Guide to Online Slots Volatility

Slot Volatility: why online pokies variance is so important for your gameplay strategy?

The word volatile as applied to a slot machine simply refers to the amount of danger inherent in a particular game. It is used to explain how much and how often you can hope to win during your game sessions. Some plays can present long dry periods with rare huge wins. Similarly, these games will also feature a large number of significant wins over a short time period. These are classified as high-volatility slots. The same is relevant for low-volatility games. In those kinds of slots, you will achieve winning paylines often, but most often, the payouts will be on the thin side.

Volatility Slots: definition and meaning

The words “volatility” and “variance” both apply to the interaction of different components of the online slots play: the duration of the payouts, the sum paid out and the degree of risk of the game. In this article, you can find the ultimate guide to volatility slots and find out which volatility is better suited to your game style.

If you’ve enjoyed online slots for sure, you’ll note that some slots pay out frequent wins, but many seem to be going through extended dry patches where you don’t win anything at all. It’s not because you hit a lucky spot, or because you’re struggling on your luck, but because of game volatility. 

A high-volatility slot machine can have less payouts, but when they do strike they appear to be very large prizes. Progressive jackpot games are a great example of high-volatility slots. This kind of play doesn’t match all gamers because it takes a lot of endurance and a heavy bankroll to sit through all those blank spins before it reaches a major win. However, high-volatility games typically feature massive jackpots and offer the excitement of competing for lottery-sized incentives. 

Low Volatility Slots are the complete opposite – they pay normal wins on the base game reels, and bonus games are always triggered. Wins on these types of slots appear to be small and sometimes great to keep the bankroll running, but they seldom feature massive jackpots and typically only pay out reasonable sums.

Volatility in a Nutshell

In simple words, volatility states whether the game you want to play is a high risk, medium risk or low risk game. 

Volatility (or variance) indicators will help you to choose the best slots for you and offer a better measure of how much you succeed or fail when playing online slot games. 

If you have a limited budget, you ‘re going to want to play slots that require less risk and you can expand your gameplay with limited but regular wins. 

Alternatively, if you like taking chances and have a bigger budget, you ‘re going to want to play medium to high volatility slots that can yield big wins but at a less regular rate.

Why should you care about volatility?

Volatility may be called a challenge in terms of online pokies and is used to define the ‘risk’ of a slot. When you played slot machines, you can find that some games frequently pay for winning, but some seem to be going through lengthy dry patches if you don’t win something. That’s not because you hit a lucky spot or your luck but because you are volatile.

Choose you perfect volatility

Although it might not be so smart to select slots depending on their name, vendor, style and color scheme. 

We have put together a simple table below to get the best results, where we listed each volatility type slot when you should be playing to make as much as you can from online pokies.

How to Determine Volatility

While casino game developers typically do not provide players with details on the volatility of a slot, there are several ways to calculate the volatility of a slot. 

The first option we consider is to pick the slots from lists above. 

Another approach is to take a look at the disparity between the payout of four equal symbols on a payline vs the payout of five symbols on a payline. If the payout difference is 3 to 5 times the sum, a low-vary slot between 5-10 times a medium would most likely be a high-variable slot between 10 and 15 times. 

Ultimately, to assess the volatility of any online casino game, the easiest and most reliable way: to play! The longer you spend with a slot, the easier it will be to calculate the time and size of any win. The higher you have to expect winning, the bigger it is, the unpredictable is the slot. 

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Online slot machine volatility calculation

If you know the frequency and odds of symbol variations or meaning assigned to them, you can measure a slot machine variance in general. In practice, the exact variance of the slot involves some mathematical operations. 

Gambling machines have a volatility index rate that shows how unpredictable the slot is, but slot developers are not prepared to disclose this sort of detail. Although the estimates can often be found on the official PAR sheets (Program Accounting Report). 

As a gambler, though, you should look at a few reasons to see how variable the game you want to perform is. 

• The paytable can be an outstanding instrument for the volatility of the slot. See the distinction between four symbols of the kind and five symbols of the same kind in each section. If you see 4 symbols for a certain payment that are comparatively tiny when 5 of a kind are paying a lot more out (10 to 15x). If the spacing of 3, 4 and 5 symbols of a form is 3-5 times the payoff, the variation is mild or minimal. 
• Another way of measuring uncertainty is to see what awards the game maker gives. You will also find a low to high variance slot if you see sky-high cash rates and massif jackpots. Like we mentioned above, you won’t easily land major wins in ‘forms of uncertainty.’ 
• Look at max bet. High variance slots come with limited limit bets regardless of potential large winnings. 
• The game variance can also be calculated by competing in a demo account. If you win low-value sometimes, this is a slot with less variance and vice versa, medium or high variance machines give larger and less regular wins. 
• Finally, you will find RTP and volatility in all our slot ratings specifically listed in order to save time. We will inform you exactly when the percentage is returned to the player and whether the uncertainty is high , medium or low.

