The Best Online Slots: High RTP Slots For US Players

Finding the best online slots with high RTPs can be a challenge for US players. Online slots are the most popular form of casino gambling due to their flashy designs, exciting gameplay, and low barrier to entry. But which slots really give you the best chance to win?

Opinions will vary on what comprises a great online slot. However, most agree that the best slots are provided by reputable manufacturers, stocked with awesome features, and, most importantly, offer a great return on a player’s investment.

In this article, our team of experts will reveal the best online slot casinos, explain what to look for in slots, explore welcome bonuses, and discuss the differences between online and land-based slot games. We’ll also break down the states where you can play online slots legally and cover key factors like RTP and volatility to help you make informed choices.

Best online slot casinos

The best online slot casinos support more slots than the competition, boast large progressive jackpots, and launch new titles in line with the latest trends. They also roll out exclusive games, incorporate slot-specific features into their apps, and reward slot players handsomely for their loyalty.

Furthermore, the slot lobbies are easy to navigate, and once the games are open, they run smoothly without annoying lag or disconnects.

Game selection isn’t the only ingredient in the pot anymore, and our recommended online slot casinos reflect well-balanced products that provide a superior all-around slot-playing experience.

BetMGM Casino

*Slot counts may vary by state

Why choose quantity or quality when you can have both? At least that’s the philosophy at BetMGM Casino, which has an unparalleled slot library and a slew of rich features targeted at slot players.

BetMGM supports over 2,000 slots in larger markets and is usually among the first to introduce hot new titles like the long-anticipated Buffalo. It has arrangements with many top slot providers, including Light & Wonder, NetEnt, IGT, Aristocrat, Inspired, High 5, and Komani, as well as several smaller boutiques.

Adding to its diversity is a swarm of BetMGM exclusives, among them a linked progressive jackpot called The Big One, with a top prize that can eclipse $5 million. Beyond that, there’s a series of smaller linked progressives, standard jackpot slots, and BetMGM’s own Lion’s Share, three community-driven Must Hit By and Must Drop By slots that hit far more frequently than standard progressives.

Suffice it to say, BetMGM Casino is a jackpot lover’s paradise, with only DraftKings inching close.

BetMGM’s slot UI is one of the few that categorizes slots by provider, which is perfect for players attached to a certain style of play. However, the slot lobby is slow to load, especially on mobile, and games occasionally disconnect. A few games don’t work at all. It’s all somewhat forgivable given BetMGM’s sheer size, but other apps have a stronger infrastructure.

As far as value, BetMGM offers a 100% match up to $1,000 + $25 no deposit bonus to new players, with a very modest 15x wagering requirement that can only be cleared on slots. The app’s promo schedule is also fairly generous, and frequent players will often receive spot bonuses. The only issue is that BetMGM sometimes cranks up the wagering requirements on larger offers.

In addition, all players are automatically enrolled in BetMGM Rewards and will generate 20 Rewards and Tier Credits per $100 wagered on slots. It’s nothing earth-shattering but a decent kickback.

DraftKings Casino

At first, DraftKings Casino devoted its primary efforts to table games, but eventually, its labors were replicated for slots. Nowadays, it does more to differentiate its slot lobby than most other gambling apps.

With over 2,000 slots in New Jersey and 1,000+ in other markets, the site’s game selection is only rivaled by BetMGM and its subsidiaries. While it doesn’t offer as many exclusives as BetMGM, DK’s are worlds more unique.

Exclusives run the gamut from polished games like 2 Tribes and Loki’s Luck, to simulations of land-based favorites like Cash Engine, and partner exclusives with Golden Nugget. DraftKings has also taken a cue from international sites by embracing slot subgenre games, including the screamingly popular DraftKings Rocket and its sequel.

We’re the first to admit that a few of its in-house exclusives, like the Top Dollar knockoff Dollar Up!, are laughably bad and a pillar of poor design, but give DK credit for trying to be its own slot manufacturer. Long-term, it’ll probably pay dividends.

