Slot Machine Odds: What Are Your Chances?

Slot machine odds are unpredictable. No slot machine odds calculator could give you a winning combination since Slots use RNG, which generates randomized figures between 1 and a billion every second.

Even with the uncertainties of the outcome, slot machines are the most favored and popular gambling game worldwide, generating around 70% of casino operators’ revenue.

Continue reading to discover more about slots and know the answers to the following questions:

• What are the slot machine odds?
• How do slot machine odds work?
• What are some offline and online slot tips?
• Which slot machines pay the best?

Highlights of the Article

• Slot machine odds are the worst but still the most favorable gameplay by the majority.
• Online slots offer a higher RTP rate than land-based slot machines. 
• A progressive slot can provide an enormous prize when hit but is too risky to play.
• Having a high volatility doesn’t always mean the RTP is lower. 
• Payline determines the number of ways you can obtain a winning combination. 
• Ugga Bugga has one of the highest payout rates at 99.01%.
• The Wheel of Fortune is among the popular slots, with over 700 winning combinations and a high payout rate. 
• The RTP does not guarantee that it will be the exact percentage you will receive once you hit the jackpot.

Odds Behind Slot Machine Games

Playing the slot machine is a promising start-up if you are new to gambling. Slot Machine is easy to play with since you only need to bet and spin the reels.

Slots’ outcomes are decided on a random principle. The game uses a computer program–a Random Number Generator (RNG)–to generate random symbols for every spin.

The machines are preprogrammed to have the same probability for each spin of the reels. Hence, the result is independent and is not influenced by strategy, expertise, or previous spins. 

The following section shall explore vital factors influencing Slot machine odds, discussing theoretical aspects to give you clear insights into the game.

Factors Affecting the Slot Machine Odds

While almost all casino games’ outcomes are randomized, experts deem Slots among the worst odds, ranging from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 34 million. Yet, it is still among the most popular games.

Picking the best slot machine odds is crucial. Several factors must be considered to increase the game’s odds. Continue reading to learn how to make the outcome go in your favor. 

Slot Game Return-to-Player (RTP)

Return-to-Player is a percentage that represents the average amount of money that the casino would give back to the player over time.

In numbers, for every wagered $100 in a 95% RTP slot machine, the player will receive at most $95.

While RTP does not guarantee the success of every spin, selecting a slot machine with a higher RTP percentage can increase the odds. It is more likely for the machine to pay out. 

Slot Volatility

A slot machine’s volatility, known as variance, refers to the frequency of the winning combination likely to occur. It also corresponds to how big the payouts are and indicates how risky the slot is.

In the world of slots, volatility indicates how risky the game is, and it can be classified into three:

• High volatility means the slot has less frequency of winnings but with much larger payouts. 
• Low volatility slots offer higher frequency but smaller wins. 
• Medium volatility is the balance between low and high, wherein players can win bigger prizes.

Slot Game House Edge

Slots are designed to have a built-in advantage that works in the casino’s favor, referred to as the “House Edge,” ensuring that casinos always profit from their games no matter what.

The house edge is the opposite of the RTP. For example, in a slot with a 95% payout rate, the house expects to receive the remaining 5% of all bets placed on the machine. 

Determining the house edge gives you an idea of the following:

• Payouts – how much each slot pays out on average over its lifespan.
• Returns – which games are the most profitable with the best returns. 

Notably, slots with a high house edge will pay less over time. 

Probabilities in Slot Games

Probability is defined as the possibility that an event is likely to occur. For slot machines, the reels and symbols determine the probability of landing a winning combination. 

A standard slot machine has 3-5 reels, with around 10 symbols per reel. In a 3-reel slot with 10 symbols per reel, it has 1,000 combinations. If the machine has one winning combination, the probability of getting the jackpot is 0.1%.

Mathematically speaking, it’s the desired outcome over the total possible outcome. In the above example, the probability (P) for every real can be calculated following the equation: 

Slot Game Payout Percentage

Slots are programmed to return a target rate, which can be interpreted as the slot’s payout percentage. They are designed to generate low-paying winning combinations more often than high-paying ones.

Fun Fact

Slots offer an enormous payout percentage for the luckiest enthusiasts.
The largest slot game prize ever recorded was $39.7 million, won by a 25-year-old software engineer at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. 

The winning combinations are set with a predetermined value per symbol.

