Decoding Slot Machine Odds: Unveiling Your Winning Chances
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When it comes to casino games, we all like to hope we’ll win big – but the reality is many real cash slots are much more unpredictable than this. Nevertheless, each slot will have an average winnings figure, which is generally known as the “Return to Player” (otherwise abbreviated to RTP). This highlights how much the average stake will win.
However, there’s a very stark difference between probability and actual winnings. Thus, today’s guide outlined some of the key things you need to know about real cash slots odds to help you understand your chances of winning.
Decoding Slot Machine Odds: How RTP Works
First, we need to look a little closer into what the RTP actually is. The “return to player” is generally given as a percentage, usually between 90% and 95% for most slot games. In other words, on average, for every $1 staked, a player will win around $0.90 to $0.95.
However, this is only an average; of course, the winnings could vary anywhere between no win and – depending on the max win – thousands. This is generally based on a second factor: volatility.
Understanding Volatility
Volatility measures the chance of a winning set of reels landing successfully. It also usually defines how much a win will be worth – as not all real cash slots will pay out the same amount for a high-value reel arrangement!
Volatility levels typically range between low and high, with low volatility slots paying out much more often. As such, there’s a much higher chance of winning something with a low volatility slot – but the prizes will often be smaller (usually between 10% and 200% of your staked amount).
Meanwhile, real cash slots with exceptionally high volatility are far more likely not to win anything. But these slots also generally give higher winnings when you land a winning combo – for example, ten or a hundred times payouts are much more likely.
If you’re looking for a slot with a good balance of win frequency and win value, you’ll probably want to look for one with medium volatility. These generally offer the best of both worlds. However, if it’s win frequency you enjoy, a low volatility slot may be more to your preference.
What is the Chance of Winning on Real Cash Slots?
By now, we’ve clarified how RTP and volatility can influence your chance of winning – and now, we can look at the overall chance of winning on a slot machine. Of course, this will depend heavily on your choice of slot and its volatility, but most slots will usually pay out – on average – for around one in five or one in four spins.
Of course, in this context, we’re defining a “win” as “any slot spin that returns a portion or more of the player’s stake.” In other words, a win in this context is a winning combination – but this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that the combo will pay more than the stake value.
Again, this is dependent on volatility; for example, low-volatility real cash slots may be more likely to pay out every few spins, while a high-volatility slot could go for ten or twenty spins before landing a winning combo.
How Do The Chances of Winning on a Slot Machine Compare?
Knowing how this compares to many other forms of “chance events” can be very interesting when talking about the chances of winning on a slot machine. If we keep in mind here that the average chance of landing a winning spin on a slot machine is around one in five, this can be substantially higher than many other events of chance. Some rough estimates for the chances of winning in other events include the following:
- European Roulette: One in thirty-five
- Texas Hold-em: One in forty-five
- Poker: One in fifty
- Blackjack: One in fifty
- Craps: One in seventy-five
- Baccarat: One in ninety-five
Of course, all of these figures are just very rough estimates for the average chances of winning on other casino games. It’s also worth noting here that a handful of card games that are played in casinos may not be exclusively based on chance, either; indeed, games such as poker may be based more on tactics and strategy than real cash slots and the like.
In addition to other casino games, there are many other chance events that could also occur if you’re lucky – or unlucky, as the case might be! These include the following events at rough estimates:
- Winning a prize in the Powerball: One in thirty-eight
- Having natural twins: One in two hundred and fifty
- Having your car stolen: One in three-hundred
- Finding a four-leaf clover: One in ten thousand clovers
- Being caught in a plane crash: One in eleven million
- Winning the Lottery: One in three hundred million
Based on the above stats, it’s easy to see that slot games generally have a higher chance of landing a win than other chance games and events. However, it’s still important to remember that there’s no way to guarantee that you’ll win at slot games; after all, it’s still a game of luck and you can try it and play real cash slots here to test out just how lucky (or unlucky) you are.
Final Thoughts
Slot machines can be excellent fun, in many cases – but it’s important to keep in mind here that there’s no sure way to say whether or not you will win with a slot. As such, always make sure you only gamble with money you can afford to lose – and any winnings are a bonus!
Of course, starting out with a legitimate provider of slot games is also important since it’s technically not impossible for unscrupulous individuals to rig slot machines (especially for online real cash slots). In line with this, make sure you choose a trusted provider to ensure the slot is not fake or rigged. If you’re not sure where to start, you can play real cash slots here.
