Slot machines as we know them have been around since the 20th century. They have changed so much in that time that it is hard to find the original ones anymore. But what has been a part of all slot machines since time immemorial is their volatility, which fundamentally affects both the gaming experience and the winnings themselves.
Volatility in slots is a very important measure that determines not only how often wins will occur, but also how large they will be. This fundamentally affects, for example, the gaming experience. Volatility essentially determines the ratio between the frequency of wins and their size. Although slot machines are based on luck and chance, understanding their functions and mechanisms can increase enjoyment and also reduce the risk of losses.
Some players may confuse these two terms, which mean completely different things. While volatility affects how often and how large wins come, RTP (Return to Player) expresses the percentage of bets that are returned to the player in the long term.
Volatility on slots is an important factor that helps players understand how a particular slot behaves and will behave, thus helping them make the right choice based on their personal strategy.
There are many factors that every player should consider when choosing the right slot. Here, weβll list a few of the most important ones that can help you in your decision-making.
A very important factor to consider before choosing a slot with the right volatility is definitely your budget for the game. If you donβt choose correctly, you could lose your money quickly or not enjoy the game much.
Do you have a high bankroll ready and arenβt afraid of risk? Try slots with high volatility. Is your bankroll not that big, but you still want to enjoy the game? Slots with low volatility are the right choice.
Itβs also necessary to realise what you actually expect from the game. If youβve come to slots with the goal of having fun and youβre a so-called recreational player (ideal is low volatility) or youβre expecting big wins and waves of adrenaline (ideal is high volatility).
These are factors that should influence your choice and which will affect your gaming experience with both good and bad choices.
Thereβs also a big difference if youβre a newcomer to slots or already a seasoned veteran. A seasoned player already knows their playing style and already has an overview of the variety of slots and which ones suit them.
On the other hand, a newcomer may not know what slots to look for or try and unknowingly end up on a slot that doesnβt meet their requirements and lose money.
Itβs therefore very important to learn as much as possible about the different variants of volatility to be sure which one is right for you.
The frequency of wins is also important. How often and how much do you actually want to win? If smaller but more frequent wins are enough for you, choose low volatility.
For some, however, such a game can be boring. Therefore, if you prefer the excitement of upcoming big wins and donβt mind waiting, choose higher volatility.
Waiting for a win, however, can be frustrating for players, so they can also choose medium volatility, which combines the best of both.
Itβs also necessary to find out and consider what the maximum win a slot can offer is. For example, if you were playing on a high volatility slot, but the maximum win was only 50 times the bet, leave quickly, as it wouldnβt be worth it.
We generally distinguish three basic types of volatility: high, medium, and low. Understanding these differences helps players choose the right game that matches their style and expectations from the game.
On high volatility slots (high volatility), youβll wait a long time for a win, but when it comes, its size can reliably cover all your previous losses. However, it can also happen that before you get a win, you lose your entire bankroll.
When playing a high volatility slot with a Β£0.5 wager, you might have 50 non-winning spins, but the 51st spin will be a win with a Β£30 payout. You can always check the settings of individual slots.
Who is it suitable for?
Advantages and Disadvantages
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
Medium volatility (medium volatility), or the golden middle ground for most players. The balance between the frequency of wins and their size is balanced. On these slots, you can look forward to both smaller and regular wins, as well as occasional larger wins. You can enjoy a stable longer game.
When playing on a medium volatility slot with a Β£0.5 wager, you can enjoy slightly more frequent (e.g., every 10th spin), but smaller wins (Β£0.5 β Β£5 ) and occasional big wins (Β£10 β Β£20). Each slot is different, so you can always check the settings of the given slot.
Who is it suitable for?
Advantages and Disadvantages
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
Slots with low volatility (low volatility) are characterised by frequent, but very low wins. Thereβs no need to have large sums of money in reserve, as with frequent wins you donβt risk large losses and can enjoy the game for a really long time.
If you go to play a low volatility slot and start betting Β£0.5, you can expect your wins to be in the range of Β£0.10 β Β£1 . This, of course, varies from slot to slot, so you can always check the settings of the slot.
Who is it suitable for?
Advantages and Disadvantages
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
In gaming plans, you can also encounter a so-called intermediate step between low and medium volatility (low-medium volatility). If you like more frequent wins but also want to enjoy a bit of excitement from bigger wins, this middle path is an ideal solution and offers players the best of both worlds.
If you go to play a low-medium volatility slot and bet Β£0.5, you can expect more frequent wins in the range of Β£0.5-Β£1 and occasional larger wins, e.g., Β£5.
Who is it suitable for?
