Guide · Virtual chips · 18+
RTP and volatility: what they are and how to read the numbers
RTP (return to player) is the average share of the chips played that a game returns in the long run; volatility is how much results swing around that average. Two slots with the same 96% RTP can behave very differently: one pays small amounts often, the other pays rarely but bigger.
By IS Casino · Published · Updated
RTP in one sentence
At 96% RTP, out of every 100 virtual chips played an average of 96 come back — but only over a very large number of rounds. Over 10, 100 or even 1,000 rounds the result can land well above or below that. RTP is a mathematical property of the game, not a promise for your session.
On IS Casino each game’s base RTP is published in the RTP table: 96% on slots and crash games, 97% on most instant games, 97.3% on European roulette, 98.94% on baccarat (banker) and about 99% on blackjack with basic strategy. The value in effect is shown inside each game and is the same for every player.
How RTP is calculated
RTP = total returned ÷ total played. In formula games it is exact by construction; on slots it comes from the complete table of possible outcomes (the game’s “book”); on tables, from the probability of each result.
| Game and choice | Maths | RTP |
|---|---|---|
| European roulette, red | 18/37 × 2 | 97.30% |
| Double, any colour | 7/15 × 2 = 1/15 × 14 | 93.33% |
| Dice, 50% chance | 0.50 × 1.94 | 97.00% |
| Crash, stop at ×2 | P(reach ×2) = 96% ÷ 2 = 48%; 48% × 2 | 96.00% |
| Baccarat, Banker 0.95:1 | punto banco odds, 8 decks | 98.94% |
What volatility is
Volatility (or variance) measures the size of the swings. An objective way to measure it is the standard deviation of one spin’s return, in multiples of the stake. The higher it is, the further each spin lands from the average: more spins without a payout and rarer, larger payouts.
The table below was computed from each slot’s RTP verification (100 million base spins per game, stake 10, no jackpot): standard deviation = standard error × √spins.
| Slot | Measured RTP | Std. deviation per spin | Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruits 777 | 96.00% | ×3.5 | low |
| Dragão da Sorte | 96.01% | ×5.2 | low |
| Coelho da Sorte | 95.87% | ×5.2 | low |
| Três Luas | 95.99% | ×6.7 | medium |
| Syndicate Coins | 96.15% | ×7.4 | medium |
| Garimpo do Lobo | 95.87% | ×7.8 | medium |
| Trem de Ouro | 96.03% | ×7.8 | medium |
| Lobo Mascarado | 95.93% | ×8.9 | medium |
| Galinha da Sorte | 95.98% | ×9.1 | medium |
| Fogo do Curupira | 95.96% | ×9.3 | medium |
| Fire Wolf: Full Moon | 95.93% | ×9.3 | medium |
| Midnight Seven | 96.10% | ×9.6 | medium |
| Ninho do Dragão | 96.12% | ×10.8 | medium |
| Werewolf Night | 95.92% | ×10.8 | medium |
| Trovão do Olimpo | 95.98% | ×11 | medium |
| Boi da Sorte | 96.06% | ×11.2 | medium |
| Tigre da Sorte | 95.97% | ×12 | medium |
| Onça Dourada | 95.87% | ×12.5 | medium |
| Doces do Lobo | 95.96% | ×14 | high |
| Moon Jewels | 95.93% | ×15 | high |
| Syndicate Pyramids | 95.92% | ×17.5 | high |
| Neon Bar | 96.04% | ×17.7 | high |
| Sea Treasures | 96.25% | ×19 | high |
| Golden River | 95.87% | ×20.1 | high |
| Sakura | 95.96% | ×21.6 | high |
How to read it: Fruits 777 (about 3.5×) is a classic 3×3 with a ×200 max payout — results stay close to the average. Sakura and Golden River (above 20×) concentrate their return in free spins and multipliers — long runs without a big payout are normal.
Volatility in other games
- Crash and Limbo: you choose the volatility. Stopping at ×1.5 gives a frequent, small result; aiming for ×100 gives a rare (0.96% in crash), large one. The RTP is the same at any target.
- Plinko: low, medium or high risk and the number of rows change the multiplier table, not the 97% RTP.
- Tables: 1:1 choices in roulette, baccarat or Bac Bo have low volatility; a single roulette number (35:1) has high volatility.
What RTP does not tell you
- It does not tell you when a payout will land: every round is independent and verifiable (see the provably fair guide).
- It does not improve with playing time and machines do not get “hot” or “cold”.
- It does not depend on buying chips: purchases are optional and change neither the odds nor the RTP.
Verified over billions of rounds
To check that the published RTP is what the code pays, IS Casino simulated every game with the same functions the server uses. Summary:
| Simulated rounds | 3.27 billion |
|---|---|
| Games | 45 (poker has no RTP) |
| Variants tested | 487 (choices and stake sizes) |
| Criterion | Published RTP inside the 99.9% confidence interval |
| Method | The same server functions that decide and pay every round, without a database |
| Report date | October 16, 2026 |
The full per-game table is on the RTP of every game page.
Frequently asked questions
Does 96% RTP mean I get 96% of my chips back?
Not in a session. 96% is the theoretical average over a very large number of rounds; over a few rounds the result can be very different, up or down.
Is high volatility better or worse?
Neither: at the same RTP, high volatility means rarer, bigger payouts and low volatility means smaller, more frequent ones.
Does the RTP change while I play?
The club can adjust a game’s RTP between 80% and 99%. The value in effect is shown in the game, applies to everyone from the next round, and every round records the RTP it was opened with.
Which IS Casino game has the highest RTP?
Blackjack, at about 99% with basic strategy, followed by baccarat on Banker (98.94%) and Bac Bo on Player or Banker (98.87%).
