Time Gaming, Microgaming, Elk Studios and Quickspin, that don’t offer a variety of RTPs across a single game. We would like to include Thunderkick Gaming on this latter list. But their most recent release, Pink Elephants 2, has two RTP settings of 94% and 96%. We feel that this is a games developer who is testing the water. They want to see what they can get away with. We will have to wait a little while to see whether Thunderkick’s future releases will also have varying slot RTPs. 

So Why Should You Care About Lower Slot RTPs?

The simple answer is that even if you’re playing for a short period, the lower RTP slot will allow you to hit a big win. Let’s go back to the example of a Book of the Dead. If you’re playing a slot that’s running an RTP of 96% then let’s assume you are starting with 100 x your total bet. That means on average you should expect to get 2,476 spins until your bankroll is dry. OK, ideally we should take into account that variance will play a big part. In truth, you might not make it past your first 100 or 300 spins. But that’s another story. So let’s assume that the 2,476 spins are your expected number.

Let’s take exactly the same game, but one that has an RTP of just 91%. Now the expected number of spins is reduced hugely to just 1,101. It’s a change that represents more than half of your total spins. That’s a massive reduction in playtime. By 55.53% to be precise. And it gives you 1,375 fewer spins. 

With this last example, you can see that there is a massive difference for the player if the RTPs are different. Many players look at the RTP without really understanding it. They think, “well it only counts in the long run.”  But as you can see from these examples, this is a totally wrong-headed approach.  The RTP can have a huge effect on your gameplay. Even if you are only playing a couple of hundred spins. Keep in mind that your chances of hitting a bonus round are going to be difficult. On a lower RTP slot, this is going to be less likely to increase your jackpot winning chances. This also means that you are also less likely to take home any top prizes as well. It will be more difficult to find a slot that’s about to hit.

Always Try And Choose The Highest Slot RTPs You Can Find

We suggest that you only look for online casinos that offer the highest RTP across their games. Another factor to keep in mind is that you should also only play at reputable online casinos. On the whole, these will have licences from the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority for example. These licences are very strict conditions. One of them is that the true RTP of every game must be displayed. Simply look for the games help files and you’ll see the RTP list there. If for any reason you cannot find the RTP of a game you wish to play, then you should contact customer support. They will be only too happy to supply you with the relevant information. 

Our favourite choice for an online casino is Bet365 Casino. That’s not only because they offer a huge variety of casino games, but also because they have some of the highest RTP slots on the whole internet. For example, Wild Times, Red Hot Wild and Dragon Dance all offer a bonkers RTP of 98%!

Conclusion: Slot RTPs And Casino Gaming 

One thing we would like to point out is that, on the whole, the higher the game’s RTP, then the lower it will be in volatility. This means that there may be frequent wins. But the size of each win will be relatively small. So, the higher RTP games like Bonanza, Dead or Alive 2 to Jamming Jars or Montezuma, are not going to be dishing out that massive 1,000 x your initial wager wins. 

On the whole, you will find that most online casinos will offer their slots jackpot games at around 96% RTP or above. In fact, anything above 96% is going to be a pretty good find for an online slot. Also, if you have a particular attachment to a game, then it’s perfectly fine to consider an RTP of 95%. But we don’t suggest you go any lower. As you can see from the above examples, a lower RTP is going to be almost reckless to your bankroll. You will be jeopardizing any chance of winning. Simply because your number of spins and playtime will be much more limited.

Before you play any online casino, please take the time to check the slot RTPs. We also suggest that you take a look through the terms and conditions. This is to ensure that the bonuses on offer are playable.