What is a good RTP for slots? Where 96%, 97% and 94% stand
A good RTP for an online slot is 96.5% or greater. A game with an RTP of 96% is average, 97% is rare, and anything under 94% is almost always a lowered version of a game that pays more elsewhere.
Those numbers are taken from the studios' own figures for 2,466 slots in our RTP finder. Here is where any given number stands compared to the rest, and why the version matters more than the game.
By Owen Sheridan · Updated
What is a good RTP for slots?
Take the highest published figure for each of the 2,466 slots. Half pay back more than 96.13% and half less. That is the middle of the market.
96% is not a selling point. About four out of five slots reach 96% RTP. 96.5% puts a slot in the top 28% and 97% in the top 6%.
One of the few slots in the top 6% is Quickspin's Big Bad Wolf, which comes in its top version at 97.34% RTP and has rules that write the figure with a comma as "Theoretical payout is 97,34%".
You can search for any slot and check its top version in the RTP finder.
A scale for slot RTP
Where a figure from the game's rules stands among the top versions of 2,466 slots:
| RTP in the rules | Slots | Share | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97% and above | 153 | 6.2% | Excellent; ten reach 98%+, led by Mega Joker at 99% |
| 96.5% to 97% | 537 | 21.8% | Good |
| 96% to 96.5% | 1,278 | 51.8% | Typical |
| 94% to 96% | 493 | 20.0% | Below average |
| Under 94% | 5 | 0.2% | Almost always a lowered version |
Why a good RTP for slots depends on the version
1,492 of the 2,466 slots also come in lower versions. Their lowest versions have a typical RTP of 92.03% and 813 of them come in versions that have an RTP below 94%.
That changes how to read a low figure. If a slot's rules show 92%, the game is very rarely built that low. More likely the casino picked a lower version of a game that runs at 96% or more elsewhere.
Big Bad Wolf is an example. It is 97.34% at HellSpin and 90.01% at 7Bit. Casinos that run the top versions: best payout online casinos.
Why studios make several versions: slot RTP versions.
| Top versions | Lowest versions | |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 2,466 | 1,492 |
| Typical RTP | 96.13% | 92.03% |
| Below 94% | 5 | 813 |
| Lowest found | 90.17% | 84% |
What a good RTP for slots saves you
A good or typical RTP isn't that far apart. Over the long haul it makes a big difference.
On €2,000 of spins, a 97% RTP slot on average keeps €60, a 96.13% slot €77.40, and a 92.03% slot €159.40. Same play, about twice the cost at the bottom.
The same gap as the casino's share: house edge vs RTP.
Average kept on €2,000 of spins
- 97% · excellent€60.00
- 96.13% · typical top version€77.40
- 92.03% · typical lowest version€159.40
Averages based on many spins. One session can end way above or way below them.
A good RTP for slots is not the only number
RTP sets your average cost. It does not say how often a slot pays, how big its top prize is, or how volatile it is.
UK land based machines are a different market. The Gambling Commission says there is no minimum RTP on a gaming machine, and the RTP is an average over many games, not a promise for a single session.
Swings and RTP: RTP vs volatility.
The Commission's guide: Return to player on gaming machines.
- Check the version
Look in the rules to find the RTP, and see how it stacks up to the studio's best version.
- Aim for 96.5% or more
Among games you like, the top 28% is fair.
- Then pick the casino
Play where that top version runs.
What is a good RTP for slots? FAQ
What is a good RTP for slots?
96.5% or higher. Across 2,466 slots the typical top version pays 96.13%; 96.5% is the top 28% and 97% the top 6%.
Is 96% RTP good?
It is typical. Four in five slots reach 96% in their top version. It's more of the norm than the exception.
What is the highest RTP slot?
Of the 2,466 slots in our finder, NetEnt's Mega Joker is the highest at 99%. Only ten slots reach 98% or higher in their top version.
Is 94% RTP bad for a slot?
Below average. Under 94% is almost always a lowered version; only 5 slots overall have a top version this low.
Why does the same slot have a different RTP at another casino?
Many slots are offered in multiple versions, and each casino picks one. As a result, the payout can be different for the same game at different casinos. Big Bad Wolf is offered at HellSpin at 97.34%, and at 7Bit at 90.01%.
Which casinos run the top RTP versions?
Check out our best payout online casinos ranking: it shows which of the ten casinos we review have the top version of each slot checked.