If you don’t know yet, you should know that the concept of RTP will impact your overall gaming experience. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about RTP in gambling. You will learn how RTP works, why it matters for pokies and table games, and how understanding it can help you make smarter betting decisions in 2024. You will also encounter our explanation of volatility and hit frequency concepts.
Smart gambling would not be complete without looking at the NZ laws that ensure you play in a fair environment! CasinoAlpha gathers all the information you need.
By the end of this guide, you will understand the meaning behind those percentages and have the tools to pick the most interactive slots that fit your style.
Don’t forget that knowing the RTP and what it means can increase your slot chances.
Unrevealing RTP in gambling
Short for Return To Player, it is a rate that may give you an idea of the outcome of your gaming session.
For instance, the average RTP on NZ online pokies is around 96%. This applies for a series of multiple rotations – do not expect to get NZ$ 96 for each NZ$ 100 you wager. If your cumulative bets over a while reach NZ$ 100, you will see that what gets back to you nears NZ$ 96.
The difference between theoretical and actual RTP
Theoretical RTP is what you will see in the long-term – for a game with a 98% return rate, you will lose 2% of what you staked if you spin for 500-1000 times.
How to calculate actual RTP
To do this, you must divide a machine’s wins by its total turnover
Example:
Let’s say that a slot has a monthly turnover of NZ$ 1200000, with winnings totalling NZ$ 1085000. To determine the real return to player rate, divide NZ$ 1085000/NZ$ 1200000. This division’s result will be 9042. Times 100 will mean the actual RTP is 90.42%, even if the theoretical value is 91.24%.
The difference between theoretical and actual values will vary; they may not always be one per cent, as in the example above. The sole contributing factors are the game’s turnover and winnings, which will differ wildly.
We’ve got an easier method too
If you prefer a less technical approach, you can figure out the actual RTP by playing a specific title for a long time.
So, you may find out if you rotate 500 to 1000 times on the same game, sometimes even longer. As you keep playing, the RTP will increase and match the theoretical value on the display.
What if the RTP is a range?
For example, if a slot displays an RTP of 95%-97%, it might get more complicated.
What can you expect in this situation?
To better understand it, we must discuss short-term volatility and long-term predictability.
What role does volatility play?
Volatility (or variance) may be low, medium, or high. There are intermediate values, too, like medium-high and low-medium volatilities. The parameter refers to a slot game’s unpredictability, resulting in a lower (or sometimes higher) outcome than the one stated by the theoretical RTP.
Keep in mind that not all licensed online casinos display this parameter—only a few do. To verify whether a website shows it or not, we advise you to check the slot’s paytable that interests you.
What if the casino displays variance?
However, if you find an online casino where games state their volatility, here’s what you need to know!
3 main options
- Low volatility makes winnings more likely – the jackpots will not be very high in value.
- Medium volatility implies intermediate odds, plus, the wins will generally stand at the average benchmark.
- High volatility games rarely pay, but they provide higher-valued jackpots.
We also created a table with gaming suggestions for the three main volatility types and their intermediates.
We considered your preferences and stake limits and found the best of all worlds:
| Volatility type | The player it fits for | Recommended slots |
|---|---|---|
| Low | New players, low-stake bettors | Goblins Cave (Playtech), 1429 Uncharted Seas (Thunderkick) |
| Low-medium | More experienced players who want to prolong their gambling sessions | Tomb Raider (Microgaming), Diamond Dogs (NetEnt), Starburst (NetEnt) |
| Medium | Mid-stake bettors, players who occasionally like playing with bonuses | Hot to Burn (Pragmatic Play), Banana Drop (Microgaming) |
| Medium-high | Players who recently began high-stake betting, those who like quick gambling sessions | Book of Dead (Play’n Go), Immortal Romance (Microgaming) |
| High | Experienced high-stake bettors; high rollers, people who often play with a bonus | Pyramid: Quest for Immortality (NetEnt), Bonanza (Big Time Gaming) |
If you also check the paytables for these slots, you will notice that higher RTPs make for lower variance – for instance, Bonanza has a 96% RTP, while Playtech’s Goblins Cave reaches a 99% rate.
What if it does not display it?
The only way to determine it is to engage in gameplay. It is a long-term process—generally, players can deduce the volatility after 500 to 1000 spins.
Still, high RTP products most often fall into the low volatility category, while low RTPs indicate more volatile titles.
