It’s impossible to discuss online casinos without talking about slot machines. Traditional casino games have made their way into the online realm more sophisticated, creative, and enjoyable ways than players can think. From mobile slots to multipliers, multi-pay line slots, mega-slots, and progressive slots, players have unlimited options to choose from at casinos like Wizard Slots.

The slot volatility is a significant factor for all online casino players, regardless of the slot machine type they choose to play.

Article Online Slot Volatility Explained

What Is The Meaning Of Volatility In Slot Games?

Online slot game behaviour is influenced by both volatility and variance, which refer to the frequency with which payments are made, their dollar value, and the degree of risk they entail. Volatility tells you whether a slot machine game has a high, medium, or low level of risk.

If you want to know how much money you’ll win or lose when playing slots, you’ll need to know how volatile the game is.

If you have a limited budget, you should play slots with fewer risks and the ability to extend your playtime with small but frequent wins.
Playing high-volatility slots can deliver huge wins but less frequently is a good idea if you like taking chances and having a higher bankroll.

Slot volatility explained

Volatility can be divided into low, medium, and high. Let’s focus on the three that best describe most online slots.

High Volatility

High-volatility slots are ideal for people who enjoy the thrill of the chase and are willing to risk a substantial sum of money. Typically, slot machines of this sort have fewer payouts, which means that gamblers may not win for a long period. However, it’s worth the wait if they score the jackpot.

Low volatility

Unsurprisingly, low-variance slot games are the exact reverse of high-variance ones. Slot machines in this category have frequent payouts, but the prizes are typically minimal. In other words, you can win every time, but your winnings will only cover your wagers. Low volatility slots are particularly popular with new players since they give them a taste of power.

Medium Volatility

With low and high slot machine volatility outlined, it’s easy to figure out what the medium one is. For gamblers, it’s a sweet spot in the centre and the most popular type of slot game out there. Medium-variance slots combine the Low volatility slots’ regular payouts and extensive play sessions from the high volatility slots’ larger jackpots.

How to Calculate Slots Volatility

Theoretically, if you know the frequency of symbol combinations and the odds or value assigned, you can determine slot machine volatility. Complex mathematical equations determine the actual volatility of a slot machine.

The volatility index rating of a slot machine reveals how volatile the slot is. However, this type of information is not something game creators are prepared to publish publicly. However, their official PAR (Program Accounting Report) sheets sometimes feature the calculations.

To establish how volatile a slot machine is, there are a few things you can look for as a player.

  • If you want to know how volatile a slot machine is, look at its paytable. It’s easy to see how the payouts for four and five similar symbols per line differ. You can tell if a slot machine has a high variance if you see that four symbols of a kind payout pretty low amounts, but five of a kind pay out a lot more (10 to 15x). To determine the slot’s volatility, look at the difference between the 3, 4, and 5-of-a-kind symbols payouts.
  • You can also gauge volatility by examining the game’s creators’ rewards. To tell if a slot machine is medium or high volatility, consider the number of cash rewards and jackpots it offers.
  • Review your maximum wager. High-variance slots have limited max bets because of big wins.
  • You can also determine slot variance by playing in demo mode. Low volatility slots give frequent low-value wins, while medium and high variance slots offer fewer but bigger wins.