One of the most consistent aspects of volatility relates to increasing bet size. There are a variety of ways this is done. One is through raising the minimum bet, particularly on popular or licensed themes. Another is through releasing a slot sequel with new features that require a higher bet. Also called variance, volatility actually speaks of three things at once. These are the frequency of the payouts in a slot game, the size of those payouts and the risk involved for the player. There are high variance offerings out there, as well as slots with very low and medium volatility. What that means exactly we'll explain below. When Are The High Volatility Slots To Be Played The slot volatility is a very complicated term, so I will begin with a description of roulette volatility: You will win your bet two times and win very frequently when you bet on colour (18 of 37 rounds). You can win your bet 36 times, but win only in 1 in 37 rounds when betting on your total. The roulette uncertainty can be easily represented in. Granted, that slots with low volatility pay a lot more often, the big wins lie with high volatility slot games. Low-risk slot games pay on a more regular basis, their wins are on the smaller scale. On the other hand, slot games with high variances don't pay out on a regular basis but the wins are on a much larger scale.
Slot volatility is one of the things that you need to make sure to check when you are looking for an online pokie to play.
However, very few people know what slot volatility is and how to check for it.
That is why today we take an in-depth look into slot volatility, how to check for it and why it is important when looking for a game to play.
What does Volatility Mean in Slots?
The term volatility is used to calculate the performance of slot machines during gameplay, be it land-based or at online casinos. With this knowledge, pokie players are then able to calculate their bankroll accordingly.
Therefore, simply put, slot volatility will tell how often you will snag a winning combination, the size of the winning combo and the risk level of the game.
Different Types Of Slot Volatility And How To Tell Them Apart
There are three types of slot volatility, high, medium and low variance games. But slot gurus know that there are actually 5 types classifications these are high, medium-high, medium, low-medium and low.
The volatility of pokies is programmed in advance and it solely depends on the RNG. However, in most cases, online casinos and casino slot providers rarely reveal the volatility of a game. Therefore, you will be forced to calculate it yourself.
If you are playing a game that the capacity to pay out big, but you can seem to get the winning combination, then it means that you are playing a high variance game. However, if you are playing a game that has small pays and you are paid out frequently it means that you are playing a low variance game.
Slot Variance and Slot Volatility
When talking about online casino games, there is no difference between variance and volatility. There are terms that can be used as synonyms for one another and as such they can be used interchangeably.
Ways to Determine Slot Variance
Measuring slot volatility is not an easy task to do, that does not mean that it is impossible though. There are a few ways that you can try to determine how volatile an online pokie is.
- Look at the PayTable: look at the difference between the payout of 4 and 5 of a kind symbols. If 5 symbols payout more, then you can assume that it is a high-variance slot.
- Prizes on Offer: If the slot offers you massive prizes, then it is a high variance game.
- Max Bet Option: Most pokies that small max bets are usually high variance games.
- RTP: By looking at the return to player rate, you can see whether it is described as a high, medium or low volatility game.
What Does High, Low And Medium Volatility Mean?
High Variance/ Volatility
These are pokies for players who love to take risks. These slots will not pay out often, but when they do payout we can guarantee you that it was worth the wait. Players with slots also have access to bonus features. These pokies needed to play with a planned budget as they can leave you broke. Popular high variance games are Book of Dead, Dead or Alive, Riches of Robin, Creature from the Black lagoon, Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx.
Low Variance/ Volatility
These pokies will have frequent but smaller payouts. With these pokies, you can start winning every 5 to o10 spins on average. These are also perfect for new players as well as punters who want to have fun without taking too much risk. Popular pokies in this category are Starburst, Thunderstruck II, Bloodsuckers, Dead or Alive 2, Agent Jane Blonde Returns and Big Bad Wolf.
