It's an average across every player, so it tells you nothing about tonight. You can lose your budget on a 97% game or hit something on a 92% one. What it does tell you is the price of playing:
| RTP | House edge | Average cost per €1,000 staked |
|---|---|---|
| 97% | 3% | €30 |
| 96% | 4% | €40 |
| 94% | 6% | €60 |
| 92% | 8% | €80 |
"Staked" adds up faster than people expect. At €1 a spin, re-staking whatever you win, you can put €1,000 through a slot from a much smaller deposit in an hour or two.
Volatility
Volatility is how the game pays its RTP back. Low-volatility games pay small amounts often and your balance drifts. High-volatility games pay rarely but can pay big, and your balance swings hard and can empty fast. Two games with the same RTP can feel nothing alike.
The same slot, a different RTP
This is the part that's worth knowing. A lot of game studios release the same slot in several RTP versions, say 96%, 94% and 92%, and each casino picks which one to run. The game looks and plays exactly the same. Only the long-run return changes.
So a popular slot can run at its top version on one site and several points lower on another, and over enough spins that's real money.
Checking it yourself
Open the game, then its info or help screen (usually an "i" or the menu). Look for "RTP", "return to player" or "theoretical return", and compare it with the highest figure the studio publishes for that game. Our reviews list which version each casino runs on the popular slots.
No RTP makes gambling a way to make money. Every game costs you on average. Set a budget before you start. Safer gambling.