When researching different slot games to play at Tonybet and elsewhere, you are likely to have come across figures referring to slot variance. This is an important factor both in the development and design of slot games, and can also be important when playing games at home.
But what does slot variance actually do in practice? Why are some games high variance, and others low variance? At Tonybet, we endeavour to list games that offer a range of variance as well as features. But before you go ahead and look up any slots for yourself, let’s explore how slot variance works in practice and why it’s worth watching out for.
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What is slot variance?
Slot variance is sometimes called volatility, and it refers to the type and level of risk you can expect from a particular slot game. Variance is a sliding scale, meaning that there are some games that are down at the low end of the measurement, while others are considered high variance or highly volatile.
Critically, variance determines how likely a game is to give prizes and to what extent. For example, some games may be extremely generous in terms of how often prizes land, but won’t always give away the largest amounts compared to other slots.
Slot variance is a crucial element in the design and development of slot games, which runs alongside ensuring that games are completely randomised. While there are no guarantees how much a slot game will pay out at any one time (or even over its lifetime), these statistics can help players understand whether or not a slot is right for them.
Why is slot variance important to understand?
Slot variance can help players find games that match their play styles. Let’s consider the two extreme ends of the risk scale.
There are casual players, who tend to bet low and aren’t likely to chase large prizes. These players prefer games that will only take a few minutes out of their day, and they aren’t likely to spend long periods of time playing.
There are also committed players, who are the opposite. The healthiest of these players have set limits that they stick to while trying to unlock features and prizes, and they may spend longer on slots than most.
What’s more, the committed player is less likely to worry about risk in comparison to their casual counterpart. This is not to say that they never consider risks – it just means that their thresholds are different.
Therefore, with knowledge of slot variance, these players can find games that are likely to fit their play style. Below, we’ll look at where on the variance or volatility scale these players might land.
As a side note, regardless of your play style or your attitude to risk, you must always take steps to gamble responsibly and to only ever use money that you can feasibly afford to lose. Tonybet offers a range of responsible gambling tools and advice from partners to help you manage your money and play time if you need it.
Slot variance: low, medium and high
For the most part, slot variance is based on one of three levels: low, medium or high. While there are a lot more technical aspects and features that go towards exactly where games sit on this scale, this is how variance and volatility are presented to online players.
Here’s a quick overview of what each of the slot variance levels means:
- Low-variance slots: These games tend to give out prizes quite often, but don’t give away high values – this sometimes means that they won’t have big features or bonus rounds. Low-variance slots are ideal for casual players who aren’t chasing big prizes and who don’t want to be overwhelmed by lots of flashy features.
- Medium-variance slots: As you’d expect, these slots sit somewhere in the middle, offering a balance of regular prizes that vary in size. This means that while you might not see regular prizes landing on the reels, it should still feel like opportunities are available.
- High-variance slots: These slot games are weighted towards committed players who look at the bigger prizes and who may play for longer periods. These games are carefully designed to offer a range of different features and bonus rounds, though compared to lower-variance slots, they won’t always give prizes away regularly.
Understanding the difference between these types of slots is ideal when looking for new games or even when exploring the Tonybet catalogue for the first time. There will also be other factors that come into play, such as individual game features, bet limits, visuals and types of game, but variance is something we recommend you consider before you start playing slots with real money.
Tips for managing variance while playing
Regardless of your attitude to risk and the level of slot variance you are likely to prefer, here are some important tips and considerations to keep in mind when trying different games at various volatility levels:
- Set clear limits for your gameplay and stick to them: Variance is never a guarantee of whether or not you will claim a prize, or how big the top prizes will be.
- Take regular breaks: Even if you set yourself fairly high limits that you feel you can safely manage, it is still healthy to take time away from slot games wherever possible.
- Adjust your bankroll based on the game’s variance: For example, a low-variance slot game is unlikely to demand as high a bankroll as more intensive games.
- Never chase wins or losses: Given that all slot games hosted at Tonybet are regulated and adjudicated to offer completely random outcomes, there is no healthy logic behind chasing a win on the back of a loss.
- Check the RTP (Return to Player): A slot game’s RTP ratio will also tell you how much it is likely to pay out across its lifetime (though, again, this shouldn’t ever be used to determine how likely you are to claim a prize at any given time). For example, a slot with an RTP of 96% is considered reasonable, and it will pay out €96 out of every €100 it takes in bets, on average.
How to choose the right slot based on variance
It’s worth remembering that choosing the right slot based on variance can take time and experience – it’s not something you necessarily know how to perfect overnight. Therefore, take time to understand your gameplay style and slots strategy, and always check a slot’s paytable and prizes before you start spinning.
Where possible, we also recommend trying the demo mode and getting a feel for a slot game and how it performs with free credits. Beyond that, look at a slot’s bonus rounds and added features – the more there are, the more likely it is to have high variance.
Ultimately, Tonybet offers a wide range of games with different variances and volatility levels – and, if you need help managing your activity regardless of the games you play, we’re on hand to support you.