Medium Variance/ Volatility
These pokies will offer the player the best of both low and high variance games. Players will get average payouts that are not too high or too low. With the right budget plan, you play these pokies longer than high variance games and still get a good payout as you do. Popular games in this section are Jumanji, Game of Thrones, Vikings Go Berserk, Gonzo's Quest, Nikola Tesla's Incredible Machine, Hugo 2, Guns n Roses and Dracula.
Conclusion
The type of pokies that you can play is now entirely up to you and your budget. At the end of the day, we are sure that you are bound to have a great time as you spin the reels.
Slot Volatility FAQs
When it comes to a player's online casino experience, slot volatility can often play an important part, however, many have not heard of the term or even know what it relates to. This comprehensive guide will take you through all of the elements of slot volatility and the role that it plays in the online casino industry.
What does slot volatility mean in the online casino industry?
With regards to what ‘slot volatility' means in the online casino industry, this relates to the level of risk that an online slot has associated with it. Therefore in this sense, the higher that the slot volatility is for a particular slot means that in order to win more, you need to gamble more per stake, thus explaining its association with risk.
When it comes to finding a slot to play online, many enthusiasts are enticed by a number of different features including the content, gameplay and in a lot of cases, the potential jackpot that you can win, however many do not really understand the ins and outs of the technical features which in the case of slot volatility has an influence on the latter reason.
It does tend to be the case that those slots which have a higher jackpot have a higher slot volatility percentage.
Table of Contents
How can you understand the Volatility of Slots?
When it comes to determining and working out the slot volatility in the online casino industry, there are a number of things that you can do. This is because there are a number of factors which can help to define the volatility of a slot and as a player if you are wanting to know what you can do to find ways of working out levels of volatility, there are a series of things that you can do.
Play slots on Demo mode
One of the best ways of working out the volatility level of a slot is to play it in demo mode, making between 500 and 1000 spins. While this may seem time-consuming, it will give you an effective indicator as to whether the level is high or low.
You are able to get a good idea of this by noting the results of each round and how often they occur, but also the frequency at which bonuses are presented as well as credit payouts.
When working out slot volatility, it makes no difference whether you use real money or free credit via demo mode; they are all programmed the same.
Understand the Paytable
For every slot, there is a paytable which is basically a way for customers to see how much they will receive for the different reel combinations that are produced. The amounts which are listed in these are often changed accordingly in order to what stake is placed in some sets, however, in others they remain the same.
It is sometimes the case that slots which provide lower payouts are more liberal with their winnings, while conversely, the ones that offer bigger winnings have these more spaced out for more infrequent hits.
The way in which players can find out the lowest value is by finding the icon that has the least value associated with it and see what it pays out for three symbols; this often being the smallest combination. Because in low volatility slots, the wins are generally small, it means that they are distributed more aggressively in order to compensate for this. Some games that have small wins, however, also space out their winnings, while others that have significant volumes usually have more frequent prize money for players. This trait is often associated with high volatility slots.
Bonus Frequency
Out of all casino games, slots usually are the ones which have the most amount of bonus features, due to the depth of randomness that is associated with them. This means that the more bonuses which are included in slots, gamblers can expect a much lower hit frequency, though usually, bonuses are a bolster to winnings which are included in the slot without players needing to make any wagers.
This means that when a considerable amount of bonuses are in place, it means that players have more of a chance of winning a lot more than what they staked initially. The size of the bonus also has some determination on how frequently it lands, so if the slot has a free bonus round of spins, this means that it is much more likely to land with one rather than 20.
The most common of any hit rewards, tend to be wilds because their main purpose is to help the completion of winning combinations, while free spins and multipliers also have their role in determining the volatility in slots.
Examine the RTP Rate
This is a component which is predefined by the developer of the slot and as a result gives an abstract indication of the amount that players can expect back in winnings. These percentages are worked out after scrutinizing games over a particularly substantial period of time and this can be over thousands of rounds. While these predictions are as accurate as they can be, they are just predictions however, they do act as useful benchmarks of what players can expect in a slot from a payout perspective.
