Casino Tips
WHAT IS THE RETURN-TO-PLAYER PERCENTAGE?
As a player, it is important to understand RTP. It stands for “Return to Player”. This is always expressed as a percentage, this figure simply represents the amount of money a player can expect to win from their bets in Casino slots or casino game variants If you play a game with an RTP of 96%, then for every $1 you bet you can expect to receive $0.96 back.
Essentially, RTP represents the house edge of the game. In this example, the house edge is 4%. This means that an RTP will always be less than 100%. Of course, the RTP is calculated over a gigantic sample size of simulated betting rounds. It doesn’t mean that you will lose exactly 4% of your money if you play a game with a 96% RTP. Even a long, sensibly managed gaming session over hours is unlikely to reflect the true RTP of a slot.
Basically, for the individual slot gaming player, the possibility of winning more or losing less than the RTP indicates is very likely. That said, there’s a good chance that you’ll be more likely to win in any given session if a game has a 98% RTP instead of a 90% RTP.
WHAT IS A NORMAL RTP FOR SLOTS?
Most online Casino slots will have an RTP of somewhere in the range of 90% to 98%. However, you may find some that are slightly lower or higher than this. The game developer, not the casino, is the one who decides what the RTP will be. If it is too high, the game will not be profitable for a casino to host; too low, players will not enjoy the experience. However, they also need to balance the RTP against the game’s volatility, the number of pay lines, and the frequency of bonus features and minigames to ensure that players have a good time spinning the reels. A slot with a lower RTP accompanied by lower volatility and frequent bonus features is likely to be a much more popular game than a high RTP slot with extreme volatility. It isn’t fun to play more than a few dozen spins without hitting some kind of win, after all.
HOW TO FIND A SLOT RTP?
The RTP of a slot can usually be found within our Game Launch Window directly opposite the game when you launch the game, or in the help section within the game. You can also see other stats such as the bet limits and any bonus feature available in the game.
WHAT ARE “REELS” IN SLOTS?
Reel or “reels” is a term most often used by slot machine players when it comes to casino terminology. It refers to horizontal columns that are an integral part of slot games. If you have played slots before, you know that every reel features one of each symbol available in the slot. In modern slots, the most common number of reels is five. However, video slot developers continuously create new and intricate titles to make the gameplay more exciting, which results in some unique-looking slots. While vintage slots have as little as three reels, some software providers go as far as to create titles that have two playing grids. However, regardless of the number of reels, they always serve the same purpose.
WHAT ARE PAY LINES
These are the lines on the reels where the symbols need to land to form a winning combination. Pay lines can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or zig-zag. Some slots have fixed pay lines, which means you have to bet on all of them, while others have variable pay lines, which means you can choose how many to bet on. The more pay lines you bet on, the higher your chances of winning, but also the higher your cost per spin. Some of the most common Pay line types are:
| PAY LINES | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Fixed Pay Lines | This means that every single pay line is covered by all bets and is not adjustable by the player. |
| Adjustable Pay lines | If a slot’s pay lines are adjustable, this means that you can choose how many pay lines you want your bet to cover. Bear in mind that the more pay lines you go for, the more your bet will cost, though the more chances you’ll have of winning. After all, if you land enough matching symbols on a pay line but that particular pay line isn’t covered by your bet, you won’t win. All slot machines offer a pay table that underlines how much can be won for each winning combination. You can always check the pay lines of the game by checking inside the game itself, usually found in the Paytable or Rules section. |
| Cluster Pays |
This type of slot replaces both pay lines, and adjacent ways pay slots with groupings of matching symbols. A cluster pays game is typically played in a grid formation with enough space for groups to grow from a minimum of 4 or 5 symbols to 15 or 20. Pay tables are much more extensive on cluster pay slots, as prizes are based on the size. For example, a four-symbol award could be worth X2, and ten could come in at X100.
|
WHAT IS VOLATILITY IN SLOTS?
Slot volatility represents how often a slot triggers a win and the typical size of the wins. A slot with high volatility typically pays out big wins spread apart while a slot with low volatility pays out small wins in quick succession. There are three main categories when we talk about volatility in terms of online slots:
| VOLATILITY | WIN FREQUENCY | WIN SIZES | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | Rare | Big | High-risk, high-reward |
| Medium | Average | Average | Average risk, average reward |
| Low | Often | Small | Low risk, low reward |
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM / MINIMUM BET?
Players who want to try different slots in one go or if they have a limited bankroll can play minimum bets. By playing minimum bets on slots, you can spread a smaller bankroll around and test out different games you like.
