What is RTP and How Does It Work?
RTP stands for Return to Player. It’s a percentage that shows how much of the total money wagered on a game is paid back to players over time. The higher the RTP, the more the game will return to players, but this is based on long-term play, not short-term wins or losses.
For example, if a game has an RTP of 95%, it means that, on average, for every £100 wagered, the game will return £95. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll win £95 every time you play. The RTP for a game is calculated over millions of spins or hands, so in the short term, you could win more—or less—than this.
Given the above, it is important to understand that as RTP is calculated based on millions of spins, over a short period, your personal experience with RTP might differ significantly. For instance, if a slot has a 95% RTP, and you were to play 10,000 spins, the actual RTP over that smaller sample could be much lower, perhaps even around 60-70%. However, as more spins are played, the RTP should gradually align more closely with the theoretical value. This variance is why RTP is considered a long-term metric rather than a guarantee for short-term play.
How does RTP work in practice?
Each game has its own RTP, which is set by the game provider. The figure is usually checked and verified to ensure it’s fair. But remember, RTP is a theoretical percentage based on millions of games. When you’re playing, the results are random, meaning at times you can have lucky sessions, while other times quite dead sessions. RTP is just a guide to what the game should theoretically pay over a long period of time
If you're comparing different games, checking the RTP can give you an idea of which ones are likely to pay out more in the long run, however you also need to take into account the volatility of a slot, click here for an explanation of how volatility works.