A Definition and Explanation of “Return to Player”

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If you’re a regular at online casinos and you like playing slots, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “Return to Player,” abbreviated as RTP. Sure, but what does it really imply? RTP, or return to player, is a statistic that takes at least one million spins of the reels to calculate the average percentage of wagers returned to players. In theory, RTP may be determined. It’s not a holy text. That doesn’t hold true for streaks of losses or victories that are very large or unusual in size. However, the average prediction for a game is revealed.

Seems too difficult? Read on to find out how Return to Player percentages function and what you can do to maximise their usefulness.

Table of Contents

RTP stands for “Return to Player,” But What Does It Mean?

Answer: Simply put, Return to Player refers to the percentage of bets that are returned to players as winnings.

Monthly payout calculations are often used to determine the RTP rate. Rates of Return to Players are often expressed as a percentage. Higher payouts are given back to players for larger bets.

So many questions arise from it.

Such as, how is the money distributed.
Who sets the cut-off rate?
Who benefits and who suffers as a result of this distribution?

Applying an example is the most effective method of explaining RTP.

Assume that when a brand-new slot machine is unveiled, ten random gamers each spin the reels 10 times. The RTP that is guaranteed by the game’s creator is 97%. Ten participants put in €10 total. At that rate, you’d spend €100 in the first 10 spins. If the RTP is 97%, then each of the 10 players will get €97 and the casino will earn €3. If the slot’s jackpot is $1,000 and one player takes it home, the casino is $850 “in the red.”

Have you come to understand why RTP is only applicable in a purely academic environment? Allow the algorithms some time to settle into an average state. The online gambling establishment recovers its losses and is profitable over the long term.

So, Should One Care About the RTP Rate?

If you’re a regular at the casino and you like to put down a good chunk of cash, yes. For casual gamblers, the thrill of playing slots might be all they need. But for serious casino gamblers, RTP provides a more even possibility of gaining greater value for your gaming investment and guarantees that a game is designed to pay out a certain share of the money bet on it. This is very different to The Volatility of Online Slots, where RTP solely focuses on the returns only.

The return to player (RTP) ensures that gamblers will win back part of the money they stake. The house always has the edge in gambling but learning how Return to Player works might increase your chances of getting your money back.

The Casino’s Edge and the Player’s Payback – Successful Union

House advantage and return to the player are inseparable. Let’s assume that our ten-player scenario continues, with each player wagering €10 and spinning the reels once. The casino’s profit of €3 is known as the “house edge.” However, unlike Return to Player, it’s only valid for a long time. The house edge is the percentage of wagers kept by the casino.

Those who are good with numbers will have no trouble calculating the casino’s advantage. To get the proper answer, subtract 100 from that number. A 97% RTP game, for instance, has a 3% house advantage.

Now that you know what RTP is, let’s look at who decides what % is considered a “fair” return and how you may use that information to your advantage.

Whose Responsibility Is It to Determine the RTP Rate?

You’re likely familiar with industry heavyweights like Microgaming, Netent, BetSoft, Yggdrasil, and the rest. Slot machines and other casino games feature the work of these brilliant minds.

Every new game has a random number generator built into the code (RNG). The RNG ensures that each roll of the dice, deal of cards, or spin of the reels is really random.

When a game’s development is complete, it is sent to an auditing lab like iTechLabs, bmm Testlabs, or eCOGRA for randomness testing. These reliable organisations use auditing programmes that simulate thousands of slot machine spins in a short amount of time.

The information is utilised to calculate the player’s return for each wagering option.

A game’s RTP is determined by the producers, however, some include a feature that lets casinos tweak the payout percentages ever so slightly.

You can make more educated wagers on your favourite casino games if you know their Return to Player percentages. The terms of their gambling licences mandate that all reputable online casinos provide players with access to detailed information on the percentage of wagers that are returned by each game.

Tips for Figuring Out RTP

The RTP % is not discussed, but the house advantage is calculated. In principle, this should not be difficult. The percentage of player money returned as a proportion of player money wagered.

While it’s quite clear that you should expect to win about 50% of your bets at various table games, the RTP rates for online slots may be deceptive. Winning odds aren’t usually a good indicator of this.

Mega-jackpot online slots can be set to pay out less frequently. In the long run, however, the outcome remains the same: a Return on Players % that falls just short of turnover.

It’s hard to foretell the winners of other games because of the players’ strategic decisions. Blackjack necessitates skill, while in Craps, players may put a variety of wagers with RTPs ranging from very high to incredibly low.

Like But Not Quite the Same: RTP and Variance

Get back to Game variance and player variance are sometimes confused with one another. They have a tight familial relationship yet have distinct identities.

The RTP of a casino game is achieved by the presence of variance.

Slot machines with lower variance are designed to pay out less often but in smaller amounts. This facilitates better monitoring of financial resources.
In games with high volatility, the RTP is concentrated in the form of bonuses that are seldom triggered but may result in large winnings.

But there’s something we need to make clear. Slot machines with a high Return to Player percentage aren’t always the best bet for your money. Games with a higher return to player percentage (RTP) are usually preferable, but if the game is very unpredictable, you may need thousands of spins before you even get near to the true RTP. You may check out the slot games developed by the internationally popular developer, Net Entertainment, where their online slots are considered high in RTP and loved by many players all around the world.

Profitability Over Time and the RTP Rate

Now that you understand Return to Player percentages, let’s look at how they could affect your bottom line over the long haul.

Even a 2% increase will have little of an impact in the short term. However, the impact on your earnings becomes more apparent as you play for longer periods of time.

How therefore can one interpret a reduction in the RTP rate from 96% to 94% in a slot that previously paid out at a higher rate? The loss of value is substantial. The gap widens as more rounds are played.

Therefore, when a huge bonus comes with stringent wagering requirements, it might be worthwhile to seek for the games with the highest theoretical payout percentage. That’s because you’ll need to play slots for a long time in order to clear your bonus.

Advice On How to Increase RTP: Is It Even Possible?

While there is no way to completely circumvent or manipulate a game’s Return to Player %, there are several things you may do to increase your chances of winning.

Strategy

Although it is not feasible to alter the RTP of casino games, players may improve their odds by using strategies in games like as video poker and live blackjack.

If you have a solid plan, you can put the odds in your favour and leave as little as possible to chance. Take video poker as an example; if you play it well, you can use a strategy to increase your chances of winning and, therefore, your bankroll.

Extra Money for Gambling

A lower house edge may be achieved by taking advantage of a deposit bonus since this gives you more money to wager with. A match deposit bonus is a kind of welcome incentive sometimes offered by online casinos to new players. The bonus money has the effect of decreasing the RTP.

But you must realise that nothing is as easy as it seems. Read the bonus agreement carefully before agreeing to receive a bonus. The wagering requirements must be met before any withdrawals may be processed.

Slots With Low Maximum Bets Should Be Avoided

Stick to slot machines with a Return to Player of 96.50% or above and look for games with jackpots of 500x or 1,000x your stake. A slot machine with a high maximum payout and return to player percentage is what you should be looking for.

However, keep in mind that the Max Win will be smaller if you choose low-variance slots since the wins occur more often. Nevertheless, high-variance slot machines are riskier and payouts occur less often. The payoff, when it arrives, however, will be well worth the trouble.

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Angelina Ji

Professional Casino Blog Author at SafeCasinos.Asia

Angelina is one of our in-house professional gamblers in Singapore. She loves nothing more than to share her in-depth expertise with her readers, whether it's about casinos or sportsbooks. Although she specialises in conventional casino games, she also keeps up to date on the latest trends in gambling, such as electronic table games and esports betting.