Understanding RTP in Crypto Casinos - the Ultimate Guide

last updated 17 Mar 2024

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Author by Teoslav Holubek

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Understanding RTP in Crypto Casinos: How It Affects Your Chances of Winning

One of the most important but often misunderstood elements in gambling is the concept of RTP (Return to Player). This is especially true in the rapidly evolving crypto casino space, where new technologies and features are making gambling more exciting, but also more complex. In fact, whether you’re a seasoned crypto gambler or dipping your toes for the first time, knowing what RTP is and how it functions will help you make smarter decisions in any casino environment.

This original CoinBets.com guide will demystify RTP, particularly in the context of crypto casinos. We’ll break down exactly what RTP is, how it functions in the cryptocurrency gambling space, and most importantly, how you can harness this knowledge to increase your chances of success.

What Is RTP?

RTP stands for “Return to Player” and is used to indicate what percentage of money a player can expect to win back from a particular game (or from a casino as a whole).

For example, let’s say a slot game has an RTP of 96%. In this case, a player can expect to receive $96 for every $100 they wager. The remaining $4 represents the “house edge”, which is the casino operator’s margin (more on that later).

Simple, right? Well, yes and no. You see, while the basic principle is straightforward, context is everything. Specifically, the stated RTP for any game is calculated over millions of test spins. Now, because an average player won’t play anywhere near that amount of spins on a game, the actual RTP experienced by any particular player will be very different from the theoretical game RTP as calculated by the developer.

How RTP Works in Crypto Casinos

Although the basic concept of RTP is the same in any gambling, whether at a land-based casino, a traditional online casino, or a crypto casino, the latter does introduce some important new angles.

Provably Fair Systems

Perhaps the most fundamental difference between traditional online casino games and blockchain-based crypto casino games relates to trust. At traditional online casinos, you have to put your trust in the casino operators regarding game RTP, but crypto casinos enable provably fair RTP rates.

Of course, reputable game developers use RNGs (Random Number Generators) certified by test labs like eCOGRA, BMM, and iTech Labs to generate game results. But, players still have to trust that casino operators haven’t tampered with things. And, while this isn’t such a big concern at casinos licensed by strict regulators like the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) and MGA (Malta Gaming Authority), it can be a concern at other sites, particularly crypto casinos.

This is where blockchain-based provably fair games are, well, a real “game changer”. By incorporating provably fair algorithms, players can independently verify a game’s RTP. This unprecedented level of transparency is simply impossible at traditional online and land-based casinos. If you’re interested in finding out more about provably fair RTP and games, check out the CoinBets.com Introduction to Provably Fair Gaming.

Unique Features in Crypto Casinos

In addition to provable fairness, the nature of crypto casinos allows them to offer games that can feature higher RTPs compared to those at traditional online casinos. Primarily, this is because the operational costs of blockchain-based casinos can be considerably lower than their standard counterparts. This is especially true when it comes to truly decentralized peer-to-peer casinos and betting platforms, which don’t require large staff and physical servers, or incur traditional payment processing fees.

The unique mechanics of blockchain-based games can also result in particularly high RTP games in crypto casinos. Below are some popular examples and their RTP rates:

• Crash - 96% to 99%
• Plinko - 96% to 99%
• Limbo - 96% to 99% (BC.Game’s version has a 99% RTP)
• Hi-Lo - 98% to 99%
• Dice - 88% to 98%

Instant Payouts and RTP

Complementing the higher RTP games found at crypto casinos are instant payouts. Again, these are enabled by the fact that using cryptocurrency enables site operators to avoid the high fees and lengthy processing times that come with using traditional payment processors.

Furthermore, the integration of Web3 cryptocurrency wallets like MetaMask and TrustWallet makes this process virtually seamless, while still maintaining a high level of security. Needless to say, instant payouts enhance the overall gaming experience, but critically, they also reinforce the trust between the gambler and the casino.

Why RTP Matters in Crypto Gambling

As you can see, it’s hard to overstate the importance of RTP in crypto casinos. Simply put, the higher the RTP, the more wagered money will be returned to players over the long term, reducing the casino’s edge. But, as previously explained, RTP is a theoretical long-term rate, so how can you, as an individual player use it to your advantage?

Maximizing Your Chances

The most important thing to keep in mind is that mathematics is a science and the numbers don’t lie. Playing a game with a higher RTP does mean that you, theoretically, have a higher chance of winning, or at the very least making your gambling bankroll stretch further. For example, if you’re choosing between two slots, one with an RTP of 90% and the other with an RTP of 96%, the latter is, statistically speaking, the better bet.

The key thing to keep in mind is relativity. If you are going to play one million spins on a single game, you will likely find the RTP you experience is very close to the game’s stated RTP. But, in reality, most people are probably going to play less than a hundred spins on a particular game in any one session. So, even if you choose a game with a high official RTP, you could well spend an hour playing and experience a much lower or higher, real RTP.

