Slot Machine Payouts: The Quick Version
Casinos can positively affect the community since they create jobs and tax revenues. We live in a free world and, therefore, it's our choice how we spend our money.
Those who prefer online casino games should regard the slot machine payout percentage as a decisive factor. It determines how much or, rather, how often there will be a payout. Given these points, we highly recommend trying online slots with the best payout percentages on the market.
Learning the slot payout percentage to succeed with online slots would be best. No one can predict jackpots and big wins, but you can go for games with greater odds of winning.
Games of chance are random, even though casino slot payout percentages could affect the size of real-money winnings.
Casino Slot Machine Payout Percentage Explained
In general, a slot's payback percentage indicates the average payouts players can receive compared to the money they invest.
It's a statistical indicator of the return-to-player, not a rule.
A few spins of the reels can result in lower or higher payouts on video slots. We can, therefore, not use that as a measure of an average slot machine payout. But if you play long-term and have thousands of sessions, your bankroll will get closer to the payout percentage.
Consider the following:
- You bet ยฃ100 on a video slot.
- The game's payback percentage is 96%.
- The average slot machine payouts should, as a result, be ยฃ96.
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You can expect the highest payout rates on slot machines with the highest RTP rates. Nevertheless, slot players can trigger progressive jackpots on the first spin or lose all of their money. The unpredictable nature of these casino games is what makes them so entertaining.
Why Are Slot Payout Rates Not a Precise Science?
A slot machine's payout percentage is determined after millions of sessions and thousands of triggered winning combinations. The average gambler will play much less. It is for that reason that the average statistics can be off.
Online slots can pay out much higher amounts of money short-term, but they can also pay less. In this situation, you should remember that slot machine payouts affect all players who gamble, not only you.
An online casino slot could award two lucky players with bigger jackpot wins than the average slot payout rates. In short, you could be one of those winners. Because of those jackpots, smaller rewards need to be triggered elsewhere to respect the statistical average. That is why some players don't receive average slot machine payouts.
What is Return-to-Player (RTP)?
Firstly, each casino game has an RTP ratio equally valid for online slots. RTP means return-to-player since it shows the sum you can expect the game to return to you as winnings. RTP is, thus, the same as the payout percentage.
Casino games never have 100% return-to-player rates due to the house edge. If the figures were, for example, 100 or more, the casino would lose money long-term. Given these points, your bankroll will likely benefit from playing slots with higher RTPs.
With this in mind, here is what you can expect from casino games with different slot payout rates:
| RTP | Wagered Amount of Money | Average Payout |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ฏ 90.00% | ยฃ100 | ยฃ90 |
| ๐ฏ 95.00% | ยฃ100 | ยฃ95 |
| ๐ฏ 98.00% | ยฃ100 | ยฃ98 |
Most online slots have RTP ratios between 94.00% and 97.00%, e.g. The game designers decide the numbers; however, online casinos can sometimes select between several different versions. For example, the same slot machines can be available with rates of 95.00% and 96.00%.
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What is the House Edge on Online Casinos?
Every casino is indeed interested in making a profit. That is why casino games give the platforms an advantage which we then call the house edge. Hence, this edge shows you how profitable a game can be. A house edge exists in all games, such as table games (Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat) or video poker. It's the average percentages, for instance, that are different.
The house edge is both similar and the opposite of RTP. Secondly, it shows how much of your wager the casino will likely keep as profit. If the payout percentage on slot machines is 96.00%, the gambling platform will return ยฃ96 on every ยฃ100 bet. At the same time, the site will keep 4.00% (ยฃ4) as its profit. We, therefore, say that the house edge, in this case, is 4.00%.
- Slot machines with 90.00% RTPs have a 10.00% house edge, e.g.
- Online slots with 94.00% RTPs have a 6% house edge.
- Finally, slots with a 99.00% RTP have a 1% house edge.
We have created a table showing the house edge for popular online casino games.
| Casino Game | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Slot Machines | 2 – 15.00% |
| Baccarat | 1.01 – 1.20% |
| Blackjack | 0.50 – 1.50% |
| Roulette | 2.70 – 5.26% |
| Video Poker | 0.46% |
| Craps | 1.41 – 1.58% |
| Texas Hold'em | 2.19 – 2.36% |
| Sic Bo | 2.78 – 8.00% |
Volatility and How it Affects the Slot Machine Payout Percentage
When players think about slots, they consider free spins, bonus games, minimum bets, or multipliers. Despite that, the volatility or variance factor is an essential feature that affects your gaming experience.
To understand casino slot payout percentages, you must know how volatility affects your gameplay. In case of variance, it shows how often and how much a video slot will pay. That, of course, impacts jackpot wins as well.
