Volatility in Slots Explained

Slot volatility is one of the key factors that determine the way a slot “behaves” once you fire it up. Volatility impacts how often you land wins and how much those wins are worth. At CoinPoker, we offer slots across all volatility levels in a safe, crypto-friendly casino environment. In this guide, we will explain how volatility works, how it affects your gameplay, and which games you should choose for the best slot-playing experience.

What Does Volatility Mean in Slots?

Slot volatility, or variance, defines how often the game pays and how big the average win is. Volatility does not measure the percentage of bets paid back to the player (this is called RTP), but rather the manner in which payouts are made. A low volatility slot offers frequent payouts with a low average value, while a high volatility slot offers less frequent payouts with a higher average value.

In the modern casino industry, slot developers create slots with varying volatility to cater to different player groups. Some players prefer a more casual and relaxed experience of playing low volatility slots, while others prefer the intense and high-risk gameplay of high volatility slots.

Most online slots developed in recent years clearly display their volatility level (low, medium, or high) in their intro screens, info sections, or paytables. Even if the volatility level is not indicated, you can infer it by looking at the maximum win, as high volatility slots typically allow for massive max wins.

Slots Volatility Levels Explained

Modern slot games can be divided into three categories based on volatility. These are low-, medium-, and high-volatility slots. The three groups of slots cater to different player categories, each designed for a specific type of gameplay. At CoinPoker, you can easily filter slot games by their volatility levels and isolate the games in your preferred volatility range. 

Here is how slots with different volatility levels compare:

How Slot Volatility Impacts Gameplay and Bankroll?

Slot volatility has a huge impact on the way your slot sessions play out and how long your bankroll can last. High volatility slots tend to lead to massive swings, often obliterating even significant bankrolls or quickly producing jackpot wins. Low volatility slots, on the other hand, allow you to play for a long time even with a limited casino balance.

For example, imagine depositing $100 with CoinPoker. If you start up a low volatility slot, like Starburst, and set the bet at $0.50 per spin, you will likely play hundreds of spins with your balance, even if you don’t hit any huge wins. There will be many small wins to offset your losses, and your bankroll will last you quite a while.

On the other hand, the same $100 at $0.50 per bet could be gone very quickly playing Gates of Olympus, if you don’t get lucky enough to trigger a bonus feature or a big base game multiplier. High volatility games are designed to pay big, but pay less often, which means your bankroll is at a much higher risk.

When choosing between lower and higher volatility slots, you should always consider your goals. If you want to stretch your bankroll and chill, choose a low volatility slot. If you want to go for gold, choose a high volatility one.

Check out our selection of high RTP slots if you are keen on find best value for your buck.

RTP vs. Volatility: What is the Difference?

RTP and volatility are both key terms in the casino industry. RTP (return to player) defines the percentage of total bets returned to the player, while volatility establishes the distribution of wins in the game. These two work together to tailor the slot game experience.

Two slot games can have the same RTP percentage but offer players vastly different gameplay experiences thanks to their volatility levels.

For example, NoLimitCity’s San Quentin xWays and Evoplay’s Season Sisters both have an RTP of about 94%. However, the max win in San Quentin xWays is 150,000x, while the max win in Season Sisters is 2,000x. The significantly higher volatility level of the former makes it a high-intensity game tailored for real risk-takers, while the latter is a casual game for chill sessions.

How to Find a Slot’s Volatility (Online and in Casinos)

Finding the exact volatility level when learning to play slot games can be a bit challenging, especially in live casinos. Next, we look at the main ways you can identify a slot’s volatility before you start playing.

Finding Volatility in Online Slots

Identifying slot volatility in online casinos is much easier than in live casinos. Many modern slot developers, like Pragmatic Play and NoLimit City, clearly display each game’s volatility through a volatility meter, making it very easy to identify low- and high-volatility slots.

If volatility is not displayed in the slot’s description, you can find more information on the developer’s site or on various review sites. At CoinPoker, you will find dozens of crypto slots with clearly identifiable RTP and volatility levels, including progressive jackpot slots, allowing you to immerse yourself in the exact experience you were looking for right away.

Finding Volatility in Physical Slot Machines

Finding slot volatility in brick-and-mortar casino machines can be much more challenging. Live slot machines rarely display slot volatility, which means you will have to gauge it. A quick look at the paytable can tell you a lot. If a game has a very high maximum payout (10,000x or more), it is likely a high volatility slot. If the max win is low, such as 500x, and there are many low to medium payouts on the paytable, the slot probably has medium or low volatility. You can also look for game reviews online and get an idea on the slot’s volatility from other players’ descriptions.

How to Choose Slots Based on Volatility

Your entire slot strategy hinges on the game you pick. If you are new to slot games, we recommend choosing low volatility slots to start with. These games allow for a slower-paced gameplay and are less stressful. With them, you can learn how to play slots, how to read the paytable, and how to distribute your bankroll. 

For the more experienced slot players, higher volatility slots are often the right choice. These games may eat at your bankroll faster, but they will also give you a better chance at a big win. If your plan is not to play for hours, but rather to actually test your luck, you may even want to go with one of the extreme volatility slots, such as the ones from NoLimit City, where massive max wins create a unique opportunity to turn a few dollars into a gigantic bankroll. 

Common Myths about Volatility in Slots

Like most things in gambling, slot volatility is often misunderstood, and there are some myths surrounding it. Here are the most common ones, along with an explanation on why they are just myths, rather than reality:

• Low Volatility Slots Aren’t Worth Playing: Low volatility slots may not offer huge wins, but they are a great source of entertainment. These games are meant for casual players, and not for big-time gamblers. 
• Casinos Can Change Volatility Levels: Slot volatility is programmed into the game’s RNG and cannot be changed. If a slot seems higher volatility than usual, you are not being cheated, but are simply on the bad side of luck. 
• High Volatility Slots Never Hit: This is also not true. High volatility hits with the exact frequency they are meant to, and the jackpots do exist. They are just hard to come by. If you haven’t won one just yet, you are probably just getting familiar with what volatility actually means.

Explore Slots on CoinPoker

We have explained what slot volatility is, how it manifests, and how it compares to RTP. Now that you know all about volatility, it’s time to pick a slot game that works for you and start playing. Join CoinPoker today to choose from hundreds of slot games of varying volatility levels, and load up the slot that fits in with your playing style.