Is RTP the Same at Every Online Casino?

No, the same game can have a different RTP from one casino to the next, because providers release several certified RTP versions of a single game. Starcasino always shows the exact RTP of the specific game you're playing. So don't go by a game's reputation elsewhere; check the percentage directly in the game info instead.

Does RTP Change While You're Playing?

No, RTP is fixed in advance through simulations run over millions of rounds, and it doesn't change while you're playing. That happens well before the game ever goes live. Your results in a single session can deviate quite a bit from that percentage, but that's down to normal statistical variance, not because the RTP itself shifts.

Does a High RTP Guarantee You'll Win?

No, a high RTP is no guarantee of winning, because it's a statistical average across millions of rounds, not a prediction for your next spin. In a single session, you can just as easily lose on a game with 97% RTP, or win on a game with 92% RTP.

Is RTP the Same as Your Chances of Winning?

No, RTP and your chances of winning are two different concepts: RTP measures the overall return, while hit frequency measures how often a round pays out. A game can have a high RTP and low hit frequency, meaning it pays out rarely but with big wins when it does. Or a game can have a lower RTP with high hit frequency, paying out smaller amounts more often instead. So look at both figures together when choosing a game.

RTP Casino: What Is the Payout Percentage and How Does It Work?

When choosing an RTP casino, you want to know exactly how the payout percentage works, so Starcasino breaks it down clearly below. We cover how RTP is calculated, which percentages count as good, and what the difference is with volatility. By the end of this article, you'll know exactly what to look out for before picking a game.

What Is RTP at an Online Casino?

So what is RTP, exactly? RTP is short for ‘Return to Player’, the theoretical percentage of everything staked that a game pays back to players over the long run. The value is fixed in advance and expressed as a percentage, 96%, for example. The remainder is, in principle, what the provider keeps as margin.

In practical terms, an RTP of 96% at a Dutch online casino means that, over its full lifetime, a game theoretically pays out €96 for every €100 staked. It's one of the first things worth checking before you play with real money. Just bear in mind that it's an average calculated over millions of rounds, not an expectation for a single session. In practice, chance means you can land well above or below that percentage during any given session.

How Is a Game's RTP Calculated?

Digital casino games run on a Random Number Generator (RNG). This system generates a completely random outcome on every spin. To determine a game's casino RTP, developers simulate millions, even billions, of rounds through that RNG.

They then measure the average payout ratio that comes out of it. The resulting percentage is therefore a theoretical figure that's already fixed before a game ever goes live, not something derived from players' own sessions.

Independent testing labs such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs and GLI check and certify these RTP figures as part of a game's approval process. That keeps the process transparent, since the checks are carried out independently of the game developer itself.

That way, you can be sure the published figure is accurate, no matter which provider displays the game. It's that independent seal of approval that sets a trustworthy percentage apart from a loose claim on a game page.

What Counts as a Good RTP?

As a rule of thumb, a payout percentage of 96% or higher is usually considered good, 94% to 96% is average, and anything under 94% is low. Check the RTP of Big Bass Bonanza and you'll see it sits on the high side at 96.71%. A little further on, you'll see that the Crazy Time RTP, by contrast, is only average.

A difference of a few percentage points looks negligible on a single spin. Over thousands of rounds, it adds up considerably. What counts as ‘good’ also depends on the type of game. As we'll cover in more detail later, classic table games and live dealer games typically run on a higher payout percentage than slots.

If you're hunting for the highest RTP slots, pay attention to the exact casino RTP of a specific game. Blindly trusting a provider's or game type's reputation isn't a smart move here.

RTP Versus House Edge

House edge is the flip side of RTP. The calculation is simple: 100% minus the payout percentage. A game with a Return to Player of 96% therefore has a house edge of 4%. Both terms describe exactly the same underlying odds, just from opposite perspectives.

RTP shows the return from the player's point of view. House edge shows the margin from the provider's point of view. Know a game's payout percentage, and you automatically know its house edge too, and vice versa. They're simply two sides of the same coin.

RTP Versus Volatility: The Difference

To fully understand what RTP means, you also need to know about volatility (or variance), since that's a completely different concept. The payout percentage tells you how much comes back over the long run, while volatility tells you how that return is spread out. In other words, the pattern of the payouts.

With low volatility, you tend to win more often, but smaller amounts. With high volatility, you can potentially win much larger amounts, but rarely. Two slots can both have a payout percentage of 96% and still feel completely different to play. One lets you win small amounts often, the other pays out rarely, but relatively big when it does.

The core difference stays simple. RTP answers the question of how much comes back in principle; volatility answers the question of how that return is spread across your session. Together, the two figures give a much fuller picture of what to expect from a game.

RTP by Game Type

With online casino slots, payout percentages vary widely, usually between 92% and 98%, depending on the specific game. Table games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat typically run on a higher RTP of 97% to 99.5%. The rules are fixed, the maths is straightforward, and the volatility is extremely low.

Live casino games usually follow the same rules and payout percentages as their digital equivalent, just with a live dealer. Game shows, on the other hand, are more comparable to slots. Take the RTP of Crazy Time, for example, which ranges from 94.41% to 96.08%.

Where Can You Find a Game's RTP?

You'll normally find a game's payout percentage through the info button in the paytable or game rules. Want to check the RTP of Sweet Bonanza, for example? Just open the paytable and you'll see it's 96.60%.

You'll often also find the percentage on the provider's own game page. But take care there, because providers release slots with several different payout-percentage versions. To make sure the RTP of Gates of Olympus is 96.50% and not 95.50% or 94.50%, check it in your chosen casino. Only then can you be sure you're playing the highest-RTP slots.

Does RTP Matter When Choosing a Casino Game?

How much does RTP actually matter when choosing a casino game? Return to Player is important, but it's not the only factor worth weighing up. Alongside the payout percentage, it's smart to also look at volatility, to get a sense of how the payouts are spread.

Your own budget and playing style come into it too. Choose a trustworthy RTP casino and you know for certain that the percentages you see are accurate. With Gates of Olympus, that means looking for 96.50%.

At Starcasino, we always display the exact, certified percentage for each game. That way, you never have to guess at the right information or get worked up over it, and you can simply treat playing as entertainment.