If you ever played online slots, you’ve surely come across terms that can confuse new players. The slot software volatility is one of them. It’s a technical term that describes the performance of slot software the session. Video slots may be low or highly volatile, allowing you to plan your bankroll accordingly.
There’s a big difference between playing low and high-volatility slot games. There also medium-volatility slots, which are halfway between low- and high-volatile slot games. Depending on your choice, any of these slots can deplete your bankroll slowly or quickly. Read our guide to learn more about what they represent and what their volatility means for you.
What Is Slot Volatility?
As mentioned, slot volatility is a term that refers to the amount of risk to a specific game. It describes how often and how much you can expect to win during a session on a slot. With some slot machines, you will experience long dry spells with a few big wins. These are highly-volatile slots.
Slots with low volatility will shell out smaller wins frequently. When it comes to medium-volatile slot games, they will provide varied wins.
High-Volatility Slots
The more volatile the slot is, the higher the risk will be for your bankroll. These slots may feature larger payouts but can cut through your bankroll pretty quickly if you don’t pay attention to it. Of course, there’s the possibility of winning big on a single spin, but it’s not a major one. One of the most popular high volatility slots is Book of Ra by Novomatic.
High-volatility slots are more suitable for players who have a lot of time and a lot of cash. Wins in these won’t come very often, so you have to be patient and spend some cash before hitting the big win.
Low-Volatility Slots
Low-variance slot games represent a much lower risk to your bankroll. They compensate for the frequent wins with smaller payouts. You can expect to win every few spins on these games and possibly the occasional big win.
Of course, the payouts can’t be compared to what high-variance slot games offer. Starburst by NetEnt is one low-volatility slot you should definitely try to see how they work.
Medium-Volatility Slots
Medium-variance slot machines have become pretty popular in recent times thanks to their balance between small and big wins. Keep in mind that you’ll need to keep an eye on your cash balance with these slot games. They’re often medium-to-highly volatile, so they can eat through your bankroll if you’re not careful.
The good news is that if you’re lucky, they will offer the occasional big win sandwiched by frequent smaller wins. One of the very best slot games with medium volatility is Microgaming’s Game of Thrones 243 Ways based on the hit TV show. It features all of the show’s characters in a nice package with 243 ways to win and great winning potential.
How to Determine the Slot’s Volatility?
No need to determine anything – developers usually provide the volatility along with the RTP. Go to the game’s guide (info screen) and you will certainly find information about its variance, most likely represented by a number scale.
