What is RTP?
Return to player (RTP) refers to the percentage of money the casino (or house) will pay back to its players over time played on a particular casino game. The percentage isn’t an exact science. Rather it’s an estimate based on many players or thousands of spins.
But, the figure gives players a good overview of what a casino game offers and is calculated using advanced casino technology. That’s not to say, though, that if a game offers 97% RTP that you would receive £97 when betting £100.
In fact, quite the opposite, as this is the whole thrill of gambling. Because RTP is calculated across many games and players, it gives the opportunity for some lucky winner to take home a huge jackpot, which in essence, is a sum of what other players have put into the game and pays out from the casino.
How is RTP calculated?
The RTP of casino games shows players a general estimate of what the casino is expected to pay out. However, the number is calculated using a huge sample across the number of players or rounds for the table games or the number of spins on the slots.
It’s highly unlikely that a single player would play through the amount of times that it would take to actually receive back the same RTP advertised for a game. Yet, it does show what could be expected by the player.
The software providers calculate the RTP by testing and playing through the game to work out a player’s total winnings. Third-party organizations such as eCOGRA test and verify these claims and ascertain they are fair for players.
What affects the payout percentage?
Many factors can affect the payout percentage, but the main one is the rules of the game. While players looking for the best online blackjack games will find the RTP hovers around 99%, this can fluctuate depending on the exact rules of the blackjack variant.
For card games, the number of decks in play can affect the RTP; a game with more decks will have a slightly lower RTP. The betting options and payout ratio will also have an effect on the payout percentage. For slot games in particular, the volatility may not directly influence the RTP. However, it does have an impact on the frequency of the payouts.
Should I only play high RTP games?
When players are searching for the highest payout casino games, while they should take care to check the RTP, there are other things to consider before completely disregarding a game. Factors such as the betting options, payout ratios, and volatility can help you decide.
Players of low volatility slots can expect frequent wins. However, they will generally be lower amounts. Conversely, highly volatile slots won’t pay out as often but may spit out some big jackpots. So, players should also consider this and consider whether the game offers progressive jackpots, as playing it might be worth the risk of winning big.
Software Providers with Top Payout Rates
Across the gambling industry, there are a huge number of games to choose from well-known software developers. We are pretty sure if you’re a casino enthusiast, that you’ve already played games from big names such as Evolution, NetEnt, and Pragmatic. But, apart from the theme and quality of the games, do the different software providers have a lot of variation in the RTP and payout of their games?
Simply put, every software provider has different table games and slots to offer, ranging from high RTP to low RTP. Yet, we believe that playing your favourite casino game should be an experience. It should provide a great theme, exciting special features, AND a fair opportunity to win.
So we want to spotlight some providers that offer games with competitive payout percentages but that also complete the whole package with captivating themes and well-designed game features.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution is one of the game-developing giants in the casino industry. Responsible for a massive quantity of every kind of game, from table games to slots and live casino games. Although the amount of games available at Evolution casino sites doesn’t diminish the quality, it offers either.
The provider offers competitive RTP on some of their most popular game shows, such as Cash or Crash (99.59%) and Monopoly (96.23%). Yet the special features and multipliers offered in many of its games are what also draw players in from around the world.
BetSoft Gaming
Betsoft is renowned for providing some of the industry’s most loved animated slots. The graphic designers and developers at Betsoft are some of the best in the industry, as they provide visual delights chock-full of exciting slot mechanics. Favourites such as Good Girl Bad Girl offer an attractive RTP of 97.8%, which is above the average for other slots of its calibre.
The games provider has an overall average RTP of 96%, although some of its best games exceed this by 2%. While it might not offer the highest payout casino games in the industry, Betsoft makes up for it with exciting slot mechanics that alter the game throughout and give players chances for huge multipliers
NetEnt
Along with a fantastic reputation for producing high-quality slots, NetEnt also has some of the best paying online slots. With many offering 97%+, or just below, the software developers average RTP is a very generous 96.7%. Although one of its most popular slot games, Bloodsuckers offers players a massive 98% RTP.
