Fri. Feb 12th, 2021

What percentage should a slot machine payout?

The payout percentage of slot machines is expressed as a percentage. This percentage shows what proportion of bets casino players win on average over many games. It is not a value per hour, but a mathematical value that refers to a purely theoretical number of an infinite number of rounds of play. A spin or a few rounds of play can vary significantly from this.

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According to the State Gambling Treaty, there are no legal regulations on how high payout quotas should be. However, the international slot machine market has long had a customary payout ratio. This differs slightly depending on the country in which the supplier has to pay taxes.

A software provider from a country where the company pays high taxes on gambling profits can of course only offer slightly lower payout ratios. This immediately explains why a slot machine from an operator in German restaurants or providers such as Merkur Gaming or Novomatic always has lower payout rates.

How to calculate the payout percentage in slot machines

The payout ratio is calculated by the payout minus the deposits. In the long run, the player will always lose on slot machines. Because otherwise the casino would not make a profit from the slot machine and could not cover the costs of either the slot machines or the company. The percentage is always below 100%.

A payout ratio of 98% only means that 98 euros from a bet of 100 euros will eventually be won by the player. Therefore, the payout rate is also known worldwide as the "Return to Player". This is abbreviated as RTP. Although it says something about the probability of winning, it has nothing to do with the percentage chance of winning.

In a game with an equal number of red and black cards, the chance of guessing whether a red or black card will be drawn next is 50%. However, the RTP in this game will be 100%. Therefore, in the casino, the operator would remove a red or black card from the deck to gain an advantage in the house, not to lose. Therefore, do not confuse these two terms because a 98% payout ratio does not mean that the chances of winning the game are 98%.

Here the player finds the payout percentage of video slots

The player should not calculate the payout ratio on his own, as special companies are responsible for this, which we will briefly discuss in the next section. At best, the payout percentage is displayed in the instructions for the game. Especially in new German casinos, the display of the payout ratio is now mandatory, for example, a button to pause the game. As a rule, this is either directly on the game banner of the slot machine or in the instructions mostly at the end.

The odds are sometimes also displayed in a table where the payouts are indicated. If the slot machine does not show the payout percentage at all, only a search on the software provider's website will help. NetEnt, like many other manufacturers, displays the return to the player for each slot machine on the main page.

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Who checks the payout percentage in online casinos

There are several ways to properly check the payout percentage of online slots in gambling. But one thing is always the same: the slot machine software studio should never conduct the test itself. All online slots for real money in arcades should be tested by independent testing laboratories, such as zimplercasinon.net. 

They allow the game on the slot machine to run automatically countless times, just like on a gaming device. For each spin, the result is recorded and the odds are calculated from the average value. Such verification is mandatory for obtaining a gambling license. Examples of such test seals:

  • eCOGRA
  • THE
  • BMM Testlabs
  • iTech Labs

Slot machines with the highest payout ratio

If you are looking for the highest RTP online casino slots, check out the list below. These machines currently offer the highest payout rates in online casinos:

  • Book of 99 by Relax Gaming, 99%.
  • Mega Joker by NetEnt, 99
  • Thrones of Persia by Tom Horn Gaming, 98.83
  • 1429 Uncharted Seas from Thunderkick, 98.5%.

Conclusion about the percentage of payments in slot machines

This article should have made it clear to every reader that the law does not require a minimum payout percentage, although the new slot machine law regulates many other points. Jackpots and taxes reduce the payout percentage. Playing slots with high RTP does not guarantee wins per game. Most slots have a payout percentage of 96% or more. In German casino winnings and odds are lower than in other countries because casinos have to pay more money in taxes to the state.

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