That isn’t to say that there are not some indicators you can use to determine whether a slot game is more likely to pay out than others. One of these factors is the Return to Player (RTP) percentage. Simply put, this is the calculated probability that you will land a win on any given spin of your chosen game. Games with a higher RTP are therefore theoretically more rewarding and highly sought out by players.
Here is a list of 10 premium online slots with high RTP for you to consider for your next round of online gaming. If you are keen to find out more about RTP then read on below as I give a detailed explanation.
1. 1429 Uncharted Seas - 98.5% RTP
This highly stylised Thunderkick title features beautifully drawn graphics that emulate nautical charts from the early days of ocean exploration. Finely rendered sea monsters appear as symbols and the game’s combination of low volatility and a high RTP allow the expanding reels and up to 50 free spins to reward you frequently, if not as handsomely as higher volatility games.
2. Jokerizer 98.00% RTP
Fruit machine sensibilities get a modern revamp in this slot title where you can choose to boost your RTP as you play. Joker symbols generate mystery prizes when enough of them appear on the reels and you can opt into the Jokerizer mode where you pay 20 coins per spin, but the RTP soars to 106.1%. When calculated with the base game’s already impressive 88%, the game’s overall RTP weighs in at 98%
3. Blood Suckers 98.00% RTP
This is definitely not for the faint- of-heart and perhaps is leaned more towards the gamer looking for some ad hoc fun. NetEnt are obviously taking a bite out of the latest worldwide trend for blood sucking vampires. The Blood Suckers slot is a 5 reels and 25 payline machines that has all the graphical themed icons you could possibly get your teeth into, including cobwebs, blood, coffins, dark cloaks, crucifixes and topping it all with screeching sounds that will leave you a little anxious and scared of your next spin.
4. Zeus Lightning Power Reels 97.73% RTP
Wield the power of ancient gods in this 6-reel, high volatility title. Zeus himself is the wild symbol that lands stacked on the reels and if he appears fully in view, he will hurl lightning bolts at the reels, generating even more wild stacks. You can claim wins worth over 5000x your stake and while this is far from a high-rollers fantasy pick, casual players will appreciate the continual rewards generated by the above-average RTP.
5. White Rabbit 97.72% RTP
There are so many Alice themed slots, well Big Time Gaming's contribution is really one of the best. White Rabbit slot will stun you with exciting bonus offers, great audio and visual effects. This game is full of wonders which is why you should choose to go on this amazing, magical adventure and scoop some fabulous prizes along the way.
6. Wild Orient 97.50% RTP
Wild Orient is a medium variance online slot game. The base game lets you win a maximum of 160 times the bet amount while the Free Spin feature lets you win 480 times your bet amount. The Respin feature is this game's major attraction, and you can win a substantial amount if you have bet the maximum coins. This online video slot is perfect for those that do not want too many bells and whistles in their game, but want to enjoy a good gameplay with great sound effects.
7. Couch Potato 97.43% RTP
Couch Potato slot combines classic fruit machine action with a shot of fun to create the perfect diversion. The gameplay of this title is virtually identical to other Microgaming slots in this category, but the small thematic touches do make it stand out. With the multiplier wild being the sole feature, reaching the maximum payout of $75 000 is your sole objective, making this classic a must-play on your nostalgia journey.
8. Big Bad Wolf 97.34% RTP
Big Bad Wolf Megaways slot is a worthy upgrade to a legendary title with thrilling gameplay and excellent winning potential. The updated graphics and animations create a profoundly immersive feeling. The tumbling reels / Megaways combination delivers constant winning chances and free spins is a festival of winning, with progressive multiplier boosts giving you the chance at the slot’s phenomenal top prize of $2 625 200. This is a superb upgrade of an already excellent title and a definite must-play.
9. Jack Hammer 2 97.10% RTP
The follow up to Jack Hammer slot game will delight and reassure established fans that this latest version, is indeed a crowd pleaser. The retro comic book feel of this 5 reel and 99 ways to win slot goes a long way to entertaining gaming crowds from beginner to advanced. This is because the betting rage climbs from just 1 cent to the maximum 50 cent while being able to top up your bet by adding up to multiple 10 x coins. The real stand out feature of the game is without question is the "Stick Wins".
10. Treasure Island 97.07% RTP
The Treasure Island online slot will take you on a pirate swashbuckling adventure. The game has high quality graphics and interesting sound that is based on pirate sounds. There are four fun bonus features available like Wild Treasure Chests, 3 Scattered Compasses, Treasure Hunt Bonus and the Island Hop Bonus. I loved this game with plenty payouts and massive great bonus games to play - give this game a go as the RTP will bag you big gains!
What is RTP (Return to Player)?
RTP, or Return to Player, refers to how much of the total amount bet on a slot machine or other casino game, will be paid back to players over a certain time period.
This amount is expressed as a percentage, and the higher the percentage shown, the more you can win playing that game over a longer period of time.
Each slot game has its own RTP and so does every online casino – based on the average value of the accumulated RTP percentages of all the games in its library.
Simply put, the RTP determines how much the online casino machine pays you back - you can win more money playing casino games with high RTP than any other game with a lower percentage.
Another important factor involved in calculating the payout is the house edge, and the house edge determines how much mathematical advantage an online casino has over you.
Most casino players consider the RTP as the indication of whether a game pays out frequently; however, it is not entirely true. The RTP shows how big your winning can be, while RNG actually 'awards' the win.
The RNG stands for the random number generator, which is a chip present in all games. The RTP rate is a theoretical estimation, meaning the players cannot predict the outcome.
How does RTP actually work?
First off, it’s important to note that RTP is a theoretical statistical calculation that shouldn’t be taken as gospel. For example; It doesn’t apply to massive random wins or longer streaks of losses.
