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What is Return to Player in Gambling? Calculation and Frequently Asked Questions
To maintain a competitive edge in the iGaming market, online casinos must offer their players a wide range of the most up-to-date games. But this is not the only thing important for operators. Each game has a parameter that both beginners and experienced players pay attention to – the return percentage of the slot or, in the language of the casino, the Return to Player parameter. A higher Return to Player indicates a greater likelihood of winning for the player.
What Does Return to Player Mean in Gambling
Return to Player or RTP is the percentage of the total bets on a slot, either online or offline, that is paid back to players as winnings.
Sometimes also referred to as the player payout, RTP shows the ratio of winning bets to total bets.
For example, if the RTP of a slot machine is 97%, and a player makes many bets of 1 euro, then, in theory, the player will receive back 0.97 euro per spin on average over the long term. The remaining 0.03 euro goes to the casino.
In practice, however, the theoretical RTP differs from the actual one. The odds of winning while playing slots depend on many factors, such as hit frequency, which is the chance of winning on any given spin, bonus frequency, the maximum possible win, variance, and volatility.
Therefore, RTP is a theoretical indicator of how much a slot machine or casino will return to a player in the long run. Besides RTP, another important concept is House Edge. These two concepts are often confused, so let's find out what the difference is between them.
Difference Between Return to Player and House Edge
As previously mentioned, Return to Player is the percentage of the total amount of bets in a particular game that the casino returns to the player in the form of winnings. The House Edge is essentially the percentage of the total amount of bets that the online casino keeps or the player loses.
That is, if the slot's RTP is, for example, 96%, the House Edge will be 4%. This is the idea behind the popular saying, “The house always wins.” Players can and do win in the short term, but over the long run, the total amount wagered typically exceeds the total winnings paid out by the casino.
Let’s imagine an example where the player always gets exactly ninety-six per cent of their bet back in every round.
They start with one hundred euro. After the first spin, they receive ninety-six euro. They play again with that amount and end up with a little over ninety-two euro. In the next round, it drops again.
Step by step, the balance keeps shrinking. That’s because the casino takes its four per cent from each wager.
Who Determines the Return to Player
Now that we know what RTP stands for, let’s have a look at who sets the return to player value. When a game is developed, the game software developer adds a random number generator or RNG to the program. This guarantees that each game round is not predetermined and is, in fact, independent. This RNG is tested for randomness by an independent audit lab such as BMM, iTech Labs, or eCOGRA, to name a few.
After that, the developer can use this RNG for games. Both the audit lab and the developer, using a licensed RNG, can activate audit programs that run hundreds of thousands of spins in a short period of time. Ultimately, the RNG algorithm determines the game’s Return to Player.
Who Can Influence RTP
One of the most frequent questions asked by players and operators is whether the RTP can be adjusted to the needs of the particular operator or whether it remains unchanged.
To set the record straight, once the game developer assigns RTP to a game, no one else can change that setting. This means that neither player, nor operator can tamper with the game payout.
In very rare cases, the game developer might design a game with adjustable RTP settings. This practice is more common for offline slot machines and physical gaming cabinets, where the casino operator can choose from different RTP levels. In online games, however, only the game provider has the authority to set and control the RTP.
How to Calculate the Return to Player
The Return to Player is calculated by dividing the player's total winnings or wins sum by their total bets or bet sum and then multiplying by 100%.
How to Find the Slot Return to Player
For anyone wondering what the Return to Player of a particular game is, the answer is quite straightforward. Players can Google the title of a slot machine or online game, adding the term ‘Return to Player’ or RTP to their search. By doing this, the player may notice that online RTP is always higher than offline RTP. Why is it so?
Online Return to Player Vs Offline Return to Player
Online slots have a higher Return to Player compared to offline slots because the costs of online casinos are much lower. Online slots are cheaper to maintain, and they have less overhead cost: basically, just monthly game royalty, or a percentage of the slots turnover that the operator pays to the game vendor.
There are hundreds and even thousands of online slots, since online casinos are not limited by the size of the premises. An offline casino can accommodate a certain number of physical slot machines, which require installation, periodic setup, repair and maintenance costs.
Return to Player and Volatility
As we already mentioned, many factors determine the chances of winning while playing slots. Return to Player is just one of them. Another important factor is volatility.
For example, a slot with a high RTP and high volatility may be less popular among players than a slot with a high RTP and low volatility, since in the first case, the chance of winning is often low.
Volatility, also called dispersion, shows how often and how much winnings can be won in a particular slot game. Volatility can be low, medium or high. Slots with lower volatility are programmed for more frequent but smaller wins. Slots with higher volatility have a high payout rate and promise big wins, but there are few small and medium wins in such slots.
