For this tutorial, let’s assume http://www.casinodans.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/online-slots-780×405.jpg that our slot machine has an RTP of 100%. In practical terms, this would mean that the casino would break even on the machine. They would end up on zero in the long run while each player would have a personal RTP totally different from the others. Our slot would basically give back all the money wagered to the players. Will it give all YOUR money back? Probably not. That’s important to remember. If you’re lucky, however, it could give back your money AND someone else’s too. As we said before, the RTP doesn’t mean much over 1 or even 50 individual sessions. Your personal RTP can end up being 140% after you’re done playing for the day. Play enough spins, however, and this number WILL even out and eventually reach the stated RTP.
Most online casinos offer slots with an RTP in the 94-97% range. This ensures that they will make profit, something that is, of course, necessary if you want to be able to run a casino. The RTP of any given slot should be stated in the help file, or in the info text of the slot, although there are some exceptions to this. Games licensed in Curacao, for example, won’t always disclose the RTP. More on this further below.
Variance is the spice that makes slots interesting to play. If variance works in your favour, you can hit a massive win on your very first spin and walk away with a huge profit. On a day like this, the casino might actually end up in the red. In fact, there have been examples of casinos having to close due to players having landed extreme wins that the operator had failed to protect themselves from. Most of the times, however, all the casino owner has to do is to sit back and wait as the RTP evens out.
To be on the safe side, you should stick to EU-licensed casinos regulated by reputable governing bodies such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission and the Swedish Gambling Authority. This assures that you’re playing on a fair, transparent and compliant casino. Playing at off-shore casinos (most commonly Curacao) is usually a bad idea and many times you won’t even be able to tell what the RTP of the game is. While most providers ship their games with a fixed RTP, some allow for casinos to choose between a set number of RTP settings in order to adjust for a particular market. This can be necessary if, for example, a specific market involves high taxes, in which case the casino might need more headroom. It’s also possible, of course, for a casino to choose a lower setting out of pure greed.