Online Slots RTP (Return to Player)
RTP is a term that is thrown about constantly in gaming circles, and if you were wondering what it is, you have come to the right place. On this page, you can learn everything there is to know about RTP and where to find the games with the best RTP rates.
If you have spent any period of time playing slots or watching other people play online slots, the chances are you have heard the term slot RTP (Return to Player) being mentioned more than once.
But what is RTP? How does it affect your gameplay? Is it an important factor when choosing which slot machine to play? You might even want to learn how to calculate your own RTP after a session at the casino too?
This complete guide will arm you with this knowledge, breaking down all of the terms into simple examples. You will leave with a firm understanding of the term, how RTP is calculated, and its impact on your play.
20 Highest RTP Slots Online
| Rank | Slot Title | RTP % | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ugga Bugga | 99.07% | Playtech |
| 2 | Ohh Ahh Dracula | 99.00% | Barcrest |
| 3 | Mega Joker | 99.00% | NetEnt |
| 4 | Triple Profits | 98.95% | Playtech |
| 5 | Tropic Reels | 98.95% | Playtech |
| 6 | Chess Mate | 98.72% | Multi Slot |
| 7 | Sheik Yer Money | 98.20% | Barcrest |
| 8 | Marching Legions | 98.12% | Relax Gaming |
| 9 | The Cat Father | 98.10% | Pragmatic Play |
| 10 | Jewel in the Crown Strike | 98.00% | Barcrest |
| 11 | Blood Suckers | 98.00% | NetEnt |
| 12 | Jokerizer | 98.00% | Yggdrasil |
| 13 | Kitty Cash | 97.86% | 1X2 Gaming |
| 14 | Zeus Lightning Power Reels | 97.73% | Red Tiger Gaming |
| 15 | Golden Tour Slot | 97.71% | Playtech |
| 16 | Sugar Pop | 97.70% | BetSoft |
| 17 | Devil’s Delight | 97.60% | NetEnt |
| 18 | White Rabbit | 97.30% | Big Time Gaming |
| 19 | Blood Suckers II | 96.94% | NetEnt |
| 20 | Rome Caesar’s Glory | 96.23% | Playson |
(Almost) 100% RTP Slots
While the idea of 100% RTP slots sounds amazing, there are some cons you need to consider before you make your first spin:
- Don’t qualify for bonus wagering requirements – When you receive a casino signup bonus, you often need to bet the bonus X amount of times before you can withdraw it. Casinos typically exclude games with high RTP.
- No jackpots – Unfortunately, you won’t be winning any 7 figure jackpots when playing 100% RTP slots. If you want to chase life-changing wins, you need to find progressive slots, which often have RTPs in the high 80s.
- RTP does not represent short-term results – You could take thousands of spins and still be nowhere near the 100% RTP due to the game’s variance. Playing a high RTP slot machine does not guarantee you will break even over your session, as RTP is based on millions of spins, and short-term results can vary wildly.
- Lack of variety – There are 10,000 + high-quality slots with RTPs in the 94% to 97.5% range. However, once you get above 98% RTP, there are very few games to choose from. You will get bored quickly if you only play 100% RTP slots.
- Poor gameplay and lack of features – Slot machine game developers spend their time and money creating new features, epic graphics, and captivating gameplay for their flagship slots that typically have an RTP of around 96%-97%. These games are the most profitable, and online casinos are willing to pay top dollar for them.
| 🎰Slot | 🧑💻Provider | 💯RTP | 🏠House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇1. Goblin’s Cave | Playtech | 99.32% | 0.68% |
| 🥈2. Ugga Bugga | Playtech | 99.17% | 0.83% |
| 🥉3. Fruity Beats Xtreme | Spinmatic | 99.08% | 0.92% |
| 🎖️4. Ocean Princess | Playtech | 99.07% | 0.93% |
| 🏅5. Mega Joker | NetEnt | 99% | 1% |
99% RTP Slots
Tip: Some of these highest RTP slots have an initial rate lower than 99%, but activating some features or high-roller bets takes the payout percentage in these online slots to 99%+.