Consequently, all slot games can be categorized as follows:
- Low-Volatility Slots
- Medium-Volatility Slots
- High-Volatility Slots
Low-variance games pay out more frequently but in smaller sums. Secondly, medium-volatility slots balance regular wins with both small and big payouts, respectively. After that, there are high-volatility slot machines that rarely pay out, but when they do, the bigger jackpot wins.
Progressive slots with jackpots are usually high-variance games. In contrast, penny slots, games without jackpots, and extensive bonus features often belong to the low-volatility category. As a matter of fact, any slot can land small or big wins on minimum or maximum bets.
Here are a few examples of popular top payout online slots categorized according to volatility.
| Volatility | Game |
|---|---|
| Low | Blood Suckers, Starburst, Lucky Cherry |
| Medium | 88 Fortunes, Satoshi's Secret, Carnival Queen |
| High | Mega Joker, Gonzo's Quest, Mercy of the Gods |
What are Loose and Tight Slot Machines?
To understand the payout percentage of slot machines, you certainly need to know about the concepts of loose and tight. If a slot is loose, it pays regular winnings at higher rates. A tight online slot pays less frequently than a loose one.
Your winning chances, thus, look more promising on loose slots. We also suggest that our players consider the hit frequency of their games. In other words, the hit frequency is a stat that determines how often you will win.
Slot games have random number generators that define how much and how often you can win. For example, if the hit frequency is 10%, you can expect a win once every ten spins on average. If it is 25%, then you might win once every five sessions.
Tight and loose slot machines are present in physical and online casinos. We have a few tips for you if you prefer land-based venues like Las Vegas, Nevada. You can find loose machines in the most visited places of the casino, e.g.
A good example is the entrance. To explain, the managers put them there so that visiting players see when people win. At the same time, the operators place tight slots in the back where there isn't a lot of action.
How Much Do Slot Machines Pay Out by State?
The USA is, without a doubt, the gambling industry's center. But it consists of various jurisdictions where local gaming commissions determine the laws. Information about slot payout rates is regularly released so gamblers can research where it's best to play.
Local law states that minimum and maximum slot machine payouts must be respected. For this reason, we collected all the numbers from the following US gambling hotspots:
- Nevada
- Atlantic City
- Florida
- California
- Indiana
Nevada, Las Vegas undoubtedly features some of the best slots and biggest payback percentages in the USA. The RTP rates for their slots start at 93.60% and go up to 95.80%.
Atlantic City is different from Las Vegas and has many tight slots. The payout percentage on slot machines in this area is 90.5 – 91.70%.
Although Florida is a popular gambling destination, its casinos don't have the best RTP rates. The minimum returns start at 90.91% and go up to 93.55%, e.g.
The Gaming Commission of California doesn't require that casinos respect a minimum RTP rate. The casino slot machine payout percentage can, for this reason, be as low as 85.00%. Lastly, those playing in Indiana have to make do with average slot machine payout ratios from 89.83 to 91.61%.
What Percentage Do Slot Machines Pay Out for Progressive Jackpots?
Compared to other casino games, progressive jackpot slots can trigger wins up to several thousand times the initial bet. One spin has made countless people millions worldwide. Since these games pay more than average, there must be something that makes them different.
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The casino slot payout percentages on progressive jackpot games are lower than regular online slots. The casino collects a part of your money whenever you wager on such a game. This amount gets allocated to the progressive jackpot prize fund. The pooled funds grow with each new bet until someone wins the jackpot.
Finally, here is a quick overview of the best progressive jackpot slots and their RTPs.
| Slot | RTP Percentage | Gaming Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Fortune | 96.60% | NetEnt |
| Good Girl, Bad Girl | 97.80% | Betsoft |
| Arabian Nights | 95.60% | NetEnt |
| Mega Moolah | 88.12% | Microgaming |
| Hall of Gods | 95.30 – 95.70% | NetEnt |
| Loony Blox | 96.70% | Habanero |
| Goldbeard | 97.50% | RealTime Gaming |
| Joker Millions | 94.30% | Yggdrasil Gaming |
| Holmes and the Stolen Stones | 96.80% | Yggdrasil Gaming |
| Wild Trucks | 96.70% | Habanero |
Which Games Have the Best Slot Machine Payouts in 2023?
We have tried out hundreds of online slots before realizing which games have the potential for massive wins. If you want the best value for your money, then spin slots where you have the edge
These are undeniably the best casino slot payout percentages on the market, including the amount of money you can win.
| Slot Game | RTP | Maximum Win | Software Developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladiator | 91.50% | $2 Million | Playtech |
| Cleopatra | 95.02% | $2 Million | IGT |
| Gold Fish | 96.00% | $1.05 Mil Minimum | Scientific Gaming |
| Mega Moolah | 88.12% | $1 Million Minimum | Microgaming |
| Lucky Leprechaun | 96.83% | $500.000 | Microgaming |
| Ohh Ahh Dracula | 96.00% | $250.000 | Barcrest |
| Monopoly Big Event | 96.00% | $250.000 | Barcrest |
How to Find the Casino Slot Machine Payout Percentage?
