Best payout slot machines

What are payout percentages (RTP) in slots?

A payout percentage is the measure of the amount of money a player will have returned compared to the money they wagered. Therefore, payout percentages or RTP simply signify the returns. A point to note is that the percentage in question is average and is not a perfect guarantee of how much a player would win in one try. Remember, online slots are all about luck and while one try would land you a great return, on another day, it would mean that you have lost your wager. However, with more tries, the chances of landing your winnings close to the RTP are significantly higher.

The payback percentages of slot machines work in the notion that the higher the percentage, the higher the returns. This means if the RTP is placed at 97% and a player makes a £100 bet, chances are that the slot will return £97. 

Then with the percentages in online slots comes another concept—house edge. Remember, online slots with huge payouts will not only encompass a high RTP but also a low house edge. A house edge is 100% subtracted from the slot’s RTP and in the case where the online game has its percentage at 97%, the casino house edge will be 3%. A house edge is simply the advantage the casino has over you on a wager. 

What does a higher payout mean?

Higher payout means games that offer huge returns on average judging from the high RTP and low house edge. This might be referred to as ‘best odds’ on other operators. The basic point about high paying online machines is:

High Wager amount + High RTP = Higher Winnings

Remember, the returns are not guaranteed since online slots are about luck. Aside from the slot machine payback percentages, the paytable will also give a clue on the high-paying online slot game. From the pay tables, one will find the maximum returns they can win on all the symbols and one can also find the maximum cap amount placed on the online jackpot slots.

What is the difference between theoretical and actual RTP?

The RTP, also the average payback percentage on slot machines, dives deeper with different types including theoretical RTP and actual RTP.

• Theoretical RTP

Theoretical RTP is the average payout percentage set out on a slot game. This is purely based on the game’s design in that the percentage is derived from the software provider having the game played over multiple rounds before the value is determined. Simply put, the percentage is determined after thorough testing. Important to note that this value is not absolute and that frequent plays will see the results getting close to the theoretical RTP.

• Actual RTP

Actual RTP, on the other hand, varies from one session to another and will signify the figure given after one gambling session. However, despite the constant swinging of one direction to another, the actual RTP will appear somewhere close to theoretical RTP over the long term. 

Variance vs. Payout? Don’t confuse them

A high RTP and low house edge will be aspects to look out for on an online machine for higher returns. However, an additional concept that may also influence the slot machine payout percentage in casinos is also introduced. The variance will always accompany the return percentage in the online slots and simply put, variance, also volatility or payout frequency, signify how often a player can expect returns from the online slots and the size/value of the returns. 

Variance is broken into three different types:

1. Low variance slots – The returns will be frequent but the size/value will be small/low.
2. Medium variance slots – The returns will be fairly frequent with the size/value being a combination of small/low and big/high. 
3. High variance slots – The returns will be less frequent but the size/value will be big/high.

From the above concept, low variance slots will be ideal for those players with a tight budget. They can build their bankroll from the small but frequent returns. On the other hand, high variance slots and sometimes medium variance slots will be ideal for those with a big budget. They can expect huge returns albeit after a long spell of play.

To put it into perspective, the majority of the progressive jackpot titles will have their variance/volatility/payout frequency placed highly. This means that the chances of hitting the jackpot are low but once hit, the returns extremely massive.

How to calculate slot machine payouts?

So a little of mathematics. Questions of how to calculate the slot machines’ payback percentages are regularly asked.

To calculate the percentage on a 3-reel slot with 2 symbols (banana and orange) on each reel, follow this simple process:

• 1st step is to calculate the total number of combinations. In our case, we will multiply 3 symbols (number on each reel) by the other symbols on the other reels thus 2 x 2 x 2 = 8 total combinations.
• The next step is calculating the probability of each combination on a reel. It will be as follows:

A Banana Probability – 1/3 x 1/3 x 1/3 = 0.04

Two Oranges Probability – 2/3 x 2/3 x 2/3 = 0.3

• Assume for a £1 bet made, a combination of three bananas on the reel will win a £10 and a combination of three oranges on the reel will win £1.
• It is important to note that the number of reels plays a crucial role in determining the payout more than the symbols. Take, for example, a 3-reel machine with 32 symbols and a 4-reel machine with 22 symbols. The number of combinations on the two will be:

32 x 32 x 32 = 32,768 Total Combinations

22 x 22 x 22 x 22 = 234,256 Total Combinations

• In our earlier instance, to calculate the payback probability of each combination on a £1 bet is as follows:

£10 x 0.04 = £0.4

£1 x 0.3 = £0.3

• To get the total payout, the summation of the two will be done: £0.4 + £0.3 = £0.7. This means that every £1 bet made will have the total payout at £0.7 on all combinations meaning the payback percentage of 70% can be expected. Remember, this is without features such as free spins, progressives, and bonus games. 
• In the case the slot above had a jackpot, for example, calculating the probability of hitting the jackpot and the grand prize amount will come into the equation. After calculating that, the summation of the amount with the total payout will be made.
• Assume the probability of landing on the £20,000 jackpot is 1/100,000. This will mean: 

1/100,000 x £20,000 = £0.2

Remember, the payout percentage was 70% (£0.7). To calculate the cumulative payout percentage, it will be 0.7 + 0.2 = 0.9 meaning the RTP is 90%.

