Payout Percentages
In addition to the variance of a slot game, another very important factor to consider is the slots payout percentage. Some casinos list these per game, and some only list the overall slots payouts, the overall table game payouts, and the total casino payout percentage.
The payout percentage listed in a casino indicates how much of the total wagers staked are being repaid as winnings. A payout of 95% (fair for an online casino, great for a land based casino) simply means that of all the money bet for the accounting period, 95% was returned overall, and the casino kept 5%. It doesn’t mean that for every $100 I bet, I will get $95 back – these numbers are arrived at through all of the winning and losing bets at a casino – and each player’s experience will depend on luck and the variance (risk vs. potential reward per spin) of the game.
How Slots Payout Percentages are Calculated
Slots payout percentages can be determined by the paytable (program) along with a certified fair random number generator. An auditor will test the program to see that it is in line with the paytable and test the RNG. He may also audit the entire play history for the audit period, or random samples thereof, to determine if the game is fair within acceptable standard deviations.
For the player, the listed percentages along with some sort of trusted certification are enough to worry about; after all, we play for fun in the hopes of a big win! We also may want to play smart, so we understand variance and want to choose games with the highest payout percentages. Great graphics, sounds, and frequent bonus rounds do us no good in the long run if we can’t play long enough to win!
Online Slot Casino Payouts
Each software platform and some individual casinos have their own way to assure players of the payout percentage.
For a Microgaming casino, look for the eCogra (e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) seal near or at the bottom of the casino’s web page. Click on it and an eCogra certificate should pop up. These are the most comprehensive payout percentages available and as of mid April are listing percentages for the month of January this year. Individual Microgaming casinos are not allowed to adjust paytables, and these numbers can be trusted 100%.
For Real Time Gaming (RTG) casinos look for the TST (Technical Systems Testing) logo on the bottom of a page. Some casinos will list the most recent reports, others only assure you that that their RNG has been certified. Contact customer service with any questions. Individual RTG casinos can adjust the paytables on slots and other games system wide, but not while you are playing and not for individual players.
For Vegas Technology (OddsOn) casinos you may have to contact customer service for the latest payout reports. They are audited monthly and carry the Certified Fair Gaming (CFG) seal, so you can be assured that they offer a fair game.
Payout Percentages just part of the Slots Payback
Payout percentages are very important, but the player should keep in mind that they are only part of the picture. Depending on the data available, one month’s audit is not enough to determine a high payback game – several months or even a year worth of data would be helpful. Several other factors come into play, variance not being the least of them. It should be noted that a low variance game will hover closer to the stated percentage and a high variance game will swing wildly above and below the average and thus take longer to ‘settle’ into acceptable standard deviation. This just means that any given player will experience more volatility - big wins, big losses – as the overall numbers ‘smooth out’ to 95% or whatever the stated percentage is.
Find additional information on Las Vegas Slots Payouts, we have a list of popular Las Vegas casinos and their slots payout percentages.