In creating a modern-day online casino slot, a whole range of different mechanisms are involved. They range from the features that are going to be integrated to the functionality of the slot, the aesthetics and graphics, entertainment angle and theme, and also the mathematics that blends everything into a nice, overall package for the player.
The slots of today have moved away from that single basic game with reels and enticing graphics. Firms that supply new casinos with slots now need the services of very creative minds and excellent mathematicians.
Yep, Mathematicians. But where exactly does the meths fit in with an online slot? One crucial and sometimes overlooked element of slot games development – the RTP!
Searching For Slots with High RTP
When you look at slot machines, you’ll notice that the most important characteristics that are considered when reviewing slot games are the theme, gameplay, bonuses, RTP and volatility. This is probably not breaking news for you, but many players actually search for a slot game to enjoy based on their RTP.
If you have interest in ascertaining the RTP of games before playing, you can usually find that information on the slot games info section. Meanwhile, what exactly is the RTP and how does it work? Is the RTP favourable to the player or not?
Understanding the RTP
When you play a slot game online, your first focus will most likely be on the amount you can possibly win in a single session. This is where the RTP will come into play. The meaning of RTP, at least in theory, is the Return to Player rate.
In this digital age that’s fast-paced, developers must consider numerous factors like mathematics algorithms, design, and tech, to make up for the end product of the game, if they wish to come out with a slot game that could be desirable to the players.
So, say you play a slot game with an RTP of 97%, and wager £1,000 on the slot in the process, the RTP dictates that the theoretical amount that the slot should pay back to you is 97% of the total amount you wagered, and here, we would be talking about £970. So, working with this theory, it means that you shouldn’t lose much – but it doesn’t work quite like this.
The RTP of games is never realized within just a single game session that involves a few hundred spins or even thousands of spins. The RTP is the type of return to player percentage that is realized in the very long run.
Now, you have to understand that for an RTP that is realized after countless spins, one small session will mean nothing and has a very small percentage chance of actually achieving that RTP dead on.
Also, consider the fact that it’ll be very boring for you to wager £10 and 97% of it is paid back to you immediately. For the true slot enthusiasts, they understand that the excitement that comes from playing slot games and having the chance to win big surpasses getting back 97% of your bet whenever you place one.
How Do Slot Providers Arrive At the RTP?
The Return to Player of a game involves a very complicated process right from the get-go. It doesn’t just involve thinking up a number that would be returned to the player by the game developer, and setting that number. In the beginning, we talked about some mathematicians. This is where their skills and expertise comes handy.
A lot of mathematical tools are employed to arrive at the Return to Player. Here, all the combinations in a game are evaluated together. The payouts available in relation to the symbols in the game are used to run through the entire winning combinations in the base game, plus the jackpots and the bonus features.
When the results of this mathematical and analytical work are combined together, the RTP of the game is worked out, and this works in unison with the Random Number Generator of the game, so that random symbols will fill the reels after every spin. In the entire system, nothing is left for the casino player or the provider to take care of – it all works smoothly on its own.
After creating and implementing everything, the game will have the capacity to work totally randomly on its own till the end without any external influence. Through luck and some form of statistics of the RTP, the outcome of the game is determined. So, you cannot, in any way, beat the technology that powers the RTP – it always remains impartial.
Is RTP Reliable?
When you select a slot with a high RTP, can you comfortably expect it to work independently and deliver more of your payback to you? The theory of it all says that this is possible. However, that may not be exact in practice, especially when you’re engaging in short session plays where you won’t arrive at the RTP completely. However, on another hand, this is where the online slots are charming – everything happens randomly.
For short session games, you aren’t just limited to just winning back your bets – you also have the chance to win a heck of a lot more. So, the best thing to do no matter the situation is to go for games with high RTP, because you’ll have the chance to win more from them than for games with lower RTP.
You’ll always come across speculations that the RTPs are meaningless and that the games are already rigged – This is far from the truth! Of course, suspicious sites will always be there that have original slot machines where the RTPs are different from what’s stated, and where the Random Number Generators aren’t in use.
But there are only a few such sites, and you can always avoid them and play on the sites that are safe enough for you. Choose reputable sites where you can feel free to enjoy slot games without the threats of being defrauded or to your security. It’s also good to note that casinos have no links with the RTPs – It’s the developers that set them. So, at the end of it all, if a slot game states its RTP as 97%, its 97% – the casino cannot tamper with it.
Choose a High RTP Slot and Expect the Best
All being said, you should understand that the mathematicians determine the RTP of games in a controlled environment and they’re trustworthy. Players are always searching for slots with high RTP, and we can understand this because there is a huge difference in gameplay between those and slots with lower RTP. Meanwhile, the major advantage of the slots with high RTP that players are seeking for is the fact that the chances of winning are technically more when playing them.
