Choosing a slot machine can be driven by all sorts of things. Plenty of gamblers choose their preferred slot titles looking at nothing but the theme, while some pay attention to the game configuration and imagery. Some bettors are interested only in large jackpot slots and slots with progressive prize pools. Surely, one of the important factors worth considering is the volatility of the slot. Each player has an individual style of betting and players often get accustomed to a certain type of slots. On the whole, volatility has a lot of influence on determining what slot type is the right for you. Let’s explore whether slots with less intense volatility are the way to go, or high variance slots are a better choice.
About Slot Volatility
Before we start comparing, we should all have a clear picture in our minds of what volatility actually is. Slot volatility, otherwise called slot variance, refers to the amount of risk punters subject themselves to as they are playing an individual slot game. When we say a game is highly volatile, or that it has a lower variance, we are talking about an inherent quality to that specific game. By using the terms ‘volatility’ and ‘variance’ and a scale from low to very high, it becomes easy to describe how often and how much a specific slot pays out. It seems like an important piece of information, right?
It is. Volatility tells you a lot about the risks you’re taking by choosing that game instead of the other and tells you what you’re getting yourself into. If you can’t handle long dry spells, the variance of a slot should tell you whether to spin away or make a different choice.
Determining Volatility of Online Slots
Contrary to the transparency game developers usually express when it comes to the game’s return rate, variance is often not revealed to the public. Most of the time players have to figure it out themselves, and the only way to do it is by playing. After a while, it becomes evident whether the slot pays out more in longer intervals or it delivers smaller sums at a faster pace. Spending time on a single slot and paying attention to certain features can help determine the game’s volatility and once it is determined the info is shared across the gambling community so there’s really no point in hiding it, in the long run.
One of clever ways to see how a slot behaves is to play it for free. A lot of casino sites allow their games to be played in demo mode, which is a great opportunity for a player to look through their payout frequency. One can get a fair idea about volatility by looking at the paytable. What is the maximum payout for five of the highest paying symbols? Is there a big difference in payout for five and four matching symbols? If the payouts for identical combinations of symbols are smaller, then you can expect them to occur more frequently; if they are considerable amounts, then it is likely for them to occur on rare occasions. This is how you can tell if a slot has low, medium or high volatility.
High vs. Low
The ranking of a slot’s volatility corresponds to the likelihood of winning your bets more often or less often. Low variance slots offer the longest amount of playtime by delivering a lot of small hits and big wins come rarely. Low volatility means less risk and, usually, these games keep you entertained for hours and hours, holding your attention and rewarding you with prizes every few spins. Bottom line, lower volatility slots pay out on a regular basis, but the profits tend to be smaller.
As for highly volatile slots, they offer better odds of winning it big. However, they come with bigger risks as the payouts are fewer and farther between. The thing with high variance slots is that players are destined to observe how their balance tumbles down until the big hit comes. When it comes, the huge win makes it up for past loses, but the trauma stays if you’re not up for these kinds of slots. To be able to handle high volatility slot machines, it is required for the player to have a decent budget on his/her disposal. Out of the more frequent losses the big wins accumulate and eventually do pay off.
Choose Slot Variance According to Your Gambling Style
As you can see, slots operate in different ways, and that’s what makes them attractive, among other great things. Slot games are meant to suit different players, and developers always have a certain group of bettors in mind when developing a new slot. The key is in maintaining diversity and pleasing a wide as possible range of people. There isn’t an exact answer to the question which slots anyone should play, whether it’s high or low variance. We should all be happy there are enough slots to satisfy all of us, both financially and visually.
You could take a few wide-known advices when it comes to making a distinction between low volatility and high volatility slots. If you have a big budget and you have enough patience to absorb the risk of waiting, to accept a dry spell with dignity, you should invest in high volatility slots. Big spenders have witnessed that these types of games suit them more, as they satisfy their thirst for huge wins. Not all slots have such dynamics, and players that are on a budget might consider settling for low volatility slots. They pay out regularly and allow the bettor to build a bankroll slowly and steadily, without big oscillations. If you want to try your luck at both fronts, then you can maximize playtime and minimize risk by betting low on high variance slots and betting high on low volatility games, according to seasoned gamblers.
Down the line, finding a balance between one’s betting style and slot machine volatility is what produces the best of casino experiences online. Treat slot volatility as useful information that can help you find the titles that most suit your gambling rhythm.