| 🎰Slot Game | 🧑💻Slot Providers | 💯RTP | 🏠House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book of 99 | Relax Gaming | 99% | 1% |
| Mega Joker | NetEnt | 99% | 1% |
| Goblin’s Cave | Playtech | 99.32% | 0.68% |
| Ugga Bugga | Playtech | 99.17% | 0.83% |
| Ocean Princess | Playtech | 99.07% | 0.93% |
| Tropic Reels | Playtech | 99% | 1% |
| Ooh Aah Dracula | Barcrest | 99% | 1% |
| Monopoly Big Event | Barcrest | 99% | 1% |
| Nemo’s Voyage | WMS | 99% | 1% |
| Fruity Beats Xtreme | Spinmatic | 99.08% | 0.92% |
98% RTP Slots
Slots with an RTP of 98% sit at the top end of high-paying slots, returning more of your money on every spin. This means you’re playing against a slimmer house edge, which as any savvy gambler will tell you, means a better deal for you.
It’s not common to find 98% RTP slots, with most slot games in online casinos sitting comfortably below this threshold. But for those in the know, there are some awesome games out there, combining some of the best odds in slots with incredible gaming action.
| 🎰Slot Game | 🧑💻Slot Provider | 💯Slot RTP | 🏠House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackpot 6000 | NetEnt | 98.80% | 1.2% |
| The Catfather | Pragmatic Play | 98.10% | 1.9% |
| Blood Suckers | NetEnt | 98.00% | 2.0% |
| Rainbow Riches Pick N Mix | Barcrest | 98.00% | 2.0% |
| White Rabbit Megaways | Big Time Gaming | 97.77% | 2.23% |
97% RTP Slots
Any online slot with a Return to Player of at least 97% fits the “high RTP” category. Playing these games gives you better odds than the average online slot, which offers an RTP of around 95-96%.
Additionally, 97 RTP slot games often come with a truckload of features and the best bonuses to ensure players have a thrilling gaming experience while giving them numerous opportunities to win.
| 🎰Slot | 🧑💻Developer | 💯RTP | 🏠House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foxin’ Wins – A Very Foxin’ Christmas | NextGen Gaming | 97.98% | 2.02% |
| Caribbean Anne | Relax Gaming | 97.83% | 2.17% |
| White Rabbit Megaways | Big Time Gaming | 97.72% | 2.28% |
| Return of the Dead | Pragmatic Play | 97.71% | 2.29% |
| Xcalibur | Microgaming | 97.62% | 2.38% |
| Devil’s Delight | NeEnt | 97.6% | 2.4% |
| SimSalabim | NeEnt | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| Wild Orient | Microgaming | 97.5% | 2.5% |
| Couch Potato | Microgaming | 97.43% | 2.57% |
| Texas Tea | IGT | 97.36% | 2.64% |
| Big Bad Wolf | Quick Spin | 97.35 | 2.65% |
| Alchemist’s Lab | Playtech | 97.32% | 2.68% |
| Pirate Gold | Pragmatic Play | 97.3% | 2.7% |
| Zombies | NeEnt | 97.20% | 2.98% |
| Neptune’s Kingdom | Playtech | 97.19% | 2.81% |
| Genie Jackpots Megaways | Blueprint Gaming | 97.13% | 2.87% |
| Jack Hammer 2 | NeEnt | 97.1% | 2.9% |
| Book of Anime | Fugaso | 97% | 3% |
| Hexaline | Microgaming | 97% | 3% |
| Steam Tower | NeEnt | 97% | 3% |
96% RTP Slots
Slot games with 96% RTP are classified as average-high RTP slots because they pay out well, but they’re not exceptional or especially noteworthy.
