RTP & volatility — plain-English guide

RTP — Return to Player

RTP is the long-run percentage of wagered money a game pays back. A pokie with 96% RTP returns, on average, A$96 for every A$100 bet across millions of spins. This is set by the game provider and audited by labs like eCOGRA — casinos cannot change it.

Game type	Typical RTP
Online pokies / slots	95 – 98%
European roulette	97.3%
Blackjack (optimal play)	99.5%
Keno & scratchcards	75 – 90%

Volatility (variance)

• Low volatility — small, frequent wins. Your balance bleeds slowly. Good for bonus wagering.
• Medium volatility — balanced feel. Most popular pokies sit here.
• High volatility — long dry spells broken by rare big hits. Good for chasing multipliers, bad for tight bankrolls.

Volatility does not change RTP. Two games can both return 96% but one rewards you steadily and the other swings wildly.

Practical tips

1. Always check RTP in the game info panel — 96%+ is the AussiePuntersHQ minimum.
2. Match volatility to your bankroll. Small budget? Pick low or medium volatility.
3. When clearing a bonus, stick to low-volatility slots with 100% wagering contribution.
4. Avoid "jackpot" variants when clearing bonuses — their advertised RTP is often 1–2% lower.

Further reading

• Wagering requirements calculator
• Megaways explained
• Wikipedia: Return-to-player percentage