Besides exclusives, DraftKings Casino’s biggest differentiating feature is its sitewide linked progressives. By paying $0.25 per hand, players can convert nearly any slot into a progressive jackpot. This wide coverage causes jackpots to soar in value and, more importantly, to hit very frequently. DK has recently expanded upon this idea by introducing smaller Must Hit By $20,000 progressives that only levy a $0.10 tax per spin.

Slots leaderboards, the Dynasty Rewards loyalty program, and scattered recurrent promotions add considerable value but cater more to high rollers.

Finally, the software looks great and loads impressively fast but lacks essential quality-of-life features. A few more filters and categories targeted at slot players would go a long way, especially on mobile, where the endless scrolling can get annoying.

FanDuel Casino

The main knock against FanDuel Casino is that its slot library is about half the size of DraftKings’ and BetMGM’s. Almost everything else is stellar or close to it.

FanDuel’s gaming platform is vibrant and interactive, ablaze with colorful icons and embedded video previews. Other cool features abound, like a listing of the top 10 most popular slots by state and a pop-out on desktop that lets players view the slot lobby and their selected game concurrently.

Despite these modern advances, the app can load its nearly 1,000-game slot lobby in seconds. Maybe waiting until 2021 to launch a standalone app was a savvy move after all.

FanDuel’s slot selection ranks about average in raw numbers, but it’s quick to pick up new, high-demand slots like World of Wonka by Light & Wonder and Buffalo Gold Collection. It’s also started slapping its brand onto a few exclusives including FanDuel Gold Link & Win, and FanDuel Fishing Fever Bass King.

FanDuel offers a modest selection of 56 progressive and jackpot slots, with top prizes reaching over $1.5 million on select titles. The site also supports Daily Jackpots that must be hit by 11 p.m., with over 80 eligible games.

Rounding things out is a welcome bonus tailor-made for slots players that awards 200 Bonus Spins and up to $1,000 back on first-day losses paid in casino credits, with just a 1x rollover.

Unfortunately, the recurrent promotional menu is thin. There’s a Game of the Week promo that adds minimal value and a value reference to VIP Perks, but the lack of a multi-faceted loyalty program is baffling. Let’s call this the second knock against FanDuel Casino.

Hard Rock Bet

It’s a shame that Hard Rock Bet Casino is only available in New Jersey because the overall product displays high potential.

Despite only relaunching in August 2023, the app already supports over 1,500 slots, including a staggering 135 progressives, with jackpots ranging from the low-five to mid-six figures.

Part of the reason for this rapid expansion is Hard Rock’s willingness to take flyers on small-time slot developers. Games from studios like Side City Studios, Slotmill, and Bragg sit alongside the more common fare from NetEnt, Barcrest, Big Time Gaming, IGT, and Konami.

Like most of its top competitors, Hard Rock Bet supports Daily Jackpots that must be hit by 10 p.m. The daily prizes are surprisingly large, usually over $3k, and linked to a whopping 100+ slots.

However, the app only offers a couple of true exclusives: Fisherman’s Bounty by PariPlay and Koi Harmony by Playtech.

The game lobby looks refreshed and modern, featuring large icons, multiple game filters, and quick access to pertinent game info. There’s minor stuttering and lag, but it’s forgivable considering how fast the lobby loads.

Hard Rock’s promotional schedule is more sports betting focused, but the 100% match up to $1,000 welcome bonus is right up a slot player’s alley. The bonus includes 500 free spins, with all winnings paid as cash, a rarity for online gambling apps. Also, the 20x wagering requirement on slots is reasonable, although we wish fewer slots were excluded. About 100 high-RTP slots currently contribute 0%, so be wary.

The app also offers value through its heavily gamified loyalty program, Loyalty Rewards. The cool part is that reaching lower monthly loyalty tiers—about $2,500 for Silver — won’t require much play. The downside is that the program is needlessly convoluted and not terribly rewarding.

BetRivers Casino

BetRivers Casino helped usher in the modern age of iGaming with its surprisingly modern and social take on online casino gambling. That was back in 2016, but it still holds strong against newer apps.

The slot lobby is overflowing with 2,000+ slots in New Jersey and industry-leading (or close to it) counts in other jurisdictions. This includes Delaware where it’s the sole online casino operator. Among these are 192 progressives, about 25 more than on BetMGM. Entry-level jackpots start in the low-four figures, with the Mega Jackpots series and several others often soaring to $1m+.

