RTP (return to player)

What RTP means on a slot

Return to player is a ratio: total winnings paid divided by total stakes taken, measured across every possible outcome the game can produce. Developers calculate it from the reel strips and paytable, then confirm it by simulating hundreds of millions or billions of spins. The figure you see in the rules is therefore a property of the game’s design, sometimes called its theoretical return.

The key word is theoretical. RTP describes what happens when the same game is played an enormous number of times. It does not describe what will happen to you in an evening, a week or even a year of normal play, because the swings from luck are far larger than the small gap between, say, 95% and 97%. That swing is measured separately by variance, and the two numbers belong together whenever you judge a slot.

UK rules make RTP a figure you are entitled to see. The Gambling Commission’s technical standard on game information requires operators to publish either the return to player percentage or equivalent information such as the house edge, so every licensed slot has it somewhere in the rules.

RTP in pounds: what each percentage costs

The most useful way to read RTP is as a price. Take the percentage away from 100 and you have the expected cost of every £100 you put through the reels. Suppose you play 500 spins at 20p: that is £100 of total stakes, even if you only deposited £20 and kept recycling small wins.

Those costs are averages. In reality, 500 spins on a high-variance game might return £40 or £400; on a low-variance game the spread is narrower. What RTP tells you is where the middle of all those possible sessions sits, and therefore which game is cheaper to enjoy over many sessions. It is one reason UK players often filter for high RTP slots.

Why one slot can have several RTPs

Most big studios now release each game in a set of RTP versions and let the casino choose. The developer’s marketing usually quotes the top or default figure; the version live in a particular lobby may be a point or two lower. Nothing about the gameplay looks different, but the long-run cost changes, which is why the same slot can have different RTPs at different casinos.

Around £20 per £1,000 staked sounds small, but at £1 a spin a regular player can pass £1,000 of stakes in a single long session. Our guide to slot RTP versions explains the commercial reasons behind the practice, and the RTP range entry covers how studios label each version.

How to check a slot’s RTP before you play

1. Open the slot (real-money or age-verified demo) at the casino you intend to use.
2. Tap the menu, settings or i icon and choose the game rules, help or paytable screen.
3. Scroll to the section labelled RTP, theoretical return or expected return; it is often near the bottom.
4. If two figures appear, note which applies to the base game and which includes a jackpot or a feature.
5. Compare it with the developer’s published figure. If the casino’s number is lower, you are on a lower version.

Some slots show a range rather than one number, typically because the RTP changes slightly with stake level or with an optional extra bet. In that case, check the figure for the stake you plan to use. For screenshots of where the figure hides in the menus of different studios, see how to find a slot’s RTP.

What RTP cannot tell you

• How often you will win. That is hit frequency, a separate statistic that is rarely published.
• How bumpy the ride is. Two 96% games can behave completely differently; one pays little and often, the other rarely and large.
• Where the return comes from. In many modern slots a big share of the RTP sits inside the bonus feature, so the base game alone returns much less.
• What happens next. The RNG has no memory, so a slot that has paid little recently is not catching up. See are online slots random.

RTP also says nothing about whether you will finish up. Over time the house edge applies to everyone, and the realistic aim is a session that lasts as long as you planned at a cost you were happy to pay.

RTP and the no-wagering spins below

With no-wagering free spins, RTP gives a quick estimate of value. PlayOJO’s offer is 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza for new UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland) who make a first deposit of at least £10; that is £8 of spins, worth about £7.74 on average if the 96.71% version is running, with winnings paid as cash. Coral gives 100 spins at 10p on selected games after a qualifying deposit and £10 of slot stakes, with 48 hours to accept and 7 days to use them, and no wagering on the winnings. Both are 18+ and terms apply; check each game’s help screen for its live RTP.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.