RTP (Return to Player) is one of the most commonly discussed strategy topics among online casino players. It is, in a sense, similar to the house edge you will see in land-based casinos. If a game has an RTP of 97%, this means that the game – in theory – would pay back that amount over time.
Thus, for every $100 bet, the game’s software ensures that, over the long term, the payout would be $97. As mentioned, it’s similar to the house edge, although in reverse. In a regular casino, you want the house edge to be as low as possible, but in online casinos, you want the RTP to be as high as possible.
However, some players will argue that RTP isn’t a hugely important factor. After all, the payback rates are worked out over millions of spins, so it probably doesn’t come into play over a short gaming session. Nonetheless, the point still stands, the higher the RTP, the higher the theoretical chance you have of winning. While table games like roulette and blackjack usually have their RTPs created to reflect their real-world probabilities, there is usually some more wriggle room with slot games. Typically, the RTP in slot games can range from around 92%-98%, with most somewhere down the middle.
Jackpot Games can have lower RTPs
Now, while this is an easy concept to understand, and some players might opt to play games with famously high RTPs like NetEnt’s Blood Suckers, there are also instances where the RTP is not quite clear. This is particularly the case with progressive jackpot games.
A typical example of a progressive jackpot game would be Age of the Gods: Norse Gods and Giants, which is part of the Playtech Age of the Gods Jackpot range. Another example is Mega Moolah by Microgaming. Both of these games offer impressive progressive jackpots, which are structured in multiple tiers. Any spin can lead to a Jackpot Bonus Game, where you are guaranteed to win one of the prizes, the biggest of which can be worth millions.
What players must understand is that progressive jackpot games tend to have slightly lower RTPs than games without jackpots. Why? Well, it’s because those jackpots are funded by player contributions, i.e., a small amount is deducted from each spin. In the most common cases – such as Playtech’s Age of the Gods range – the contributions are about 1%.
This means that most of the games in the series still range around 94-96%, around the average for any slot game. Mega Moolah, meanwhile, has an RTP of just 88.12% when excluding the jackpot contributions, and 94% when including them. This is important.
Do your research before playing
Why is this important? Well, 88.12% is a very low RTP, even for a game genre as volatile as slots. However, that’s not to say that Mega Moolah is a bad game choice – far from it. It’s a great game, and one of the most popular slots in the world. However, players must understand that there is a huge emphasis put on the jackpots. In short, you are paying a premium to get a chance at one of the Mega Moolah jackpots.
Therefore, players must come up with a risk-versus-reward strategy. Are they shooting for the moon in order to win one of the jackpots? Or are they just trying to grind the game to make a few bucks profit, perhaps even to make bonus wagering requirements? If it is the latter, then perhaps jackpot slots should be avoided. If it is the former, then the players can be sure that a healthy amount of their wagering contributions has gone to the jackpot. Remember, some of these progressive prizes can be as large as a national lottery payout.
Regardless, it is always worth doing your research before you play. As mentioned previously, RTP does not mean you are going to win or lose over a specific session. However, the information is readily available out there, and you can research before you play to see where and how your money goes to fund the prizes in the game.
