Slot Machine Payout Percentages Guide

While casino games can be exhilarating, if you're like most players, your goal is to win as much and often as possible. Yet when you play games of chance like slots, your success or failure is largely out of your hands. Unlike games like poker and blackjack, slot machine players can't rely on special skills or strategy systems to succeed. Be that as it may, you can win more often simply by choosing the right games.

When playing online slots, your best bets aren't a matter of personal preference. All games have a payout percentage, which reveals your odds of winning. Simply opt for the titles with the highest payout percentages for best results.

Recognising The House Edge

Did you know that all casino games favour the house? Yet that doesn't mean gambling sites cheat players. Wherever you play in the world, the odds of losing are fractionally better than the odds of winning. Whether you choose roulette, blackjack, or slot machines, casinos pay out less money than they take in. That's precisely how casinos make a profit. It doesn't make a difference if you play live or on the internet either. Casinos always have the upper hand.

The inherent house edge is actually less hopeless than it sounds for several reasons. First, the edge is often miniscule. Second, the house advantage is true over time and there is far more variability during the short term. Third, casinos are transparent about your odds.

Crunching The Numbers

When visiting online casinos, payout percentages are often referred to as payouts, payback percentages, or payout levels but they all mean the same thing. No matter what you call them, payout percentages aren't hard to understand. They are simply the percentage of cash wagered that gets returned to players in the form of winnings. For example, if a machine is programmed to yield £94 for every £100 in bets, the payout percentage would be 94%.

It's important to know that payouts aren't random. They are predetermined by the casino and verified by auditors. More importantly, these payouts are only accurate over the long haul and may not reflect your individual experiences. That's precisely why people manage to win all the time and bother to play at all.

Understanding Probabilities And Variance

Did you know there are university degrees dedicated to studying statistics and mathematical probabilities? We won't delve into the matter too deeply, but you'll enjoy your games more with a little basic knowledge. A lot of players get confused by payout rates. While it's easy to accept things at face value, you shouldn't require multiple leaps of faith to enjoy casino games. Players who wager £100 are often shocked to lose their entire bankroll when playing at a site that advertises 97% payouts. As we've already mentioned, these rates are only true over time. That means it could take thousands of players and millions of spins for these rates to be accurate.

Imagine that you have a pound coin in your hand. If you were to flip the coin ten times, you would expect it to land on tails five times and heads five times. Yet if you were to run this experiment the coin might land on heads ten, four, or zero times. Does that mean you're flipping a trick coin? While that's certainly a possibility, it's more likely that your sample size of ten flips isn't statistically significant.

Over the short term variance is wide even when the games are fair. Yet over thousands of coin flips, things have a way of evening themselves out in a statistical sense. The same principal applies when enjoying slots. You shouldn't expect your personal returns to mirror the posted payouts even if you play the same machine for several days straight. Still, it's worth playing the games with best payouts since you are a critical piece of the long term puzzle.

Online Vs. Offline Payout Percentages

Critics often attack slot machines for their poor payout rates. They'll convincingly argue that you are much better off playing just about any other game. While live slots and fruit machines do have low payback percentages, your odds are much better online. It's not uncommon to see payouts as low as 70% in the real world, yet you can just as easily find internet slot machines that yield 95% or more. When you consider that slot machines can potentially award huge jackpots even off a small wager and require no skill, the appeal is obvious. Regardless where you play, it's worth comparing payouts before you insert your money.

Legal Requirements

Payouts vary widely around the world and can range from 65% to 95% or more in some places. In some jurisdictions laws dictate minimum percentages. Most American states require at least a 75% payout rate. Although there is no legal minimum in the United Kingdom, the UK Gambling Commission requires operators to post the payout rate. While the lack of a legal minimum might seem disappointing, being aware of the payouts is far more valuable. Always pay attention to the rates and refrain from playing when the payouts aren't competitive.

Certification And Licences

Payout percentages aren't just an advertising gimmick, or at least they shouldn't be. When you play at sites that are licenced by the UK Gambling Commission, you'll be able to play in total confidence. Restricting your play to licenced sites is the easiest way to ensure the games are fair and the payout rates are as indicated. Licenced sites aren't just required to post the odds, but all rates are independently tested and audited for compliance. You can typically view monthly certification when playing online.

Closing The Gap

You already know that online payout percentages can reach the upper 90s, but there's an easy way to enhance your performance on the top sites. When you claim cash bonuses and take advantage of promotions, your overall returns can get close to 100%. By taking advantage of all the perks that can improve your bottom line, you can transform the traditional house edge into your own personal advantage.