| 🎰Slot Game | 🧑💻Software Provider | 💯RTP | 🏠House Edge | 💰Max Win | 🎰Online Casinos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Suckers II | NetEnt | 96.94% | 3.06% | 1,289X | BetRivers, DraftKings |
| Thunderstruck II | Microgaming | 96.65% | 3.35% | 8,000x | BetRivers |
| Divine Fortune | NetEnt | 96.6% | 3.91% | Progressive Jackpot | Golden Nugget Casino, BetRivers, DraftKings Casino |
| Mystery Reels | Red Tiger Gaming | 96.24% | 3.76% | 12,500x | BetRivers |
| 9 Masks of Fire | Microgaming | 96.24% | 3.76% | 2,000x | Golden Nugget Casino, DraftKings, BetRivers |
| Book of Irish | Inspired Gaming | 96.23% | 3.77% | 25,000x | bet365, FanDuel |
| Raging Rhino Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.18% | 3.82% | 12,500x | Pulsz, WOW Vegas, Stake.us |
| Starburst | NetEnt | 96.09% | 3.91% | 500x | Hollywood Casino, PlaySugarHouse |
| Bonanza Megaways | Big Time Gaming | 96% | 4% | 26,000x | Borgata, Wheel of Fortune Casino |
| 88 Fortunes | SG Interactive | 96% | 4% | Jackpot | Caesars, BetMGM, Golden Nugget |
95% RTP Slots
While slot machines with the highest RTP on the market, such as Mega Joker, appeal the most, you’ll find loads of great titles with 95% RTP. These slot machines have a medium-low Return to Player rate but often make up for it with frequent smaller wins, more bonus rounds, and being compatible with nearly all casino bonuses.
It’s also worth noting that some of the highest RTP online slots achieve their high figures through massive jackpots that are extremely rare (meaning the average player will almost never achieve the slot’s advertised return percentage). In contrast, achieving the advertised return on 95% RTP slots is usually more realistic for the average player.
| 🎰Slot Game | 🧑💻Game Developer | 💯RTP | 🏠House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrant King Megaways | iSoftbet | 95.98% | 4.02% |
| Monopoly Lunar New Year | WMS | 95.95% | 4.05% |
| Buffalo Hold and Win | Booming Games | 95.91% | 4.09% |
| Jewel Box | Play’n GO | 95.75% | 4.25% |
| Gonzo’s Quest The Search for Eldorado | NetEnt | 95.97% | 4.03% |
| Santa Spins | Red Tiger | 95.73% | 4.27% |
| Narcos Mexico | Red Tiger | 95.7% | 4.3% |
| Forever 7’s | Red Tiger | 95.67% | 4.33% |
| Cash Pig | Booming Games | 95.11% | 4.89% |
| Nitropolis 3 | ELK Studios | 95% | 5% |
Progressive Jackpot Slots with the Highest RTPs
| Progressive Jackpot Slot Title | RTP % | Developer | Minimum Jackpot Payout (Seed ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Fortune | 96.90% | NetEnt | $10,000 |
| Mega Fortune | 96.60% | NetEnt | $150,000 |
| Book of Atem | 96.45% | Microgaming | $50,000 |
| Buffalo Grand | 96.00% | Aristocrat | $20,000 |
| Pride of Persia: Empire Treasures | 95.99% | Playtech | $100,000 |
| Arabian Nights | 95.60% | NetEnt | $150,000 |
| Hall of Gods | 95.50% | NetEnt | $1,000 |
| Joker Millions | 94.30% | Yggdrasil | $100,000 |
| Gladiator | 94.10% | Playtech | $50,000 |
| Mega Moolah | 93.42% | Microgaming | $1,000,000 |
What Does RTP (Return to Player) Really Mean?
You can think of the RTP as the opposite of the casino’s House Edge. RTP is a percentage value calculation based on the total money wagered that is paid back or “returned” to players over a period of play.
The critical point here is to understand that the calculation is based on the total money wagered. Confusion often arises with new players confusing these terms with “actual paid winnings” that they have withdrawn and the casino has paid them.
This is not the case. The RTP is a calculation based on the total money wagered, and the amount of money paid back to the player during this time.
Whether the player decides to withdraw this amount is not part of this calculation.
How is RTP Calculated in Slots?
If you check a slots paytable or game rules and notice it has an RTP value displayed, 96.8%, for example, where does this value come from, and what does it mean to you?
The first important distinction to make is that the values listed by the online slot developers are the expected or theoretical values and are based on very long-term play with substantial sample sizes.
There are very few slot developers who display actual real player RTP figures based on real money play in the paytables or game rules alongside these theoretical values. Play’n GO is a front runner in this area regarding player transparency and reporting actual monthly RTP figures in addition.
Long Term Play
By long-term play, we mean millions or even billions of spins where every single winning combination and bonus round feature, max win, etc., of a particular slot game, will have been recorded. At the same time, the slot is tested extensively to make sure it passes all RNG (Random Number Generator) tests and internal and external QA checks.
After millions of spins have been tested, the slot can then be verified to return a specific percentage of the money wagered on it back to players (within a small tolerance), giving us the RTP figure.
