Many variables are found in casino gaming, and despite what some disgruntled customers say online about slot gaming mechanics, RTP is one of the main tools that developers use to showcase how often a game will pay out. RTP is an acronym for Return To Player, and it measures how often a slot machine pays out. Although it’s primarily used in slot gaming, you can find RTP percentages for every casino game.
Why RTP is so important in slot gaming
Before we explain RTP in detail and how it works, it’s essential to understand the context and why it is so crucial in the casino gaming world. Ultimately, it’s one of the most practical measuring tools, as it is a common term that both slots gamers and developers understand. Although there’s no shortage of terms and technical measurements that industry experts use, RTP is one of the most popular because it is the easiest to understand.
Expert review sites that rank slot games and gaming platforms based on several criteria ensure that RTP is a prominent part of their ranking system. Online Slot UK and the experts on their site use many factors to rank the top slot games, including:
- Selection of slots available.
- Security and licensing.
- Reputation within the casino gaming community.
- What other experts have to say in their reviews.
While RTP is not necessarily a factor that causes experts to rank a game’s quality higher or lower, it gives insight into how often it might pay out throughout several games and whether the game has high or low volatility. The two aren’t directly related but do have some connection.
RTP defined
Another reason why RTP is so important is that it is so easy to calculate. Most games will be between 94% and 97%, but you can find slot games that go up to 99%. So, let’s say a game has a 97.4% RTP – one of the common misconceptions is that this means that a game will pay out 97.4% in every 100 spins. However, this isn’t the case.
A game with 97.4% RTP means that you will receive £97.40 back, on average, for every £100 you spend on the game. This is calculated by human testers and complex computer algorithms, which will sometimes fire through thousands of spins to determine a highly accurate RTP.
Given the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and the mountain of companies desperately trying to upgrade the number of AI specialists and machine learning experts in their business, you can expect to see it playing a huge role in determining the RTP of new games and designs moving forward.
Although the most common way RTP is presented is with one decimal point, depending on the number of spins tested, it can be showcased with two decimal points.
What is the average RTP for casino table games?
Due to the range of slot games available and the variance between high and low RTP, experts often use it when reviewing a game or on a casino landing page, giving you the game’s basic info. However, other casino games like roulette and blackjack also have RTP rates; they’re just within a much tighter framework as they have set numbers and bets.
So, European roulette, which has one green zero on the wheel, has an RTP of 97.3%, while blackjack is higher at around 99.5%. American roulette has a wheel containing a double zero and has an RTP of 94.74%. As the extra pocket on the roulette wheel adds to the house edge, this also impacts the RTP.
Low, medium and high RTP defined
Generally speaking, a game with an RTP between 90% and 94% is low. It’s extremely rare to find a game with less than 92% RTP. American roulette, which we discussed before, has an RTP of 94.74%, which is especially low for a table game.
While this might sound like a small range, the average RTP for slot games tends to be between 95 and 96%. On a broader scale, anything between 94 and 96% will be considered medium RTP. Anything above this is considered a high RTP, meaning it pays out more consistently. Remember, though, that paying out more consistently does not equate to a better chance of winning.
Why it became pivotal in the industry
RTP signals that casino gaming designers are quality-testing their products. We would also apply this statement to random number generators (RNGs) – RTP and RNG tech ensure that games undergo rigorous, fair testing.
Although not all regulatory bodies and third-party auditors require such stringent testing, it is advantageous as it provides casino gamers with reputable evidence that the game has been constructed in a provably fair environment and has gaming mechanics that prove that the game isn’t rigged or “fixed”.
There is a whole host of other bizarre accusations you will encounter from upset customers. While some customer complaints can help businesses reshape their current model for a better outcome, this is not the case for those casino gaming customers who complain about games being rigged against them when there’s a mountain of proof and testing that showcases just how much dedication goes into crafting each game.
You might be surprised to hear that these people often have no idea how casino games work, but they are happy to throw their opinions around the internet like experts. RTP and RNG testing are the tip of the iceberg regarding the demands that gaming companies must meet before they can launch their games on casino sites and allow people to play for real money.
Final thoughts
Although we have given you plenty of background and context behind RTP today, it really is quite a simple concept. RTP measures how much money you will get back as a percentage, over time.
Yes, some gaming companies will put their titles through thousands of hours of testing, but the sum is still calculated as a percentage. It works because it’s a succinct way of telling a customer about the game’s variance, payout rate and whether or not it matches their gambling style.
