How To Find the Payout Percentage on a Slot Machine

If you’re a fan of slots, chances are that you’ve heard of the term “payout percentage,” or RTP. Knowing a slot machine’s RTP is crucial if you want to decide on a slot game and win big.

But what is the payout percentage exactly?

Our article will break down the term for you and show you how to find the payout percentage on a slot machine the easy way! Let’s get straight to business!

What is the Slot Machine Payout Percentage?

Slot machine payout percentage is also known as RTP or “Return to Player” percentage.

Simply put, RTP is the average amount of wagered money you can expect a machine to pay you back. The average RTP of most slot machines is around 96%, and it’s calculated by dividing the total amount of money returned by the total amount they gambled.

Now, you might be wondering how the casino makes money on slots if they return such a high percentage of it. If a slot machine has a high RTP, let’s say 98%, it doesn’t mean that you will get 98% back. There’s also a chance you’ll lose it all.

Also, there’s the “house edge,” a term that refers to the percentage of money a casino earns from a slot machine. If the RTP is 98%, the house edge would be 2%. Slot machines usually have the highest house edge, while blackjack has the lowest.

How To Find the Payout Percentage on a Slot Machine 

Now that you know what the term “payout percentage” stands for, it’s time for you to learn how to find it on a slot machine!

#1. Search the Casino’s Website

According to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, all online casinos are required to display the payout percentage on their websites. Keep in mind that every casino calls payout percentages differently. So, you might see terms such as “Game Payouts,” “System Fairness,” “return to player,” or simply “RTP.”

Usually, casinos have a list of payout percentages for each slot game on their website. You can find the list by visiting some of the following sections:

• General Terms and Conditions
• Bonus Policies
• Fair Gaming Policy
• Frequently Asked Questions

To visit these sections, you typically need to scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and click on the appropriate links. 

If you can’t find them, we recommend you contact the casino’s customer support team, which should redirect you to the sections in a timely manner. Getting in touch with them is quite easy, as there’s a live chat feature you can use most of the time.

#2. Check the Game’s Specifications

If the casino you’re playing at doesn’t offer information on the RTP of their slot machines, you can find it by checking the game specifications.

You can do this in two ways, namely:

• Within the information tab. Most of the time, every game you play at online casinos has an infobox, which, as its name suggests, contains the most important information on the game, including the RTP. In the information tab, you can also find out the volatility of the slot machine, the minimum and maximum bets, and other useful details.
• Inside the game itself. In some cases, you’ll be able to find the RTP and other important information inside the game itself by clicking on the “Rules” or “Help” buttons.

#3. Calculate the RTP Yourself

Don’t feel like going through a casino’s website or the game’s specifications to find the RTP of the slot machine you’re interested in? Don’t worry—you can calculate it instead, but keep in mind that this method is quite time-consuming and won’t bring you the most accurate results.

To calculate the RTP of a slot machine yourself, follow the next couple of steps:

1. Choose a standard bet value per spin.
2. Determine the number of spins per hour.
3. Set a precise playing time and a clear budget.
4. Keep track of your total winnings.

For example, you set a standard spin value of $0.20 and determine that you’re going to place 500 spins per hour. If you bet for the next 5 hours, you will spend $500 in total. Now, in case your winnings turn out to be $450, this would mean that the RTP of the game is %90.

#4. Conduct a Google Search

Undoubtedly, the easiest way to find the payout percentage on a slot machine is to use good old Google. If you can’t be bothered to navigate the casino’s website to find the RTP or don’t want to calculate it on your own, it can definitely help.

All you have to do is type in the name of the slot machine that you’re thinking of playing and add “RTP” next to it. You should land on a page that’s full of slot machine reviews, most of which have a detailed breakdown of payout percentages.

On top of that, you can also find out how volatile the game is, what its maximum bet is, and how much money you can hope to win if you land a jackpot.

Can Online Casinos Control the Payout Percentage?

Although it’s a popular myth in the gambling community that online casinos control the payout percentage on slot machines, this is actually not true. The RTP of a slot title fully depends on the software developer behind it, which also supplies it to the casinos.

So, for example, Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, a popular slot game developed by Play’n Go, has an average RTP of 96%. If an online casino wants to offer this title to its players, it needs to have a deal with Play’n Go.

The trick is that the casino can’t offer a lower RTP, only a higher percentage if it’s an exclusive deal.

Average Payout Percentage Per Software Provider

As the RTP completely depends on the software provider, check out the table below for the average payout percentage of slots from the most popular providers in the industry:

Software Provider	Average RTP	Number of Slot Games
NetEnt	93-98%	250
Microgaming	91-97%	350
Play’n Go	94-97%	250
Playtech	90-97%	400
Red Tiger	91-96%	200
Pragmatic Play	94-96%	250

3 Common Myths About Slot Machines and Payouts

During your gambling career, you’ll encounter many myths about slot machines and payouts. We’ll debunk some of them for you in the section below!

#1. Hot and Cold Slots 

Many people seem to think that there’s such a thing as “hot” and “cold” slots—the former giving out big wins frequently and the latter handing out wins very rarely. This myth is actually true, and it has something to do with slot volatility.

Volatility determines how many times you’ll win at a certain slot machine. If a slot machine has high volatility (a “cold slot”), it will pay less often but in larger amounts. In case a slot machine has low volatility (a “hot slot”), it will give you more wins but pay out small amounts of money.

At the end of the day, both high- and low-volatility slots will give you the same amount of money, regardless of how often they pay.

#2. RTP is Irrelevant for Single Sessions

There seems to be a notion within the gambling community that RTP doesn’t matter for single sessions. This isn’t true because anything can happen during a slot session.

As a matter of fact, RTP is always relevant, no matter how many sessions you plan on playing. It’s always better to play at a slot machine with a 96% RTP rate than one with an 86% RTP percentage.

#3. Complex Paytable

A paytable is a list on a slot machine that displays all symbol combinations, their payouts, bonuses, and other important information. Some gamblers like to think that a complex paytable with a large number of combinations equals a high win ratio.

This is completely false because there is no connection between the number of possible combinations and the payout percentage. 

A slot machine with many possible combinations might let you win more, as it has low volatility, but it won’t land you more money, as we’ve previously discussed.

Finding Payout Percentage on Slot Machines FAQ

#1. What is the payout percentage of slot machines?

Slot machines are programmed to give a certain percentage of wagered money back to the player. This percentage is called RTP (Return to Player) and is, on average, around 96% for most slot machines.

#2. How do you calculate slot machine odds?

To calculate slot machine odds, you need to:

1. Choose a standard bet value per spin
2. Determine the number of spins per hour
3. Set a precise playing time and a clear budget
4. Keep track of your total winnings

#3. Should you bet max on slot machines?

Unfortunately, no, you shouldn’t bet max on slot machines, as there is simply no benefit from doing that.

#4. What does 777 mean in slots?

In most parts of the world, “777” is considered a lucky number. That’s why, for example, it’s used to identify a jackpot in the United States.

Key Takeaways

Playing slots without knowing the payout percentage is like taking a walk in the dark. Hopefully, this article has shown you the ropes and taught you how to find the RTP.

To sum it up:

• Payout percentage, or RTP, is the average amount of money a machine gives back to the player.
• The average RTP of a slot game is around 96%.
• To find the payout percentage on a slot machine, you can:
  • Search the casino’s website
  • Check the game’s specifications
  • Calculate the RTP yourself
  • Conduct a Google search
• Online casinos can’t control the payout percentage, as it completely depends on the software developer behind the slot title.