As a rule, those slots with higher RTP rates means that players have a greater chance of winning, though, those which do have a lower volatility level, with an RTP rate as high as 99 percent. Consequently, those slots which have a lower RTP percentage have a higher volatility level, because there is more risk associated with them.
Check the Software Provider
While there are over a hundred software developers, the majority appear to be synonymous for specialising in creating slots with a certain type of volatility level. Industry-renowned developers such as NetEnt are known for creating slots which have a higher level of volatility, while Microgaming also falls into this category.
Slots with different volatility levels
Now we have explained exactly what slot volatility is and the effect that it has on the gameplay, you may now be thinking about slots in a completely different way and what volatility levels some of your favourites may have. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most popular slots across the various levels of volatility.
High Volatility Slots
These are the type of slots to look out for if you have a high risk tolerance to playing slots, meaning the higher stakes that you place for each spin, the higher potential reward you will receive in winnings.
Immortal Romance
Courtesy of one of the industry leading software developers; Microgaming, this vampire themed slot is one of those titles which have a high volatility rate, which also has five reels and 243 different ways to win. With Lionhead scatters, multipliers and wilds, it is also relatively easy to gather 25 free spins. Furthermore, this has a return to player rate of 96.86 percent.
Dead or Alive
One of the most popular slot titles with a high volatility level, it is easy to see why with this being developed by NetEnt. Boasting five reels and nine win lines, this gun-slinging slot has a ‘Wild West' theme accompanied by sticky wilds and a wild symbol, though this depends if you are playing via demo mode or with real money. In line with high volatility slots, it also has a high return to player rate of 96.82 percent, which is certainly respectable.
Book of Dead
The term volatility is used to calculate the performance of slot machines during gameplay, be it land-based or at online casinos. With this knowledge, pokie players are then able to calculate their bankroll accordingly.
Therefore, simply put, slot volatility will tell how often you will snag a winning combination, the size of the winning combo and the risk level of the game.
Different Types Of Slot Volatility And How To Tell Them Apart
There are three types of slot volatility, high, medium and low variance games. But slot gurus know that there are actually 5 types classifications these are high, medium-high, medium, low-medium and low.
The volatility of pokies is programmed in advance and it solely depends on the RNG. However, in most cases, online casinos and casino slot providers rarely reveal the volatility of a game. Therefore, you will be forced to calculate it yourself.
If you are playing a game that the capacity to pay out big, but you can seem to get the winning combination, then it means that you are playing a high variance game. However, if you are playing a game that has small pays and you are paid out frequently it means that you are playing a low variance game.
Slot Variance and Slot Volatility
When talking about online casino games, there is no difference between variance and volatility. There are terms that can be used as synonyms for one another and as such they can be used interchangeably.
Ways to Determine Slot Variance
Measuring slot volatility is not an easy task to do, that does not mean that it is impossible though. There are a few ways that you can try to determine how volatile an online pokie is.
- Look at the PayTable: look at the difference between the payout of 4 and 5 of a kind symbols. If 5 symbols payout more, then you can assume that it is a high-variance slot.
- Prizes on Offer: If the slot offers you massive prizes, then it is a high variance game.
- Max Bet Option: Most pokies that small max bets are usually high variance games.
- RTP: By looking at the return to player rate, you can see whether it is described as a high, medium or low volatility game.
What Does High, Low And Medium Volatility Mean?
High Variance/ Volatility
These are pokies for players who love to take risks. These slots will not pay out often, but when they do payout we can guarantee you that it was worth the wait. Players with slots also have access to bonus features. These pokies needed to play with a planned budget as they can leave you broke. Popular high variance games are Book of Dead, Dead or Alive, Riches of Robin, Creature from the Black lagoon, Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx.
