Unlocking the Secrets of Slot Volatility: Your Guide to Smarter Play

If you want to learn about slots volatility and how to use it to your advantage, you’re in luck. We will teach you everything you need to know!

Here is what you will be able to learn from this guide: 

• What volatility is in slots, and why is it important
• The types and levels of slot volatility?
• What is the difference between volatility and hit frequency?
• Is volatility related to RTP?
• How is slot volatility calculated
• How to choose the right volatility level for your playing style
• How to use high volatility to your advantage
• Final thoughts

Now that you know what you should expect, it’s time to really get into it. Scroll down and keep on reading! 

What Volatility is in Slots, and Why is It Important

Slot machine volatility is defined as a way of measuring the risk of losing a bet. 

A slot’s volatility level indicates, to a certain extent, how rare or often players should expect to win and the expected value of the prizes. 

That being said, it is easy to see how important choosing the slots with the suitable volatility for each player’s style and budget is.

To better understand how volatility works in real-money online slots, let’s assume that we are playing a high-volatility game. This means we should expect the game to pay relatively high amounts on rare occasions. 

On the other hand, a low-volatility slot is expected to have more frequent payouts that are considerably lower in value.

Considering this, we can deduce that volatility affects a couple of fundamental aspects of our gaming sessions:

As you can see, even though slots are generally considered purely games of chance, there are ways for you to influence the outcome of a gaming session to a certain extent. 

Whether you choose high-volatility slots or the safer options, you always need to know what to expect and how to use the information in your favor. 

Pretty cool, right?

The Types and Levels of Slot Volatility

There are three primary levels of volatility you should know about and understand to be able to make the right choices in terms of games based on your playing style, budget, and expectations.

Low-volatility Slots

As briefly described above, low-volatility slots are defined as games that offer frequent, low-value payouts. They are considered low-risk slot machines because they provide players with a relatively safe gaming experience.

The prizes are granted in small increments in high frequency, meaning that you will generally have the impression that something is always happening, you will usually receive small wins every couple of spins, and your bankroll is going to decrease at a slow rate even during losing gaming sessions. 

The steady payouts they deliver make them quite fun and one of the common choices among beginners who find them appealing for the prolonged gaming sessions they can enjoy even with a relatively low bankroll. 

Here are some examples of the best low-volatility online slots you can enjoy in most online casinos:

Slots with low volatility are an excellent choice for players with a limited bankroll and quite a lot of time to kill. They can be responsible for some pretty enjoyable gaming sessions, albeit not the most exciting regarding the winnings’ value.

Medium-volatility Slots

Online slots with medium volatility are a great compromise. They can be both exciting and relatively rewarding in terms of the length of your sessions. Medium-volatility online slots are generally seen as a great option for various player typologies. 

Since the payouts are usually relatively steady and vary considerably in value, you never know what you’ll get when you start playing a medium-volatility slot, which is part of the fun.

They are the perfect mix of low and high-volatility slots and provide the best of both worlds. The payouts happen more often, and the value of the prizes is generally considerably higher than in low-volatility slots. They are more balanced and are typically known as the slots with the most bonus rounds and mini-games.

Here are some examples of the best medium-volatility slots you can play:

They are usually packed to the brim with gaming incentives, and they are pretty entertaining. You can play relatively long gaming sessions while enjoying decent rewards whenever a winning spin hits.

High-volatility Slots

Associated with the highest level of risk but also with the biggest possible payouts, high-volatility slots are the game to play if you are looking for a stimulating gaming session.

They generally have less frequent payouts, which makes them a more appropriate choice for players with larger bankrolls who can afford to spin the reels for longer without getting much in return. The prizes that get awarded whenever a winning spin finally hits will be worth it, though.

High-volatility slots are notorious for giving players the chance to win life-changing prizes, especially if we consider the amazing jackpots that are usually up for grabs in high-volatility online slots.

Here are some of the best high-volatility slots you can play in online casinos:

As you can see, there are some pretty big names on the list of high-volatility slots and the explanation is quite simple: they easily become more popular than low or medium-volatility slots simply because they are more exciting to play and the rewards are more substantial whenever you hit a win.

What is the Difference Between Volatility and Hit Frequency?

Volatility and hit frequency are both important aspects to keep in mind whenever we analyze the behavior of a slot machine. While they are both used to describe how payouts are distributed over time, they are responsible for measuring different aspects of the payout structure.

As explained above, volatility is a term that describes the level of risk a particular online slot represents. It measures how often a specific slot pays out and how big these payouts are. 

Hit frequency only refers to how often a slot machine awards prizes and doesn’t take their value into consideration. The hit frequency is usually expressed in percentages and analyzes what percentage of spins are winners. 

For example, a slot machine with a hit frequency of 10% will award, on average, a prize for every 10 spins played. 

Both volatility and hit frequency are crucial metrics of an online slot’s behavior and a very relevant measure of its payout structure. 

It’s a good thing we clarified their meaning now, isn’t it?

Is Volatility Related to RTP?

Yes, there is a certain relation between RTP and volatility. They are both essential factors that affect, to a certain extent, how much a player can expect to win or lose when playing a particular online slot.

While we have already covered the meaning of volatility extensively above, let’s look at what RTP is and why it is important. 

RTP stands for “return to player”, and it refers to the percentage of winning bets a player should expect to encounter, on average, over the long term while playing a game.

