RTP and Volatility Explained
What RTP and volatility mean on a casino game, how the house edge works, and why two slots with the same RTP can feel completely different.
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About this video: RTP and Volatility Explained
RTP and Volatility Explained covers the two numbers that describe how a casino game behaves, and what they mean for your session.
First, the video explains RTP, or return to player. A 96% slot pays back £96 for every £100 staked, on average, across millions of spins. The rest is the house edge, so on that slot you should expect to lose about 4p for every pound you stake over time. However, RTP is a long-term average, so a single session can go either way.
Next, it explains volatility, which describes how the RTP is paid out. Low-volatility slots pay small wins often, whereas high-volatility slots pay rarely but can pay big.
Finally, it shows where to find a game’s RTP. UK-licensed casinos must publish it, usually in the game’s info or help screen. Also, some games come in several RTP versions, so check the one you’re playing.
However, rules and offers change. For that reason, we check every video against the Gambling Commission and other official sources. In fact, we last checked this one on 13 October 2026.
Read the transcript
Two numbers describe how a casino game behaves: RTP, and volatility. Here’s what they mean.
RTP, or return to player, is the share of all money staked that a game pays back over a very long run. A 96% slot pays back £96 for every £100 staked, on average, across millions of spins.
The rest is the house edge: 100%, minus the RTP. On a 96% slot, that’s 4%: what you should expect to lose, on average, for every pound you stake.
In a single session, though, anything can happen. RTP is a long-term average, not a promise.
Volatility describes how that RTP is paid out. Low-volatility games pay small wins often. High-volatility games pay rarely, but can pay big.
Picture two slots, both at 96%. On the low-volatility one, a hundred 10p spins might finish with around £8 to £11 of your £10. On the high-volatility one, you might see nothing for 80 spins, then a single £25 win. Or no big win at all.
UK-licensed casinos must publish game RTPs, usually in the game’s info or help screen. Some games come in several RTP versions, so check the one you’re playing.
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