Players often choose online slots not just for the theme or fancy visuals, but for their underlying stats, especially RTP. And you might be surprised when chatting with a fellow player about your favourite slot to find out they are playing the same game at another licensed casino, yet with a different RTP.
It sounds odd, but it’s not unusual at all. Most regulated casino providers publish detailed information about each game’s mechanics and performance. Take a closer look at some releases from Play’n GO, Pragmatic Play or NetEnt, and you’ll notice that certain titles are launched in several versions. Why? The answer to the question is more complex than you might think.
What is RTP?
For the uninitiated, RTP stands for Return to Player rate. It is a percentage of their total stakes that a player can expect to get back over a very long period of play, e.g. an RTP of 96% would indicate that a player can hope to win back 96% of their stakes.
An RTP is calculated over millions of spins of a single slot, so the actual RTP experienced by an individual player can be different from one session to the next – they may enjoy a higher or lower return, such is the unpredictable nature of online slots.
When a developer releases a slot game, they will confirm its RTP. Any casinos that then add this game to their lobby are also legally obliged to publish the details of said RTP to their players.
Same Game, Different RTPs
In the early years of the online gaming boom, a slot game would have a single RTP that was consistent across the board. But in recent years, developers have begun to produce individual slots that have multiple RTP rates, affording casinos the chance to pick the version that they want to carry in their catalogue.
But what’s the real benefit of this for casinos and providers?
- Margin control: Casinos can choose lower RTP versions to slightly increase their returns from the same volume of play.
- Market flexibility: Different RTP settings help meet various regulatory standards across countries.
- Broader appeal: Developers can offer one game that suits both high- and low-margin operators, expanding their client base.
- Bonus integration: Casinos often give free spins as bonuses for specific slots. They might choose a lower RTP version but add free spins to attract players, or go with a higher RTP and no bonus. The reduced RTP helps offset the cost of the promotion while keeping the slot profitable.
- Revenue alignment: Contract terms vary; when income is based on a shared percentage, a lower RTP can benefit both the operator and the provider.
For players, however, the difference is far less noticeable. While a 1–2 % variation in RTP can make a meaningful difference to a casino’s long-term profits, most players won’t feel the effect over a single session or even after hundreds of spins. Very few people play enough rounds in a single game for that difference to show.
Still, the fact remains – over the long run, a higher RTP translates to better value for the player: it gives you a greater chance of keeping your balance alive for longer and getting more play for your money.
Slot Games with Multiple RTPs
Even the most reputable slot developers now release their games with multiple RTP settings. It’s not uncommon for studios like Play’n GO or Pragmatic Play to provide several different versions of the same title so that casinos can choose the one that best suits their market or business model.
Here are a few recent examples:
- Pyramid of Ra by Revolver Gaming — available in RTP configurations of 90%, 92%, 94%, and 96%.
- Legacy of Gems Blitzways by Play’n GO — released with RTP variants of 96.2%, 94.2%, 91.2%, 87.2%, and 84.2%.
- Witch Heart Megaways by Pragmatic Play — offers a default RTP of 96.49%, with two alternative versions of 95.49% and 94.52%.
How to Find the Right Slot for You
For some added context, the RTP range of a slot game can be from 85% to the top-end of around 96%.
In real terms, the difference between those two figures is considerable, so it pays to only access the slots that best suit your individual needs.
As mentioned, licensed casinos have to publish the RTP of each game they offer; they are bound by the terms of their licence agreement to do so.
First things first, players should check the RTP of their preferred slots before they place any wagers. If this information isn’t clearly displayed by the casino within the game’s information screen, you should contact the casino’s customer support.
It’s not a nice feeling to be playing a slot when you think that the RTP is, say, 95% but in actuality it’s 90%. That can have clear ramifications for win frequency, so you may end up playing a game that isn’t suited to your individual preference.
So, you should always make sure you know the exact RTP level before you hit that spin button for the first time.