You will often hear talk of the ‘house edge’ when it comes to casinos, and RTP – Return to Player – is how to know exactly how big or small that edge is for a specific game. Players don’t have too much influence over how most online casino games play out, but knowing the return to player of a game allows you to make an educated decision on which game to play.
What does Return to Player Mean?
Return to Player (RTP) is a term which describes the percentage of total bets that a casino game is expected to return to players over a long period. For example, if a slot game has an RTP of 95%, it means that, on average, for every GC100 wagered, the game will return GC95 to players. The remaining GC5 represents the house edge, which is the profit margin for the casino. Now this doesn’t mean that playing a casino game means you will definitely lose! The RTP is calculated over millions of plays, so it is quite possible to get big wins in the shorter term. If you do plan to play the same slot for a couple million spins then you can expect your overall returns to match the RTP percentage.
So while RTP is not a prediction of how much you will win from playing a game, it can give you a useful guide as to how player-friendly a particular casino game is.
How Can I Find the RTP of a Game?
Now that we understand that knowing the RTP of a game can be a useful piece of information for players, how can we find that magic number? The easiest way is simply to enter the name of the game plus RTP – for example a search for ‘Big Bass Splash RTP’ will quickly reveal that this game has a return to player of 96.71%. To make sure this number is correct, you could check out the developer of the game – Pragmatic Play in this case – to confirm the information on their site. Some games have a range of RTP percentages, meaning individual online casinos can select a number between this range. To know for sure the RTP of the game version you are playing, click the ‘i’ symbol on the game screen and you should be able to find this information among the game rules.
Slot Games with the Highest RTPs
We have picked out five online slots which are known for having the highest RTPs, giving players the best chance of claiming a win. As a general rule, a slot game with high RTP is a great option for playing through a bonus award, so if you see any of these on your chosen casino then you should certainly give them a spin. Now you won’t always find these slots on every casino, so if they are not available then try to pick out a slot with an RTP which is close to or higher than 97%.
1. Ugga Bugga by Playtech
- RTP: 99.07%
- Description: Ugga Bugga is a unique slot game with a tribal theme, and the game looks a little dated in more ways than one for the modern player. For that reason it is not available on too many online casinos these days but it is hard to beat in terms of the return to player.
2. Mega Joker by NetEnt
- RTP: 99.00% (when playing in Supermeter mode)
- Description: This classic fruit machine-style slot offers a progressive jackpot and a Supermeter mode where players can risk more in the hope of higher returns.
3. Ooh Aah Dracula by Barcrest
- RTP: 99.00% (when using the Big Bet feature)
- Description: This vampire-themed slot offers regular and Big Bet modes, with the latter significantly boosting the Return to Player.
4. 1429 Uncharted Seas by Thunderkick
- RTP: 98.60%
- Description: Thunderkick have been responsible for some visually stunning slot games, and Uncharted Seas stands out on this list in terms of the sophistication of its visuals. Combine that beautifully rendered maritime theme with such a high RTP and you have a strong contender.
5. Blood Suckers by NetEnt
- RTP: 98.00%
- Description: This is one of the most popular online slots of all time, and not just because of that generous house margin. There are two separate bonus games to enjoy and they are triggered reasonably regularly, making Blood Suckers a lot of fun to play.
Casino Table Games Rated by RTP
There are a lot of casino games besides slots, and all of these have their own return to player as well. This can vary within game types – for example European Roulette has a higher RTP than American Roulette – so we are going to pick out the varieties of the games in question with the lowest house edge.
Blackjack (Single Deck) – 99.5%
Blackjack has the highest RTP available at the casino with a mightily impressive 99.5%. There is a slight catch though, in that this assumes the player is using ‘optimal strategy’ to max out their chance of winning, so you should always study the best plays to make in blackjack as this is a game where strategy can really impact your results.
Baccarat – 98.94%
Baccarat may be less familiar to casino players than classics like blackjack or roulette, but as you can see from this sky-high RTP it is worth checking out. When playing online it is an extremely simple game to play as you are simply betting either on Banker, Player or a Tie. The best odds of success, and the highest RTP, comes when you back the Banker to win.
Craps – 98.64%
Craps is one of the most entertaining games to play at a bricks-and-mortar casino, even though its complex scoring system can be off-putting to newbies. Luckily players can go for the simple Pass Line bet to take advantage of this high RTP.
Pai Gow Poker – 97.5%
Another less familiar game to many online players, but if this option is available then it is one of the best choices to make for poker fans. Create two hands – one with five cards, the other with two – that both need to beat the dealer.
European Roulette – 97.3%
Go for a ’50-50′ option like Red or Black, Odds or Even, and you can take advantage of this generous Return to Players. Of course the presence of the green Zero pocket means that choosing red or black is not quite fifty-fifty, but as you can see it’s pretty close. American Roulette games have an extra double-zero on the wheel which lowers that RTP.
Hopefully the advice on this page will help you out next time you log in to your favorite online casino. Make sure to check out that RTP before you start spinning or dealing and it could really boost your chances of landing a win!
