This article will look at an acronym that not enough casino players are aware of. What does ‘RTP’ stand for, and why should you care?
If you enjoy a little casino action, whether playing slots or other online casino games, you should understand what RTP – Return To Player – means and why it varies so much from game to game.
The RTP is the amount you can expect to win when playing a casino game. It is usually expressed as a percentage. The Return to Player on a typical land-based slot machine is usually between 70% and 90%. That average number would be much higher at an online casino, usually at least 94 per cent.
The Fee to Play
As an example, consider a slot RTP of 94 percent. You can expect a £94 return for every £100 wagered on the game, and the house will keep your money for £6. In layman’s terms, it’s the cost of playing the game.
Of course, this is an average of payout percentages calculated over a long period. You could win the jackpot on your first spin of a slot machine, and alternatively, you could spin the reels for hours and come up empty-handed.
The Gambling Commission requires online casino game suppliers to monitor the performance of their games to ensure they meet the performance requirements. The games are subject to an annual audit, and businesses that violate the rules face sanctions.
If you play at a reputable online casino that follows the strict Gambling Commission rules, you can be confident that the RTP is correct. The theoretical RTP must be equal to the performance RTP, and the margin of RTP error after a million plays must be 1.09760 per cent or less.
Seek Out a High RTP
There is a basic lesson here: choose a game with a high RTP if you want to increase your chances of walking away from the casino with some chips in your pocket. It’s as simple as that.
Roulette is an excellent game for demonstrating how the casino business model works.
The roulette table has 36 numbers, but the wheel has 37 slots. You get 35 to 1 if you bet a single number, and it wins. A successful £10 bet would return £350 plus your initial stake, for a total of £360. The odds are 50/50 if you bet odd/even or red/black.
Of course, players must not overlook the green zero.
On a roulette table, this single number represents the house profit. When it hits, all bets lose except those on the zero. A roulette table would never make a profit or a loss if zero was not present, and the money would simply ebb and flow between the casino and the players.
Romancing Roulette – Stay Single
For the record, the RTP of a single zero roulette table is 97.3 per cent. When playing on an American double-zero table in Las Vegas, the RTP is 94.74 percent. So, why would you play on an American table when you can play online? Instead, look for European Roulette for a much better deal!
So the simple question is, which online casino games have the highest RTP? Blackjack is the short answer. There are, however, a few online slots that come close. Ugga Bugga from Playtech has an RTP of 99.07 per cent, making it one of the best-paying games available. Rainbow Riches (98 per cent) and Mega Joker are also contenders (99 per cent).
When playing single-deck Blackjack with a basic strategy, you can expect an RTP of around 99.5 per cent. However, be cautious because many micro rules within the game can shift the RTP both for and against the player. The player’s RTP increases by 0.22 per cent if the dealer stands on a soft 17. The key is to understand the game and follow the rules.
It is critical to remember that gambling is a form of entertainment with a cost. The RTP serves as a reminder that it is impossible to beat the house in the long run. You must play within your limits, accept the consequences, enjoy the winners, and walk away when the time comes.
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Tuah bin Razak
Tuah is an experienced writer and casino enthusiast with 12 years of industry knowledge. With a degree in Journalism, he delivers objective and comprehensive casino reviews, covering game variety, user experience, security, and customer support. From slots to blackjack, roulette to poker, Tuah's expertise guides both beginners and experienced players in making informed decisions. Expect engaging articles providing valuable insights for an enhanced online gambling experience.