Percentage return to player (% RTP) is the expected percentage of wagers that a specific game will return to the player in the long run. The% RTP can be calculated via either a theoretical or simulated approach with the method used depending on the game type. RTP, also known as Return to Player, is a percentage which gives us an insight on various slots, lotteries and table games in gambling. In today’s topic, we take a look at RTP in gambling. More specifically, what does RTP stand for, how it affects slots and what the percentage means? Let’s take a look.

Yet a 2018 report from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Center for Gambling Research shows that Nevada’s nickel slots deliver 94.39% RTP (5.61% house edge) on average. Anthony Lucas, a professor of hospitality at UNLV, explained casinos’ thought process when it comes to higher payout percentages.

The RTP is nothing more than a statistical value that expresses how profitable a slot is for the casino, i.e. how much money on average it earns or the player loses. The RTP must always take a value between 0 and 100%. 0% would mean that the player would never get a cent back – the machine would eat money. 100% means that the slot pays everything back on average. If you bet 100 Euro at a slot you would on average get 100 Euro back in winnings. In this scenario it is obvious that the casino cannot earn anything. To offer this slot would make no sense and therefore it does not exist.

Bet with just 1 coin and the RTP is an underwhelming 76.9%. Yet on the other hand, a max bet of 10 coins elevates the RTP to between 89.1% – 99%. Furthermore, it provides bigger payouts and the Supermeter mode. In Supermeter mode, you need to choose the bet level and the optimum level at which to collect your winnings. RTP is calculated using a simple formula as follows: (Total money returned to players) / (Total money bet by players) = RTP% The two factors involved in this formula are fairly straightforward.

Rtp Meaning Gambling

Fortunately, the RTP of normal slots in the high 90% range is usually between 95 and 98%. An RTP of 98% means for example that the player gets back 98 Euro on average if he bets 100 Euro. This is a very good value for the player as slots usually pay out a little worse. That means: The slot with 98% is very fair and a good choice.

We really suggest that you only play at casinos that display each games RTP next to the gaming interface. This is the only transparent way. One casino that does just that and offers over 2000 slot machines is LeoVegas. Click here to get started with this superior online Casino!

Understanding the statistics behind RTP

The issue for many casino players is the lack of statistical knowledge. They quickly refer to a game as “fake” or “rigged” when it runs against them even though everything is within a statistical framework. The RTP itself doesn’t say much about how a slot will behave in the short term. Of course there can theoretically be a slot that always returns the exact percentage. So that you bet 1 Euro and always get 98c back – with every turn. That would be very predictable and boring. Nobody would play at such a machine because there is no prospect of winning.

That’s why a slot can’t be so predictable, so it has to fluctuate around this average/RTP based on the actual payout. Sometimes it pays out after 100 times 1 euro spins only 50 euro, then 200 euro. The next time 90 euro, then 60 euro. Then 20 Euro, then 200 Euro. And so on. It is important to understand that a lot can happen in the short term and with rare assignments. Both in one direction and in the other. An RTP is only the statistical value that will settle down after several thousand sessions. So only if you bet e.g. 10 000 times 1 euro you will be able to say actually how high the RTP is.

Exactly this is the problem with gambling but also something that makes it so interesting. Because only few players have the necessary basic knowledge of statistics and simply assume that a value like an RTP is carved in stone and must be noticeable in every session. That means a player bets 100 times 1 Euro and expects then that on average at least 97 Euro come back. If it is more he does not complain of course, but if it is less he pushes it gladly once on the Casino and/or the Slot.

Traceability of RTPs

This is exactly what makes RTP not easy to understand. Because you have to simulate a game thousands of times to be able to make a halfway exact statement. The RTP which is also published by the slot manufacturers is a calculated and theoretical value. It would still have to be determined in practice. Often it is about such small fluctuations that it is “irrelevant”. Imagine you have a slot with 97.5% and one with 97% RTP. Of course you expect it to bring in more with 97.5% in the long run. But to really notice a difference you have to play a lot with both machines. And even then there is no guarantee that the difference will be noticeable.

It’s different in extreme cases like offline slots which sometimes have a ridiculous 55% RTP. There you will notice a difference to a 97% slot very quickly without having to bet 10,000 times. Often you notice it already after 20 spins because you have very often loss series with such a bad paying slot.