For example:

• 3 bells (🔔 🔔 🔔) across the reels would mean a jackpot prize.
• On the other hand, a combination of (bell 🔔, lemon🍋, lemon🍋) or [bell🔔, bell🔔, lemon🍋) across the reel pays out with a lesser prize.

These results are decided randomly with the RNG preprogrammed to yield specific average payout percentages. 

Depending on the slot type, the payout percentage is determined by the following factors. However, calculating the payout percentage is tricky, especially for the symbol frequency, since the casino will keep it private.

• Number of possible combinations – you need to know the number of symbols on each reel.
• Winning combinations – every slot has predetermined high-paying and low-paying winning combinations.
• Symbol frequency – determines how frequently the symbol is likely to occur. Symbols with a high value will appear less often. 

Slot Machines: Online vs. Brick-and-Mortar

The randomness in slots applies to both physical slot machines and online slot games. Regarding accessibility and experience, the two have different targets. 

Playing at land-based casinos provides a different level of experience. The noisiness and flashy lights can be overwhelming but undeniably create a more thrilling and fun excitement. 

When it comes to accessibility, online gambling sites have the advantage. More players prefer playing in the comfort of their rooms. In 2022, the number of online gambling users grew significantly by 15.38%.

The table below shows the other notable differences between physical and online slot games.

Helpful Articles

Before playing the game, it is best to educate ourselves first,  “What are the things to avoid?” rather than to ask after, “How to recover from a big gambling loss?”.
Aside from knowing the factors, read more about the common myths and misconceptions when playing slot machines.

Slot Machine with the Best Odds

When looking for a slot machine with the best odds, consider a combination of the following factors: 

1. High RTP rate – more chances 
2. Low volatility – consistent smaller wins
3. More paylines – more ways to win
4. Bonus features – increase the odds 

There might be instances where the slot machine ticks the four listed factors. Some may only have two. If that happens, ensure that existing features suffice and compensate for the lack of others. 

The following table summarizes the differences between the slot machines. Read more to discover their exciting features and the pros and cons.

Ugga Bugga

Regarding slot machines with high RTP, Ugga Bugga is in the top tier.

This tiki-themed slot game offers a unique slot structure and symbol combinations with a payout percentage of 99.07%. The slot boasts ten payout opportunities for each spin ranging from 250x to 1,000x.

Although Ugga Bugga has no free spins feature, it has some unique bonus features that increase the odds.

• Hold feature: a chance to hold symbols and spin again.
• Expandable wild symbols: you can win multiple payouts when holding two wilds on the first spin and potentially earn ten payouts if there are no partial symbols on the reels.
• Warrior scatter symbols: offer payouts if you get at least one symbol in a pay line section.

Quick Tip

Combining the wild and scatter symbols with the unique structure and the hold feature is the highlight of Ugga Bugga. The combination of symbols and features is equivalent to bonus features on other slot games. 

Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune is among the favorite slots in offline and online casinos, boasting a high payout percentage of 96.6%, with some bonus rounds improving the Wheel of Fortune slot machine odds.

This Slot game also offers 720 paylines, wherein every possible combination pays prizes. Having more paylines adds to the reason why the winning odds in the Wheel of Fortune are greatly improved.

Fun Fact

Wheel of Fortune slots, someone wins and hits the $100,000 jackpot approximately every 72 hours.

Here are the bonus features:

• Wild symbol: swaps all other symbols except the Wheel of Fortune logo, the Scatter symbol, and the Bonus symbol.
• Scatter symbol: transforms into a mini wheel bonus. 
• Bonus symbol: triggers when three or more bonus symbols in any position are on the reels.
• Game wheels contain envelopes with a color-coded pointer or a cash prize. You can win around 3 pointers per wheel, and the cash prizes are added to the total award of the bonus round.

Triple Diamond

Triple Diamond is a classic 3-reel slot machine with 95.06% RTP. It pays out frequently with a potential higher prize since the game lies between low to medium variance.

This slot game is basic, so no fancy bonus features are available. However, it offers impressive multipliers:

• 2x Multiplier – one symbol on the reels 
• 3x Multiplier – exactly one wild on the payline
• 5x Multiplier – any three mixed-color bars
• 9x Multiplier – two exact wilds with no other symbols on the payline
• 10x Multiplier – two wild scores
• 1,199x Multiplier – three wilds 

Quick Tip

It is a huge misconception that the longer you play on slots, the more likely it is to pay out.
Always remember that slot results are generated randomly, and the machine does not have a timing device to regulate the jackpot cycles. 