The RTP will only tell you the average estimate for the game in question. Think of RTP as the flip side of the house edge. If you know the house advantage for a particular game is 5%, then the RTP could be seen as 95% (100%-5%) – in theory.
So, if the RTP is 100%, it means the player has the same chances of winning as the casino. Should the RTP go over 100%, it shows that the casino is actually running at a loss for that game over the given time period.
So, theoretically, the higher the RTP, the better payouts a slot can give. While this is not necessarily always true due to a factor called variance, it is a good rule of thumb to apply, and we, therefore, recommend that you try to avoid slots with an RTP of less than 96%.
Variance can be low and high, and it determines how often and how much the online slots games pay you.
The casino games with low variance are good for people who prefer to play it safe because the player often gets rewards for their bets but of smaller value.
In contrast, high variance games pay big winnings but seldom, making an exciting game for people who like the risk.
Overall, the RTP is an estimate calculation based on different factors that affect your game.
How the RTP for a casino game is calculated
The RTP can be calculated as follows:
- The total amount returned to players divided by the total amount wagered by players.
- The total amount wagered by players = the sum of each initial bet per round per player for the audited period for a specific game (typically one calendar month).
- Amount returned to player = the net amount won by a player in a round.
Here is an instance of how much you can win if the RTP of a game is 96%.
- For your bet of $100, you will get $96; however, it is an estimated amount of money you can receive. In casino slot games, the winning amount depends on the total number of spins, and the money you win from your wagers can be lower or much higher. If you keep playing the online slot machine, the estimated reward can be closer to the RTP value.
- Another way of calculating the RTP value of 96% is considering that the house edge is 4%, meaning the casino takes $4 from your $100 wager.
Note
In table games, the amount bet is not counted in the return, only the net amount won. For slots and video poker returns, the original wager is forfeited once it is made. Therefore, the amount returned to the player is the amount won based solely on the pay table for the game plus the result of the round.
RTP in Progressive Slot Machines
Progressive jackpot slot games differ from regular 3-reel or 4-reel slot machines. Many people play progressive slot games and rarely win because they are simply unaware of how they operate.
Jackpot slot games accumulate a huge amount of money as a prize to award a lucky winner. Such a prize can be very lucrative, and its value constantly goes up, sometimes reaching a million.
However, most players wager only a small amount on progressive machines when they have a spare couple of cents, which is basically only 'contributing' to the total reward.
The RTP rate of the progressive jackpot is usually lower than that of traditional games; it can be as low as 90%, depending on the game.
The purpose of it is to collect enough money before giving it away. House edge also takes some percentage from all spins, and the remaining sum goes to the prize.
Generally, if you want to receive the jackpots' reward, you need to make wagers big enough to be eligible for a win, otherwise, you might be wasting your money.
Online gambling games have a random number generator chip installed, so being eligible doesn't make you an instant winner.
Are RTP and Winning Frequency Connected?
The RTP for a game can be a little misleading as it doesn't indicate how often you can expect to get a reward.
For example, with slot games, a game with a higher win frequency pays out more often but in lesser amounts, while a slot with a lower win frequency pays out larger sums only once in a while – yet both can indicate an RTP of 97%.
Thus, the winning frequency is not directly connected with the RTP; it is the variance that decides how often you win.
How to Understand the Winning Rate of a Game?
The only way to understand the winning frequency of a game is to play it. Since online casinos do not reveal this information, a game needs to be played continuously so that this value can be more or less determined. Reading previous players' reviews can also help to analyze how the game operates.
You could calculate the difference you receive during various payouts, and if it is ten times bigger than what you wagered, there is a chance the slot machine is of high variance.
On the other end, obtaining small rewards from your bets indicates a game has a low variance.
Another essential factor that you should pay attention to is the ratio of wins. This means how often and under what combination you win the game.
Variable RTP Ranges in slots
Occasionally, you may come across games with dynamic RTP values that are changed by a variety of factors. This can seem intimidating at first, but knowing how they can work for you will put your mind at ease.
Betting
Some video slots give you a higher RTP if you bet more. This is because some jackpots and features can only be triggered at certain bet levels, many of which rely on winning combinations to activate.
Incentives
Sometimes you can gain higher RTP figures based on your in-game actions and choices. For example, in Reel Rush 2, your RTP varies based on how you activate free spins.
The base RTP that you start the game with stands at 95.53%, the highest RTP of 96.58% comes from using purchased Super Tokens to activate free spins, while other methods yield lower figures.
In this case, it is clear that the game is guiding you towards rather purchasing Super Tokens and rewarding you for that decision by giving you better winning chances.
The Nerdy Stuff
The more seasoned and technical video slot players out there have a more in-depth take on RTP ranges than most.
If you peruse slot-related message boards, you may find some in-depth discussions about how reel configurations can help you adjust your winning potential.
It’s all very in-depth for the casual player, but what it seems to boil down to is that certain symbol combinations are easier or harder to achieve on different payline configurations.
So, manually changing 5 lines to 15 lines, for example, could theoretically work in your favour. You can obviously only tinker like this on video slots that let you adjust the paylines, a feature that is missing from most modern titles.
While these are mostly educated guesses, there isn’t much proof to back up any of these theories, but I’m sure one of them will figure it out eventually.
Does RTP actually matter?
Yes and No. The RTP percentages is a theoretical statistical calculation of averages, and it won't inform you when or if you will win.
Having said that, in some cases, the RTP is made publicly available on a regular basis by online casinos.
It not only illustrates a level of trustworthiness but considering that rates between casinos differ, it empowers players to choose casinos that offer the best value.
Some players will only be attracted by profitable casino games and other players who will look for an exciting storyline, sound effects, and other aesthetic features of the game.
The RTP in online casino games matters for those interested in long-term gaming with a perspective of significant rewards.