Verification of the RTP by the licensor

The UK Gambling Commission is probably the leader in this field and takes it very seriously. Therefore it’s hard to keep yourself as a frivolous casino. The Gambling Commission has been calling for live RTPs since 2016. The RTPs calculated by the manufacturers may differ from these live RTPs. That is logical, because these are only a theoretical value. So if a casino would try to cheat you will see very quickly that the live RTP is very different. So e.g. instead of 96% it’s only 91%.

Gambling Rtp

What you have to say is that the sample size has to be very large. Here a confidence interval of 95% is calculated, which means that there is a 95% probability that the live RTP differs from the theoretical RTP. A higher probability is hardly possible because one would need much, much larger samples for this and it can take months or years until one can make a statement.

That means: The Gambling Commission wants to see about 400.000 spins to be able to say that a deviation of about 2% is not normal. Simply put: The live RTP is 93%, the theoretical RTP 95%. Over 400,000 spins are required that one can now say that there is a significant difference. Only then would the Commission intervene and complain or ask why such a deviation exists.

You can read more about this topic here.

What Does Rtp Mean In Gambling

Slots with the highest RTP 2020

The RTP is now treated very transparently. In the past, manufacturers made it even more of a secret. This was mainly because the RTPs were quite low and nobody should know how much money you actually lose with online slots in the long run. This has changed now and usually the RTP is found right next to the game.

An RTP is only a theoretical value, however. There are slot machines which are 1:1 comparable. These are machines without a jackpot and without a variable payout. Exceptions to this rule exist. The RTP depends on certain factors. The theoretical payout can then be astronomically high, the average RTP is actually lower.

So it all depends on how you look at an RTP. If you want a slot machine with a theoretically very high RTP, then a Jackpot Jester slot or similar is an option. Under certain circumstances, these machines will pay out 99% or more. But only under certain circumstances.

Slots with a progressive jackpot, for example, only have a low RTP without the jackpot. With jackpot a very high RTP, on the other hand, which can theoretically be over 100%.

These are the two types of slot machines with very high RTP – theoretically and not at all times.

When it comes to slot machines that are supposed to have a very high RTP at all times, you have to exclude these machines. There are still slots like Blood Suckers from Netent or 1429 Uncharted Sees from Thunderkick that simply have high RTPs and are fixed.

How to find RTPs on Slots

Leading online casinos are now quite transparent with the RTPs. That means you can find the RTP in the respective description or even in the game overview. This service has only been offered recently and is mainly due to the fact that licensors like in the UK demand more transparency. And what could be better than to tell the player immediately how much loss he has to expect in the long run with this game.

Alternatively you can use websites like ProfessorSlot which list at least the best and worst RTPs from certain slot machines.

Best Paying Slot Games

We are often asked what the slots are that pay the best. And the problem is already the definition: what is the best payout? For example, an RTP does not have to be carved in stone. An RTP can also be associated with extremely high variance. If you want to win in every session, you probably prefer a low-variance slot machine that often pays out. You will then be happy with a 0.5% lower RTP, for example. Others are just looking for the big money. They prefer to play at jackpot slot machines where the RTP can be over 100% but only every few weeks or months. Without winning a jackpot, the RTP is low. So you’ll have to do more than just ask for the slots with the highest payout.

FAQs about Return to Player

No, it really isn’t. With some producers, at least, such as PlayN Go. There are actually two variants of Book of Dead with different RTPs. This has to do with the UK market and some casinos offer the low RTP variant. This is then often not specified. With good casinos like LeoVegas the RTP value is always displayed next to the game so that it is comprehensible.

There are slot machines that reach 99% at least theoretically. There are also those that can theoretically have over 100% – this is the case when the progressive jackpot is high. But on the other hand: When do you win it?
And there are common differences. Some manufacturers actually offer slot machines with a very low RTP of sometimes less than 90%. Very good slot machines, on the other hand, are 97%. The difference can therefore be 10% and there is only one way to prevent you from ending up in a bad paying slot machine: You have to know the RTPs!

There are actually no manufacturers that stand out here. However, there are manufacturers who do not offer slot machines with very low RTPs. This is also very important and good to know. Because if you know that a manufacturer like Yggdrasil doesn’t offer low RTPs you don’t have to know every single RTP. You can simply play at all machines and you will certainly not feel cheated.

