Five quick facts about slot volatility
To help you get to grips with the concept of slot volatility, here are five quick facts you need to know:
- Volatility refers to the size and frequency of the wins you are likely to achieve when playing an online slot.
- Slot volatility is also known as variance.
- Slots are always rated as either low, low-medium, medium, medium-high or high volatility.
- The lower the volatility of a slot, the more likely it is to closely track its return to player (RTP) percentage.
- RTP is the percentage of your outlay you can expect to receive back on average. Read our ‘What is RTP in slots?’ guide for more on this important topic.
Why is volatility so important when playing online slots?
Along with RTP, volatility is the most important piece of information you need to consider when deciding which online slot games to play. That’s because knowing the volatility of a game tells you its risk-reward balance. The higher the volatility, the riskier the game, so you need to decide your risk tolerance level, then choose slots that fit in with that.
How to find out the volatility of an online slot
The majority of online slots at reputable
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sites or casinos display their volatility rating on their information page, alongside their other
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details. You can usually access this page via a small ‘i’ icon on the main game screen, although sometimes it will be accessible from the launch page. If you are unable to find the volatility rating of a game, then you should contact customer support.
Low volatility slots: Key characteristics
A low volatility slot is unlikely to give you massive payouts, but on the flip side, you are likely to pick up a steady flow of small wins. Low volatility slots are ideal for beginners and casual players, as they allow you to get to grips with online slot play without running the risk of incurring a heavy loss. Playing low volatility slots is also a sensible option if you are using bonus funds, as these games will help your
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bonus funds and give you the best possible chance of completing the wagering requirements with at least some of your bonus impact.
Pros and cons of low volatility slots
Pros and Cons
- Regular small wins
- Low chance of large losses
- Excellent for bankroll management
- Large wins are very rare
- Limited bonus features
- Gameplay can get repetitive
High volatility slots: Key characteristics
These are the riskiest slot games to play, as whilst they do give you the opportunity to land massive wins, they also come with a strong likelihood of long losing streaks that will swiftly empty your
crypto wallet. A lot of high volatility slots have fun bonus features and/or jackpot games, but you are not likely to hit these features very often. High volatility slots are often favored by experienced slot players or those with a very high bankroll and a high risk tolerance.
Pros and cons of high volatility slots
Pros and Cons
- Potentially huge wins
- Fun bonus features
- Ideal for high rollers
- Long losing streaks
- Requires a large bankroll
- Unsuitable for beginners
Medium volatility slots: Key characteristics
As the name suggests, medium variance slots provide a balance between low and high volatility. This means that whilst they do offer the possibility of huge wins or long losing streaks, the likelihood is that you will have a relatively stable gaming experience. Because of this, many of the world’s most popular online slots are medium volatility.
Pros and cons of medium volatility slots
Pros and Cons
- Strikes a balance between low and high volatility
- Combines fairly regular small wins with the potential for occasional huge wins
- Suitable for all experience levels
- Fewer payouts than low volatility games
- The majority of your wins are likely to be small
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Some of the best low, medium and high volatility slots
After choosing which level of volatility is right for you, your next task is to find a suitable slot to play. To help you out, here are some of the very best games at each variance level:
| Volatility |
Top Slots |
| Low |
- Starburst
- Jack Hammer
- Dazzle Me
|
| Medium |
- Gonzo’s Quest
- Fishin' Frenzy
- Rainbow Riches
|
| High |
- Dead or Alive
- Reactoonz
- Immortal Romance
|
Final thoughts on slot volatility
As you can see, there are an awful lot of factors to weigh up when deciding whether you want to play low, medium or high volatility slots. The bottom line is that you should always look at both the RTP and the volatility of a slot before deciding whether or not to play it. If you do that, plus read the expert guides on this website, you will be in the ideal position to find the perfect online casinos and games for you. You can check out any of our recommended brands through the banners on this page.
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What does volatility mean in slots? FAQs
🔍 Where can I find the volatility of a slot game?
Most online slots display their volatility rating on their in-game information page. Alternatively, you can contact customer support to find out.
💰 What are the benefits of playing low volatility slots?
Playing low volatility slots will reduce your variance and help to preserve your bankroll.
🌟 What are the benefits of playing high volatility slots?
A lot of high volatility slots come with the potential of landing extremely big wins. However, they can also give you long losing streaks that will severely reduce your bankroll.