A good way of thinking about it is to visualize a Bitcoin or stock price chart. If you look at it over a year, there will be a certain trend. But, if you zoom in on a particular month, it will look very different. And, if you zoom in even further to the hour scale, it will look completely unrecognizable. The official game RTP is equivalent to the year scale trend, and the individual players’ sessions are equivalent to the hour scale trends. They are both the same reality, but depending on the scale, things will look very different.

Strategic Betting

Crypto casino RTP rates are also something to consider when formulating more nuanced betting strategies. This is because high RTP games tend to be less volatile or less risky, while low RTP games tend to be highly volatile, or more risky. Playing a less volatile game usually results in more steady, but lower value wins. Playing a highly volatile game can involve long periods with no wins, punctuated by short bursts of big wins.

Again, here it is critical to consider scale. If you’re taking the long-term view, and intend on playing steadily over the long term, then you may want to stick with high RTP, low volatility games. This will increase your chances of generating consistent wins and a positive long-term return.

However, if you’re only going to play casually, you’re unlikely to benefit from the long-term macro-scale statistical trends expressed in the official crypto casino RTP rates, so you may want to choose lower RTP games that are more volatile. This way, you can increase the chance that any single win, viewed in isolation, will be of a higher value. To underline this point, consider that in 2024 a Coolbet player won nearly $12 million on the Wolf Blaze WowPot! slot, and a Videoslots player scooped almost $7 million on Absolootly Mad Mega Moolah. The RTP of Wolf Blaze WowPot! is a meagre 86.93%, while Mega Moolah’s standard RTP rate barely breaks above 92%.

In truth, every player’s circumstances will be different, and most will probably want to strike a balance between playing high and lower RTP games. After all, although understanding RTP can help you plan a betting strategy, you should never lose sight of the fact that gambling is primarily for entertainment, not making money. Choosing games you enjoy is always a rewarding strategy.

Common RTP Percentages in Popular Crypto Games

The RTP of crypto casino games can vary significantly, even when comparing the same type of game. So, let’s look at what you can expect to find.

Crypto Slot Games

There are literally thousands of different slot games available at crypto casinos, with a huge variety of themes, mechanics, and RTPs. As a rule of thumb, slots with an RTP of 96% or above are considered to have a “high” payout rate, but you’ll find games with RTP percentages ranging from 85% to 98%. You should also note that some slot titles, for example, Mega Moolah and Book of Dead, can have different RTPs at different casinos. This doesn’t mean they aren’t delivering fair results, it's just that sometimes the game developers release a few different versions.

Here are some popular high RTP slot games in crypto casinos today:

Table Games and RTP

In common with traditional land-based casinos, the most popular table game at most crypto casinos is blackjack. Many variants exists, in both RNG-based and live dealer format, but they all have exceptionally high RTP rates - usually 99% or more when played with an optimal strategy.

The RTP varies considerably depending on which version you’re playing. If you want the best chances of winning, you should play European roulette which hasan RTP of just under 98%. American roulette, while still popular, has an RTP of around 94%. When it comes to baccarat, banker bets have a high RTP of around 98.9%, with side bets coming in much lower at about 89.6%.

The large element of skill in poker games means the RTP in more difficult to pin down. But, skillful players can expect some versions to actually exceed 100%. However, typically, Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Aces and Faces, and Bonus Poker, will deliver RTP rates above 99%.

RTP vs. House Edge

In the traditional gambling world, you’ll often hear the term “house edge”. This is essentially the other side of the coin to RTP. If a game has an RTP of 97%, then the house edge is 3%. If the house edge is 5%, then the RTP is 95%. Simply put, whereas RTP refers to the percentage of wagers players can expect back, the house edge refers to the percentage of wagers the casino can expect to keep.

Let's consider a crypto-specific example to illustrate the relationship between RTP and house edge. Imagine a blockchain-based slot game with an RTP of 95%. The house edge in this case would be 5%. This means that for every 1 BTC wagered, players can expect to win back 0.95 BTC over time, while the casino keeps the remaining 0.05 BTC.

So, for the best chances of winning (statistically speaking, of course), players should look for a high RTP and a low house edge.

Tips for Using RTP to Your Advantage

Choosing High RTP Games

At the end of the day, choosing high RTP games like specific slots, table games like blackjack, and poker, is one of the easiest ways to improve your chances of winning at a crypto casino. Any game with an RTP above 96% falls into the “high RTP” category and will theoretically increase the chances of seeing a return on your investment over time.

Some casinos display the RTP percentage of games on the thumbnails or cover images in the lobby. At others, you will have to launch the game and open the info tab. If you can’t find the RTP for a game, you can always check the developer’s official website for the full specifications.

Balancing Risk and RTP

As we’ve already seen, RTP is representative of long-term odds and doesn’t guarantee immediate wins. The key to formulating a successful strategy in crypto gambling is balancing your personal risk tolerance with RTP rates. Remember, depending on your playing habits and strategy, choosing higher RTP, less volatile, lower-risk games may actually hurt your chances of landing big individual wins.

So, always consider RTP in the context of how much you are going to play. If you’re a casual player having a few spins a week, you’re unlikely to notice much correlation between the stated RTP and real RTP. However, if you are a regular player, then given enough time, you will start to notice a closer relationship.