Volatility & Variance in Online Slots

Gone are the days when all you had to do to play a slot machine was spin the reels and wait for the same symbols to align in the winning combination. Nowadays, slots, especially online slots, come with many features that impact not only the overall gaming experience but also variance.

Most slot machines out there utilize things like bonus rounds, free spins, or scatter and wild symbols. There are also progressive jackpots and fixed jackpots. And let's not forget that every slot game has a different number of reels and paylines. All of these features have a massive impact on the risk involved, affecting how you play the game.

Let's cover how exactly each additional feature affect variance in slot games:

Pay Tables

Each slot game comes with a different paytable. Pay tables show players how many winning combinations are in the game and how much they can win for each. Now, when it comes to determining variance, if high-paying spins are rare, it means you are dealing with a high-variance game. On the other hand, if payouts are spread more evenly, the slot has low variance.

Bonus Features

Many players believe that the more bonuses the game has to offer, the better. That's not necessarily the truth. While things like free spins, multipliers, bonus rounds do boost your payback, allowing you to mean astronomical sums, it also means the variance is higher as you're less likely to win more without triggering those bonus features. You should prepare yourself for longer pauses between higher wins, which can drain your bankroll.

Bet Size

By adjusting your wager size, you can lower or increase the variance of online slots. If you put your bankroll at risk by betting higher, you're automatically raising the variance, as you're increasing not only the potential jackpot but also the sum you can lose. Also, pay attention to wagering requirements. High-volatility slot games have higher minimum wagers than low-volatility slots.

Most online casinos give you the chance to play their slots for free. Of course, it means you won't be able to win anything, but this is a great way of getting a 'feel' of how the slot machine works. You'll be able to understand the rules, determine variance, or study the paytable more thoroughly before playing for real money.

Generally speaking, playing slots for free is a great idea for any beginner. Here is why:

• It is also a good way of determining if the slot machine you are playing has a high or low variance, without the risk of losing any real money.
• The great thing about using this method is that the slots play in the same way in demo mode as in the paid versions of the game.
• After playing a slot in demo mode for a little while, you should take note of your virtual funds. If you used up all of your funds in a short time, or you hit a big win but lost on nearly every other spin, chances are, it is a slot with a high variance.
• If, however, you have kept most of your money, and you have won smaller amounts on several occasions, you are probably playing a slot with low variance.

Many players new to casino games don't care whether they play high or low-variance games. They're too excited to check such things. This, though, can lead to a massive disappointment. As a rule of thumb, it's always a good idea to check slot volatility and variance. It will help you decide which slots to play and what to expect. Let's take a look at factors to consider when deciding between high variance, medium variance, and low variance slots:

• The amount of money you have at your disposal will determine whether you should play high or low-variance slots as explained below.
• The time you have to play each slot machine will go a long way to determining whether you should opt for a low or high-variance slot machine.
• If you have enough funds to cover lots of losses, then a high-variance machine is more suitable for you.
• If you have the money to wait for the machine to pay out a big jackpot, it could very well be worth the wait in the long run.
• If you have a smaller budget and plenty of time to spend on playing slots, a slot machine with a low variance will be better for you.

Understanding slot variance is key to understanding what to expect from the slot game you want to play. It tells players the fluctuations between wins and losses in the long run, allowing them to calculate the risk involved and create the right bankroll and gameplay strategy.

In general, high-variance slots come with higher jackpots, less frequent payouts, and more bonus features. Wagering requirements are also usually higher. The same goes for risk. In other words, high-variance slot games are perfect for high rollers who have a lot of money to play with.

In contrast, a low variance slot pays more frequently, but the prizes aren't as significant. They are also less risky, with the minimum bet size being relatively low as well. That's why low variance slots are usually played by players with a smaller bankroll.

And which slot machine is the best choice for you? That you must decide on yourself. Hopefully, this guide has at least allayed all your doubts concerning low variance and high variance slot machines. And if you still have any doubts regarding online casino slot games, be sure to read more guides you can find on our site.