Most avid slots players are well aware of its intricacies, which is why terms like “house edge”, “RTP”, “volatility” and “theme” are already familiar to them.
Among the most searched criteria when choosing a slot machine are the theme and the RTP. But which one should a player prefer when choosing a slot?
In this article we will explore the universe of slots, focusing on the theme and RTP criteria. So, we are going to first explain each of these criteria and then we will think about why choose one or the other.
The RTP in slots
RTP is the acronym for Return to Player, that is, the rate of return to the player. It is a theoretical value that denotes how much the machine returns in prizes in relation to the amount it collects.
Obviously, this value does not indicate how much the machine has collected and how much it will pay out, but what fraction of the amount the player can expect to receive. Therefore, the RTP rate is expressed as a percentage value.
Keep in mind that this value is represented by a long-term theoretical rate. Therefore, only players who have bet on the same machine for many games could calculate and evaluate the value of this rate. For someone who is going to play slots and is a casual player, this value may not matter much.
Let’s give you an example: Let’s say a casual player places 100 $1 bets on a machine with an RTP of 92%. Can that player expect to receive $92? He can do it, but can he get that $92? The answer is no.
As we have said before, the RTP value is a theoretical value and can only be calculated in the long term. Thus, that bettor could receive up to $92, or he could receive more or less than that.
One way to calculate the RTP value of a slot machine would be by taking into account the result after 1000 games. This number of plays could be considered sufficient to serve as an indicator of how much a bettor can receive in return by playing in the long term.
Why choose a slot using RTP criteria
The RTP indicates to the user what is the average amount that he should expect to recover. Thus, on a machine with an RTP of 95%, a player who plays 100 dollar chips will win back 95 chips after putting in all of his initial chips. Hypothetically, the player would have lost five chips in 100 games.
For a player looking for a good financial return, or who wants to have fun spending little money, he obviously should look for machines with a high RTP value. But today, what are the best RTP?
Theoretically the best RTP for a machine would be 100%, or better, it would be above 100%, so on a machine with an RTP of 110%, the player would place 100 chips and win 110 chips. A great game for the punter, right?
Unfortunately, there is no machine with such a high RTP, because it would be unfeasible for those who operate it, so we must settle for the RTP being as close to 100% as possible.
To give you an idea, the successful slots of the past paid out 88% RTP on average. Today, machines with 95% RTP are considered medium/good value. At Bodog you can find machines with an RTP of over 98%!