There’s also a Must Hit By Daily Jackpot, although the jackpot and progressive amounts are modest relative to competitors. And unique to BetRivers are its Slot Tournaments, which are hosted daily, award top prizes ranging from $100 to $2,500, and are theoretically free to enter. Players can earn tickets directly by wagering real money or by redeeming their loyalty points for tickets via the Bonus Store.

Combine all these features with a top-notch loyalty program (iRush Rewards) that’s effectively a more rewarding and less confusing version of Hard Rock’s program and instant withdrawals for select payout methods, and you should have a #1 online slot casino. So what’s the problem?

For one, BetRivers doesn’t offer many exclusives or branded slots. More glaring is that the UI is stuffed so tightly with categories and is so light on useful filters that traversing it can be arduous. It also results in some lag and slowdown. If these are fixed, BetRivers will score a Triple Diamond.

Golden Nugget Casino

Golden Nugget Casino was an early pioneer in the iGaming arena, but since its acquisition by DraftKings in 2022, it has mostly evolved into a slightly lesser version of its acquirer.

Despite its lack of uniqueness, Golden Nugget’s offerings are hard to ignore. It’s available in most legal online casino markets, supports up to 1,400 slots, offers the same opt-in progressive as DraftKings, and boasts over a dozen partner exclusive slots.

The software sings, arguably running even smoother than DraftKings. Slot players are also treated to a recreational-friendly welcome bonus that awards them $50 in casino credits with only a $5 deposit required. They’ll also enjoy the same Dynasty Rewards benefits as they do on DraftKings, with the added perk that both play on DraftKings and Golden Nugget will contribute to their annual tier status.

Like DraftKings, Golden Nugget lacks game filtering options, but it’s ironically less of an issue on the smaller site. A more prominent problem is the absence of recurring promos and leaderboards. These menus are embarrassingly vacant.

The best online slots by return-to-player (RTP)

For perspective, the average online slot RTP hovers around 95 – 96%, so the slots on this list trim the house edge by at least 25%.

Notice the header “Optimal RTP”? What do we mean by that? Well, for some games, the RTP changes based on a variable.

For example, Barcrest games like Monopoly Big Event and Dr. Jekyll Goes Wild have Big Bet features where players can buy a custom bonus round, and this bonus offers a higher RTP than the base game. Some Megaways Bonus Buy games follow the same philosophy. The downside is that bonus buys are pricey relative to regular spins, but at least they’re less volatile.

Other games, like Gorilla Go Wild and Ghostbusters Plus, have unlockable bonuses that boost the game’s RTP. Players unlock bonuses through playing volume, so their starting RTP will be lower. Then there are a few games where the maximum RTP is only achieved by placing wagers above a certain bet threshold, usually $2.

However, games such as Bloodsuckers, Starmania, Texas Tea, and Jack Hammer 2 have a naturally high RTP regardless of stake.

Players are encouraged to dig into a slot’s info tab for detailed information on RTP.

Types of online slots

Types of online slots range from simplistic reel slots to video slots with movie-quality CGI, multiple bonus rounds, and thousands of pay lines. Today’s online slot casinos have it all and continue to innovate at breakneck speed.

Suffice it to say that online slots fall into numerous buckets, and it’s helpful to at least have a basic understanding of each one.

Steppers

Steppers get their name from the stepper motor that controls where each reel lands. Of course, online slots don’t have any mechanical parts, but the name stuck.

These classic 3-reel slots feature simplistic gameplay, low-to-mid volatility, a limited number of paylines, and few if any bonus features.

However, it doesn’t mean they’re old-fashioned, as online casinos have helped usher them into the modern age with digital reels and flashy aesthetics. Steppers are an excellent entry point for new players.

Top Steppers:

• Ca$h Machine
• Double Jackpot
• Triple Diamond

5-Reel slots

5-Reelers are extensions of Steppers, except with a couple of added reels. They’re still light on paylines and bonuses but offer more ways to win than their predecessor.

The Quick Hit series is a popular example of a classic 5-reel slot.

