One term that you may see used a lot in the online slots world today is RTP. So what does this mean, and why do casinos use it like it’s as common an abbreviation as BOGO?
RTP means Return to Player, or commonly known as payout percentage or payback. For instance, if you play $100 in a slots game and earn back $95, your RTP would be 95%. Of course, $100 worth of slots bets is a pretty small sample size, and RTPs are programmed for the long haul. So it definitely pays to know what the RTP is programmed for on each game you play.
How do you find RTP?
You’ll be pleased to know that some online licensing jurisdictions require internet casinos to list the RTP for each game. So you’ll hover over a game that you want to play, and the payback will listed along with the title.
But there are plenty of other cases where RTP isn’t listed and you have to find it. A simple Google search will often suffice. When you search for a specific game’s RTP, reviews may pop up that not only discuss the slot, but also its payback. You can even contact customer support at the casino and ask what the payback is too.
How Important is RTP?
Definitely important, but not usually life-changing. Remember, payback is determined over a long period of spins – especially with 5-reel slots. So if there’s a game that you really want to play, yet the RTP is 2-3% lower than other slots, don’t let this immediately stop you. Chances are that, for better or for worse, you’ll never come close to the theoretical payout percentage, so only use RTP as one factor when choosing which slots to play.