Low Variance/ Volatility
These pokies will have frequent but smaller payouts. With these pokies, you can start winning every 5 to o10 spins on average. These are also perfect for new players as well as punters who want to have fun without taking too much risk. Popular pokies in this category are Starburst, Thunderstruck II, Bloodsuckers, Dead or Alive 2, Agent Jane Blonde Returns and Big Bad Wolf.
Medium Variance/ Volatility
These pokies will offer the player the best of both low and high variance games. Players will get average payouts that are not too high or too low. With the right budget plan, you play these pokies longer than high variance games and still get a good payout as you do. Popular games in this section are Jumanji, Game of Thrones, Vikings Go Berserk, Gonzo's Quest, Nikola Tesla's Incredible Machine, Hugo 2, Guns n Roses and Dracula.
Conclusion
The type of pokies that you can play is now entirely up to you and your budget. At the end of the day, we are sure that you are bound to have a great time as you spin the reels.
Slot Volatility FAQs
When it comes to a player's online casino experience, slot volatility can often play an important part, however, many have not heard of the term or even know what it relates to. This comprehensive guide will take you through all of the elements of slot volatility and the role that it plays in the online casino industry.
What does slot volatility mean in the online casino industry?
With regards to what ‘slot volatility' means in the online casino industry, this relates to the level of risk that an online slot has associated with it. Therefore in this sense, the higher that the slot volatility is for a particular slot means that in order to win more, you need to gamble more per stake, thus explaining its association with risk.
When it comes to finding a slot to play online, many enthusiasts are enticed by a number of different features including the content, gameplay and in a lot of cases, the potential jackpot that you can win, however many do not really understand the ins and outs of the technical features which in the case of slot volatility has an influence on the latter reason.
It does tend to be the case that those slots which have a higher jackpot have a higher slot volatility percentage.
Table of Contents
How can you understand the Volatility of Slots?
When it comes to determining and working out the slot volatility in the online casino industry, there are a number of things that you can do. This is because there are a number of factors which can help to define the volatility of a slot and as a player if you are wanting to know what you can do to find ways of working out levels of volatility, there are a series of things that you can do.
Play slots on Demo mode
One of the best ways of working out the volatility level of a slot is to play it in demo mode, making between 500 and 1000 spins. While this may seem time-consuming, it will give you an effective indicator as to whether the level is high or low.
You are able to get a good idea of this by noting the results of each round and how often they occur, but also the frequency at which bonuses are presented as well as credit payouts.
When working out slot volatility, it makes no difference whether you use real money or free credit via demo mode; they are all programmed the same.
Understand the Paytable
For every slot, there is a paytable which is basically a way for customers to see how much they will receive for the different reel combinations that are produced. The amounts which are listed in these are often changed accordingly in order to what stake is placed in some sets, however, in others they remain the same.
It is sometimes the case that slots which provide lower payouts are more liberal with their winnings, while conversely, the ones that offer bigger winnings have these more spaced out for more infrequent hits.
The way in which players can find out the lowest value is by finding the icon that has the least value associated with it and see what it pays out for three symbols; this often being the smallest combination. Because in low volatility slots, the wins are generally small, it means that they are distributed more aggressively in order to compensate for this. Some games that have small wins, however, also space out their winnings, while others that have significant volumes usually have more frequent prize money for players. This trait is often associated with high volatility slots.
Bonus Frequency
Out of all casino games, slots usually are the ones which have the most amount of bonus features, due to the depth of randomness that is associated with them. This means that the more bonuses which are included in slots, gamblers can expect a much lower hit frequency, though usually, bonuses are a bolster to winnings which are included in the slot without players needing to make any wagers.
This means that when a considerable amount of bonuses are in place, it means that players have more of a chance of winning a lot more than what they staked initially. The size of the bonus also has some determination on how frequently it lands, so if the slot has a free bonus round of spins, this means that it is much more likely to land with one rather than 20.
The most common of any hit rewards, tend to be wilds because their main purpose is to help the completion of winning combinations, while free spins and multipliers also have their role in determining the volatility in slots.