Top 5-Reel Slots:

• Quick Hit Blitz

Video slots

Video slots are the most common type of online slot by far. All online slots are technically video slots because they’re all driven by digital video technology, similar to a video game. However, for simplicity’s sake, we’ll classify them as slots that don’t fit neatly into any other category. The closest comparison is penny slots found at land-based casinos.

Besides enhanced graphics, video slots are defined by their numerous pay lines, elaborate bonus games, and varying thematic elements. Some even throw the concept of traditional pay lines for a loop, using Cluster Pays instead. This format pays when symbols are aligned in a group or “cluster,” ignoring the usual left-to-right structure.

Video slot RTP typically falls in the 94 – 97% range with some outliers, and the volatility is all over the place.

Top Video Slots:

• Cash Eruption
• Starburst
• Buffalo Gold
• World of Wonka

Fixed jackpot slots

There are a few jackpot slot categories, but the most common are fixed jackpot slots.

Unlike slots with progressive meters, fixed jackpots are determined solely by your wager size. For instance, if the Mega pays 10,000 times your bet size, it’ll pay $10,000 on a $1 bet and $50,000 on a $5 wager. The more you wager, the more you can potentially win.

You can usually tell if a video slot is also a fixed jackpot slot by seeing if it has payouts for Mini, Minor, Major, and Grand, or something along those lines.

Jackpots are special features often found outside the main game. They may be triggered randomly or via a special bonus feature.

Top Fixed Jackpot Slots:

• 88 Fortunes
• Dancing Drums
• Wheel of Fortune Ruby Riches

Progressive slots

Progressive slots are a special jackpot slot that’s community-driven. The slot manufacturer sets a base jackpot, called a seed, and a small portion of each real-money wager is added to the jackpot until it hits.

Progressives can swell particularly quickly online for a couple of reasons. First, there’s theoretically no limit on the number of concurrent players. By contrast, land-based casinos have a fixed number of physical cabinets.

Secondly, progressives are often linked to multiple slots, sometimes dozens. They can even be linked across casinos. The Big One on BetMGM and Borgata Casino is a good example.

So, it’s little surprise that progressives often soar into six- and seven-figure territory, with the biggest progressive reaching $4.8m+. The downside is that larger progressives might take months or years to hit.

Top progressive slots:

• Divine Fortune
• Loot’en Khamun: The Dead Sea Scrolls
• Wheel of Fortune Triple Gold

Must-hits/drops

Must-Hits are a subset of progressive slots that hit far more reliably but for smaller amounts.

Unlike standard progressives, Must-Hits give players some breadcrumbs. To clarify, these slots will display something like “Must Hit By $10,000,” meaning the progressive jackpot will be won before it reaches $10,000.

There’s also a newer variant of Must-Hits called Must Drops or Daily Jackpots. Instead of hitting by a certain monetary amount, these hit by a specified time.

Players can use this knowledge to their advantage by lining up their play around when a progressive is close to the must-hit amount or a Daily Jackpot’s deadline.

Online casinos usually attach Must-Hits and Daily Jackpots to regular progressives at their discretion, so there’s no “best” one to play.

Bonus buy

Slots have gotten significantly more volatile over the years. It used to be that the base game would commonly award big wins, but now, it acts more of an on-ramp to the bonus rounds.

Whether they be free spins, special mini-games, or an interactive feature, every slot player hunts bonuses. Big Time Gaming ran with this idea a few years back and started allowing players to buy bonus rounds directly.

Bonus buys cost a multiple of the base bet, usually a significant one like 50x or 100x. However, they often offer a better RTP and lower volatility than the main game.

Top Bonus Buy Slots:

• Blood Suckers Megaways
• Jack and the Beanstalk Remastered
• Blazing Bison

Megaways

Australian company Big Time Gaming is a pioneer in the slot manufacturing space, conceiving both Bonus Buys and the explosively popular Megaways.

The format was born in 2016 when Bonanza single-handedly turned the slot’s world on its head. Here was a game where the number of paylines was dynamic, meaning they changed each spin. Not only that, but the possible range was enormous, with up to 117,649 paylines possible.

This opened a slew of new possibilities, and other developers like NetEnt quickly adapted the format, releasing new “Mega” versions of their popular branded games.