Short term volatility versus long term predictability
Even though you might have one or more winning lines in the short term, you will probably be NZ$3 to NZ$5 short on a NZ$100 wager in a long time.
This variation accounts for multiple situations, while most RTPs display a single percentage as an average of all possible results of your gambling session.
What is predictability about?
Even though you may not foresee every outcome in gambling, knowing the RTP will give a semblance of predictability to the entire experience. Volatile as slots can be, having more losses or wins at the beginning does not mean that this will be your entire journey while playing pokies.
For your cumulative bets, you’ll most likely come up several percentage points short.
What is the hit frequency?
The hit frequency is a parameter that shows how often you will reach a winning combination while playing casino games.
For instance, a 10% hit frequency means you will likely have a winning line or bet 1 out of 10 spins. Since you can bet on more lines, it will seem like the winning streak is higher than the losing one, but this is only a virtual impression.
Which frequency is preferable?
While pokies have a low hit frequency, video pokers may go as high as 45% – for example, IGT’s Double Double Bonus Poker. Like in volatility, games with higher hit frequencies will consistently provide winnings.
Those with a low frequency will almost certainly have banks of significant value, but only after numerous bets. This is also why progressive jackpots will have frequencies more deficient than those of other titles, even if the pot connects to a video poker product.
Of course, keno and lottery-style play are even more likely to have low hit frequencies but with much bigger prizes if you beat the odds.
Unraveling the secrets of RTP in casino games
The return to player rate will, of course, vary by category of play. You will see the ultimate list of casino-style features and the associated rates to give you a clearer picture of this situation.
Slots (pokies)
| Game | RTP | Volatility |
|---|---|---|
| Ugga Bugga (Playtech) | 99,07% | Low |
| Mega Joker (NetEnt) | 99% | High |
| Ooh Aah Dracula (Realistic Games) | 99% | Medium |
| Jackpot 6000 (NetEnt) | 98.8% | High |
| The Catfather (Pragmatic Play) | 98.10% | Low |
| Blood Suckers (NetEnt) | 98% | Low |
In the case of slot games, the average RTP is 96%. We have got you covered if you want to try some less volatile, more predictable titles. However, we also included some high-variance pokies for all our high-rolling readers.
CasinoAlpha recommends New Zealand players to couple high RTP slot games with a free spins no deposit New Zealand bonus. It is the smart way to play your favourite games without making a payment.
Still, you should know the pokies terms, like scatter, wilds, and respins. It will help you understand pokies better, and by doing so, you will learn how to understand RTP better.
Progressive jackpots
| Game | RTP |
|---|---|
| Poker Ride (Microgaming) | 114.8% |
| Cyberstud Poker (Microgaming) | 111.0% |
| Rocket Jacks (Microgaming) | 100.7% |
| SupaJax (Microgaming) | 100.6% |
| Megajacks (Microgaming) | 99.1% |
While progressive jackpots are more volatile than their non-jackpot versions, the rate remains remarkably high. The average stands at 96%, the same as regular slots and video pokers. They sometimes even exceed the 100% mark.
Online Blackjack NZ
| Game | RTP |
|---|---|
| Blackjack Variations Switch | 99.27% |
| Multi-hand Blackjack | 99.60% |
| European Blackjack | 99.60% |
| Single Deck Blackjack | 99.75% |
| Double Exposure or Double Disclosure | 99.33% |
| 21 Burn Blackjack | 99.40% |
| Blackjack Surrender | 99.62% |
Out-of-the-table games, such as blackjack, are the most generous RTP-wise. The average is a whopping 99%.
Roulette
| Game | RTP |
|---|---|
| American Roulette | 94.74% |
| French Roulette | 98.65% |
| Double Ball Roulette | 94.67% |
| Double Wheel Roulette | 88.73% |
| European Roulette | 97.3% |
The RTP stays significantly high across the numerous variations of Roulette online casinos. Only the Double Wheel Roulette falls below 90%, while French Roulette stands at over 98%.
Baccarat
Like Blackjack, NZ Baccarat is on the more generous side when it comes to RTPs. Of course, this also means the winnings will be smaller but generally more consistent.
Its average is 98.96%, beating Roulette’s highest return rate.