Agent Jane Blonde Returns

Agent Jane Blonde Returns is a mystery and crime-themed slot machine. It is a popular 5-reel 15-payline slot stacked with symbols for the character’s undercover adventures.

The game has a low variance, with a potential high payout of 96.45%. Agent Jane offers a re-spin feature, which is a free spin plus a bonus round, adding more excitement to the game.

Other bonus features to help create winning combinations are as follows:

• Wild symbol: Agent Jane Blonde is the wild symbol, which the Slot can substitute for any other symbol.
• Scatter symbol: The game logo is the symbol and has the power to activate special features.
  • The respin feature is automatically activated if two or more scatters land on the reels. 

Guns N’ Roses

Inspired by the legendary rock band, slot players can enjoy winning in the Guns N’ Roses game while listening to the band’s GnR classic rock hits, such as: 

• Welcome to the Jungle
• Sweet Child O’ Mine
• Paradise City
• November Rain
• Chinese Democracy

This game has an excellent RTP of 96.98%. Aside from the ten symbols that can be matched, Guns N’ Roses offers more exceptional features to increase the odds and the fun gameplay. 

• Expanding wilds: expands to fill the whole reel and replaces all other game symbols except scatter.
• Appetite for Destruction: randomly triggered and substitutes all other game symbols except special symbols. This feature is named after the band’s first and best-selling record.
• Legend Spins: when randomly triggered, there will be three free re-spins with special stacked wilds. 
• Solo Multiplier: triggers if there are three or more matching symbols on the active payline and can range from 4x to 10x.
• Multi-Award Bonus Wheel: automatically triggers when there’s a bonus scatter symbol across reels 1, 3, and 5 in any base game. This feature has three versions:
  • Encore Free Spins – 10 free spins
  • Coin Wins – wins between 200 and 600 coins.
  • Crowd-Pleaser Bonus Game – a click-and-pick feature, wherein players’ winnings can reach up to 600 coins with each pick

Slot Machine with the Worst Odds

Among the casino games, many reviews deem Slots to have the worst odds of winning, ranging from 5.26% to 38.78%. The game also has among the highest levels of House Edge in casinos.

When playing Slots, bettors must research first and know what machines to avoid. Although wins are not guaranteed, it is best to take note of the slots’ parameters that could affect the odds. 

Did You Know?

MGM Grand Las Vegas experienced a massive cyber attack in 2019, stealing 142 million customer records. The most recent attack occurred on the morning of September 11, 2023, mainly targeting slot machines.
The company promptly detected the issue, but there has been no solid report that the hackers have successfully stolen data. 

Here are the features you should avoid:

1. Progressive slots – offer a huge payout potential, but RTP is generally low. Additionally, progressive slots tend to be more volatile. 
2. Low RTP slots – pay less with lower win potential. Slots with less than 95% RTP are considered low already.
3. Adjustable paylines – adjusting the paylines, specifically reducing the number, means the chances of hitting a winning combination are potentially lowered.
4. High volatility – offers large payouts but less likely for the winning combination to occur.

Listed below are the slot games that offer low RTP, which are generally tagged as slot machines with the worst odds.

Flash Cash

Flash Cash is a standard five reels and three rows with a car racing theme. There are 30 adjustable paylines with wild and scatter symbols. You’ll only need to match at least three symbols. 

This slot has a maximum bet of up to 3,000 coins per spin. Bonus features add up to the possibility of having a winning combination. However, the downside of the Flash Cash slot game is its higher volatility level, with a low RTP of 93.93%. 

Winning Wolf

Winning Wolf is another five-reel game with a hundred paylines. The game features a Native American, representing wildlife, such as wolves, eagles, and buffalos.

This slot offers multiple bonus features that could increase your chances of winning. However, since this game is highly volatile, it is risky to play, plus it offers a low payout rate of 93.85%. 

Diamond Chief

Diamond Chief is a safari-themed slot game where players must find diamonds to win. You can win significantly or acquire additional features by locating jewels and animals in the game. 

Special features include ten free spins, a wild symbol, and a scatter symbol. There are over 100 ways to win in this game, but the disadvantage of this slot is its low RTP and high risk.

​​Moon Dancer

Moon Dancer offers a potential jackpot of up to $50,000 with multiple bonus features and stacked multipliers. This slot is a five-reel Asian-themed game and has 50 paylines. 