Types of volatility in online slot machines

High Volatility Slots

But what slots are best for you to play? There’s no correct or incorrect answer, so it more depends on the sort of player that you are. If you want to seek major gains and don’t mind being diligent when you are turning rolls hoping for a huge win. You’ll just need a big bankroll to manage the extreme spells to be the sort of competitor you’re willing to avoid if you waste your money. 

If you’re here long term, high variance slots can be extremely satisfying, however you need to be able to handle the lowers with the peaks. 

The highest variation for a slot is the highest. The following slots have two features: 

These are the slots where the most valuable winnings are, 

Wins are made less often than on slots with low to medium variation. Therefore, high uncertainty therefore means that there is a high risk that we will not make any profit and lose our wager. 

In the interests of clarification, a player does not receive a winning round in a shorter or longer time that can create dry spells in high turnover online slots. We also assume that these computers are extremely fragile. 

You now know that certain slots have been so popular because they are directed at a certain player category: high rollers or VIP players with a budget that is big enough to allow you to play long sessions without any advantage at all. 

Ideally, a high volatility slot should be paired with a good RTP and a high Hit Frequency per cent.

Players that are good with high volatile games

These slots are not advertised to all participants – they are dedicated to high rollers and VIP gamers. 

High roller players’ standard profile is: 

• They’re playing with a big budget. Hundreds, if not thousands, of AUD would be spent. They can also select an online casino based on the VIP program as the amounts you deposit typically allow you to step up into the Level of VIP players. 
• Such players don’t just waste time or make little victories. They are not interested in doubling or tripling their deposits, but in making a huge win, they multiply their deposit by 10, 15 or more. You continue to bet until you accomplish your goal. There are likely choices for VIP players: either to win massively and to remove winnings or to lose their bet. 
• When playing a high-variance online Slot, time is a significant consideration. High-roller players have tremendous patience, since they can function without having any winnings for a certain amount of time. 
• They’re able to take the gamble of winning big. There is no concern with the high risk associated with high variance slot machines. 
• Many high rollers alternate from high to medium volatility slots, but these devices are not very far from their standards when it comes to low volatility slots. 

Medium Volatility slots

What are slots for medium volatility? 

Medium slots of volatility are the happy balance between high and low slots of volatility. Medium variance slot machines give players plenty of small and medium sized slots, while providing the ability to win huge jackpots – usually up to 1000 times their bet size. 

Medium volatility slots are ideal for players that want massive jackpots but don’t want to risk their bankroll too much to get them. If you enjoy them, you will contend for big honors and at the same time get the most out of your balance, since there will be a lot of save money on the road to keep you playing. Although the big winner is not as gigantic as high-volatility slots from free spins, bonus games and jackpots, they are big enough to get their heart pounding and the pocks full. 

Players that are good with medium volatile games

When should I be playing medium slots for volatility? 

• If you want the excitement to take on major prizes for fun, but still 
• If you want to take greater chances on your bankroll, but want to play your money the most
• If you are a young player who has learned how to play low-volatility slots and needs his game to the next level 
• If you don’t have a large bankroll you do have massive incentives to try your luck. 
• If you are a fan of highly lucrative free spin incentive games, jackpots and wilds 
• If you want modest prizes on a daily basis, but you still want a chance to win bigger jackpots 

You should search our list of the best medium volatility slots if you want to play a medium volatility slot, but you don’t know which one to select.

Low Volatility Slots

Low volatility slots are much more enjoyable and more appropriate for players who want a lot of actions and bonus options and don’t want to win fortunes. Payouts for low variance play happen often, but are mostly not anything more than the initial bet. Bonus games are also triggered as well, but payouts are mostly considerably lower, again. 

If you have a small budget, low volatility online pokies are a reasonable alternative, since some players are rarely dry spells, and players like them more since gaming is more entertaining.

Low volatility slots are slots where the minimum and maximum win sums are not so different. Smaller variance slots generate plenty of small and medium-sized payouts that are not too far away from the manufacturer’s promised RTP ratio. This ensures you usually win enough to make your event worthwhile, regardless of how long you can compete. 

Because of their regular victories, slot games are low in risk. It makes them suitable for beginner players who want to learn how to play slots and try out a new game, or casual players who just want to play as long as possible without being required to deposit again. 

Since low variance slots are at very limited risk and cost a lot, you do not hope to earn an earth-shattering reward or a jackpot. But you will not have to fear if you play for long stretches of bleeding before your next game, unlike high variance slots. 

All this is not to suggest that in playing those slots, you can not win high. Most feature lucrative free spin bonus features which often award you wins between 10 and 100 times your initial bet, but they may not be too regular. 

Players that are good with low volatile games

Where do I play slots with low volatility? 

• If you play just for fun · 
• If you want to play as much as you can 
• if you have little or no major bankroll and are reluctant to gamble it · · 
• If you play casually, you don’t have to win tremendous wins to have fun 
• If you’re a young player who knows slots 
• if you want to make the best of your money · 
• If you’re a fan and don’t want to expect free games to raise money · 
• If you love endless small game prizes, rather than just a handful and even more. · 
• If you want to earn a short-term win inside the RTP (return to the replayer rate) advertised on the computer. 

