Slot Volatility – What Does It Mean, And What Is Its Significance?
Gambling as a whole and as an industry has never really favored the players. The very core of this activity is risking your hard earned money in order to win more, but the way you do it is the actual obstacle. The chances the players have to win big or even break even at the end of a session are quite low. Gambling is such a hobby that gives hours of fun but only if you know how to utilize it. It is not all about the money but ultimately the players are disappointed if they do not win anything.
Therefore, many of them are in it to make some bucks and not much else. And to make their case even worse and put themselves in an even less of an ideal situation, they choose slot machines as their go-to game. But slots are infamous for being volatile and basically impossible to win at, so why do this? More importantly, what is this slot volatility and what does it mean? Read on to learn about it as we explore this phenomenon that has made slots as infamous as they are.
Volatility Explained
In essence, volatility in the context of slot machines refers to the risk attached to the game for both the player and the game operator. Most slot enthusiasts, whether they are gaming online or in person at a brick and mortar casino are looking for an enjoyable experience but also for the rush of a big win. Depending on which way you look at things in respect to your gaming aims, volatility which swings in either direction (be that more so or less so) can deliver a different type of gaming experience and also deliver varying types of wins, if any, and at various rate). We are going to take a look at the how and why of slot machine volatility.
If slots are your favorite casino game and if you cannot help but play them during your gambling sessions, you should at least know how to do it right. It is certainly worth checking out the best low volatility slots and volatility guide here with your new found knowledge on the subject of slot volatility. This gives gamers the tools to best employ their knowledge as an advantage at varying online gaming / casino destinations. Definitely a tool worth having in your kit if you take your slots seriously and if you want to win some money while playing them.
Low Volatility Slot Games
If you are a player who is looking for regular payouts, often in the form of much smaller wins than what gamblers would prefer to get, then low volatility slot machines are likely to be the way to go. The probability of winning is skewed in the favor of lower value but more consistent wins. The prize pot is often not quite as large or exciting as the slot games which are of higher volatility. What this does provide however is the ability to play for extended periods of times without huge swings into profit or loss respectively. Due to this, it is often perceived that low volatility slots are favored by casual or more inexperienced players. This may very well be the case, but it certainly is not always the way things are.
It is however much more likely that players with smaller playing budgets will opt for lower volatility games over higher volatility games in order to give themselves a decent playing session that makes financial sense in the end. Where they may only have the funds to play for 10 minutes on a high volatility game, a couple of hours is much more achievable with this approach. One for the slot machine purists perhaps…
It is no surprise than that some of the most popular game providers on the global market have experienced great success with low volatility titles. They simply have more customers to serve as there will always be more inexperienced and new players than hardcore, seasoned veterans. If you want to know about two such places definitely worth checking out, consider the following section:
1 – NetEnt: Starburst
This game continues to be one of the most successful and employs a high payout, low volatility dynamic. Available on a wealth of online casinos, it is a tried and tested favorite for so many. It is often the first contact players have with such a game so you too should definitely try it out.
2 – Microgaming: Wild Scarabs
This 5-reel video slot was released in 2018 and is themed around Ancient Egypt, a very popular setting in pop culture and therefore both video games and online gambling. The wild features make it particularly appealing and it continues to go from strength to strength. It is definitely worth your time and money.
High Volatility Slot Games
For everything that was highlighted in the section covering low volatility slot games, the inverse is applicable here. This is the home of larger but more infrequent payouts where the risk can be considered much higher but in pursuit of the big reward. Many consider the risk worthwhile. It is possible to play for a longer time on games of this variety without expecting a decent payout. Thus, it is possible to burn through your playing balance in this time without seeing any return on your time and investment.
With all this being said, it is not impossible to win small or have a string of small wins on slot games with higher volatility. However, the longer you play these games or the more sessions you devote to games or machines of this kind, the more the lack of pattern in results will begin to occur. There may be individual periods of time where these machines buck the trend in terms of the ‘infrequent, large payouts only’ reputation, but this itself will only last so long. It is much more likely that players will experience varying patterns during each period of play. This itself is a draw for slot players who are looking for a higher octane experience. This often includes more experienced players who have a larger playing budget at their disposal.
One feature which is exclusive to higher volatility slot games is progressive jackpots. This is a jackpot which increases in size over time, every time it is not won. Much like the euromillions, where the cash prize rolls over week on week when there is no winning ticket. If players can manage to land a progressive jackpot, they are usually in for a big score in the thousands at the very least. More often it is hundreds of thousands or even millions.
Just like we did with low volatility games, here is another brief look at 2 more slot games below, this time angled more towards the high volatility side of the spectrum:
1 – Yggdrasil: Jokerizer
Named in honor of the ancestral world tree from the Norse mythology, this game was first released in 2016. It is a game with an amazing 98% return to player (RTP) rating with a top available win of x6000. It continues to be very popular and a definite favorite among the big rollers.
2 – Nextgen: Golden
IN circulation at numerous online casinos since 2017, Golden is an agricultural themed video slot with a 97.22% RTP. The max win is x10000 on this game, much higher than Yggdrasil and many other games.
Conclusion and Takeaways
As with many other things in life, there are benefits and drawbacks to each of the two types of slot game / machine. It all depends on the type of gaming experience that a player is looking for and the type of person they generally are. Choose wisely depending on the direction you wish to take and mind your budget. Also, take into consideration the balance between wanting to win big money and keep playing for longer while having fun. Sadly, in gambling, having both is practically impossible. Pick a lane and give it time. We promise you will know if it is for you or not. You can always try the different end of the spectrum too!
