RTP in one example
A slot with a 96% RTP pays back 96 for every 100 wagered, averaged across millions of spins. The house keeps the other 4. That's the house edge, and it applies to every spin you make.
Volatility in one example
Two games can both be 96%. One pays a little on many spins. The other pays nothing for long stretches, then pays a lot. Same average, two different sessions.
RTP and volatility side by side
| What it measures | What it tells you | |
|---|---|---|
| RTP | Long-run average return | How much the house keeps over time |
| House edge | 100% minus RTP | Your expected cost per unit bet |
| Volatility | Spread of results | How bumpy a session will feel |
Short sessions
Over a few hundred spins, results swing widely. You might be well up or well down. That's variance. The game itself hasn't changed.
Where to use this
Pick games on our slots hub, compare high-volatility slots, or see how Stake Originals show their figures.
Where the house edge comes from
A slot's paytable and reel layout are set so that, across a huge number of spins, it pays back a bit less than it takes in. That gap is the house edge. Nobody adjusts it while you play. It's baked into the game's design and tested before release. On Stake, the RTP shown in the info panel is the version the casino runs, and studios often make several versions of the same game.
The edge applies to every bet. It doesn't wait until you've played for an hour. A single spin has the same expected cost as the spin before it.
A worked example of expected cost
Say you bet 1 unit a spin on a slot with a 96% RTP, and you play 500 spins. You've wagered 500 units in total. The expected cost is 4% of that, or 20 units. That's the long-run average, not a prediction. Your real result could be a lot better or a lot worse, and on a high-volatility slot it usually lands far from the average in one direction or the other.
Now do the same with a 94% RTP version of the same game. The expected cost rises to 30 units. Same game, same spins, a different version chosen by the casino. That's why the version on Stake matters more than a figure on a studio's website. These numbers are examples only, so check the real figure in the game.
Expected cost on 500 spins at 1 unit (examples only)
| RTP | Total wagered | Expected cost |
|---|---|---|
| 97% | 500 | 15 |
| 96% | 500 | 20 |
| 94% | 500 | 30 |
What volatility looks like in a session
Picture two slots with the same RTP. On the low-volatility one, you might see a small win every few spins and your balance drifts down slowly. On the high-volatility one, you might go a hundred spins with almost nothing, then hit a feature that pays a large multiple of your bet, or never hit it at all before your budget runs out.
Studios describe volatility in words or with a scale, and some info panels show it. It's a description of shape, not a fixed number like RTP. Our high-volatility slots guide shows which games sit at the extreme end.
Bet size, budget and how long it lasts
The easiest lever you control is bet size. Divide your session budget by your bet to see how many spins you can afford. On a low-volatility game, 200 spins might give you a long, steady session. On a high-volatility game, the same 200 spins may not be enough to see a feature at all. If the count is small, lower the bet or choose a gentler game.
Common myths
- "It's due." Spins are independent. A losing run doesn't raise the chance of a win.
- "Higher bets get a better RTP." On most slots, the RTP is the same at every bet size. Check the info panel for exceptions.
- "Bonus buys are better value." A buy can carry a slightly different RTP, higher or lower, but it always concentrates the swings into one large bet.
- "Max win tells you the potential." The max win is a cap. The chance of hitting it is tiny.
Originals and table games
Stake Originals let you set your own win chance, which makes the trade between chance and payout easy to see. Check each game's panel for its house edge. The edge still works the same way. Live tables work differently again, because your choices matter in games like blackjack. Our live casino section covers those.
Gambling can be addictive. Treat every bet as money you can lose, and if the math here stops feeling like information and starts feeling like a plan to win back losses, look at our responsible gambling page. 18+ only, or the higher legal age where you live. Stake.com doesn't accept players from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ontario, or the other places on its prohibited list. The availability page has the current picture.
How to use this when picking a game
Start with your budget and how long you want to play. If you want a long session, pick a lower bet and a game rated lower in volatility, then check its RTP on Stake. If you're after a rare large feature, accept that the session may end quickly and size your bet so you're comfortable losing all of it. Either way, compare RTPs only between versions you've checked yourself, on the same day, inside the game.
FAQ
Is there a way around the house edge?
No. Over time it applies in every casino game, and no betting system changes it.
Is a 99% RTP game better?
It costs less on average. It can still drain a budget.
Where do I find a game's RTP?
In its info panel on Stake.
Does RTP change with bet size?
Usually not on slots. A few games differ, so read the info panel.
Why did I lose more than the RTP suggests?
RTP is a long-run average. Short sessions swing widely, especially on high-volatility games.