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Understanding RTP and Why It Matters at an Online Casino
If you’ve spent even a minute playing slots at an online casino, you’ve undoubtedly come across something called RTP, which stands for Return to Player. This is almost always shown as a percentage, and it’s important for you to know exactly what it means. If you value your money and your time, you’d do well to read this quick article that explains what RTP is, breaks down slot volatility and shows how you should consider RTP when playing slots at an online casino.
What Is RTP?
The meaning of RTP is right there in the words themselves—return to player. RTP simply denotes how much of their money, on average, a player can expect returned to them given enough time. The idea of RTP and its meaning has been discussed by industry experts, such as Paygamble author Kevin Flynn, but this article is here to help if you are still having trouble understanding RTP. Take the following for example, a slot with an RTP of 97% means that if you bet $100, on average, you will get $97 back.
Now, that’s not to say that every spin will return less money than you wagered. Remember, this is on average. You can still hit the jackpot and win big, walking away with more than you put in and beating the RTP. Once you know that RTP is measured over ten or even a hundred thousand plays, you’ll realize that short-term play won’t always reflect a game’s RTP. RTP is the reason why the iGaming industry sees stunning revenue year after year, and knowing what it is can help you take a chunk of that back.
Looking at Volatility
While on the topic of RTP, you should also know how to identify slots with high and low volatility. Volatility refers to how often a slot machine pays out. Typically, a slot machine with lots of lines and different ways to win has low volatility. Your chances of winning are bigger, but the payouts are often smaller. On the other hand, slots with higher volatility tend to have fewer reels and fewer lines. You won’t win often, but when you do, the payout will be bigger than on a 5-reel slot with thousands of ways to win.
Considering RTP When Looking at Slots and Other Casino Games
RTP isn’t just found on slots; just about every casino game uses RTP as a metric, and it can often be found directly on the site itself or the site of the software provider. While RTP should be the main thing you consider, don’t forget volatility. A combination of volatility and RTP can give you greater insight into whether or not a game is worth playing.
- Low Volatility High RTP – Slots with multiple reels, progressives, minigames and more ways to win often have a higher RTP since players are winning more often.
- High Volatility Low RTP – You’ll find that traditional slots tend to have higher volatility but a lower RTP since players are winning less often. With fewer lines and reels, there are fewer ways to win.
- The Best Combination – A slot with low volatility and high RTP is ideal, as this means that you will be winning more often and losing less money in the long run compared to alternative games.
Most online casinos don’t have games with an RTP lower than 90%, but not every casino or software provider publishes their RTP statistics. You may want to avoid those casinos and games, as you will have no idea what to expect from the game and what the average return should be. Likewise, you’ll quickly find that the games included in bonuses for free spins tend to have high volatility and low RTP. This can easily change your opinion on what would have otherwise seemed like a great bonus.
House Edge vs. RTP
You may have heard the term ‘house edge‘ at casinos too, but you shouldn’t confuse it with RTP. Whereas RTP is the percentage of money returned to a player on average over time, the house edge is the odds of a game ending in the casino’s favor. When you hear house edge, you should think about games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat and sic bo. These games are all in favor of the house, with blackjack having the smallest advantage, making it a popular game for players.
With perfect strategy, you’ll win about 49.5% of the time on average in blackjack. This edge can vary from online casino to online casino, as the rules may be different. Some casinos add a triple zero to roulette, further increasing the odds of players losing. Always double-check what the house edge is and make sure that it is in line with your expectations.
Wrap Up
In short, understanding RTP is the key to succeeding in a house where the cards are stacked against you. By knowing how much is returned on average and looking at volatility, you can avoid games that are almost scams and keep more money in your wallet. Just remember that RTP is based on an average, so you aren’t technically going to walk away from every session with less money than you put in. There is always the chance that you can get lucky and hit the progressive or line up high-paying symbols. Whichever game you decide to play, do it responsibly and have fun.
Danny Gordon Head of Studio at DEGEN Studios
Zoomania: DEGEN Studios’ wild new frontier
This isn’t an expedition. It’s the fittest that survive.
DEGEN opens the cage door to Zoomania, a 5-reel, 4-row video slot situated in a realm where instinct reigns and survival is far from assured.
Set in a landscape of steel, shadows, and flashing neon, Zoomania presents players with a lineup of powerful beings like lions, gorillas, and reptiles, each contributing their unique impact to this extremely high-volatility game.
