There is no denying that online gambling is becoming an increasingly popular pastime. Whether it be playing the latest slot games or placing wagers on large upcoming sports events, many Brits are tapping into the convenience offered by gambling sites.
Working hand-in-hand with this increasing utilization is an increase in gambling-related knowledge. Those new to gambling must quickly learn the ins and outs, including specific terms used in the industry.
Among these terms is the return to player, or RTP. This term refers to slots and, more specifically, how much a slot has paid out in winnings.
In some instances, however, game developers may be coy on clearly stating the RTP of a game. Even when the developer does release this information, some online casinos don’t make it readily available. If you want to know how to calculate this RTP, read on as we delve into the calculations behind these ratings.
What Is RTP and How Does It Work?
Before learning how to calculate the RTP of a slot, it is essential to understand precisely what it is and how it affects the way you play. As mentioned, RTP relates to how much money is paid to players by a game in relation to the amount it receives.
Due to this relationship, slot games with a higher RTP are likely to pay out more than those with lower ratings. However, being prone to pay more is often misconstrued by players to mean that they will win more regularly, but that isn’t the case.
The frequency at which slots pay out is linked to the games’ volatility, not RTP. The RTP, instead, relates to the actual value of winnings paid out. Therefore, a slot with a high RTP may only pay out once in a gaming session. However, this amount will likely be much more considerable than slots with lower RTPs.
RTPs in Different Casinos
After understanding the mechanics of RTP ratings and how they affect the games you play, knowing where to find games with the best RTP ratings is imperative. This is especially true for punters who enjoy both online casinos and an occasional trip to a physical casino.
Traditional brick-and-mortar casinos are known for offering much lower RTPs on provided slots than their online counterparts. They do this because they have extensively higher overheads to cover, such as the maintenance of the building and the salaries of numerous staff members.
These overheads require the casino to make more money, requiring a more prominent house edge. As such, the RTP found in physical casinos averages between 80% and 90% – with the higher of these amounts being less common.
By contrast, online casinos have lower overhead expenditures and can, therefore, afford to make less money. As a result, these types of casinos can offer RTP rates of between 90% and 97%, with some games even boasting an RTP rate of 99%.
One should note that this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Megabucks, an immensely popular online slot, has an RTP of 89%, which is much less than its competitors. However, the slot operates a progressive jackpot and has led to some of the most significant slot wins in history.
How to Calculate RTP
The calculation used to determine a game’s RTP is incredibly straightforward and applies to all games, whether crypto slots, progressive jackpot options, or regular games. All that is required is to take the amount paid out by the game (the sum of all money paid in winnings) and divide that by the total revenue generated (the sum of all money deposited by players).
For example, if you come across a game that has generated £987,000 in revenue over the last month and paid out £867,000 during the same timeframe, the calculation will be as follows:
£867,000 / £987,000 = 88% RTP
This calculation can be done quickly with any calculator but has one downfall. One must know the game’s total revenue and payouts to complete it.
In many cases, casinos don’t openly display this information and won’t allow anybody to request it. Therefore, obtaining this data to calculate the RTP may prove challenging or (in some cases) impossible.
One could work this out based on a single gaming session. Calculating the amount you spend and the amount you win will give you an RTP rate. However, that will be accurate for your session and not the game as a whole.
The primary reason is that should a slot have recently paid out a large jackpot to another player, your calculation will not reflect that. However, because the RTP of the game was reached by paying out that jackpot, it may not pay out any significant prizes during your session.
Therefore, this method of calculating an RTP is not advised, as the results are almost always far from the real RTP offered by the game.
Conclusion
There are many aspects to consider when choosing an online casino. Among these are whether it allows you to deposit with a secure payment method or is properly licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
Choosing the correct slot game to play is equally important, particularly if you aim to play with the hopes of winning a prize that would grant you some measurable financial benefit. Knowing how RTP rates work and how they affect your gameplay (particularly in terms of winning) can assist you in picking the correct game.
For online players, it is advisable to find a game that you thoroughly enjoy because of its theme or gameplay dynamics and that also has a high RTP rate. Doing so will enhance your gambling experience and keep you coming back for more.
