Payout rates: where they are and why lists are useless
Published on · Tobias Hoffmann · 7 min read
Nobody can seriously maintain a list of “true” RTP values — the figure that applies depends on the operator and sits two clicks away inside the game.
Why no universal list exists
Many games ship from the studio in several RTP variants — for example 96 %, 94 % and 88 %. Which one runs is the operator's decision. Name, artwork and features stay identical.
That makes any ranking of "true RTP values" void as soon as it fails to name the operator — and even then it holds only until the next switch. The one reliable source is the info panel inside the game.
What the figure means
| Rate | House edge | Expected cost on €1,000 turnover |
|---|---|---|
| 96 % | 4 % | €40 |
| 94 % | 6 % | €60 |
| 88 % | 12 % | €120 |
€1,000 of turnover at a €1 stake is exactly 1,000 spins — at a five-second minimum interval, a good hour and a half. The difference between the first and the last row is a factor of three.
Why this editorial team publishes no measurement series
The rate is an average over very many rounds. A few thousand spins are not even enough to separate 96 % from 88 % from noise; a statistically sound test would need hundreds of thousands. Articles citing "our own analysis of thousands of rounds" therefore describe no measurement at all.
The check in four steps
- Open the game's menu and note the payout rate stated there.
- Read the volatility alongside it — it tells you how long a budget lasts.
- Check the paytable for a bonus feature requiring a minimum stake.
- If using a bonus, check what share the game contributes to wagering.
What replaces the rate at a live table is in the article on live tables: there the table rules set the house edge. Why perception contradicts these numbers is explained in the article on psychology.
How a win is treated for tax is in the article on taxes, and how to check whether an operator is subject to German rules at all in the article on the GGL.