Top Megaways:

• White Rabbit
• Bonanza
• Extra Chili

Branded slots

A branded slot is based on a popular TV show, movie, game show, musician, or pop-culture icon. Line symbols, bonus rounds, and aesthetics all synergize around the game’s central character to a lesser or greater degree.

At land-based casinos, branded slots housed in gigantic, flashy cabinets are best avoided. Manufacturers often have to pay licensing fees for the right to use a brand, and the machines are expensive to produce. Players incur this cost via a lower RTP.

However, online branded slots return about the same amount as any other video slot. That’s the beauty of low overhead fees.

It’s also worth noting that some larger online casinos, most notably DraftKings and FanDuel, are starting to offer their own self-branded slots and table games.

• Jimi Hendrix
• Wheel of Fortune (various)
• Cats

Slingo

Slingo is notable because it’s the first deviation away from traditional slots. The action unfolds on a bingo board, and players who make enough winning combinations win a prize.

The bingo balls are spun slots-style, with multiple rounds and the chance to win random prizes and bonuses. Slingo games started out simple but now commonly incorporate crossover features from popular slots.

• Slingo Extreme
• Book of Slingo
• Lobstermania Slingo

What to look for in online slots casinos

When looking for online slot casinos, players in states with legal online casinos have abundant options, especially in major markets like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. That’s largely a positive, but it can make finding a home frustrating.

You’ve already seen our recommendations, but if you want to do the legwork yourself, then here’s what we suggest looking for:

Legality

Legality is important when playing slots, as legal sites offer numerous benefits over offshore sites, including identity and financial safeguards, guaranteed game fairness, and access to reliable payout options.

Players can check their local gaming regulatory body for a list of legal sites. For instance, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement displays their authorized sites in an easily digestible list.

Slot selection

Slot selection at online casinos largely revolves around the same major slot manufacturers like IGT, NetEnt, Big Time Gaming, and Barcrest, so game quality doesn’t vary too much from site to site. Selection does, with the best slot casinos supporting thousands of games, spanning old-fashioned steppers, video slots, progressives, jackpots, and more.

Welcome bonuses

Most welcome bonuses are targeted specifically at slot players. However, quality varies drastically. Seek out casinos where you can truly get a leg up. That means deposit matches with low wagering requirements (20x or less) and bonusback promos that offer net loss refunds as cash or site credits with a 1x turnover. Casinos that award free spins, other no-deposit bonuses, and 100% bonus contributions on all slots earn extra credit.

Slot-focused features

Some online brands have spiced up their slot lobbies with special features like daily Must Hit/Drop By jackpots, site-specific progressives, and exclusive games. Beyond game selection, this is the primary way slot apps distinguish themselves.

Recurring promotions & loyalty programs

Recurring promotions and loyalty programs have become essential features in the online casino space. But we’re not going to lie: slot promotions have become scarce. If an app offers a couple of leaderboards, Game of the Week, or deposit match bonuses per month, that’s an above-average value find.

Unlike promos, loyalty programs are quite common, and the best ones kick back at least 0.1% coin-in to entry-level members and 0.3% plus a host of other benefits to VIPs. Annual programs with tie-ins to land-based casinos rank especially high because the benefits extend beyond the online sphere and last for the year they’re earned, plus the following calendar year.

Cashiering

There’s no excuse for legal online slot casinos to neglect their cashiers. At a minimum, expect viable depositing methods like credit/debit cards, ACH, prepaid cards, cash, and PayPal. Some go the extra mile, offering more “trendy” options like Venmo, Apple Pay, and branded gift cards. They also provide some form of instantaneous withdrawals. After all, if deposits are processed instantly, why can’t withdrawals?

Mobile performance

Desktop-only and mobile-optimized platforms are (thankfully) a thing of the past, as nearly every legal online slot casino has a dedicated mobile app, compatible with Android and iOS-powered devices.

Mobile app quality, that’s another story. Apps should mark the pinnacle of convenience, with easy and swift access to the entire slot library and the same bells and whistles found on desktop. Ideally, players will only have to download one app per site, with integrated access to the sportsbook, if applicable.

