RTP in Slots Explained
When you see "96% RTP" on a slot machine, it might seem like a promise. But RTP - or Return to Player - is a long-run average, not a guarantee for any single session. In fact, the Gambling Commission says average %RTP is generally measured over 10,000 or 100,000 games for compensated machines, and over more games than this for random machines, depending on category. That means one player could have a very different experience from another, even on the same game.
So what does the RTP number actually show, and what valuable information does it leave out? We look at the facts today’s players need to know.
What RTP Means
At its core, RTP is a calculation of how much money players get back from a machine or game, compared with how much it takes in. According to the UK's Gambling Commission, RTP is the result of dividing the win and turnover figures generated from a game over a significant number of plays.
Typically, for compensated machines, this means figures from 10,000 or 100,000 games, the regulator says. For random machines, it may be tested over even more games, depending on category. And the Commission points out that RTP is a designed outcome for games based on random number generation, or RNG.
So while a game might be designed with a 96% RTP, it will only achieve this percentage over a very large number of plays.
Where Players Are Supposed to See It
UK rules say that all non-remote gaming machines must display information about the percentage of amounts paid that is returned as prizes, or the odds of winning those prizes. Typically, this is done by including a statement of the game’s RTP percentage on the face of the machine or within a software help page, according to a Commission guide.
There is no minimum percentage required by the regulator, and as the Commission points out, one game can have different RTPs within it, with a separate %RTP figure required for each.
Why The Number Does Not Predict a Session
The core fact to remember is the one the UK’s gambling regulator leads with: RTP is an average achieved over a significant number of plays, never on a single session. This means that while the fact sheet may tell you that a game returns 96% of stakes on average, its actual affect in the short term may be very different for individual players.
The regulator makes it clear that "RTP cannot be measured on one person’s game play alone." Likewise, it draws a line between the theoretical long-run RTP — the number a game is designed to achieve — and the actual achieved RTP, which is the game’s real or calculated RTP from historical data submitted to the regulator.
What RTP Leaves Out
The players need to remember a point the regulator does not labour: for a game returning 96% of money played to it, players will have either won more or lost more. There is always a gap between real-world player rewards and the RTP number, in fact, since the other 4% is what keeps a game profitable in the long run.
What to Do First
To date, the Gambling Commission has not published an example of an online slot game information panel showing the RTP, so while checking the game information or help page for RTP is a very responsible first step, there is no verification that the figure will actually appear there. If you are approaching a betting session trying to achieve the best of what the RTP figure seems to offer, you will need to stop at that step: accept that a game with a high percentage is designed for a long-run result, and will return less if that run is held over you.
The National Gambling Helpline is free and confidential, open 24 hours a day: 0808 8020 133. More options on our help page.
