Two numbers decide how long a gambling budget lasts: the return to player (RTP) and the house edge. They are two sides of the same coin, and once you understand them you can read any game, bonus, or "hot streak" claim more clearly.
RTP and house edge are the same thing, flipped
A slot with a 96% RTP is designed to pay back $96 of every $100 wagered over its lifetime: millions of spins across all players. The remaining 4% is the house edge, the casino's built-in margin. RTP + house edge = 100%.
What it means for a $100 session
What you lose depends on how much you wager in total, not on your starting budget. Betting $1 a spin at about 600 spins an hour, a $100 budget cycles through roughly $600 of wagers an hour. At 96% RTP, the expected cost is about $24 an hour. At 92% RTP it is about $48. Same game, same budget, twice the cost.
| Game (typical) | RTP | House edge | Expected cost per $1,000 wagered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack, basic strategy | ~99.5% | ~0.5% | ~$5 |
| Baccarat (banker bet) | ~98.9% | ~1.1% | ~$11 |
| European roulette | 97.3% | 2.7% | $27 |
| Typical online slot | 94–97% | 3–6% | $30–$60 |
| American roulette | 94.7% | 5.3% | $53 |
Volatility: the other half of the story
Two slots can both have 96% RTP and feel completely different. Low-volatility games pay small wins often, so a budget lasts longer and swings less. High-volatility games pay rarely but big, so most sessions end down while a few end far up. Neither is better; choose the one that matches your budget and patience.
How to find a game's real RTP
- Open the game's info or paytable screen. Most studios publish the RTP there.
- Be aware that many slots ship in several RTP versions (for example 96%, 94%, and 92%), and the casino chooses which to run. The number in the game's own info screen is the one that applies.
- In regulated states, games are independently tested and certified against their published RTP.
Myths worth dropping
- "It's due to hit." Every spin is independent. A slot that has not paid in a while is not more likely to pay now.
- "Bigger bets get better odds." RTP is the same at every stake. Bigger bets just mean bigger swings and a faster expected cost.
- "Systems beat roulette." No betting progression changes the house edge. Martingale-style systems trade frequent small wins for rare catastrophic losses.
Put this to work valuing bonuses with our playthrough calculator, which uses RTP to estimate what clearing a bonus will cost.