Volatility is an important term to be familiar with when it comes to online slots. In its simplest form, volatility, also known as variance, measures the risk and reward associated with a particular slot game and determines how often you can expect to win and the size of those wins. This allows you to personalise your gaming experience a little more by selecting slots that suit your budget and game play style, filtering it to suit you before choosing a slot game. Our experts at Ace Alliance will also share their tips on how you can choose the right slot games in terms of their volatility.
Types of Volatility for Slot Machines
Understanding volatility levels and their meaning can help you choose a slot game that suits your budget and increases your chances of winning. High volatility slots are known for their potential to deliver big payouts, though wins tend to be less frequent. On the other hand, low volatility slots provide more consistent wins, but the payouts are usually smaller.
Low volatility slots are suitable for risk-averse, cautious players, while high volatility is exciting for those looking for significant wins. Knowing this can help you strategise and select games that suit your risk tolerance and gaming preferences.
Highly Volatile Slots
Higher volatility slots at online casinos offer a lower payout frequency compared to low and medium-volatility online games. The counterpoint to the lower payout frequency is that, once you do land a win, its average value tends to be higher than other types of online slots.
However, as logic implies with these games, players spinning the reels of high variance slots can go to extended periods without a single payout. For that reason, such games may not be best-suited for newbies or players on a budget. The thrills of chasing big wins over a prolonged period makes high-volatility games better-suited for high-rollers.
Medium Volatility Slots
Medium variance slots stand right in between low and high volatility games, which makes them highly coveted and sought-after in the gambling world. Their structure allows players to look forward to more frequent wins than high volatility slots – which will be much bigger than low-variance games can offer.
Players who are looking for a fun gambling experience with a solid theoretical chance to land significant wins should be on the lookout for medium-variance slots. Medium volatility slots are perfect for those looking for a balanced gaming experience, offering an exciting mix of frequent payouts and reasonable risk.
Note that games with a medium slot machine volatility are further categorised into two distinct sub-categories, which just further cement their place as highly popular in the gambling community:
- Medium-High Volatility Slots: This variance in slot games refers to the fine balance between larger payouts and a higher frequency of wins. This way, they are akin to high-variance games than medium-volatility ones.
- Low-Medium Volatility Slots: Modern slot machines in this category may be more suited to players on a more restricted budget or newbies in the gambling industry. Compared to standard low volatility slots, these titles can come with a bit more frequent payouts – but they are still smaller wins.
Slots with Low Volatility
Finally, low-volatility games are the complete antithesis of high variance games in terms of the average payout frequency. These games will pay more often, but don’t expect jaw-dropping wins. That is the reason why we don’t suggest high-rollers spending any time with these titles, as they probably won’t offer them the thrills and high potential payouts they seek.
Coupled with the fact that playing slots on the lower volatility spectrum will probably mean a prolonged bankroll, it is easy to conclude that such games are more suited for newbies in the online gambling industry.
How to Identify a Slot’s Volatility Before You Play
The most prominent game providers in the industry will often indicate the volatility of a slot game either in its product sheet or in the game’s information tab itself. Nevertheless, there are instances where the provider won’t disclose such information, but you will be happy to know that you can manually check the volatility index yourself:
- Check Out Its Maximum Win: For starters, you will be wise to check out the maximum potential payout of game which will be a great indicator of its volatility. For example, Startburst, as a low volatility slot, has a max payout of 500x, while Book of Dead – a high variance game, has a max payout of 5,000x.
- Discover The Highest Bet: Although high-volatility slots can potentially help you land big wins, the maximum stakes on such games are usually quite low.
- Symbol Payouts: On average, low and medium volatility online slot games will award payouts for 3, 4, or 5 matching symbols, for which the top prizes can vary between 3 and 5 times your bet, so this is a good starting point.
What is the Relationship Between RTP & Slots Volatility
In addition to volatility, all online casino players need to consider the RTP, also known as the Return to Player, before trying out any slot machine for real money. The RTP is a metric used to determine how much money you can expect in return for your bets. An example would make this much clearer – the average RTP in today’s online gambling world is 96%, so a slot game with that percentage will indicate that for every €100 you wager, you can expect €96 to be returned to you.
It is very important that you make a clear distinction between RTP and volatility, as the former encompasses a more long-term approach towards playing the game, while volatility is crucial for determining the outcomes for each game round separately.
The Intersection Between RTP and Volatility
When deciding which online slot machine to play, it is crucial you use both the RTP and volatility values to know what you can expect from the game. For example, if an online slot game has an RTP of 97% and a low volatility index, then you know that you can expect more frequent wins and the high RTP further complements that. Conversely, a game with both high RTP and high volatility illustrates that you might get high returns in the long term, but the frequency of the wins will be much lower.
Just remember that volatility and RTP are just theoretical values. Regardless of how big the RTP may seem, you may still endure tough gambling patches with long losing streaks, so make sure to gamble responsibly and within your limits.
Choosing Slots Based on Volatility
Selecting the ideal slot based on the volatility level will depend on your gaming preferences, risk tolerance and wallet size. Here are a few useful tips you must remember when looking at your next gambling venture with slots:
- Assess your goals – Determine whether you are suited for prolonged gameplay in low-volatility slots or if you are willing to take more risks for a chance of big jackpot wins in high-volatility slot machines.
- Analyse your bankroll – Risk tolerance aside, you need to have realistic expectations on how much you can afford to spend playing an online slot game.
Can I Adjust My Own Volatility Level?
Besides the rich repertoire of games with varying levels of volatility settings, some providers also allow operators to modify the variance for certain games. Wazdan’s Volatility Levels feature is a great example for that.
It allows casino managers the opportunity to set default volatility levels for players. As such, high-rollers can expect a product with high volatility, while recreational players will get the same product, but with low volatility – all handled in cooperation between casino managers and the supplier itself.
Conclusion
Finding the best volatility online slot game depends on your personal preferences and the size of your bankroll. Choosing the right slot requires you to understand the nature of volatility and how it applies to online casino gaming. Knowledge is the key to making better-informed decisions, and that is where we at Ace Alliance come in. Through our in-depth guides on games, casinos and the latest trends in the gaming industry, we have done the necessary legwork for you, so you can always refer to our insights for your next gambling steps.