Who audits slot payout rates and RNG?

Random Number Generator (RNG) is the algorithm placed on the casinos and games ensuring that all the results are random. But, how does a player certify that the parameters (RNG and the return percentages) are audited and verified? 

This is done by official external bodies and companies including:

1. eCogra (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) is one of the independent external companies tasked with testing the RNG and RTP to ensure that the player is protected. eCogra has tested products from various top providers including Microgaming, Quickspin, Realistic Games, Relax Gaming, Thunderkick, and High 5 Games.
2. Another independent body tasked with auditing and verifying the parameters is TST (Technical Systems Testing). The body works with a majority of online operators and software providers to ensure that the products meet industry standards, that the results are fair to players, and that the payback rates are verified regularly. 
3. Finally, iTech Labs is another independent body tasked with auditing the online games’ parameters. The company works with various casino operators and conducts regular audits on the game outcomes. These audits will be carried out monthly with the reports published later.

Aside from checking the certification from either of the bodies on the casino, players are also advised to ensure the operator is fully licensed. This brings extra confidence ensuring players are secure and that the games are fair.

Progressive Jackpots and RTP

One of the many reasons many players prefer online slots is the tons of features that come with the games. A progressive jackpot is one of the features available and with this, one can expect a life-changing return. As opposed to fixed jackpots, the grand prize on progressives is not fixed and as the game is played, the grand prize will keep rising until one lucky player hits it. Only then will the jackpot prize reset to a starting value/seed. 

However, the RTP is not at the highest on the progressives offered on several online video slots. They don’t offer the best odds of winning which simply means that the chances of winning the jackpot are significantly slim. There is also the aspect of betting max to access the top prize which would not work with loads of players.

Other highest RTP casino games

While players look for the highest RTP percentages on the online slot machines, it is important to understand that the same concept works with other casino games. The idea does not change with other games. The higher the rate, the higher the chances of high returns. 

Table Games also dominate the returns debate with Blackjack proving to be the most ideal stop for casino players. With a good strategy, a player will have winnings of 99.5% placing the house edge at 0.5%. More experienced players using advanced strategies can reduce the house edge towards 0%.

Roulette games, on the other hand, will have different rates depending on the variants. Both European and French roulette variations are the best bet for players with the RTP placed at 98%+. However, American roulette has its rate at 94.74% which is not the most ideal option for players. This is from the double zero added on the division.

Baccarat games are also presented with a low house edge of around 1% meaning they also boast a high payback rate. On a player bet, the rate is 98.76%, on a banker bet, the rate is 98.94%, and on a tie bet, the rate is 85.56%. The high-paying bet on any Baccarat game is the banker bet with the highest RTP.

Best Payout Machines by Software Provider

With a good RTP rate ranging anywhere above 96%, some machines rank at the top with their rate ranging around 99%. Some of these payout machines include:

• Ugga Bugga by Playtech (99.07%) – A 3-reel slot with 10 paylines featuring a Wild symbol.
• Mega Joker by NetEnt (99%) – A 3-reel slot with 5 paylines and features a progressive jackpot.
• Ooh Aah Dracula by Barcrest (99%) – A 5-reel slot with 10 paylines featuring free spins, wilds, and a bonus game. 
• Monopoly Big Event by Barcrest (99%) – A 5-reel slot with 20 paylines featuring free spins, multipliers, and bonus rounds.
• Jackpot 6000 by NetEnt (98.8%) – A 3-reel slot with 5 fixed paylines featuring a jackpot with returns of 6000 coins.

On the flip side, some machines have not done well with an extremely low RTP thus a high house edge. Some of them are:

• Mega Joker by NetEnt (76%) – Confusing it is right? Well, Mega Joker will boast the highest returns for high rollers. Those playing with a lower denomination will have the machine boasting a low payback.
• X-Men 50 Lines by Playtech (92%) – While 92% is not the worst rate, players would expect better payouts from an online game with 50 paylines.
• Lucky 5 Reeler by Barcrest (87%) – While the rate can go as high as 96%, it can also go as low as 87%.

Cons and Pros of Best Paying Slots

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