A key aspect of Zoomania is the Top Feature Row, positioned above the reels, which can trigger strong modifiers at any time. Expanding Wilds, multipliers, Wild Converters, and even Super Scatters can appear unexpectedly, altering the grid and forming wins that seemed impossible moments before.
The outcome is a fundamental game that continually changes. One instant the reels seem stable, the next a feature activates and the result changes drastically.
Zoomania presents several bonus paths, each featuring varying levels of intensity. From the dynamic Prison Break feature to the unpredictable Feral Instinct and the extremely rare Beast Mode, the game enables players to encounter increasing degrees of disorder as the session progresses.
Danny Gordon, Head of Studio at DEGEN Studios, said: “Zoomania shows a different side of DEGEN. It looks vibrant, but there’s an eerie edge running through it, and the gameplay keeps shifting under your feet. That tension creates something wildly unpredictable, where no two sessions play out the same.
Step inside. Trigger the chaos. Unleash the wild.”
The post Zoomania: DEGEN Studios’ wild new frontier appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Affiliate Succes
Gaming in Europe Webinar — Inside the Rise of Illegal Affiliate Marketing: Tactics & Countermeasures
To raise awareness of the increasing issue of illegal affiliate marketing affecting licensed markets, Gaming in Europe will conduct a webinar called “Understanding the rise of illegal affiliate marketing: Techniques & solutions” on Thursday, April 16, at 14:00 CET.
An increasing issue
Due to the rising significance of online platforms – particularly in conjunction with limitations on broadcast and print advertising – affiliate marketing has emerged as a more vital route for participants to discover and locate the iGaming operators that suit their requirements.
The battle for recognition
Unauthorized affiliates, along with the larger entities supporting them, not only enhance the exposure of illicit offers; they frequently also manage to diminish the visibility of licensed operators and affiliates advocating licensed offers.
This webinar will detail the tactics that unlawful affiliates employ to enhance their own visibility while diminishing that of their legitimate rivals. Additionally, this webinar will examine the actions that legal affiliates, licensed operators, and regulators can implement to reduce the effects of unlawful affiliate marketing.
A problem affecting all of Europe
Since offshore online gambling operators and their related illegal affiliates typically function on a European or even worldwide scale, this webinar will be pertinent to stakeholders in all regulated or soon-to-be-regulated online gambling markets, such as Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland, and others.
#TakeBackTheMarket
Founder Willem van Oort of Gaming in Europe stated: “Aligned with Gaming in Europe’s larger goal to assist legal stakeholders against unlawful and unfair competition – concisely captured as #ReclaimTheMarket – we have opted to examine more closely the reasons and consequences of the rising influence of illegal affiliate marketing.” We will examine some of the dubious tactics employed by illegal affiliates and also investigate what advocates of the legal market, including regulators and licensed operators, can do to combat this.”
Speakers
Timothy Malmros Genach, expert in SEO, Magenti Media
Dr. Andreas Ditsche, Chief Executive Officer, iGaming.com
Frank op de Woerd, Hoofdredacteur, CasinoNieuws
Sign-up
Participation in this webinar is complimentary. Tap here to sign up.
The post Gaming in Europe Webinar — Inside the Rise of Illegal Affiliate Marketing: Tactics & Countermeasures appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Albert Zorrilla
Zitro Wins 2026 EXPOJOC Innovation Award
Zitro has been honored for the second consecutive year with the EXPOJOC Innovation Award, a recognition that positions the company as a leading example of innovation within the gaming industry and highlights its ongoing ability to bring new products to casinos, bingo halls, gaming venues and bars across Spain.
The award was accepted by Albert Zorrilla, General Manager of Zitro Spain, who expressed his gratitude on behalf of the entire company: “Receiving this award for the second consecutive year is a great honor for everyone at Zitro. It is also a reflection of the dedication and effort our team puts into developing products that truly make a difference for our clients — helping them drive better results from their operations and continuously offering them more innovative and competitive offerings.”
Zitro’s strong commitment to innovation is also evident in the significant investment the company makes in R&D, which has enabled it to develop in-house technology, expand its portfolio, and further strengthen its international footprint. A clear testament to this is its two technology campuses in Barcelona and Bangalore, together spanning over 20,000 square meters dedicated exclusively to game creation and development.
The post Zitro Wins 2026 EXPOJOC Innovation Award appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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