Return to Player and Variance
Variance is often mistaken for volatility, but they are different concepts. Variance shows the deviation from the Return to Player, namely the difference between the player's expectations and their results.
Variance characterises a certain slot at a particular moment in time – whether it is possible to win on it often or not, even despite its volatility indicator. Let's look at an example.
If the Return to Player of an online slot is 96%, then the player expects a return of 96 cents from each 1 euro bet. But since the payout is calculated based on several million bets (spins), the player will receive the specified Return to Player only by placing the total number of bets included in the calculation cycle.
In addition, the actual payout experience for a player can also be influenced by the total number of players participating in a particular game. Since thousands of players may play the same slot simultaneously, individual experiences and short-term winnings can vary significantly from the theoretical RTP and volatility expectations.
Unlike the theoretical RTP, which is fixed by game developers, the actual RTP experienced by players can fluctuate significantly over shorter periods. For example, during a winning spin, the immediate RTP may temporarily exceed 100%. Conversely, in a losing spin, it will fall below 100%. Over time, these fluctuations even out, approaching the slot's theoretical RTP.
Who Does the Return to Player Really Matter for
Given that Return to Player is a theoretical indicator and does not affect whether a player can actually have a big win in the game, who actually cares about the Return to Player of any given game?
More often than not, Return to Player and volatility matter for players who play regularly. Payout values usually influence their strategy, and they will look for game vendors that offer games with a higher payout. Of course, it is unlikely that the player will match the stated Return to Player in a single gaming session, but over time, the actual and theoretical Return to Player will even out.
The long-term RTP is calculated by taking the total winnings from multiple spins and dividing this amount by the total bets placed.
The Return to Player set by the developer on the slot cannot be 100% or more, because it is unprofitable for the operator and the game provider. As a result, a casino operator has to walk a fine line between offering and promoting games with high and low RTP. A higher payout percentage may not be so beneficial for the operator, but serves to attract players, while a lower one provides profit, but is not so popular among players.
Therefore, the operator should offer a wide range of games so that each of the parties, such as the casino and the player, can get what they want. But even in a situation where the operator chooses games with a lower payout, luck cannot be excluded. For example, if the stated Return to Player on an online slot is 95%, but several players received very rare winning combinations at high stakes, then the actual payout rate for them can be over 100% or even 200%. In order for the actual Return to Player to match the theoretical one, many more rounds must be played.
However, a recent big win does not mean that there will not be big wins again in the near future as the winnings of each new round do not depend on the previous one.
It is worth clarifying that Return to Player is objectively important when two identical or almost identical slots are compared.
Top 5 BGaming Games With High Return to Player
The following are examples of games with higher-than-average RTP percentages, each offering unique features that enhance gameplay.
Many factors influence the pace of casino business development and its success. One of the main ones is the correct game content, which is added to a branded online casino either through direct integration with a game provider or integration with a game aggregator. Now are a few examples of games with high RTP, which increase the demand for online casinos among players.
Fruit Million
This slot has a return to player of just over ninety-seven per cent. It stands out with stacked symbols, expanding wilds, and a full hundred paylines. There’s also a gamble round that can boost winnings. To keep things fresh, the game changes its look for different holidays, like Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, and even Oktoberfest.
Lucky Lady Moon
With a return to player of about ninety-seven percent, this game has five reels and three rows. It features a wild multiplier that can double winnings, along with free spins that come with a triple multiplier.
Aztec Magic Bonanza
This version offers a return to players close to ninety-seven per cent. It uses exploding stone mechanics, so winning combinations disappear and trigger new spins automatically. The Chance x2 feature adds excitement, and during free spins, multipliers can increase winnings up to one hundred times.
Aztec Magic Megaways
Here the return to the player is also around ninety-seven per cent. Instead of fixed paylines, this slot offers more than eleven thousand possible winning combinations. While the Aztec theme is familiar, the Megaways mechanic gives the game a modern edge and makes it especially popular.
Elvis Frog in Vegas
This slot offers a return to players of about ninety-six per cent. It features free spins with giant symbols that boost winning chances. The coin re-spin adds extra fun, with the possibility of hitting a mini, major, or even mega jackpot.
Closing Word
Any player, from beginner to pro, may need to know the Return to Player percentage. A clearly marked RTP in the characteristics of a gaming slot will increase the level of confidence of the player in the online casino, as it gives them an indicator of their chances to win. At the same time, it is up to the operator to find the middle ground between offering up higher RTP and lower RTP games to their players.