Advantages and Disadvantages
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
Another intermediate step often appears as medium β high volatility (medium-high volatility). It combines balanced gameplay, i.e., more frequent average wins with a chance for high wins, but also with slightly higher risk. It offers players the thrill of big wins but also the certainty and stability of the bankroll in the game.
On a medium β high volatility slot, with a Β£0.5 bet, you can expect slightly more frequent wins (in the range of Β£1-Β£5) with an occasional chance for higher wins (e.g., Β£10), which wonβt appear as often.
Who is it suitable for?
Advantages and Disadvantages
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
How do we rate slot machines?
We evaluate slot machines based on multiple criteria, from which we make our final verdict.
We have already provided smaller examples for each type. Letβs better illustrate the differences on the bankroll that occur when playing with low, medium, and high volatility.
| Β£94 | Β£80 | Β£120 | |||||||
| Spin Number | Low | Medium | High | ||||||
| Bankroll | Bet | Spin Result | Bankroll | Bet | Spin Result | Bankroll | Bet | Spin Result | |
| 1. | Β£100 | Β£10 | β Β£1 0 | Β£100 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£100 | Β£10 | βΒ£ 10 |
| 2. | Β£90 | Β£10 | + 5 | Β£90 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£90 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 3. | Β£95 | Β£10 | + 3 | Β£80 | Β£10 | + Β£10 | Β£80 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 4. | Β£98 | Β£10 | Β£β 1 0 | Β£90 | Β£10 | +Β£ 5 | Β£70 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 5. | Β£88 | Β£10 | + Β£15 | Β£95 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£60 | Β£10 | βΒ£ 10 |
| 6. | Β£103 | Β£10 | + 2 | Β£85 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£50 | Β£10 | +Β£ 70 |
| 7. | Β£109 | Β£10 | + 6 | Β£75 | Β£10 | + Β£20 | Β£120 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 8. | Β£99 | Β£10 | Β£β 10 | Β£95 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£110 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 9. | Β£89 | Β£10 | Β£-1 0 | Β£85 | Β£10 | + Β£5 | Β£100 | Β£10 | β Β£10 |
| 10. | Β£79 | Β£10 | Β£+ 15 | Β£90 | Β£10 | β Β£10 | Β£90 | Β£10 | + Β£30 |
Finding out the volatility of a slot can sometimes be a tough nut to crack. By law, itβs not mandatory to state the volatility of a slot, so it often happens that you simply canβt find it. However, you have several options to look up the volatility.
Slot volatility is not something you should take lightly. Its type can affect not only your budget for the game but also the overall gaming experience you take away. Therefore, itβs important to know all the significant differences, which we have already explained above, so you know what strategy to apply, for example.
Itβs true that itβs better to adapt the choice of volatility to your own game rather than the other way around. Itβs important to be clear about what you expect from the game and what your playing style is, and choose the right volatility accordingly, which will ensure maximum fun and perhaps even increase your bankroll.
In conclusion, let’s summarise all the mentioned types of volatility in a clear table, so you have all the information in one place. Here you will find all the important data that will help you choose the right volatility for your game.
| Volatility | Win Frequency | Win Size | Risk Level | Who is it suitable for? |
| Low | Very Frequent | Small | 1 | For inexperienced players with a low bankroll |
| Low β Medium | Frequent | Moderately Small | 2 | For players with a lower bankroll with a chance for bigger wins |
| Medium | Average | Medium | 3 | For players seeking bigger wins without high risk |
| Medium β High | Less Frequent | Moderately Large | 4 | For more experienced players seeking more excitement and wins |
| High | Rare | Large | 5 | For experienced and risk-taking players with a high bankroll |
Volatility is an important measure that determines the frequency of wins and also how high they will be. It essentially determines the ratio between the frequency of wins and their size.
Volatility on slots is an important factor that helps players understand how a particular slot behaves and will behave and help them make the right choice.
It cannot. Volatility is firmly set by the manufacturer of the game to a certain value from the start and cannot change during the game.
That depends on many factors, but mainly on what you expect from the game and how much you want to risk. If, for example, youβre prepared to lose everything for a mega win, play high volatility games.
People often confuse or associate these two terms. In short, volatility affects how often and how big the wins come in individual spins. RTP expresses the percentage of bets that return to the player in the long run.
Within this profile, we publish articles, reviews, and evaluate games and casinos on behalf of our main team of specialists. The most important texts and reviews are not the work of individuals but are created through the collaboration of the entire editorial team. For this reason, all these contributions and evaluations are presented under a common profile.
You can find the whole editorial team here.
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