This isn’t some magical figure the developers will be surprised or shocked to see either. The mathematicians, during development, will have ensured that the slot has a house edge of their choosing or is very close to, which is then tested and verified before releasing to casinos.
But even when a slot says it has 96% RTP, this doesn’t mean you will achieve this value, certainly not over the course of a few hundred spins or a short play session.
If you did persevere on a slot and spin it millions of times, the chances are you would probably get extremely close to the value, so over time, your actual RTP will get very close to this stated value. But is that really worthwhile?
Winning RTP
For us as slot players to actually win, we need our personal RTP to exceed this value and be more than 100%. This is where factors such as the variance and volatility on slots mean that you may receive big wins during play, which may increase your actual RTP to well over 100%, which is essentially you winning on the slot overall and, frankly, what we all really want!
In essence, being aware of a slot’s RTP percentage gives you a knowledge of just how big the house edge or how loose that machine is and whether it offers you enough value for money to play it.
Online slots generally tend to be in the range of 95% to 96.50% RTP, with a few outliers being more generous at 97% RTP or even higher.
Progressive Jackpot slots also tend to have a portion of this RTP value (5%-10%) that contributes towards the jackpots making the RTP even lower in the regular game.
TIP – When choosing online slots, we tend to limit our play to video slots with an RTP of 95% or above, with a select few exceptions to slots that we really enjoy playing that are just under this value.
If the stated RTP value is lower than this value, it might be time to look at some similar themed slots in terms of gameplay and bonus features that come with a higher RTP!
It’s a personal choice of which slots you play, but making an informed choice is the best way to approach your gambling!
How Do You Calculate RTP?
Suppose you want to work out your own RTP percentage from playing a particular slot or an entire session at an online casino. In that case, this is achievable with some slots preparation and planning.
The fundamental values to make this calculation easy to do are to take note of your starting balance or initial deposit and keep track of the total money wagered and the final ending balance.
RTP Calculation Examples
Using a straightforward set of examples;
Example 1, Short play session
We make an initial deposit of $100 at the casino, and we play $1 bets on our favorite slot and spin the machine 100 times. This means in total, we have wagered $100.
At the end of our short slot session, our ending balance is now showing as $95.
This means that our RTP is 95% in this case, as we got $95 back from wagering a total of $100.
$95/$100*100 = 95.00%
Example 2, Longer play session
If we repeat the example and have the same starting balance of $100 and have the same spins value of $1 but this time, we play 1000 spins. This means we have wagered a total of $1000.
If the end balance is again showing $95, this means that after wagering $1,000, we have lost in total just $5.
What might surprise you here is that the RTP is actually 99.5%, more than the previous example.
This is because the calculation is based on the total money wagered, so we have wagered a total of $1,000, and during that process, we got back a total of $995. We know this is correct because we started with $100, and after 1000 spins, our end balance is $95.
If you want to check the maths ($995)/$1,000 *100 = 99.50%
Example 3, Winning slot session
In our final example, we assume the same deposit of $100, with 1000 spins at $1 on our favorite slot. However, this time, our end balance is showing as $250, so we have won overall. So what is our RTP this time?
We have wagered a total of $1,000, and during that process, we got back a total of $1,150. We know this is correct because we started with a $100 deposit, and after 1000 spins, our end balance is $250, which is an increase of $150!
This means that our RTP for this winning session is ($1150)/$1000*100 = 115.00%
Key Points to Understand on RTP
Take time to read through these example calculations. The key point to note is that the most important thing to consider when calculating your own RTP is that all of these calculations are based on the total amount of money wagered.
It is this value that has the most significant impact on the final RTP percentage. While RTP, in general, doesn’t give you the true reflection of how much actual money you have won or lost, for that, you are much better off looking at your actual money balance!
It gives you insight into how close you were to the slots’ stated RTP value or whether you exceeded that value.
It may also give you some indication of whether the slot was playing anywhere close to “expected” you may have had a super lucky session (above 100% RTP) or a really unlucky one (a low value like 50% RTP).
What Are the Benefits of Knowing the RTP?
Working out your own RTP after a slot session might be a cool and handy skill to know, but knowing how it gets calculated and being able to apply that knowledge is a far more beneficial tool as a player.
