RTP (Return To Player) is the percentage of everything ever staked on a slot
that the game is mathematically designed to return, measured across millions of spins. A slot
published at 96.5% RTP is built to return 96.5 units for every 100 staked over its lifetime.
It says nothing whatsoever about your next hundred spins — but between two otherwise
similar games, the higher RTP is simply the better deal, every time.
Volatility (sometimes called variance) describes how those returns are
distributed. A low-volatility slot pays small amounts often and keeps a balance ticking along
for a long time. A high-volatility slot pays rarely, sometimes for hundreds of spins, then
delivers a payout many multiples larger. Two slots can share an identical RTP and feel like
completely different games.
Both numbers are published in each game’s in-app information panel. Check them once, before
you play a title for the first time, and you will avoid the most common mistake new players
make: bringing a small bankroll to a high-volatility game and running out of spins long
before the game has any chance to pay.