Again, as I mentioned above when discussing hit frequency, this percentage represents an idealized average obtained based on very long sessions with spins in the number of millions even. 

Game providers, in their attempt to create fair and balanced online slots, will adjust the RTP of every game depending on their volatility. 

A high-volatility slot that is adjusted to give out less frequent but substantial payouts will generally have a lower RTP than a low-volatility slot machine that is programmed to pay out more frequently and in smaller increments.

As a general rule, the higher the volatility of a slot is, the lower its RTP will be. The potential for larger payouts we see in high volatility slots is the reason why the RTP requirements will always be lower to maintain fairness.

How is Slot Volatility Calculated?

Calculating the volatility of a slot machine involves using complex mathematical models and needs to take into account a wide variety of factors. Some of the most important of those are the actual frequency of payouts and the average size of these payouts.

The most common way to calculate a slot’s volatility involves looking at its RTP percentage and the standard deviation we see in payouts. 

While the RTP's meaning is extensively explained above, you should also know that the deviation of payouts is defined as a way of measuring how much prizes vary from the average. 

The volatility of the slot machine can be calculated by combining these two measures. 

1. A high-volatility slot machine has a higher standard deviation and a lower RTP, which means that players will win less frequently but will receive larger payouts when they do. 
2. A low-volatility slot machine will have a lower standard deviation and a higher RTP, implying that players will win more frequently but with smaller payouts.

Regardless of how carefully you choose your slots and how well you calculate what your sessions will result in, there are no certainties when games of chance are involved.

How to Choose the Right Volatility Level for Your Playing Style

As you can see, slot machine volatility plays a very relevant role in the outcome of your gaming sessions. 

Making the right choices in terms of adjusting your gaming preferences to your playing style and the size of your budget can truly make the difference between a losing session and a profitable one.

That being said, check the classifications below to ensure you always choose the right slots.

Using the table above to choose the right slots for your playing style and budget is a great way to improve your chances of having enjoyable gaming sessions. 

How to Use High Volatility to Your Advantage

Figuring out how to use high volatility in slots to your advantage can be challenging, but there are a few strategies that you can use to increase your chances of winning and make the most of your time and money. 

Using a game’s volatility to your advantage means understanding what that particular online slot has to offer and having the right expectations in terms of winning and session length while maximizing your profit margins through small adjustments to the budget, bet sizes, and strategy.

Manage your bankroll

Since high-volatility slots typically have fewer but larger payouts, it's important to manage your bankroll carefully. 

Start by setting a budget for your session and sticking to it, and consider making smaller bets to stretch your bankroll and increase your chances of hitting a big win.

As mentioned above, high-volatility slots are usually the games of choice for high rollers who can afford to go through extended sessions of losing spins until they hit a decent win to cover their losses. 

Choose the right machine

Look for slot machines with high volatility ratings that offer bonus features, such as free spins or multipliers. These features can help increase your chances of hitting a big win and maximize your payouts.

The RTP, hit frequency, and volatility are not the only things that truly matter when choosing a slot machine. 

Take advantage of promotions

When it comes to high-volatility slots, you need to learn how to take advantage of every opportunity to maximize your session length. That means you should always aim to have as many funds in your bankroll as possible at all times. 

Online casinos often offer promotions and bonuses that can help boost your bankroll and increase your chances of winning. Look for promotions that offer free spins or bonus cash that can be used on high-volatility slots. 

That way, you will be able to play a higher number of spins, which in the case of high-volatility slots, usually equates to better chances of hitting a good win.

Stay patient

As I mentioned, one key aspect of slots with high volatility is that winning spins usually happen with a low degree of frequency. In other words, the longer you play, the better your odds of winning substantial amounts are. 

High-volatility slots require patience and persistence. Don't get discouraged if you don't win right away, and consider taking breaks to avoid getting too caught up in the game. 

Practice good gambling habits

As with any form of gambling, it's important to practice responsible gambling habits when playing high-volatility slots. 

Set limits for yourself, don't chase your losses, and always play for fun rather than as a way to make money.

Always play within the limits of your risk tolerance

The most important thing to remember is that playing slots, whether they are high or low volatility, should be fun and enjoyable above all else. 

You should always choose slots that bring you joy, regardless of whether that joy originates in the game’s theme, the actual gameplay, or the prizes involved.

That being said, always pick slot machines with a volatility you are comfortable with. 

Yes, high-volatility slots pay out the biggest prizes, but you should always consider what level of risk you are comfortable with during a gaming session. 

If you end up frustrated and too stressed out to enjoy the beauty of the game simply because you can’t take the pressure of a high-volatility slot, what’s the point?

Final Thoughts

So, what does volatility mean in slots? On one hand, it is a technical measure of a slot’s payout mechanism that indicates what a player should expect regarding payout frequency and value.

On the other hand, if we look at the level of excitement a game can bring, its volatility is also a clear indicator of what your experience will be playing it. 

High-volatility slots will put you on an emotional roller coaster governed by long losing streaks followed by substantial wins, while low-volatility games will keep you on your toes constantly with frequent, low-value wins. 

The way you choose the games you play does have an impact on the outcome of your sessions, and that is why it is always important to look at slot volatility and decide the level that is most appropriate for your playing style, expectations, and budget.