Theoretically they must, otherwise it would be cheating. But the problem is this: Statistically a very, very large sample size is necessary to actually be able to say that an RTP deviates from the given value. If it’s supposed to be 97% and in reality it is only 96.9% then it will take a few million spins to prove it. This will actually only work on a few top slot machines that are played very frequently. So, if you want to be sure, stick with exactly those machines like Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Bonanza, etc.

We recommend: Millionaire Genie, Jacks Pot, Blood Suckers 2, Nightmare on Elm Street and Starburst.

Return to player is the percentage a player can expect to receive back from a casino game on average.

While many casino games are largely dictated by chance, there is one stat that can be utilised to inform how much money you are expected to win on any given game. Every casino game, including all those on Pinnacle Casino, has a set Return to Player value (RTP) which dictates the percentage of money you are expected to win from the amount you bet.

How to calculate RTP values

RTP is calculated using a simple formula as follows:

(Total money returned to players) / (Total money bet by players) = RTP%

The two factors involved in this formula are fairly straightforward. The total amount of money bet by players is the sum of each initial bet placed on the game during the period over which the RTP audit takes place, usually one calendar month. The total amount of money returned to players is the net amount of all player wins on the game during the same period.

While RTP values are most commonly associated with slot games, this formula can be in fact be applied to calculate the RTP value of any casino game, including table games, Live Casino and virtual sports.

From the player’s perspective, a simple way to refer to RTP values is to treat the percentage as how much money you would win from €100 worth of bets on the game. In this sense it is the opposite to the house edge, which quantifies the margin of profit the house is expected to make on any given game.

For instance, if during an RTP audit players placed a total of €150,000 worth of bets on a game that won a total of €144,000, the RTP value would be 96%:

This means that for every €100 you bet on the game, you would be expected to win €96 in return.

You can also work out your own RTP rate for any given session on a casino game. If you bet €200 on a casino game and won back €168, the RTP rate for that session would be 84%:

168 / 200 = 0.84 = RTP rate of 84%

Are there good and bad RTP values?

RTP values can vary massively between different casinos and games. As a rule of thumb, they are generally lower at physical casinos, where RTP values of 80-90% are commonplace, than online ones, which often feature RTP values of between 90% and 97%.

Determining if a game has a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ RTP value is thus largely down to your own judgement, and whether you think the RTP value in question justifies placing bets on the game.

With this in mind, you should ensure you know the RTP value of any casino game you play. At Pinnacle Casino, our RTP values are independently certified by eCOGRA. For quick reference, the RTP values of our casino games are as follows:

Pinnacle Casino games RTP values

Rtp Gambling Commission

Perhaps unsurprisingly, games with an RTP value of 100% or above (whereby players are expected to break even or make a profit on their bets) are extremely rare. The most common games with a RTP value of over 100% are certain variants of Video poker.

Things to consider with RTP values

While RTP values are useful and can inform you of how much money you are expected to win on a certain game, it is important to remember that they should be considered an approximate guide.

Higher RTP values do not neccessarily mean that you are more likely to win.

Indeed, if a game has a RTP value of 90%, this does not mean it is certain that will you win around €90 from €100 worth of bets on it. It is plausible that you could win €50 or €500 from the same amount.

Equally, you are by no means assured to win more money on a game with an RTP value of 95% than one with a RTP value of 90%, you are simply more likely to over a long period of time. More broadly, any RTP value, no matter how high, never means you are guaranteed to enjoy wins on a game.

On slot games, two components that should be considered alongside its RTP value are its hit frequency and volatility.

Hit frequency is a percentage that denotes how often any given spin will result in a win. This is calculated as an average across a very high number of spins. Volatility (also referred to as variance) details both how frequent wins are and the amount they pay out. This may be expressed on a scale from one to ten, or simply as ‘low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’.

Slots with a low volatility are expected to produce regular but small wins, whereas those with a high volatility will feature sporadic yet large wins. This means that a slot game’s volatility may offer insight into how much risk is required to potentially reap its rewards.

Therefore, even if a slot game has a particularly high RTP value, its hit frequency and volatility can primarily dictate your chances of winning and potential returns on a spin. This explains why slot games with medium volatility often prove popular, as they generate a balance between win frequency and win amounts.

Play games on Pinnacle Casino now

You can enjoy Pinnacle Casino’s high RTP values on all of our games, including slots, table games, Live Casino, Virtual sports and more!