Live casino games
| Live casino title | RTP |
|---|---|
| Craps Live (Evolution) | 99.17% |
| Super Sic Bo (Evolution) | 97.22% |
| Lightning Dice (Evolution) | 96.21% |
| Monopoly Live (Evolution) | 96.23% |
| Mega Ball (Evolution) | 95.40% |
| American Roulette (Playtech) | 94.74% |
| Quantum Blackjack (Playtech) | 99.47% |
The live versions of table games have nearly the same RTPs as their software-based counterparts.
CasinoAlpha’s authors are specialists on Live Casinos NZ, so you can check and try out any item from our ever-growing list.
Lottery and Keno
Lottery-style titles are well-known for having the lowest RTPs in the gambling industry. The average across the category is 60%, although it may fall as low as 49.59% for specific Keno options.
How to find the RTP on a slot machine (and others)?
We suggest verifying each pokie’s paytable and ensuring the value falls in the intermediate zone. The same goes for software-based table games and live dealer options.
Be wary of the products with significantly lower rates, as they might be operating illegally!
Remember that to view the games’ RTPs at online casinos, look for the list of gaming products. Some websites even have a section dedicated to return to player rates. For those that do not, hover over or click on the title you desire to check the paytables.
The best providers in New Zealand and their RTPs
| Provider | RTP range |
|---|---|
| NetEnt | 96% – 99% |
| Microgaming | 96% – 97.43% |
| Play’n Go | 94% – 97.66% |
| IGT | 94.50% – 97% |
| Pragmatic Play | 96% – 98.50% |
| Playtech | 88% – 99.32% |
What about the land-based casinos?
A significant advantage of the best online New Zealand casinos is that they provide higher returns than their brick-and-mortar counterparts.
The reason for this is pragmatic at its core: running a land-based venue is more expensive in the long term than managing a gambling website. As such, if you enter a physical casino, expect the RTP for pokies to drop below 90%, with the rare 92% RTP game.
Navigating RTP: regulations and game testing
Online casinos that work under a licence must display the RTPs, and there is a minimum threshold to reach. Numerous gambling commissions around the world, the UKGC most notably, impose this obligation.
The NZ laws back you up:
In New Zealand, there are laws explicitly referring to and other aspects of gambling, too – no game may have a rate lower than 85% for pokies. Furthermore, all NZ casinos must display these values for their slot machines.
However, casinos are not responsible for deciding this parameter—it is the software provider’s job.
How the authorities decide the value
After the provider tests its new product independently, it must go under further trials.
How eCOGRA does it
For this endeavour, game-testing organisations like eCOGRA will apply their expertise and verdict the game’s legitimacy.
Remember that the eCOGRa-approved rate is still theoretical, and there might be differences between it and your actual gaming experience.
How GLI does it
Gaming Laboratories International, the other principal testing authority, tries all possible combinations for their games.
After determining the theoretical value, they will also test the casino conditions’ products to decide whether there is any discrepancy between the stated and actual RTPs.
How does GLI resolve discrepancies?
If the difference is too stark, they may ask for the titles to be taken out of the website and edited to correspond to the authority’s requirements.
The use of RTPs in responsible gaming
Besides knowing that a gaming option may provide more or less during your session, RTPs help you gamble safely.
The gambling laws in New Zealand impose a minimum threshold, meaning that constant losses are less likely. RTPs also help you stay away from gambling addiction because knowing the infamous house edge will make loss chasing less tempting than it would be otherwise.
Tips:
Always check the casino’s licence on the page’s footer to ensure you play safe. Moreover, go for well-reputed software providers, which generally operate under an authority’s regulations.
Decoding RTP in online gambling: key takeaways
RTP is a core component of gameplay. For this reason, we made a unique article on how playing pokies in the demo mode is essential. The answer is simple: to determine the return to player feature. You will not lose your funds by playing demos, but you will learn how your preferred slots work regarding gameplay and RTP. For example, check the best 10 slots in 2024, play their demo versions and start to feel the RTP.
Our guide aims to show how this value can help you as a gambler, mainly by determining possible results. Moreover, knowing the rate is valuable in safe gambling, which will keep you from going over the top.
Methodology
Technical resources
We consulted legal articles and pages detailing the gambling commission’s regulations to offer you this data.
Legal documents
We also looked into the country’s responsible gaming measures, including the limits and display of RTPs.
Besides these theoretical sources, most of our research is empirical.
We engaged in gameplay over an extended period to determine the differences between natural and stated return to player rates. We employed mathematical formulas supported by gambling authorities during our field study and drew our conclusions thereof.