- Calculating the Cost Per Spin: To figure out the cost of your bet, i.e., the minimum bet on a slot, first figure out how the cost of a single spin is determined. Usually, two main factors
determine this: the coin value, and the number of pay lines in the game. The two factors change on other factors as well, such as Ways to Win slots and bet levels (fixed pay line slots). - Coin Value: The coin value is usually set at a predetermined amount on some slot games. However, in most online slot games, players can choose the value of their coins. These start from
small amounts around the $0.01-$0.05 mark, up to larger amounts, i.e., $0.50-$50 or even higher on certain high-roller games. Most games let players browse through different coin options with the click
of a button, while others display a menu of varying coin values. Players can then choose the coin they want to play as their unit stake. In case of making minimum bets, you must choose the lowest coin
denomination possible – usually $0.01.
Players are required to have covered all the pay lines while playing with one of their unit stake amounts. Bear in mind that retro-style slots have 1-9 pay lines, while modern slot games such as Megaways feature up to millions. The more pay lines there are, the more options there are for winning, provided the player has covered the pay lines with their bet. For instance, in the case of 40 pay lines with a $0.01 coin value, the player has all the aforementioned pay lines in play. In this case, their cost per spin will be: $0.01 x 40 = $0.40 per spin The number of pay lines a player chooses is entirely their choice. Players can reduce the number of pay lines down to the minimum number. Then multiply the minimum number of pay lines by the minimum coin value: 1 pay line x 1 $0.01 coin for a minimum bet of $0.01.
Many slots today, however, have their number of pay lines in play fixed. In such slots, players cannot choose the pay line amount. In case a slot game has 20 pay lines, the minimum bet would be: The number of pay lines x $0.03 (minimum coin value) = $0.40. On certain fixed pay line slots, players can further increase their bets by referring to the “Level” option. That multiplies the player’s total bet by the level they choose.
WHAT ARE FEATURES?
Slot features are all the key components that make up a slot game. They are designed to make gameplay more exciting. There are hundreds of different features some of the most common you will find in our games are:
| FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Wilds | These are special symbols that can substitute for any other symbol (except scatters and bonus symbols) to help you complete a winning combination. Wilds can also have different functions, such as expanding to cover an entire reel, sticking in place for several spins, transferring to other reels, walking across the reels, or multiplying your wins. |
| Scatters | These are symbols that can trigger a bonus feature, such as free spins or a mini-game when you land a certain number of them anywhere on the reels. Scatters do not need to be on a pay line or adjacent reels to be effective. Sometimes scatters also pay out a cash prize when you match them. |
| Free Spins | This is a feature that allows you to pay a certain amount of money to directly access the bonus round of the slot game. Bonus buying can be expensive, but it can also be rewarding if you get lucky in the bonus round. |
| Bonus Rounds | These are mini-games within the slot game that offer you a chance to win extra prizes. Bonus rounds can be based on different themes or mechanics, such as picking from cards, rolling dice, spinning wheels, or shooting targets. Bonus rounds are usually activated by landing bonus symbols on the reels or by completing certain combinations. |
| Multipliers | These are factors that increase your winnings by a certain amount. Multipliers can be applied to your total bet, your line bet, or your payout. Multipliers can be fixed or variable, and they can be triggered by different events, such as matching symbols, landing wilds, or entering a bonus round. |
| Cluster Pays | These are slots that do not use pay lines but instead pay out when you form clusters of matching symbols on the reels. The symbols need to be adjacent to each other horizontally or vertically to form a cluster. The larger the cluster, the bigger the payout. Cluster pays slots often have cascading reels, which means that the winning symbols disappear and new ones fall into their place, creating more chances to win. |
| Nudges | These are features that allow you to move one or more reels up or down by one symbol position to improve your outcome. Nudges can be awarded randomly or by landing certain symbols on the reels. Nudges can help you complete a winning combination or activate a bonus feature. |
| Expanding Reels | These are features that add more symbols or rows to the reels during a spin or a bonus round, increasing the number of ways to win. Expanding reels can be triggered by different events, such as landing wilds, scatters, or bonus symbols, or by filling up a meter. |
| Mystery Symbols | These are symbols that appear on the reels with a question mark or another symbol on them, and they reveal a random symbol when the reels stop. Mystery symbols can be regular symbols, wilds, scatters, or bonus symbols, and they can help you form winning combinations or trigger bonus features. |
| Synced Reels | These are features that make two or more reels spin with identical symbols on them, increasing your chances of matching symbols across the reels. Synced reels can be triggered randomly or by landing certain symbols on the reels. |
| Respins | These are features that give you an extra spin of the reels after a winning or a losing spin. Respins can have different modifiers, such as locking the winning symbols in place, adding more wilds or scatters to the reels, or changing the reel layout. |
| Bonus Buy | This is a feature that allows you to pay a certain amount of money to directly access the bonus round of the slot game. Bonus buying can be expensive, but it can also be rewarding if you get lucky in the bonus round. |