There are plenty of things you should be looking for before you actually play a real-money casino game. Bonuses, volatility, and game features. Anything that might give you a clue of what you can expect and how your bankroll might behave is worth paying attention to. But perhaps one of the most important indicators – and maybe the most misunderstood, too – is RTP.
What is RTP?
RTP stands for ‘Return to Player’, and it’s expressed as a percentage that indicates how much of the total money wagered on a game is theoretically paid back to players over time. To give an example, let’s say a game has an RTP of 96%. That means it’s designed to return $96 for every $100 wagered, with the remaining $4 representing the casino’s edge.
This doesn’t mean you’ll personally get $96 back from every $100 that you stake – RTP is calculated over millions of game rounds, not individual sessions – but it does mean you might, over the long term, expect better value from a game with a higher RTP compared to one with a lower percentage.
Why is it misunderstood?
That seems fairly simple, right? Except, as we mentioned previously, RTP is one of the most misunderstood casino metrics. Especially for beginners new to online gaming, they often expect RTP to describe how a game will behave in practice, rather than how it performs in theory. RTP doesn’t account for swings in bankroll, win frequency, or session length.
In fact, two players can sit down at the same game with the same RTP and have completely different experiences – one might hit a big win early, while the other might run into a long, frustrating losing streak. Both outcomes are perfectly consistent with the game’s stated RTP, yet they feel contradictory from a player’s point of view.
Another source of confusion is that RTP is often discussed without any mention of volatility. A high-RTP game with high volatility can feel far harsher than a slightly lower-RTP game that pays out more regularly. When players lose quickly in a ‘player-friendly’ game, it’s easy to assume something is wrong, or that the game has been misidentified, when in reality it’s behaving exactly as it was designed to.
Should RTP Influence Your Game Choice?
If you know what RTP is and what to expect, however, how much should it actually influence your game choice? This is an important question, especially considering the increase in real money casinos across the USA and Canada. In Canada, especially, an updated list of real money online casinos is added to review platforms nearly every day, with the success of Ontario’s iGaming market paving the way for greater competition across the country.
As a result, it’s become a little trickier to not only choose between the best casinos, but also choose between the best games that those casinos have to offer. RTP can be a great help. With more platforms and more games to choose from, RTP becomes a useful filtering tool that can help players quickly narrow down their options and avoid consistently poor-value games. With real money involved, too, it gives players a clearer idea of the risk they’re taking on and the value they can reasonably expect.
Without taking that into account, it only becomes more likely that a player would end up choosing a game that ultimately drains their budget, leading to a depleted bankroll before they’ve even got a chance to explore the casino further. That being said, RTP shouldn’t be treated as a guarantee or a shortcut to winning. As we mentioned before, it isn’t a crystal ball that can tell you when a game is about to pay out. It’s just a theoretical benchmark. A benchmark that can help guide your choices, but not necessarily determine the outcome of your session.
How to Choose a Game With RTP
With all of this in mind, how exactly should you choose a game using RTP as a measurement? There are a few things to remember.
- Look for RTP Figures of 96% or Higher
While there’s no universal ‘good’ RTP, 96% or higher is generally considered the most player-friendly metric. Anything significantly lower, of course, might carry a noticeably higher house edge over time, making it a little riskier.
- Check That the RTP is Clearly Stated and Verified
Reputable casinos and software providers publish RTP information openly – not behind closed doors.
If a game’s RTP isn’t listed or is hard to find in the first place, it might be a sign to proceed with caution or avoid that game altogether. It could also be an indicator that the platform you’re using is less transparent – and with cybersecurity becoming a more prominent issue, that’s something else to bear in mind.
- Consider Volatility Alongside RTP
As we mentioned before, a high-RTP game with high volatility can still be tough on your bankroll. If you prefer steadier play and longer gaming sessions, a slightly lower-RTP with lower volatility might be a better fit, since it’s more likely to deliver smaller, more frequent wins and reduce the impact of long losing streaks.
- Think About Your Session Length and Bankroll Size
It’s also worth mentioning that RTP matters more the longer you play. If you’re planning extended sessions or playing with a limited budget, higher-RTP games can help your bankroll last longer, but might not be all that important if you’re only playing briefly, or are comfortable with higher short-term risk in exchange for some larger payouts.
- Remember That RTP is a Comparison Tool, Not a Promise
Lastly, just remember: RTP is a comparison tool, not a promise. Even when choosing a high-RTP game, outcomes in a single session are unpredictable, so again, make sure you take into account your own gaming style, the game’s features, and its volatility before you click that all-important ‘Play’ button!
