Slot guides: RTP, volatility and features

The three slots side by side

How to compare slots before you play

Four figures tell you most of what a slot does: RTP, volatility, maximum win and how the game pays. RTP is the theoretical share of all bets the game returns over a very large number of spins. Volatility describes how those returns are spread: many small wins or rare large ones. The maximum win is the cap on a single round, and the pay mechanic – paylines, pay anywhere or clusters – decides which combinations count.

None of these numbers predicts a single session. Two games with the same RTP can behave completely differently over a hundred spins, which is why we list them together rather than ranking the games.

RTP versions: check the game’s info panel

Many providers release the same slot in several RTP configurations, and the casino chooses which one it runs. The figures in our guides are the provider’s published default. Before you play, open the game’s help or info screen: the RTP shown there is the one that applies to you.

Volatility and bonus wagering

When you play through free spin winnings with a short deadline, volatility matters more than usual. In a high-volatility game such as Mental, most of the value sits in rare features, so the balance can run out before one arrives. A medium-volatility game such as Dracula usually moves the balance in smaller steps. Neither choice changes the RTP or the size of the wagering requirement – it only changes how bumpy the road is.

Free spins belong to one specific game

Promotional free spins are credited to one named game and version, at a fixed value per spin. Gates of Olympus and Gates of Olympus 1000, for example, are separate games, and spins for one cannot be used in the other. Winnings from the spins are usually paid as bonus balance, which then has its own wagering requirement, deadline and maximum cashout.

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