The number of paylines indicates the number of ways to form winning combinations. You must obtain at least three matching symbols across the reels to win the game. Additionally, the slot game offers unique features to boost the chances of winning.

One of the drawbacks of this game is that it only offers a below-average RTP of 94.74% with a high variance. Hence, this game is risky and can empty your bank balance.

Action Jack

Action Jack is a video-type slot that takes you on exciting and adventurous deep jungle settings. The symbols are consistent with its adventure and Aztec theme. These symbols include amulets, treasure maps, and mysterious statues. 

As straightforward and engaging as the game could be, the slot offers a relatively low payout percentage or RTP with a higher starting bet at $0.40. Albeit the free spins, Action Jack needs more bonus features to bring to the table. 

Exploring Las Vegas Slot Machine Odds

In Vegas casinos, Slots are the front-liners that attract players. The bright lights, captivating soundtrack, and the crowd add more hype. Undeniably, the fun and thrilling casino experience is something online casinos cannot replicate. 

The slot machine odds of winning are among the worst, but it is still one of the most popular casino games. In FY 2022-2023, Nevada accumulated $142.6 billion in slot machines. The majority is from Clark County ($113.2 billion), followed by the Strip ($59.3 billion).

An authentic casino experience is a must if you’re around the area. Before that, read further as we explore the best slot machine odds in Vegas.

Fun Fact

The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, formerly Hotel Nevada, is the oldest casino in Las Vegas, established in 1905.
The casino has undergone different renovations and expansions and is still operational as of writing.

Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune has a unique reel layout that improves the game’s odds of winning. The odds are in your favor, with 720 ways to win the game and a high RTP of 96.6%.

Another feature that boosts the odds of winning is the bonus feature, such as free spins and scatters.

Fun Fact

The Wheel of Fortune slot has already produced 1,180 millionaires, with $3.5 billion in total jackpot prizes awarded. 

Triple Red Hot 777

Triple Red Hot 777 Slot offers simplicity with a retro-based design. This game boasts a high payout percentage of up to 98%, with bonus features. Among its notable features is obtaining 700 free spins in the bonus round.

One downside of this game is it can empty your bankroll. The bets per line are high, ranging from $25 to $125. In addition, the game is highly volatile, which means bigger payouts are less likely to occur.

Fun Fact

Seven is believed to be a lucky number in most Western cultures, hence the Triple Red Hot 777 name.

Double Diamond

Double Diamond is another classic three-reel video slot game. This slot may have only one payline but offers 27 ways to win the game.

Another drawback of this slot is its need for a bonus round. However, the game offers free spins of up to 35 and multipliers of up to 4x.

In addition, Double Diamond can pay out more often with a higher reward as it falls in low-medium volatility. The slot also has a high payout rate of 95.44%.

Double Jackpot

Double Jackpot is another simple and classic 3-reel slot game you shouldn’t miss in Vegas. This game has a low variance with a high payout rate of 96%. 

Another thing that improves the odds of playing this slot is its bonus features–simple yet effective. Throughout the game, a single bonus symbol serves as a wild. This wild symbol can replace other symbols that would help you win prizes.

• One double jackpot: 2x multiplier
• Two double jackpots: 4x multiplier
• Three double jackpots: a jackpot bonus

The most exciting part of the jackpot bonus is you can multiply your bet to thousands fold when you hit the following:

• 2,000x: Double jackpot combination on lines one through four.
• 10,000x: Double jackpot combination on reel five.

Buffalo Grand 

Buffalo Grand is one of the crowd’s favorites. It offers different opportunities for a winning combination with its unusual reel setup. The slot contains five (5) reels: 

• The first and fifth reels have four (4) tiles.
• The second, third, and fourth reels have five (4) tiles.

Additionally, the slot machine has enough features to increase the chances of winning. Among its bonus features, the bonus wheel is the highlight. When triggered, it is guaranteed that you will hit a winning combination. 

Final Thoughts

Slots are simple to play—bet and spin. However, among the gambling games, Slots have the worst odds. Whether you play online or brick-and-mortar, the rate behind the winning odds remains the same.

Although the machine’s outcomes are randomly generated, you can increase your chances of winning by choosing games with the best payout rate. However, there is still no guarantee that you will hit the jackpot.

Despite presenting the worst chances of winning, Slots are still the highlight of many casinos due to their fun and easy gameplay. Beyond odds, prioritize having fun and gambling responsibly.