How RTP affects your casino game wins

The Return to Player (RTP) is one of the most critical factors you need to take into consideration when looking to pick an online slot. The RTP is what could make or break your choice in slot games, which is why understanding the concept behind it, and its basics will lead to an enhanced online gambling experience. You would most likely have come across it when playing online slot games. It is undoubtedly one of the main factors that determine a player's winning propensity in an online casino, particularly for online slots enthusiasts.

Sure, casino games such as online slots are games of chance, but unless you learn to recognise the value of the RTP, you will not be able to tilt luck in your favour. Software provided attach a metric known as the RTP or Return to Player to slot games.

Newbies and sometimes experienced gamblers who play online slot often neglect to research the RTP of games before playing. Unfortunately, the tendency in that scenario is these players wasting their precious bankroll on unprofitable online slot games

Read on to learn more about the Return to Player.

What is the casino RTP?

The Return to Player is essentially a percentage that informs the player how often he is likely to win at a specific game. The higher the rate, the more likely you are going to win over a period of time. It is a theoretical estimation of what you can hope to win when you play online slots and it also indicates how often a player will win in the game.

The higher the percentage, the higher the chances of a player winning in the long run. In the same vein, if an RTP is low, it means players have little chances of winning. Any online slot game with less than 94% RTP is regarded as an unfavourable game to gamblers; hence, they shouldn’t pursue online casinos with such low RTP slot offerings.

If the RTP stood at 100%, then it means that all the wins go back to the customer and the casino loses all the money.

This is how the Return to Player is calculated:

RTP = (Amount returned to players) / Total bet amount by players

The total amount of bets placed by players is the equivalent of each bet for each round placed on a specific game over some time while the amount returned to the player, is the net amount that is won back by the player.

Another example is that a game with a 95% RTP would give you $95 back if you play 100 games with a $1 wager. However, RTP is considered to be mostly theoretical and not an actual representation of what happens when each game is played. This is because every game is different from the other, some players will win over the odds and others will come away with less.

RTP is set by casino operators and game developers but checked and scrutinized by gaming regulation bodies. You can find it in the information page or within the paytable of an online slot game.

Let's say you won $5.30 on free spins, $6.50 from other bonus rounds and a base winning of $18.00 then you’re going to have won $29.80 overall.

Return to Player percentage: After calculating your total stakes wagered and winnings when you play online slot, you then calculate your payout percentage by diving your total winnings by your total bets. In this case, it would be $29.80/$50.00, and the answer is 0.59%

To make it into a percentage, however, take off the decimal, and there you are with 59%. The implication is that the RTP percentage for your single slot session was 59%.

If you are applying this logic to slot games and video poker, the initial bet is forfeited once it has been placed. In the case of table games, the amount bet is not counted in the return, just the amount won.

Since the world of online casinos is a lot more competitive than land-based casinos, they attract players in several ways; Most notably bonuses and promotions but also by offering games with a higher RTP than that of brick-and-mortar casinos. Many slot games at land-based casinos have an RTP as low as 80%, while online slots have an RTP of 92% upwards.

If you have read our explanation on how to lower the House Edge, then the Return to Player is the opposite of that. The RTP is the potential amount of winnings that a player can expect, while the House Edge is the amount that a casino is expected to make.

How does RTP affect casino bonuses

The majority of casino players use their bonus to spin the reels on slot machines. If you read our guide on wagering requirements, then you understand that they play a pivotal role in the outcome of your cash winnings.

In many cases, Canadian casino bonuses can also be used on specific online slots, and thus don’t allow you to pick whichever game to choose. Rest assured, that the majority of these selected slot games have a lower RTP. Several casinos will omit specific slots from the bonus that are known to have a higher than average RTP.

That being said, if the choice is in your hands, you should always pick slot games with a higher RTP percentage, since they will give you a better chance at meeting the wagering requirements.

RTP: Other factors that come into play

Although the concept of RTP is reasonably easy to understand, other factors come into play which could influence your gameplay.

The House Edge has already been mentioned, but even if an online slot has a high RTP, the house edge still plays a part in giving casinos a profit. The RTP cannot tell you precisely how much you can win, but it can inform on how much the casino can gain from you playing a specific slot.

Additionally, Volatility also has a vital role in online slots. Volatility is measured between 1 and 10, and in terms of low, medium and high. Volatility informs the player the frequency of wins they can expect. So, for example, an online slow with low Volatility means that you are expected to win more regularly, albeit smaller wins.

A video slot with higher volatility means that you will win fewer rounds, but the wins will be larger than average.

You need to consider these factors when you are picking an online casino to play. Say, you go for a slot game that has a higher than average RTP but has high volatility. You could be spinning the reels for quite some time until you hit it big. Some players cannot afford the bankroll.

What we recommend is that you go for a slot game with medium volatility, which should keep things balanced nicely.

How to take advantage of the casino RTP

Now that you understand the value of RTP and how it can benefit you as a player, you need to know how to use it to your advantage. As we have just stated, there are other things to consider other than the RTP, but a high RTP can still reap you plenty of benefits.

A slot game with an RTP of 96% or higher is considered a good slot game. Remember, that jackpot games tend to have a lower RTP. However, slot game Mega Fortune Dreams has a generous 96.4% RTP.

Here’s a list on how to ensure you play a game with a high RTP:

1. Get knowledge and be aware of a game's RTP and other characteristics that affect it before you decide to play online slots for real money. Such notable features include the variance, volatility rate, availability of bonus rounds etc.

2. If you are looking for online slot games that have a high return to player or an average player, then you should go for low variance online casino games. Nonetheless, if you are a high roller and you want to get more from your RTP, high variance slots are recommended for you. Some casino games are especially noted for their high RTP such as Live Blackjack and Slots, while some are popularly known for their unimpressive RTPs like American Roulette.

3. Look out for the bonus rounds, free spins and other winning symbols in the game to increase your winnings. It is advisable you play a demo mode of the online slot game to understand the gameplay and map out your strategy before playing for real money.

4. It is advisable to quit or not go beyond your budget when you are on a losing streak because it means that in your case, in that game session you are playing, your RTP is decreasing greatly leading to an increase in the house edge and profit for the casino at the expense of your payroll. Quit and re-strategise.

Even if you do find a slot game with a high RTP and with low volatility, nothing can guarantee you a win. However, this guide should help you reach the best decisions and to minimise the risk of a bankroll that is depleted at a quicker pace.

Keep in mind that you are playing for fun and if you win, it’s all well and good. Stick to your win and loss limits, to ensure that you don’t lose all your winnings in one session.

If you are interested in learning more about online slots with the highest RTP, head over here.

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