Although NetEnt is now technically part of Evolution’s casino empire, the games studio has remained true to its brand and continues to produce beautifully crafted slots. The originality of the themes and special features remain too and can be seen in slots such as Jack Hammer (97%) and Dead or Alive (96.8%).
Top Paying NetEnt Casino Sites
Casino | Welcome Bonus |
Ice Casino | 120% up to £ 300 & 120 Free Spins |
My Stake | 170% up to £ 1000 |
Hey Spin Casino | 100% up to £ 50 & 100 Free Spins |
Casoola | 100% up to £ 100 & 200 Free Spins |
Lucky Spins | 300% up to £ 1200 |
Always Check the RTP
While many software providers release individual games with fixed RTP percentages, some offer the same game to different casino operators with different RTP options. This is so that each casino can choose the RTP that suits their player demographic and business model best. However, players should be aware that even if they have played a particular game on one casino, the RTP of the game could be different on another site. So, always double-check the RTP of any game on your chosen site.
The Highest-Paying Casino Games
The payout of casino games depends on many factors, although the easiest way for a player to measure it is by checking the RTP percentage. Each casino game has an average RTP based on the online variations offered by different software providers.
Players can check our handy chart based on the casino game they choose to play, to ensure that the RTP is close to the expected number. Differences in the RTP will depend on the variation of the game. For example, on average, French roulette offers 98.65% RTP compared to American roulette, which is 94.78%.
RTP also differs significantly between online and land-based casinos, with the former offering slightly increased RTP across all casino games.
Online Casinos with the Best Payout by Games Category
Game Type | Average RTP |
Online Slots | 96% |
Video Poker (Jacks or Better) | 99.54% |
Blackjack | 99.40% |
Roulette (European) | 97.30% |
Baccarat | 98.94% |
Craps | 99.54% |
Keno | 95% |
Slots
Players will find that most slots balance their RTP around 96-97%. Although, as mentioned before, it’s not just the RTP that affects the highest slot payouts. Players should also consider the number of paylines, the special features, progressive jackpots and volatility. It’s also important that the slot will be enjoyable to play. Even the top paying online slots might not draw in players if it’s poorly designed.
While we have explained a lot about RTP, another main aspect affecting slot machines’ payouts is the variance or volatility. The variance essentially relies on how the software provider has designed the game and its special features, but it also refers to the amount of risk a slot has.
Low variance slots are programmed to have frequent payouts of small amounts. These may make players feel they are winning continuously, although they might not necessarily win big jackpots. Higher variance slots, on the other hand, won’t pay out very often, but when they do, it’s likely to result from bonus features triggering multipliers or large jackpots. The trade-off is that they won’t pay out many small or medium amounts, so it’s a higher risk.
It’s up to each player, their bankroll, and preferred style of play which slot variance they prefer to play. We recommend you decide on the level of volatility you prefer and then decide on the RTP and slot theme.
Raising the RTP for Slot Games
It’s possible for some slot games to raise the RTP slightly by activating a buy-in feature. Not all online slots games have this feature, but for those that do, they usually offer players more chances of triggering the bonus round or higher multipliers.
One of the best examples is the Monopoly Big Event slot from Barcrest, whose base game RTP is only 96%. However, when activating the Big Bet Feature, this can rocket up to a huge 99% RTP. The feature may not be for the faint-hearted, as it dramatically increases the cost per spin.
Top 5 Best Paying Video Slots
Slot | Theme | RTP | Volatility | Provider |
#1 Mega Joker | Fruit Machine | 98.90% | High | NetEnt |
#2 Goblins Cave | Fairytale | 99.3% | Medium | Playtech |
#3 Rainbow Riches | Irish | 98% | Medium | Barcrest |
#4 Book of 99 | Greek | 99% | High | Relax Gaming |
#5 Blood Suckers | Vampire | 98% | Low | NetEnt |