Understanding Pokie RTP

Pokie machines and video poker, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar casino, are some of the most popular casino games in existence. Pokie machines and similar games draw both skilled and unskilled players for a number of reasons.

Pokie games offer thousands of themes- something to suit every kind of player. They also offer even completely unskilled players a chance to enjoy casino games without having to learn game rules that can often be complex and take a long time to master. That’s not to say that there’s nothing to learn or be aware of when it comes to pokies- there are a few things that will give you a better insight into how these games work and what you can potentially get out of them, and one of those concepts is RTP.

What Is RTP?

All pokie machines or pokies pay out using a principle known as RTP or Return to Player. RTP is expressed as a percentage of the amount a player bets. Understanding the details of this concept and system is a part of determining the long-term potential profitability of a game (we say potential because embarking is always a gamble and never a guarantee) and gives you, the player, a way to plan out recouping an investment made in bets.

RTP, as we mentioned, is a percentage of the bet or wager that any given pokie or pokie machine is programmed to pay out to players over a given amount of time. This percentage is representative of the statistical advantage or “edge” that the house or casino has over the player. Let’s look at an example:  an RTP of 95% means that, on average, that particular machine will pay back 95% of the total amount wagered by players, keeping 5% as profit for the casino.

How Does the RTP System Function?

RTP is not a short-term indicator, but a long-term one. You will not be able to use the RTP percentage to figure out how much you’ll win in a sitting- there are no hard and fast answers to that when you’re gambling. RTP is calculated using millions of practice spins before the game is ever released- it’s an averaging tool. The higher the RTP percentage of a game is, the better the odds are that a player will win their investment and a profit on top of that in the long run.

How Does RTP Impact Gameplay

A player’s overall experience is heavily influenced by the RTP of the game they’re playing. Pokies with a higher RTP do tend to offer better chances of winning, but these wins may not be significant and may require a longer-term strategy to balance our investment and return. On the other side of the coin, pokies with lower RTP settings provide less frequent wins, but the wins they do offer are far more valuable when captured.

With the pokie game market as saturated as it is and so many options available all over the world, it’s essential that players understand and check the RTP of a game before they play it. Most online casinos provide this information per game, which makes the process a lot simpler for players.

How Is RTP Determined?

During game development, the software developer includes a random number generator (RNG) in the program. This RNG guarantees that each game is not predetermined and is fair and independent. This RNG is tested for true randomness by audit labs like BMM, eCOGRA and iTech Labs. Once it is passed, it can be used in games. To create the RTP, the audit lab or the developer will use a certified RNG to run hundreds of thousands or even millions og practice games or spins to determine an average and an RTP for the game. Once the RTP is set, no party may influence it. Violation of rules like this is illegal and can result in casinos or developers facing hefty fines or losing licenses entirely in some cases.

Where Does Volatility Come In?

While volatility and RTP are not the same, they are closely linked for players, and it’s important that you understand volatility as well, to get the most that you can out of any pokie machine.

The volatility level of a pokie machine tells you how often that pokie triggers a win and what the typical size of a win in each category would be. Pokies with high volatility usually pay out much larger jackpots and bonuses over a long period of time, and pokies with low volatility pay out smaller wins far more often. That said, gambling is still a gamble, and both kinds (and all the levels of volatility between them) can pay out either large or small jackpots at any moment or none at all; hot streaks and cold streaks. Where a pokie machine falls on the volatility scale is an averaging tool for players in much the same way as RTP, not a hard and fast rule for planning wins and losses.

Where Does Variance Come In?

Variance is often mistaken for or confused with volatility. Variance explains and defines the pokie’s deviation from the RTP: the difference between the player’s expectations and the results they actually get. An example would be this: The RTP of an online pokie is 96%, so the player may expect a return of 96 cents from each 1 EUR or dollar bet. But since the payout is calculated based on millions of wagers or spins, the player will actually receive the specified RTP only if they place the total number of bets included in the calculation cycle, which is a physical and financial impossibility for most people.

The change in payout can be influenced by the number of players using one game in one casino, as several thousand players can play an online pokie game at one time. The change in the RTP that is created by or relative to wagers made by the players is the variance of the game.

Online vs Offline RTP

Online pokies have a higher RTP compared to offline pokies, thanks to the fact that online casinos have far lower overhead costs. Online pokies or pokies are more cost-effective to maintain and thus create almost no overhead cost in the long term: just a monthly game royalty fee, or a percentage of the pokie’s turnover that the casino will pay out to the vendor or developer. Online casinos are not limited by physical space and, as such, can have thousands of pokies in “one place”. An offline or physical casino is bound by the constraints of its size, and needs to maintain physical machines (think installation, relocation, cleaning, programming, etc), which all cost more money and influence the RTP.

Some Pokies with a High RTP

• Lucky Lady Moon. RTP – 97%. Lucky Lady Moon featured five reels, three rows, Wild Multiplier and the possibility of doubling up, as well as free spins with a x3 multiplier.
• Aztec Magic Bonanza. 96.69%. The bonanza version of this exciting game offers “exploding stones”, which continue the spin and give the player a chance of big wins. The game also has the Chance x2 feature, and the free spins feature has a multiplier that allows the player to increase the winnings up to 100x.
• Aztec Magic Megaways. RTP – 96.69%. Players can rack up payouts on the basis of 11,000 combinations. This is hardly a new game, but this mechanic pushes it into a new and sought-after segment of the games on the current market.
• Elvis Frog in Vegas. RTP – 96%. Free spins that come with the Giant Symbol increase the chances of a win, while the Coin Respin feature gives the player a chance at either the Mini, Major or Mega Jackpot.

In Conclusion

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or someone just coming into the world of pokies, having a basic but clear understanding of the concept of RTP will help guide you along your way. While nothing can give you complete control over the outcome of any casino game, understanding the fundamental concepts means that you’re going into the game with your eyes open and the best possible chance of coming out even  or on top in the long run. Make the experience more enjoyable, make budgeting easier for yourself and give yourself the best possible chance at a win (and having a good time while playing, of course) by learning what you can about RTP.