Speed and stability are also vitally important, as there’s no bigger deterrent than a disconnect or lag during bonus rounds.

Demo modes

Some online casinos take a try-before-you-buy philosophy, allowing players to sample slots in free-to-play or demo mode. This greatly benefits players, as they’ll get a feel of a slot’s paylines, bonus features, volatility, and interactive features before they invest a single penny.

Which US states have online slot casinos?

Although the U.S. online casino industry has evolved considerably since its inception in 2013, there’s still only a handful of states that offer legal online slot casinos:

• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• Michigan
• West Virginia
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Rhode Island

Of these, New Jersey has the most mature market, with over 30 active sites, many supporting over 1,000 slots. Pennslyvania and Michigan are catching up quickly, with 21 and 16 online slots casinos, respectively, followed by West Virginia, with nine.

There’s a pretty steep falloff after that.

The Connecticut market is restricted to two operators: FanDuel/Mohegan Sun and DraftKings. Delaware players only have BetRivers, and Rhode Islanders’ sole option is Bally’s. Given the way gambling laws are set up, we don’t expect much expansion in these markets.

Online slots welcome bonuses

Online slots welcome bonuses give players far more opportunities than table game or video poker grinders, and the good times start the moment they open an account.

Here’s a glance at the type of welcome bonus offers you may receive:

• No-deposit bonus: New registrants might receive a small no-deposit bonus up to $25, that can be used on slots. Before cashing out any winnings, players must fulfill a wagering requirement. Sometimes, the funds won’t convert to cash until players make their first deposit, but that’s rare.
• Deposit match: The most common welcome bonus awards players bonus funds equal to the amount of their first deposit, capped at a specified amount. For instance, if a player claims a 100% match up to $1,000 and deposits $500, they’ll receive $500 in bonus funds. However, if they deposit $1,500 or $5,000, they will only get $1,000. All bonus funds are subject to wagering requirements, but they’re generally much lower for slot players.
• Bonusback: Sometimes, the reels don’t fall your way. This bonus gives hard-luck gamblers a second lease on life by refunding net losses incurred during their first day. Sometimes, the bonus is paid in cash, but usually, it’s paid as a bonus with a 1x-5x wagering requirement.
• Free spins: The casino gives new players free spins that can be used on a specific slot. Usually, you’ll receive hundreds of spins, but don’t get too excited, as the free spins are typically set at the lowest denomination.

The main reason slot players benefit the most from welcome packages is due to how bonus contributions work. See, each casino sets how much they want their games to contribute to their bonus wagering requirements. For slots, the rate is almost always 100%.

So, if a player receives a $100 bonus with a 15x WR and a 100% bonus contribution on slots, they’ll clear it by wagering $1,500 ($100 x 15). However, if the bonus contribution is 20%, they’d have to wager $7,500.

Sadly, 20%, 10%, and even 0% bonus contribution rates are common, but they usually apply to table games and video poker. The one caveat is that some casinos will exclude high RTP slots from consideration, so always check the fine print.

Why do casinos count games differently? It mostly has to do with RTP. Games like blackjack and full-pay video poker have a 99%+ RTP, and casinos could get crushed if these titles contributed fully to wagering requirements.

Slots have a lower RTP in the 94-97% range, so casinos are more comfortable allowing them to contribute fully.

If you happen to find a casino that counts all games equally, by all means, play blackjack. Otherwise, stick with the highest possible RTP slots when clearing bonuses.

Return-to-player and volatility explained

Return-to-player (RTP) and volatility are two of the three main ingredients that dictate how your slot sessions go. The first is luck, and it’s by far the most influential factor over the short term.

In the casino world, luck is a function of randomness. Behind all the pizazz and grandeur, slots are computers with outcomes determined independently by random number generators, or RNG.

If the RNG lands on more and bigger winning combinations than expected, you’ll have a good day. If it doesn’t, then no amount of tapping the screen or rubbing a rabbit’s foot will make a lick of difference.

However, slot players can influence the ups and downs of the RNG roller coaster through the second component: volatility.

