What is RTP in online casinos? Return to player, payout ratio, and win rate are different expressions for the same concept in online gaming. It is an indicator of how much you can expect to win by playing the games offered at the best payout online casinos. We cannot emphasise enough that the indicator is an expectation or probability of winning and not a guarantee of winning. In this article we will define return to player and explain its nuances.
How Is Return to Player Defined at Best Payout Online Casinos
Return to player (RTP) is defined as the amount that players can expect to win in the long term expressed as a percentage of the total amount bet at the online casino across all games. The RTP at the best payout online casinos would be around 98%. For an RTP of 98%, if the amount bet at an online casino on all games is $100,000, then one can expect the online casino to pay $98,000 as winnings during the same time interval.
Some questions concerning return to player are commonly asked by newbie players and we shall address them here.
- Why are the RTP values always less than 100%?
- How do short term winnings compare with RTP values?
- Can players win at online casinos in the long-run?
Why Are RTP Values Less Than 100%?
Consider the case of an online casino having return to player of more than 100%. Then, the amount it would payout as winnings in the long run would be more than the amount received as bets. Such an online casino would not be sustainable and be forced to shut operations.
When the return to player value is marginally less than 100%, the online casino retains a small fraction of the bet amounts and uses it to meet its operating costs and to provide a return to its investors. Each casino game is designed to offer a return between about 94% and 99.5%. Depending on the exact mix of games in the portfolio the return to player across all games ends up at being between 97% and 99% at the best payout online casinos.
Short Term Win Percent Compared with Return to Player
The short-term win percent, say over a 2-hour real money slots session, will have no apparent relationship with the return to player value. A player could start with $100 and lose it all, ending with a win percent of 0%. Or they could end up winning $500 resulting in a win percent of 500%.
In a short online slots session, the contribution of luck is immense. This results in a win percent far lower or far greater than the determined return to player value, which is a long-term average metric. If a player tracks their win percent in a cumulative manner over days, weeks, months, to a year then the luck factor will even out and the metric will surely move closer and closer to the return to player value.
Can Players Win in the Long-Run at Best Payout Online Casinos?
Return to player figures are averaged across all players, all bets, and all games over a long time. Some players will end up winning, whereas others will end up losing. In the net, the online casino will payout less than what it has received as bets. Examples with numbers are easier to understand, and the table below for 98% RTP should help.
| Amount Bet | Amount Won/Paid | Win Percent | |
| Player A | $500 | $524 | 104.8% |
| Player B | $500 | $456 | 91.2% |
| Casino | $1000 | $980 | 98% |
The answer to the question asked is that some players will end up winning in the long run.
Return to Player Values at the Best Payout Online Casinos
We know the importance of return to player values and therefore prominently mention them in our casino reviews. The values are taken from the reports of the external auditors, who access the information on the amounts bet and the amounts paid out as winning, and then compute the return to player metric for that period. The best payout online casinos usually report RTP of about 98%.
The Top 5 Return to Player (Win Rate) Canada Online Casinos
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| Casino | Win Rate | Exclusive Welcome Bonus |
| Royal Vegas | 98.8% | $1200 Bonus + 120 Free Spins |
| Jackpot City | 98.7% | $1800 Bonus + 80 Free Spins |
| Casumo | 98.7% | $2000 Bonus + 20 Free Spins |
| PlayOJO | 98.6% | 50 No Wagering Free Spins |
| Spin Casino | 98.4% | $1000 Bonus + 50 Free Spins |
Theoretical and Actual Return to Player Values at Canadian Casinos
There are two types of return to player values at best payout online casinos and it is important to understand the difference between them.
Theoretical Return to Player of Online Casino Games
These returns are based on the design of the casino games and are incorporated in the information put out by the games developer.
- For some casino games, like roulette, the mathematics is simple and anyone with knowledge of basic probability can calculate the theoretical returns.
- For other games like blackjack and online slots, the number of possibilities is so large that mathematical calculations become impossible. Games suppliers conduct simulations of millions of rounds and put out the theoretical returns on that basis.
Actual Return to Player of Online Casino Games
These returns are determined from the actual information available at the online casinos. They are usually based on monthly or quarterly data, and are therefore not long-term in the mathematical sense. At the best payout online casinos, the actual values of return to player percentages are close enough for comfort when compared with the theoretical values.
Return to Player Values for Online Slots
Whether you play real money slots or free slots the return to player does not change. With real money you are investing your own funds and can cash out the winnings. In free play you bet with the money given by the online casino and cannot take home the amounts won.
The return to player for online slots falls between 94% and 96%, which is the lower end of the range for all casino games. Yet, real money slots is the most popular games category at the best payout online casinos. We explain the reasons for this.
- The maximum payout in online slots can be several thousand times the amount bet. There are progressive jackpot slot games that pay in millions for a $1 bet. No other casino games category offers this kind of multiplier possibility. The maximum payout in roulette is 35x and that in blackjack is only 1.5x.
- You are not required to master complicated strategy for playing online slots. On the other hand, the high return to player in blackjack games is contingent on your utilising optimum strategy, which is difficult to master.
You will find the return to player percentages for online slots when you access the game rules. To get you started we have picked some popular video slots with high RTP values.
The Top 5 Return to Player Online Slots
| Slot Game | RTP | Provider |
| Starburst | 96.09% | NetEnt |
| Book of Dead | 96.21% | Play’n GO |
| 9 Masks of Fire | 96.24% | Microgaming |
| Big Bad Wolf | 97.34% | Quickspin |
| Big Bass Bonanza | 96.71% | Pragmatic Play |
How to Use Return to Player Values at Best Payout Online Casinos
Return to player is an important metric but you also need to look at other factors like the theme and the gaming features. Players also get tired of playing the same slot machine repeatedly, so you need a reasonable-sized pool of video slots to choose from. The following suggestion has drawn favourable response from our readers.
Take 95.5% RTP as a cut off rate and do not play slot games that offer returns lower than this. Pick from the remaining higher RTP slot games based on your other preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do return to player values of casino games remain constant over time?
The theoretical return to player values are determined by game design and do not change over time. However, auditors determine the actual return to player values based on the amounts paid as winnings and the amounts bet during a particular period. Since the outcomes of all casino games are affected by luck, there will be a marginal variation in the actual return to player values determined across different periods of time.
Is it possible for me to determine the return I get by playing casino games online?
You must have the numbers for the amount won by you and the amount bet by you over a period for determining your return. Unfortunately, these amounts are added to and subtracted from the same account and therefore are not separately available. You can request the online casino to give access to your gambling history, which will include the required information. You can then calculate your return.
