Best Payout Online Slots by Region: Complete Guide with Tips
Return to Player (RTP) is a key concept in online gambling, representing the percentage of wagered money that a game is expected to return to players over time. For players looking to maximize their chances of winning, understanding RTP is essential.
Generally, slots with higher RTP percentages are more likely to offer better payouts. However, RTP isn’t the only factor influencing a game’s overall payout potential. Elements such as game features, volatility, hit frequency, and even a player's country of residence also play significant roles.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to the best payout slots by region, helping players find the most rewarding games tailored to their preferences.
What is the Return to Player Percentage?
Return to player percentage or payout percentage represents the expected payout, which is typically determined by game developers through theoretical or simulated evaluations based on possible combinations and the game's payout structure.
For example, a game with a 95% RTP meansplayers can expect to get back 95% of their wagers over extended gameplay, on average. The remaining 5% represents the house edge or profit for the casino.
However, players must know that RTP is calculated as an average across many plays, not on each spin or game session. It is based on a significant number of game rounds, often in the range of tens or hundreds of thousands of spins.
While RTP provides a general idea of what a player might expect, it’s important to note that short-term results can vary, as outcomes are generated using a Random Number Generator (RNG), introducing an element of unpredictability.
The example mentioned above, 95%, represents an average return to player percentage, and that’s where most of the games belong. If a game includes a return to player percentage of 97% or higher, then we can label it as a high RTP slot.
Here are some of the most generous slot games, in terms of RTP:
- Book of 99 by Relax Gaming - 99%
- Ugga Bugga by Playtech- 98.74%
- ChessMate by MultiSlot- 98.72%
- 1429 Uncharted Seas by Thunderkick - 98.50%
- Classic Cinema by MultiSlot - 98.47%
Although there is no minimum RTP requirement for online games, casinos that reduce RTP may risk losing players, as lower RTP reduces the player's potential edge. For traditional casino games like roulette or blackjack, the house holds an advantage, and their RTP is influenced by the house edge.
Are RTP and House Edge the Same?
When talking about how a game works from a financial perspective, you will notice that some players take house edge (HE) to evaluate whether it’s worth trying or not.
You have surely heard the phrase ‘the house always wins’, haven’t you? It aims to let players know that they are always at a disadvantage when playing in a casino and risking their stake when betting against ‘the house’. While part of that phrase may be true, certain things affect the outcome, and if used wisely, can turn the situation in the player’s favor.
We’ve already explained that RTP represents the percentage of total money wagered in a game that is expected to be returned to players over time. The house edge, on the other hand, is the casino’s built-in mathematical advantage. It indicates the average percentage of each bet that the casino keeps as profit over time.
If you want an even simpler explanation, you can simply think of the house edge as the opposite of the return to player percentage. RTP is the percentage of every dollar returned to the player, whereas the house edge represents the percentage of every dollar wagered that the casino will win in the long run.
For example, if a game has a house edge of 5%, the RTP would be 95%. Over the long run, players can expect to win back 95% of their wagers, while the casino retains the remaining 5%.
Both RTP and house edge can vary across different games. For example, in games like Blackjack or Texas Hold'em, players can influence the house edge through strategy, whereas in games like slots, the house edge is typically embedded in the game’s software.
To maximize their chances, players should look for games with lower house edges and higher RTP percentages, as these offer a better overall payout rate.
Explaining the Difference Between RTP and Variance/ Volatility
When talking about slot games, return to player percentage is not the only term you’ll hear among players. They also mention variance/ volatility. Although a vast majority of consumers use these terms interchangeably, there are slight differences between them.
Volatility, which is calculated over a shorter period of time, indicates how often a consumer will win and how large those wins will be. It can be low, medium, and high. Low-volatility slots produce smaller but more frequent wins, while high-volatility slots pay out less often but when they do, they deliver bigger prizes.
As for the variance, it represents a deviation of payouts over a longer period of time. It is expressed as low, medium, and high. Technically speaking, we could say that variance represents a type of long-term application of volatility, which is why, as mentioned earlier, these two terms are often used as synonyms.
Now, when it comes to the difference between RTP percentage and volatility, things are quite simple. Return to player percentage tells players how large a potential theoretical payout would be, whereas volatility dictates how often the winning combinations would occur.
Here’s a practical example to illustrate this:
- 89% RTP VS 98% RTP, both slots have low volatility
With both games, payouts would happen often but wouldn’t be large, because of lower volatility. However, a higher RTP slot would produce higher payouts due to a higher return to player percentage.
- 89% RTP VS 98% RTP, both slots have high volatility
In this case, both slots would deliver less frequent wins, but the amounts would be bigger. Just like in the previous example, a slot with a higher return to player percentage would grant bigger winnings, than a low RTP one.
What Are the Advantages of Best RTP Slots by Countries?
Each player has different preferences, skill levels, and what’s also important, budget sizes, and all those factors affect the selection procedure. Another aspect, which also impacts the selection procedure is the country of residence.
You see, some content providers create games that can be distributed all over the world, while others impose restrictions on where their content can be accessed from. For example, when checking a casino’s footer, players can spot hundreds of studios such as NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Red Tiger, Yggdrasil, BGaming, BetSoft, and so on, but when trying to actually access the lobby, you realize that you can play games from selected few suppliers.
NetEnt, for example, has numerous restrictions, especially on its branded games, whereas Belatra, Mascot Gaming, Platipus, and Realtime Gaming/ RTG, have no known restrictions.
The reason we decided to compile the list of best payout slots by country is to help players find some great games to explore without spending hours and hours checking whether they can access the game at all. By accessing the dedicated country page, players will be given an insightful guide on the best RTP slots for that country, including tons of cool tips.
Speaking of the selection procedure, we know that it can sometimes be daunting, but worry not, just keep reading to find out…
What to Take into Account When Selecting Best RTP Slots?
As mentioned earlier, RTP is not the only component players should rely on when selecting a game to play. A game is much more than just a bunch of numbers one should blindly follow.
Yes, it is important to be aware of the potential payout a game has, but remember that it’s determined in the long-term period. So, to secure maximally entertaining gaming sessions, focus on what matters in the short term.
Depending on whether you prefer smaller but more frequent payouts or less often but solid payouts, you should analyze the volatility of a game. That, in combination with the return percentage, can help you evaluate whether a certain release meets your expectations.
Then, there’s hit frequency, which dictates how often winning combinations will appear in a game. For example, if a game has a hit frequency of 45, it means that out of 100 rounds, 45 will deliver some sort of payout.
Moreover, features can also impact the payout of a game. Most commonly, slots with a wide variety of features such as wild symbols, multipliers, FS, and bonus missions, offer lower base payouts but have greater potential for massive, jackpot-style wins. Simple games deliver frequent but not as large payouts.
The budget a player has also dictates which games will end up on the “must explore” list. If they have unlimited funds to play with, they won’t bother analyzing this, but if their gambling budget is not as sizable, they will focus on games that offer lower denominations. While that may secure longer playing sessions, decreasing the denomination will also result in declined RTP.
Finally, the visual aspect of a game matters as well. Some players prefer vintage and retro games, the others seek more cinematic experience. Luckily, game studios nowadays don't lack creativity, so finding the one that fits the description shouldn’t be complicated.
Now that you know what it takes to select the right game, all there’s left to say is, enjoy spinning the reels of best payout slots by country & gamble responsibly!