Volatility is a measure of risk. A slot with high volatility might have tons of dead spins baked into its RNG but offer the potential for bigger payouts. On the other hand, low volatility slots may be more relaxed, with smaller, more frequent payouts, and a capped upside. This is an overgeneralization, as RNGs among similarly volatile slots can vary significantly, but you get the point.

Lastly, there’s Return-To-Player or RTP. This one’s easy. RTP represents the percentage of coin-in players should expect to get back over the long run. If a machine’s RTP is 95%, then on average, the machine will return $0.95 per $1 wagered. The higher the RTP, the better.

This doesn’t mean that every time you visit a casino, you’ll lose $5 for every $100 wagered on a 95% RTP slot. That would be ridiculous and boring, and no one would ever win. That’s why we have volatility, which shakes things up on a session-by-session basis. Even on a low-volatility machine, it might take millions of spins to normalize toward the RTP.

Where to find an online slot’s RTP and volatility ranking

To find an online slot’s RTP and volatility, players at a land-based casino are often left flying blind. That’s because each casino sets the RTP of their slots independently. Players can gain insight into how tight or loose a casino is by scouring revenue reports and searching for win %, but that hardly paints a conclusive picture.

Online slot RNG is much more static. With most slot providers, the RTP is set, and you get what you get. A few providers, like IGT, offer three different RTP options, but most online casinos select the best option to remain competitive.

Some manufacturers display slot RTP in their game info tab, usually near the last page, so that’s a great place to look first. If it’s absent, take to the internet for the answer. It’s usually reliable.

Volatility is trickier. A few upstart manufacturers like Pragmatic Play display slot volatility, and we hope to see that trend continue, but that level of transparency is rare.

Internet information is unreliable, so the best way might be to use a hands-on approach. Observe the game’s max multiplier and give it a few (hundred) spins in demo mode. If the max payout is huge, the base game is terrible, and bonus rounds are infrequent but pay massively, you’re probably dealing with a high-volatility game.

Also, when trying out games, note the manufacturer. More often than not, if one game by a manufacturer is extremely volatile, then chances are others will be as well. Just don’t take this as a universal rule, as providers like NetEnt support both extremely low volatility (Blood Suckers) and insanely erratic (Dead or Alive) games.

Real-money online slots vs Land-based casino slots

Online slot casinos give players a much better bang for their buck and offer numerous other benefits that land-based casinos can’t compete with.

There are still a few areas where physical casinos have the edge, but even those divides are shrinking.

• Return-to-player: The average online slot has an RTP of 96%, and can be played for around $0.50 per spin. Land-based penny slot RTPs vary from ~85-92% RTP. There’s no comparison here. You’d have to play in a land-based casino’s high-limit room to get close.
• Transparency: Information regarding an online slot’s RTP is readily available. Getting even a vague idea of a live casino’s house edge requires significant research.
• Welcome bonuses: A land-based casino might flip new players a $10 free play voucher. Online casino welcome packages are often worth hundreds.
• Convenience: Again, the nod goes to online slot casinos. Not only are they easily accessible from desktop or mobile platforms, but with each passing year, the platforms are growing more stable and user-friendly. However, in states without legal online gambling, live casinos are by default the better option.
• Cashiering: Live casinos have been slow to update their antiquated payment systems, and most slots still only accept cash. By contrast, online slot players have many viable depositing methods in their arsenal and can utilize newer technologies like Apple Pay and Venmo to instantaneously transfer funds. Live casinos still get the edge for payout speed, but the gulf is narrowing, with several online casinos now offering instant withdrawals.
• Social aspects: As much as live casinos want you to believe slot players gamble in big boisterous groups, many like to be left alone. Online slot players don’t have anyone watching over their shoulders and can choose anonymous screen names. However, some prefer the sounds and vibe at live casinos, so call this one a wash.
• Game selection: Live casinos used to have a massive advantage here, but it’s disappeared. Yes, gigantic casinos like MGM Grand Las Vegas and Hard Rock AC have over 2,500 slots, but how many are duplicates? The largest online casinos have over 2,000 unique slots and aren’t confined by physical space limitations.
• Sanitation: Live casinos are cleaner than pre-COVID but are still harbingers of germs. You won’t catch a cold playing slots in your bedroom or home office — maybe at the supermarket.