We would recommend that you check out our list of the best low volatility slots for those that fit your tastes if you want to test out our low Volatility slots. 

Volatility in Slots – Low vs High Volatility

In comparison to slots with low and medium variety, high volatility slots do not frequently give small or medium wins that improve the balance of the player. That explains why a big bankroll must be used to play it. 

For example, if a player plays £50 on a new UK playground, he will be able to lose his bet in just a few minutes without winning combinations and therefore without winnings. When the machine generates winnings, on the other hand, the player has more odds of winning than with a less version, if not a big win. 

RTP (payout) vs Volatility

The return to player (RTP) is a further component that will help you decide which slots you will play best, but casinos may not have the details. Nearly every slot now is controlled by Random Number Generator (RNG) and returns a certain amount of money to the casino in advance. This is often called the “house edge.” 

A slot machine can have 95% RTP, so €0.05 is given back to a casino for every 1 euro spent in that machine and a player is paid €0.95. That doesn’t work in one hour as a game session, because you average over millions of spins over the slot life, but only because another person has lost and the house gets its 5 per cent irrespective of whether you’re profiting. It may even happen that the machine pays out a huge portion and that the casino partially decreases (no Heaven!), but in the long run, it always will make money. 

The RTP proportion can vary considerably from game to game, sometimes up to 85% and sometimes up to 97%. It is obviously useful to play a game with a higher RTP percentage because it pays for it more frequently.

The RTP is a return-to-player, and knows also how the payout is a part of information given by the slot operator to show the amount of the slot machine payouts. More precisely, this figure shows how often the sums wagered on a machine are reimbursed to the players. For eg, a 96% RTP will allow you to reimburse £96 back to players in the form of winnings of the £ 100 wagered on a computer. 

Whatever the machine’s variability, players are clearly after the higher RTP online slots. We have primarily chosen online slots with an RTP of 96 percent or higher for our TOP 10.

Volatility vs Hit Frequency

Online slots are highly variable, with the lowest payoff frequency, and are calculated by the Hit frequency. A 25 per cent effect rate means that earnings are given on average 25 rounds of 100. 

Machines with the most interesting frequency of hits are to be scanned for. Dead or Alive by NetEnt is a treasure in this area and shows an impressive hit Frequency of 22.64% and 17.09% for Jungle Spirit: Dead or Alive is one of the best high-volatility online slots.  

Volatility vs Variance

Volatility and variance in the area of gaming are almost the same. A high variance game rarely pays out, but has higher overall winning potential, and a low variance slot regularly pays for several minor losses, but provides tiny jackpots. 

It’s not always clear to say which games are high or bad, but a quick look at the paytable will reveal how unpredictable a game is. The kind of games that are shouting for massive jackpots are easy to identify as high variance games, since they can not collect funds for such big payouts without paying too little winnings. You should know how much you can earn from hitting the jackpot on a draw. Anyone on the territory of life transformation is potentially extremely unpredictable. 

The disparity in payouts for four symbols and five symbols can also be looked at. When the five symbols take a major jump, let’s assume the pay of the four symbols is 15 to 20 times higher, this is a separate sign leading to a high slot. If there is a slight difference 3-5 times the bonus, so the difference is minimal.

Often, instead of uncertainty, you’ll use the word slot variation. Don’t worry, this is a different phrase you would need to remember – the two apply to exactly the same thing, how often and how much a slot pays and the potential risk of the player when selecting this online pokies.

BEST 10 HIGH Volatility Pokies Rating

1. BOOK OF RA
2. REACTOONZ
3. BEOWULF
4. BONANZA
5. DEAD OR ALIVE
6. 300 SHIELDS
7. BERRY BURST MAX
8. DIAMOND EMPIRE
9. JUNGLE SPIRIT

BEST 10 Low Volatility Pokies Rating

FAQ

What does volatility mean in slots?

In slots, volatility is a measure of how frequently the jackpot grows large enough to trigger an payout.
It’s important for players know that when they are playing slots with high volatility, there will be more frequent big wins and losses in between smaller ones but ultimately it means you have much better chance at getting those impressive payouts!
When looking over which slot machine games might suit your preferences best, consult our guide on what each type entails.

How do you measure the volatility of a slot machine?

Turns out we measure the volatility of any game with something called “Expected Loss.” How does this work? You can think about it like an equation: PL= (a*R)+(b*L), where L is your loss, R is how often you win, and b’s value depends on what probability we want for our expected outcome–in other words if there are going to be more wins or losses in each session/game play. The higher that number at the end of L then closer that sum will come to zero–so games with high Expected Loss would have less swings up compared to those lower numbers.

What is a high variance slot machine?

A high variance slot machine is one with a higher payoff but also has more risk.

A “high-variance” slot machine is just the opposite of what it sounds like: instead of a low chance that you will win and no payout if you don’t, these machines have much lower odds than average but give out bigger payouts when they do hit.

Is it better to bet high or low slots?

It depends on how much you want to win.

If you’re looking for a thrill, bet high and take the risk of losing it all with one pull. If your goal is profit, play low because there’s less volatility in those machines