Is RTP Reliable at an Online Casino?

The return to player percentage (RTP) is huge in the casino world. It essentially decides how likely a player is to win whilst playing a casino game. You can usually expect to find the percentage in the 90s. If the RTP for a game is 95% that means for every £1 spent by the customer, the casino will pay back 95p. It is important to remember that this does not mean you win on 95% of your spins. Some games offer massive jackpots. Someone could win £1,000 on a slot where the RTP is 95% and the casino would still be in profit for the day thanks to the house edge. This explains why some people feel like they rarely win when they play on some slots, but it is always worth it when you do get a big win!

How is RTP Calculated?

There are many different technical methods used within the casino machines to determine the RTP rate. For a slot game, the process would involve working out every single possible combination that could land in a spin. Obviously there are hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of different combinations so this is a complex piece of kit. In these possibilities, they must include any possible bonuses too. Once all these have been worked out, the program will be able to decide the RTP. This works with the random number generator (RNG) too. The RTP percentage is then worked out to be a little lower than the average pay out. This helps to calculate the house edge for the casino. The casinos themselves have no calculation in deciding the RTP. This is left purely down to the developers. They will explain the total number of payouts and thus the RTP to the casino. Short term, the player can win money by playing slot games no matter what the RTP is. Long term though the RTP will always benefit the casino due to the house edge. 

Is the RTP Always Accurate?

This is a question which is tough to answer bluntly, so let’s do some explaining. Generally, yes the RTP is accurate but as long as you are gambling with a reliable casino. There are many different ways to tell if your casino is reliable. Firstly, a trustworthy URL is a good indicator of whether a website is legitimate or not. If a URL begins with ‘https’ then that is a good starting point. A padlock just to the left of the website address is good too. You cannot be 100% sure with these but it is a great starting point. If the website passes these two checks then have a quick look for reviews of the casino. If you are struggling to find any then it may be best to stay clear of that casino.

Is RTP Reliable?

It is a common myth within the casino industry that RTP does not mean anything. Some people believe that the player will either win or lose and the likelihood of that does not change too much. In reality, this could not be further from the truth. RTP is very important in determining how likely the player is to win a game. If one person played the same slot game for an hour a day for a year then it is incredibly unlikely that they would make profit. This is another reason why it is important to keep gambling fun and not be something that you should do solely as a moneymaker, longer sessions are rarely seen as somewhere to make profit. It is possible to win over a thousand times what you stake on the slots, so you want to maximise your chances of winning as much as possible. Therefore a high RTP does contribute in the sense that it gives you a higher chance of a big win.

What is the Verdict on RTP?

Ultimately, if a trusted casino says that the RTP on a game is 95% then that is exactly what it is. You will not find trusted casinos making mistakes here as the RTP is simply not down to them. It is created by the software developers and comes down to the RNG. As a player, if you play a game which has a lower RTP you are ultimately putting your chances of winning down. It makes sense to always try and play a game with a high RTP to increase your chance of winning.