You can find the slot machine payout percentage in several ways. Some online casinos post this data on the game's about page, explaining how you play the slot. If the gaming platform has written a game review, you might find the RTP info there. If you are still looking for it, we suggest contacting customer support for help.
But the most common way to find payback percentages is by inspecting the games' pay table. You will find the info such as wins per paylines, maximum payouts, how to activate bonus rounds, etc.
We recommend reading the pay table because there are significant differences between progressive jackpots and penny stocks, e.g. Unless you know what type of game you are playing, you can't know what to expect from it.
Tips and Strategies to Increase Slot Payout Rates
Even if the payout percentages are fixed, you can still use various tricks to increase your odds. That will, thus, increase your winning chances.
- Play with a higher bet value: When you get a winning combination, your initial bet is multiped by the pay line. A more significant wager, in effect, results in better returns. 50x ยฃ10 earns you more money than 50x ยฃ0.50
- Don't play branded slots: Branded slot machines might look and sound phenomenal because you are looking at something you love. For example, a character from a movie, tv show, or video game you used to play. However, these online games have a worse slot payout percentage due to the money invested in acquiring the license.
- Activate and play free spins: Free spins allow you to win more because you spin the reels for free. You save your real money, but the chance for life-changing wins remains.
- Know when it's enough: If you are already in a few hundred dollars in profit, consider if you are satisfied and stop. Your good fortune can change, resulting in you losing your potential winnings, e.g.
- Choose the correct volatility game based on your bankroll and playing style: A point often overlooked is the volatility of slot games. Give high-variance slots a chance if you have deeper pockets and like risks. If you are looking for frequent but low-level wins, pick low-volatility slot machines instead.
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What are the Odds of Winning on Slot Machines?
Firstly, each spin on a slot is a random action. The sessions before and those that will come in the future, thus, do not influence the outcome. Since the odds of winning differ from game to game, we will discuss it in general. The possibility of landing a win certainly depends on a combination of RTP, volatility, and hit frequency.
Online casino slot payout percentages are generally between 94.00% and 97.00%. Every slot machine consists of numerous paylines. Additionally, your chance to land a winning combination is usually between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20.
Slots are called games of chance and are entirely based on luck. Since many slot games have jackpots, we can calculate the odds of winning these top prizes. They begin at 1-in-5000, but they can go as high as 1-in-34 million. Despite the unfavorable probabilities, many players have recorded significant winnings.
High Payout Percentage on Slot Machines and What Makes Them Better
When you visit a casino (online or land-based) to play slots, finding games with the highest slot machine payouts surely makes sense. You get more value for your money than games that don't pay as often. There are penny slots where you can entertain yourself for a few pennies/round but still win thousands.
Gaming is a fun and relaxing activity. Consequently, a game with a high slot payout percentage allows you to play longer. To put it differently, making the reels spin more puts you in a position of regular payouts.
How Big are Slot Machine Payouts?
Despite everything, that depends on several aspects:
- If it's an online or land-based casino.
- Secondly, how high is the RTP?
- Lastly, what are the game's hit frequency and volatility?
Surprisingly or not, the slot payout rates in physical casinos are lower than in online outlets. For example, the return-to-player rates in land-based venues can be 85.00% to 92.00%. Online casinos, on the contrary, host games with RTPs from 94.00% to 98.00%.
Video slots with 90.00% RTP will not pay as well as those of 97.00% in the long run. It's equally important to realize that a hit frequency of 20.00% pays twice as often as one of 10.00%. High-volatility slots will make you wait for payouts, while low-variance games pay more frequently.
FAQ
Are there games with a high average slot machine payout percentage in the UK?
Indeed, there are. Please take a look at the, by and large, best British Casinos and check out their offers.
What is the slot machine payout percentage in UK online casinos?
As a result of the research we have conducted, the averages lie between 95.00% and 97.00%.
Can online casinos lower the payback percentage?
Licensed casino operators cannot manipulate the return rates because they might lose their licenses.
What slot machines have the best jackpot values?
If you want to play slots to win millions of dollars, try Cleopatra or Gladiator.
Lars Wahlstrรถm is a recognized leader in the iGaming industry, with over 20 years of experience from both the tech side and an operator. He's now CEO and Publisher at ARGO Gaming Group, the company behind Casinoclaw.
Games and gambling has been an interest of Lars' since early years and besides slots and casino, he's also into poker, sports betting and trotting.
All this experience is drawn upon when he writes, and we dare say he's one of the best casino writers out there. Lars' base is the ARGO HQ and Stockholm office, but he travels a lot and often participates in industry trade shows and panels. To get in contact with Lars, use our contact page or message him directly on LinkedIn or Twitter.