The key ability as slot players is seeing this value and being able to make an informed decision about whether you choose to gamble on a particular machine or not.
Going forwards, when you spot a 90% RTP slot, pause, remember this article and what you have learned, and go and seek out a much higher RTP slot alternative!
Further Considerations With RTP
- Be aware that while online slots can look almost identical and be named as such, casino operators may have the option to configure them over a broad range of settings. This isn’t something that changes based on you winning or losing on them. It is a fixed value chosen well in advance. Still, it’s another reason to continually research the slots RTP you are playing at a particular casino and make sure they are using the default or highest RTP setting.
- A portion of a slots RTP is contributed from the base game and the bonus rounds. If you want to delve further, you can seek out these exact values from game developers’ websites. These values serve as a good indication of a machine’s volatility and potential, especially if a large portion of the slots RTP is provided from the bonus features and bonus spins.
- Governing bodies and licensing regulators keep a keen eye on how slots perform for players to verify that they are functioning as expected. By this, we mean they check that the figures are close to the theoretical RTP figures across the entire player base.
- Be mindful of sites that list slots as “Hot” or “Cold” and base these suggestions based on RTP, without full disclosure of information of how many spins (money wagered) have been played on these slots these values are essentially meaningless. Online slots are by design random, the past performance of any slot has no relevance to how it will play for you!
Slots Volatility Explained
The other major factor when looking at the online casino payout percentage and the best slot machine payouts is volatility. This states how risky slot machines are, how often you can expect to win, and the value of those wins. Volatility is a very important factor when assessing the actual payout percentage of a slot machine.
Without volatility, players would only stick to machines with the best payout percentage, leaving online casinos with little to no profit. With slot volatility in play, players are incentivized to play at low RTP slots that provide odds of winning, but the wins themselves can be substantially bigger.
There are three types of volatility for the best payout slot machines in a broad categorization: low, medium, and high. However, many slot providers list volatility on a scale that can include rankings between the main types, such as medium-low or medium-high. The best slot machines when it comes to payout percentages tend to have lower volatility, while those with smaller RTPs have medium-to-high volatility. We describe the three main volatility types below.
Low Volatility
- Risk: Low
- Win Frequency: Often
- Win Amount: low
If you want to find relatively bonus bet slot games, low-volatility titles are your best option. These slot machines pay out often, but the downside is that the payout amount is usually low. Furthermore, playing such a particular slot game has a lower chance of hitting big payouts and jackpot prizes.
If you enjoy low-risk online gambling and prefer to play for fun, low-volatility slot machines are suitable.
Medium Volatility
- Risk: Medium
- Win Frequency: Semi-Often
- Win Amount: Medium
As the name suggests, medium volatility is basically a compromise between low and high. Medium volatility slot machines give a little more risk, pay out a little less, but also have a higher frequency of jackpots compared to low volatility games.
High Volatility
- Risk: High
- Win Frequency: Infrequent
- Win Amount: High
Lastly, we have high volatility slots. These are for those of you who love the all-or-nothing approach. These high payout slots are for you if you are quite happy to risk it all to hit a mega jackpot. High volatility slots pay out infrequently. As a result, there is the potential to walk away with nothing! However, there is generally a higher chance of winning epic prizes through the slots bonus games.
The Relationship Between RTP and Volatility
As mentioned, RTP and volatility are key aspects of high payout slots. There is also a general correlation between the two. It is important to understand this so that you can choose the best online slots to suit your intentions, bankroll, and playstyle.
Generally speaking, we can state that:
- Slot machines with low volatility have a higher RTP
- Slot machines with high volatility have a lower RTP
Let’s look at this logically. A low-volatility slot machine often pays out. The amounts may not be huge, but you are consistently winning back the amount you bet or a little bit less. This results in higher payout percentages and, thus, a higher RTP.
In contrast, a high-volatility slot pays infrequently. This means that you are consistently not earning back your spin costs, dragging the RTP drastically down. However, the higher percentage chance of jackpot prizes on games like Ultimate Fire Link China Street means that the RTP is bought up and thus usually averages out slightly lower overall than low-volatility games.
What does this mean for you when choosing paying online slots? It means that if you want low-risk games with frequent wins, RTP should be the deciding factor. In contrast, if you don’t care about making consistent wins, and want those jackpot prizes, look instead at the volatility.