The Hustler's Digest StaffSlots are the most played game of luck in any online casino. It’s the most popular game for players who gamble both online and in on-the-ground casinos. Slots are a game of chance, and the players can’t affect its outcome.
That’s why it’s so important for players to understand what their chances are and how risky the game is. Volatility is one of the most important terms to learn when it comes to choosing a game of slots. A player should compare how volatile different slots are before choosing which one to play.
What’s Volatility?
Volatility refers to how risky the slots are. The game is based on the random number generator, meaning that the volatility is written in the game’s code. The sites should be honest and transparent about how volatile the game is and what the return to the player rate is.
More volatile casinos are also the ones that pay out more, and less volatile casinos are safer and, therefore, pay less. For players, it’s a matter of balance between the two.
How do you find out how Volatile the Slot is?
There are a few ways to learn about slot volatility before using them. The best slots sites are open and transparent about these matters, as the players need to have all the information they can get before playing. There are also online reviews that go into detail about these things.
Slot gambling sites that are based on blockchain also allow the players to inspect the open code and find out for themselves. Blockchain-based sites are, therefore, more trustworthy than the alternatives, at least for the tech-savvy players who can write code.
High Volatility Slots
Broadly speaking, high volatility slots are the ones that are more risky than the average ones. This means there are longer periods between wins, and the players need a bigger budget to accommodate such a gameplay style. The player with a small budget will run out of funds between infrequent wins.
At the same time, the payouts made from these wins are much higher than the average. It’s a matter of balancing between high risk and high reward, as with any other gambling game. In the long run, however, the return to player rate will always be in favor of the casinos.
Slots such as these also allow the players to adjust the wager size, and there’s usually quite a large range of bets you can try. This means that the players can choose how much they can bet, and with large bets and high payouts, it’s possible to win big if you’re willing to risk it.
High volatility slots usually have exciting bonus features. These come in the form of free spins, multipliers, and bonus rounds. When combined with the other features we mentioned, it leads to rare but huge payouts.
Examples of popular high-volatility slots include games like “Book of Ra,” “Dead or Alive,” “Bonanza,” and “Raging Rhino,” among others.
Medium Volatility Slots
Medium volatility slots are the most common slots out there. They fall somewhere between the high and low volatility slots and provide a balanced distribution of wins. There will be more frequent wins than high-volatility slots, but the payouts will be smaller.
The potential payouts will also range in size. Players can expect payouts within a range depending on the size of their initial bets. The bet size can also vary, as with the high volatility slots, but the range is smaller. The limits are somewhat lower for the largest of bets than they would be for other slots we mentioned.
In most cases, all of the bonus features are available with high-volatility casinos, just with smaller payouts. Bonus features include wilds, free spins, jackpots, and multipliers. These make the games more exciting and add to the overall experience, not just the players’ bottom line.
Examples of medium volatility slots may include titles like “Starburst,” “Gonzo’s Quest,” and “Thunderstruck II.” Medium volatility slots are usually the most popular ones among players as they are in the middle of the road and provide a good balance between the risk and the reward involved.
Low Volatility Slots
Low volatility slots are the least risky ones. They payout the most often compared to all the other slots we mentioned. They are, therefore, best suited to the players who want to avoid risks and play for fun. The payouts from these slots are, therefore, the lowest.
Bet sizes also have a range when it comes to these slots, but they are quite smaller than the average, even on the highest end of things. Therefore, the players can’t expect big payouts, and these slots aren’t made for that in the first place. Novices can also use them to learn how to play the game without the risks involved.
The bonuses and the gameplay are somewhat simpler than with other slots we’ve mentioned. There are still some bonuses, but they are simpler, less diverse, and have smaller payouts. In most cases, there’s only one type of bonus, but it does appear more often.
Examples of low volatility slots include titles like “Starburst,” “Blood Suckers,” and “Mega Joker.” If you’re a relaxed player who doesn’t care about the potential winnings, this is the best slot for you. Moving on to more lucrative ones when you’re ready is always possible.
Slot Bonuses
Slot games offer a variety of different bonuses and multipliers. These are awarded within the game and based on luck just as much as other potential outcomes.
Multipliers are symbols that increase the payout when part of a winning combination. As the multipliers increase, so do the payments. Multipliers can appear as reel symbols or be associated with specific bonus features.
Some slots feature wild symbols with multipliers. When a wild symbol substitutes for other symbols to form a winning combination, it also multiplies the associated payout. There are also free spin multipliers, meaning that all the winnings are multiplied during the free spins.
Some casinos also offer progressive multipliers that get progressively bigger with every win.
All of the bonuses we mentioned exist within the slots with different levels of volatility. They only differ when it comes to the amounts.
The Return to Player Rate
Another important statistic to keep in mind alongside volatility is the return to player rate. It refers to how much of the funds they bet the players get back in the long run. RTP is usually presented as a percentage, always less than 100 percent, as the house always has an edge.
This information is also public; most slot sites are upfront about it. The sites that don’t provide the rate publicly are not to be trusted.
To Sum Up
Slot volatility refers to how risky the slot payments are. Slots with higher volatility offer higher payments, and less risky ones also have lower payments. It’s a matter of balance.
Broadly speaking, there are three types of volatility. Those with high risk and reward also have better bonuses, and those with low risk have the simplest bonuses. Most are in the middle, and they are the most popular among the players.
