Step into a world where Leprechauns, Greek Gods, and Gold Miners await, offering not just thrilling entertainment but also the chance for real money casino winnings at Bovada. While diving into our vast selection of slots offers instant fun, truly mastering your online slot machine game means understanding key terms like RTP, volatility, and exciting bonus features.
Read on to unlock a deeper, more rewarding slots experience – and potentially boost your bank account.
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What is RTP and How Does It Affect Your Winnings?
Return-to-Player, or RTP, is an important number for many online slot players.
RTP is a percentage that represents the amount of money a slot machine is expected to pay back to players over a long period of play. For example, if a slot has an RTP of 97%, it means that, on average, for every $100 wagered, the game will return $96 to players and keep $3 as the house edge.
This figure is determined over millions of test spins, usually designed by the game developers to come up with a specific RTP.
Does this mean that a game with an RTP of, say, 97.11% will definitely give you better cash winnings compared to a game with an RTP of 95.89%?
Not necessarily. The RTP is determined over a longer, more theoretical series of millions of spins. The game you’re playing is short-term, and the results are still totally random. This means you could win big on a lower RTP game in just a few minutes, even if a higher RTP game looks more inviting.
Think of it another way: flipping a coin for heads or tails has a 50-50 chance over the long term. But if you do, for example, just 10 flips, you might end up with 7 or 8 “heads” in a row.
For that reason, a higher RTP is never a guarantee of higher success. RTP affects your winnings only in the very long run, and the percentage of RTP difference between online slot games is usually just between 1% and 2%.
Your success when playing online slots also has other factors at play, including the amount you bet per spin, the volatility of the game you’re playing (more on that in a minute), and the bonus features of the game.
Understanding Slot Volatility: Low vs High-Risk Games
Slot Volatility is another way to measure a slot game and your potential for winning cash, and whether you have a better chance of winning small or big cash prizes, or winning often or less frequently.
It’s also known as variance or risk level. Slot volatility describes how often and how much a slot game pays out over time.
Low volatility slots pay out small amounts often, making them ideal for players who prefer steady returns and want to stretch their bankroll. These games are less risky, so you’re less likely to experience long losing streaks, but you also won’t hit massive jackpots as often.
Some players prefer the pressure-free, getaway vibes of low volatility slots. Especially for some of Bovada’s fantasy or vacation-themed games, they’re great for a little getaway where you might also pick up some cash.
High volatility slots pay out less frequently, but when they do, the wins can be pretty fantastic. High volatility online slot games are riskier, and you might need to play longer between winning spins, but the potential for more big payouts is the main appeal.
Players of high volatility slots are often thrill-seekers and are more open to high-risk slots than low-volatility players. Sometimes – but not necessarily – the longer dry spells between wins mean a player needs to have more of a bankroll to play with.
Medium volatility slots are just like they sound – they’ll strike a balance between the low and high volatility games.
Common Bonus Features in Online Slot Machines: Free Spins, Multipliers & More
When you choose from one of the 470+ slot games at Bovada, you’ll get a description of the game’s bonus features.
Free Spins are the most common bonus feature in online slots. It always feels great to know you’re playing with house money, especially when this free spin turns into a big win. Almost every game offers some type of free spin bonus, including special free spin bonus rounds that come with greater multipliers and even more features.
Speaking of Multipliers, what are they all about? They do the work that their name suggests: they multiply your winning amounts. Some games have symbols that come with a 2X Multiplier, or maybe 5, 10, or 100X or more.
Others have Random Multipliers that appear at any time in the base game, or Win Multipliers that are applied to an entire round or bonus feature rather than just to an individual spin.
Progressive and Expanding Multipliers are yet even more types, and in games like Megaways slots, they can unleash a wave of multiplying that really increases your winnings.
There are a ton of other bonus features in online slots to explore, including Expanding Wilds, Respins, Hot Drop Jackpots, Hold & Win, and so many more.
It’s worth taking many different games out for a spin. You’ll find the bonus features that work best and have a chance to score some wins along the way.
How to Choose the Right Slot Based on Your Play Style
Understanding RTP, volatility, and the exciting bonus features available in online slot machines empowers you to make informed choices and maximize your experience. Every slot at Bovada comes with a short description to read about what the game has to offer, and once you click to play a game, you can always click on “More Info” to get a full description of the rules and paytables.
This lets you decide whether the game is the right one for you. Some online slots are super-simple, offering just a few (or even just one) payline to follow. Others have multiple reels and rows with tons of features to play with.
Also, consider your risk tolerance. Like we mentioned above, RTP and Volatility are worth taking into account. If you like slow and steady and just want to enjoy the scenery (there are tons of games with amazing graphics and soundtracks), a lower volatility game might be for you.
If you feel the need for action and maybe massive wins, go with a higher volatility game.
No matter what, we’ve got one of the biggest online slot collections you’ll find, and we’re ready for everything you want to play.
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