What is RTP in slots?
RTP shows how much of all money bet a slot pays back over a very long run. Here is what that means for you, with real examples from our teaching slots.
RTP and house edge in one example
- RTP (return to player): the share of all money bet that a slot pays back over a very long run.
- House edge: the rest, the share the slot keeps.
- Example – Brass Bells: RTP 96.15% + house edge 3.85% = all money bet.
- In dollars: on average $3.85 lost for every hundred dollars bet.
RTP is an average over a huge number of spins, not a promise for your next hour of play.
RTP says nothing about one session
Every line on the chart is a session on Brass Bells with the same RTP. They end in very different places, and none follows the RTP line exactly.
Luck tends to even out only as a share of the total bet, over a very long run. Past spins do not change the next one – see the gambler's fallacy.
Our three teaching slots, counted exactly
| Slot | Return (RTP) | A win every | Volatility (SD) | Top win (bets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire Sevens classic 3 reels, 1 line, low volatility | 95.93% | 4.1 spins | 5.18 | 400 |
| Brass Bells 5 reels, 10 lines, low volatility | 96.15% | 3.1 spins | 2.96 | 267 |
| Midnight Sequins 5 reels, 10 lines, high volatility | 95.98% | 4.4 spins | 7.83 | 1266 |
Exact numbers from every possible reel stop. These are our own teaching slots; real casino slots set their own numbers.
Brass Bells (five reels, ten lines, low volatility), Midnight Sequins (five reels, ten lines, high volatility) and Sapphire Sevens (classic three reels, one line) are made by us for learning. Real casino slots have their own numbers, set by the game maker and the casino.
Our engine checks every possible reel stop combination – 11,881,376 for Brass Bells – and adds up every payout, so the RTP is exact, not a guess from a sample. Similar RTP can still feel very different: see slot volatility.
How to find RTP on a slot machine
- Open the game's help, info or paytable screen (often an "i" or "?" button).
- Look for "RTP", "return to player" or "theoretical return".
- Check the exact version: the game maker and the casino set the number, and one game can come in versions with different RTP.
If the info screen does not show the RTP, look for the game details published by the game maker.
Questions
What is a good RTP for a slot?
A higher RTP means a lower house edge, for example Brass Bells pays back 96.15% and keeps 3.85%. Real casino slots have their own numbers set by the game maker and the casino, and no RTP removes the house edge.
Does a higher RTP mean I will win more?
No. A higher RTP only lowers the average loss over a very long run, while a single session can end anywhere.
Is there a slot RTP checker?
You cannot measure a real slot's RTP from your own spins because even thousands of spins are far too few. Check the game's info screen instead; on our teaching slots the RTP is counted exactly over every reel stop combination.
What is the difference between RTP and volatility?
RTP is how much of all money bet comes back on average over a very long run. Volatility is how uneven the wins are along the way: many small wins or rare big ones.