We’ve all had that dream; landing a massive slots jackpot, being awarded enough to live like a king, and heading off on a never ending world cruise. There is just one challenge that stands between us and the dream; actually winning a jackpot.
The only real question is if there is any way to maximise the chances of winning, or if it is all just plain luck.
Getting Lucky
First and foremost, yes, slots are 100% based around luck. There is nothing that a player can do to alter the way a slot pays out, so it is simply a matter of trusting the RNG, otherwise known as the random number generator.
To put it another way; a slot is a luck based game, not a skill based game. Blackjack, Poker and Roulette are skill based games, which means that a player can benefit immensely from learning, changing strategies, and making better decission. Slots, on the other hand, will never pay out better or worse, regardless of what the player does.
But does this mean that there is no way to increase the chances of hitting a jackpot? Not necessarily.
What Is RTP?
What it really comes down to is carefully choosing the game that you play. It turns out that there is, plainly stated, more chance of some slots paying out than others, over a period of time. This winning percentage is referred to as the RTP, or return to player, and it is required by law that casinos state that percentage.
In a nutshell the RTP is like the house edge. If it the RTP is stated as being 95%, as opposed to 90%, it means that there 95% game offers less of a chance of each wager being lost per spin. So, in other words, it means that the player will theoretically be able to play for a longer period with a higher RTP.
Hence, choosing a slot with a high RTP is beneficial, and should certainly be taken into consideration. After all, the more spins taken, the more chances of hitting a rare payout.
To summarise; no, a higher RTP won’t increase the chances of a bigger payout in terms of odds, but it may increase the number of spins can be taken.
Standard And Progressive
But wait a second, what if there was more of a chance of some jackpots being won than others?
Progressive jackpots are a very different kettle of fish. A progressive network is when multiple games are linked together, and each spin taken means that a small percentage is fed into the pot. If any player currently engaged in the network strikes it lucky, the payout comes from the same cash pool. The amount paid out is also normally enormous, in the tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions. As would be expected, the chances of nailing this major win are going to be small.
Standard jackpots may not offer as much, but are far more likely to be awarded. So perhaps aiming low is the better option in this regard.