Examine the RTP Rate
This is a component which is predefined by the developer of the slot and as a result gives an abstract indication of the amount that players can expect back in winnings. These percentages are worked out after scrutinizing games over a particularly substantial period of time and this can be over thousands of rounds. While these predictions are as accurate as they can be, they are just predictions however, they do act as useful benchmarks of what players can expect in a slot from a payout perspective.
As a rule, those slots with higher RTP rates means that players have a greater chance of winning, though, those which do have a lower volatility level, with an RTP rate as high as 99 percent. Consequently, those slots which have a lower RTP percentage have a higher volatility level, because there is more risk associated with them.
Check the Software Provider
While there are over a hundred software developers, the majority appear to be synonymous for specialising in creating slots with a certain type of volatility level. Industry-renowned developers such as NetEnt are known for creating slots which have a higher level of volatility, while Microgaming also falls into this category.
Slots with different volatility levels
Now we have explained exactly what slot volatility is and the effect that it has on the gameplay, you may now be thinking about slots in a completely different way and what volatility levels some of your favourites may have. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the most popular slots across the various levels of volatility.
High Volatility Slots
These are the type of slots to look out for if you have a high risk tolerance to playing slots, meaning the higher stakes that you place for each spin, the higher potential reward you will receive in winnings.
Immortal Romance
Courtesy of one of the industry leading software developers; Microgaming, this vampire themed slot is one of those titles which have a high volatility rate, which also has five reels and 243 different ways to win. With Lionhead scatters, multipliers and wilds, it is also relatively easy to gather 25 free spins. Furthermore, this has a return to player rate of 96.86 percent.
Dead or Alive
One of the most popular slot titles with a high volatility level, it is easy to see why with this being developed by NetEnt. Boasting five reels and nine win lines, this gun-slinging slot has a ‘Wild West' theme accompanied by sticky wilds and a wild symbol, though this depends if you are playing via demo mode or with real money. In line with high volatility slots, it also has a high return to player rate of 96.82 percent, which is certainly respectable.
Book of Dead
With a return to player rate of 96.21 percent, this fast paced and exhilarating, adventure themed slot, perhaps rightly has a high volatility level, considering the daredevil nature of the gameplay. Uncovering the secrets of Ancient Egypt, there is plenty to discover in this slot and with five reels and 10 paylines, this Play'n GO slot carries a 96.21 percent return to player rate.
Low Volatility Slots
In terms of slots which have low volatility levels, there are perhaps more than you would think, especially some of those which you may play on a regular basis.
Starburst
Arguably one of the most popular slots ever created and what helped developer NetEnt to make a name for itself. This title has 10 fixed bet lines across a range of levels and coin values, while there is also a 22 percent hit rate. For a low risk player, this is definitely a perfect option due to the fact that it has a minimum bet of only 10p as well as a generous 96.09 percent return to player rate.
Sunny Shores
This 5x5 reel slot from up and coming developer Yggdrasil, has gone from strength to strength since its release in 2017 and as a low volatility option, there is not a lot to argue with. With 27 paylines and a low volatility score of 24 out of 100 plus a 96.2 percent return to player rate, it is also very calming on the eye; perfect for a low risk player overall.
Thunderstruck II
The sequel slot to the highly rated ‘Thunderstruck', this title is surprisingly a low volatility slot considering that it is from software giant Microgaming. Equipped with five reels and an impressive 243 paylines, this has a Norse mythology theme with a number of triggers and multipliers and a 96.65 percent return to player rating.
Summary
Slot Volatility List
Slot volatility is arguably one of the most important factors when it comes to understanding how much you can win on a particular slot. The crucial point to remember is that the higher the volatility of the slot, the more you will need to wager at a time to be in with a chance of winning the jackpot, however, the random number generator in the slots means that there are no guarantees. Ultimately, never gamble with more money than you can afford and do not use it as a way to try and ‘get rich quick'. Slot volatility is one thing that will catch you out.
