How to Discover a Slot Machine’s Payout Percentage Before You Play

When playing slot machines, the payout percentage is one of the first features to check to determine what to expect from the game. Titles with higher rates of 96% and above tend to offer better returns in the long run and are usually the best for you. The question now is, how do you find details about the payout percentage before playing a slot? We’ll cover all the details you need to know in this guide.  

What Does Payout Percentage Mean?

Simply put, a slot’s payout percentage, or return to player (RTP), is the amount of wins you can expect to get back over time playing the game. For instance, a slot with 96% theoretically returns $96 for every $100 you bet. The remaining 4% is the house edge. Note that RTP is calculated over millions of spins, not just on a single session. 

Besides RTP, many players check other features and terms of a casino before playing games. Most check for a welcome offer for new players, the variety of games, mobile app, and the supported payment methods. Independent materials, such as the Spin Casino review, help to understand these aspects, as well as a site’s reliability. Reading a review gives you a clear idea of the casino before you start using it.

The Importance of Knowing a Slot’s RTP

Knowing the RTP of a slot before playing can do you a world of good because you get to know how fair the game is. It tells you how much a game gives back over time. Knowing the RTP doesn’t promise wins, but it can help you to make smarter choices.

As Warren Buffett once said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” 

This idea fits slots perfectly. When you skip the RTP, you’re just playing without knowing what to expect, and that can cost you.

A slot with a high RTP of 96% or above usually gives more value in the long run. So, you should aim for titles that meet this rate.

Where to Find Payout Percentage in Online Casinos

There are many ways to find a slot’s RTP when playing at online casinos. Let’s go over them below:

• Check Info Panel

When you click on a game in most online casinos, you’ll see an information (i) icon on the screen. Tap on it to see all the important details, including RTP. 

• Search the Game’s Name with “RTP”

You can quickly type in the name of the slot plus RTP in your Google search. For instance, you can search for Gates of Olympus RTP. You’ll see the details displayed. 

• Read the Casino’s Game Description Page

Some online casinos have a page where they provide details about some top games. You can check there to see the RTP of the slots you want to play.

• Visit the gaming commission or control board websites

Some state regulators in the US publish payout data from casinos. For instance, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reports average slot payouts by regions. You won’t see individual slot machine details, but you’ll see which casino pays better overall.

Finding RTP at Land-Based Casinos

If you’re playing at land-based casinos, the case here is different. They don’t tend to display RTPs as online gaming sites do. The only time they may show the payout percentage is when marketing specific machines. 

Still, you have ways of finding out RTPs at these physical casinos. Here’s how:

• Ask casino staff directly
• Look it up online
• Search for stickers on the machine cabinet  
• Watch for promotional signs near the machine

Tips to Use Payout Percentage Well

If you want to use RTP to your advantage, follow these tips:

Compare games before you play

Doing your research and making comparisons can help you find games with the best RTPs. It’s similar to how you do your findings on teams when you bet on the NFL or other sports events to enable you to make the best predictions. This also applies to slots. A few percentage points can make a difference over time.

Know that RTP is long-term

You won’t see exact returns in one session. It’s just an average over time. So, don’t be overconfident or expect constant good results.

Combine RTP with volatility

RTP isn’t the only feature you should look for. Volatility can also determine how frequently you can win when playing a slot. Try to combine these two features when finding the best slot to play.

Using this information can give you a leg up over players who rely solely on luck. 

Like Nico Zographos said, “There is no such thing as luck. It is all mathematics.” 

So, it’s up to you to do your homework and go for the best odds.

The Bottom Line

RTP doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win because it’s a long-term average across millions of spins. However, if you want to make informed decisions when picking the right slots to play, you can always count on it. Every top gamer always wants to get the best odds, and you can get that by choosing slots with a high RTP of 96% or above. 

You can easily find the RTP of the slot using the various methods we’ve discussed. Check the information panel when you load the game, or you can search online to get the details.