When you start to delve into the technical information regarding online slot games then some of the terms can be a little bit confusing. If you’re looking into the details of a game and trying to work out roughly your chances of getting some return, this is a term that you are going to hear. But what is the RTP and what does it actually mean, in real terms?
RTP rates are fairly straightforward, in theory, but they are also very easy to misunderstand, and as always you need to know that there are no actual guarantees when it comes to any form of online gambling, including slots.
The Return to Player Ratio
RTP stands for “Return to Player”.
A lot of people like to think of this as the odds of winning a slot game, and it sometimes helps to consider it in this way rather than to try and get too far into the technicalities of how RTP works.
Online casinos are regulated and have to be random, but part of that random generation of winners is the “RTP”.
It’s usually presented as a percentage, and it basically means what percentage of money staked goes into a pot for potential returns.
For example, if the RTP of a game is 93%, then 7% is taken by the operator as “profit” and 93% goes back into the prize fund. So, in effect, for every $100 of cash that is staked on the game in this scenario, $93 is awarded as a prize.
The RTP value is not just random but over long periods of time. So, if you were to gamble $100 on this example, though, on average, you can expect to win $93 back, this average figure is greatly impacted by some of the higher sums such as huge jackpots. Some casinos will put a large percentage of the money staked into a potential jackpot that might only get won once or twice a year.
Choosing The Best RTP
In some locations, the RTP value has to be controlled, in order to keep the prospects of winning fair and consistent for everybody that plays. This varies depending on the legislating body that chooses whether to award licenses and the conditions of these. Knowing how to pick a winning slot machine is not possible, but you can improve your chances with a high RTP game.
It’s usually a good idea to go for the highest RTP, as it means your chances of a return over time are better. A company that gives 95% of the money back to people as winnings is more likely to pay out (or at least, more likely to pay big prizes) than one that has an 80% RTP value.
You will never have the advantage over the slot game, as the house will always hold this advantage and take a percentage of the money staked as their own profit, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. The RTP should play a key role in choosing which casino games you are going to play. Remember, in most instances, the higher the RTP value, the better.
An RTP Is No Guarantee
While RTP values are definitely something to consider, it is not a guarantee of how much money you will get as a return. For instance, if you play a game with an RTP of 95% and stake $100 then the chances of you ending up with exactly $95 are slim. It is randomized among huge amounts of players and over long periods of time, meaning that there is a chance you might not win any money at all or the chance you could hit the jackpot or make a profit.
