No doubt you have heard about the payout percentage of various slot machines. This percentage can be different from one machine to the next. It could be different in machines offered by one casino in Las Vegas to the machines offered at the casino next door. Additionally, even different machines standing next to each other in a Las Vegas casino could have different payout percentages.
So, what is the truth here? What should you expect from the slot machines you might try in Vegas?
By law, every slot machine must have a minimum payout percentage of 75%. Fortunately, most of them will go higher than this, but at least you know that is the minimum. It is important to understand how this percentage is worked out though, because it makes it easier to understand how you might fare when playing a slot game.
The first thing to be aware of is that the higher the percentage goes, the more potential there is for you. Let’s say you see two slot machines in a casino. One offers 89% as a payout percentage and the other offers 95%. You would choose the 95% machine as it offers a greater chance of getting money back from your playing efforts.
However, the percentage shown (also known as the return to player or RTP value) is the figure calculated over that machine’s lifetime. That could mean several years of play by hundreds if not thousands of players. If the RTP is 95%, you cannot assume you will get back 95 cents in every dollar you play on the machine. There might be the chance of a progressive jackpot, and then there are lots more prizes to be won on that machine.
One player could come along, bet $10 on that machine, and not get a single cent back in prizes. Another player could then follow them, sit at the same machine, and hit the jackpot on a single dollar bet. You just never know. That is part of the deal. Some players will walk away having blown their entire budget on one or more machines. Someone else might have the most fortunate spin of all and get a seven-figure prize for a dollar bet. It can happen. That uncertainty is part of the process of playing paid slot games in Vegas. That said, it does make sense to give yourself the best shot of winning by playing games with the highest payout percentage you can find.
