Volatility refers to the degree of variation in a game’s results. In slot machines, traditionally, there is low volatility because the outcomes are predetermined by the spinning reels. However, as technology has advanced, many slots have introduced randomness into their outcomes that can cause high volatility for casinos and players alike.

 

That said, low volatility does not necessarily indicate lower risks for slot machines or casino players; in fact it stands to reason that this type of gaming could be more likely to make even the smallest gambler fortunate with bigger wins than those who play games with higher levels of randomness even in minimum deposit casinos.

How can you tell if a slot machine is low volatility?

As mentioned above, low volatility does not necessarily mean lower risk, but there are some signs that can help you tell if the machine to which you have access possesses this characteristic. Here are some of them:

 

1. Check out the game’s payback percentage.

This is not the only factor that determines the likelihood of wins, but it is very important because it indicates how much of an edge the casino has over players, and therefore how much they see in profits with each pull. The higher the payback percentage, the greater the volatility, as in this type of game, players’ chances of winning are higher and so is the risk.

 

2. Check out how often it pays out.

As was also mentioned above, slot machines produce wins in a very predictable manner. Although small differences exist between them, in general, results are just as regular as a clock’s ticking; that is why even the smallest bets can bring large returns. However, not all machines are created equal; some pay more often than others and some rarely do so at all. A machine with many rewards is a highly volatile one because a player has to wait longer between wins but when they come they tend to be bigger. So in order to figure out if a machine is low volatility, look into its payback percentage as well as its frequency of paying out.

 

3. Choose ‘High’ or ‘Medium’ volatility options.

Most slot machines will offer players who play them the ability to change their game’s settings so that they possess high or medium volatility; that is to say, the player can choose to help the game with randomness by increasing chance of winning or decreasing it by having less likely outcomes occur with each pull of the lever.

In the 2010 version of the game, versions 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 introduced an additional volatility option which was called “High” and “Low”. In these games, players are offered three different degrees of randomness: High (70%), Medium (40%) or Low (20%). The “High” setting is more likely to result in a win than a “Low” one but wins are smaller; unlike the base game, they are based on the amount bet and not on rollovers. As such, players who choose to play with this setting may be able to win with smaller bets without them being too much of a risk for them.

 

How does this work?

The volatility in a slot machine is based on the use of probability and statistics that can be applied to the output of each pull from a machine. So, for example, if a game’s probability of giving out a win is 50%, it means that for every 100 times you pull the lever, there will be 50 times when it will pay out and 50 times when it will not.

However, not all slots are created equal; some are more volatile than others and some less so. So even though they might pay out at a similar rate, overall their risk level can be higher or lower based on their probability levels.

From the information above, it can be seen that, even though the volatility of a slot’s results is relatively low, that does not make it without risks. On the contrary, players will see fewer wins overall but when they do happen it is going to be bigger and more often. Therefore, in order for players to play with an appropriate level of risk and know what chances they have of winning with their bets, they need to check the information about their specific game and then choose which of these options corresponds most closely to their needs.