If you’ve ever noticed that some slot games produce frequent but smaller wins while others keep spinning without a result for longer stretches, you’re observing volatility in action. Volatility describes how a slot game distributes its results over time, influencing both the frequency and size of outcomes.
What is Slot Volatility?
In simple terms, volatility reflects a game’s level of risk and its payout behaviour. It helps you understand what to expect from a slot, whether the gameplay is steady with smaller changes or more unpredictable with noticeable swings. By recognising a game’s volatility, you can make more informed decisions and choose the best slots that align with your style of play.
Below, we’ll explain how volatility works in slots and other casino games to help you understand their behaviour and pacing.
Types of Volatility in Slots
Slot games are categorised into distinct levels of volatility: low, low-medium, medium, medium-high, and high, with low, medium, and high being the most common.
These classifications describe how often outcomes occur and how varied the results can be, providing insight into the game’s overall risk and payout patterns.
You’ll find an array of slots with differing levels of volatility at UK Casino sites to cater to the tastes of all players.
Low Volatility Slots
Low-volatility slots are designed to produce frequent results, which means steady and consistent gameplay. The rewards are typically smaller, with lower-value combinations appearing more often on the reels.
The paytable in low-volatility games focuses on modest results, and bonus features like free spins or multipliers trigger more often than higher-volatility slots. These frequent features help sustain the game’s flow, maintaining activity without long pauses between outcomes.
The pacing in low-volatility slots is smoother, with fewer swings in balance. Gameplay is often straightforward, with predictable patterns that keep spins active and engaging over extended sessions. Starburst by NetEnt and Epic Joker by Relax Gaming are prime examples of low-volatility games.
Low Volatility Slots to Try
Low-Medium Volatility Slots
Low-medium volatility slots balance frequent outcomes with slightly more variation. Results occur regularly, but the distribution of rewards includes a broader range of payout sizes compared to low-volatility games.
The paytable incorporates a mix of smaller and moderately larger results, creating more variety in gameplay. Bonus features appear often enough to maintain a steady pace while introducing occasional fluctuations in outcomes.
The structure of low-medium volatility slots emphasises consistent activity with fewer extended periods of inactivity. The gameplay remains smooth while offering more noticeable shifts than those seen in low-volatility slots.
Medium Volatility Slots
Medium-volatility slots strike a balance between consistent outcomes and moderate unpredictability. Results occur less frequently than in low-volatility games, but potential payout sizes are more varied, creating a broader range of results.
The pacing alternates between regular activity and occasional pauses. Paytables typically include a mix of lower-value combinations and higher-value rewards. Bonus features trigger less often than in lower-volatility games but tend to produce more significant changes in gameplay when they occur.
Medium-volatility slots combine consistent results with periodic fluctuations, offering varied gameplay without the extended gaps seen in high-volatility slots. Yggdrasil Gaming is known for its balanced medium-volatility games, which include Pumpkin Smash and Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania 2.
Medium Volatility Slots To Try
Medium-High Volatility Slots
Medium-high volatility slots lean closer to the unpredictability of high-volatility games while maintaining a steadier level of activity. These slots feature more noticeable fluctuations in gameplay compared to medium-volatility games.
Longer intervals between successful outcomes are common, but the results tend to be more significant. Bonus rounds and special features occur less frequently, but when triggered, they often create more dynamic shifts in gameplay.
This volatility level strikes a balance between the steady pacing of medium-volatility games and the sharper unpredictability of high-volatility slots, offering varied and more impactful gameplay.
High Volatility Slots
High-volatility slots have the most unpredictable pacing of all volatility levels. These games feature extended intervals between successful outcomes, with wins occurring less frequently but often delivering more noticeable results.
Paytables typically highlight rare, high-value combinations, while bonus features, be they multipliers, cascading reels, or jackpots, appear less often compared to lower-volatility games. When activated, these features can create significant shifts in gameplay outcomes.
The pacing of high-volatility games includes longer, less active periods followed by occasional, larger changes in outcomes. This gameplay is defined by bigger swings and extended lulls, reflecting the higher level of variance.
Some popular high-volatility slots include Play’n GO’s Book of Dead and Push Gaming’s Jammin’ Jars. For games with even greater volatility, NoLimit City is known for its extreme high-volatility titles, including Tombstone RIP and San Quentin xWays.
High Volatility Slots to Try
How Volatility Shapes Your Gameplay and Budget
Volatility plays a significant role in determining how a game behaves and how you should approach it. It influences everything from the rhythm of your gameplay to the strategies you use and how you manage your bankroll. Understanding volatility allows you to set clearer expectations and adapt your approach to suit the game’s pacing.
Higher-Volatility Games: A Test of Patience
As established, higher-volatility games are all about increased unpredictability. Long periods without notable outcomes are common, so playing these games requires both patience and a well-planned bankroll. Dry spells can stretch out, but when a win does land, it tends to be much larger compared to lower-volatility games.
Mindfully managing your budget is critical when playing higher-volatility slots. Since wins are less frequent, spreading your bets and preparing for longer play sessions can help balance out the risk. It’s also crucial to keep realistic expectations as higher volatility doesn’t guarantee best casino payouts, but it does create the potential for them.
Lower-Volatility Games: Steady and Consistent Play
Lower-volatility games offer a more predictable flow of gameplay, where outcomes occur frequently but with smaller potential rewards. This style reduces the likelihood of significant swings in bankroll, making it easier to maintain a steady session.
The more consistent pace of lower-volatility games allows for extended playtime with a smaller budget. Frequent results provide steady activity on the reels and avoid the long stretches of inactivity often seen in higher-volatility slots.
Volatility in Other Casino Games
Volatility isn’t limited to slots. It also applies to other popular casino games:
- Roulette: Bets on single numbers (e.g., straight bets) are high volatility because they pay rarely but significantly. Even-money bets (e.g., red/black) are low volatility, with frequent smaller payouts
- Blackjack: Volatility is lower because skilled players can influence the outcome with strategy. However, high-stakes bets or side bets introduce greater volatility
- Video Poker: Games with higher-value hands like royal flushes increase volatility, as they pay larger amounts but are rare to hit
Those interested in roulette can check out our handy guide to the best online roulette sites.
Alternatively, for those with an affinity for Blackjack, check out our choice UK Blackjack Sites.
Differences Between Online and Physical Casinos
The core principles of volatility apply to both online and physical casino games, but the way these games are presented and accessed differs in multiple ways.
Game Variety
Online platforms offer a wider selection of games with varying volatility levels, including hundreds or even thousands of titles from different developers. New games are frequently added, giving players more options to match their preferences for risk and features.
In physical casinos, space limitations mean fewer games are available, and newer or niche titles may take longer to appear. Finding specific volatility levels can also be more challenging based on the limited range of options.
Identifying Volatility
Volatility is easier to figure out in online casinos because many games provide detailed information, including RTP percentages, bonus slots mechanics, and, of course, volatility ratings. Online platforms often offer demo modes, allowing players to test games and observe payout behaviour without spending money.
In physical casinos, this information is rarely available beyond the paytable. Players must rely on gameplay observations over multiple spins to estimate volatility, such as noting payout frequency and reward size.
Want to read more about RTP? Check out our RTP misconceptions guide, or our choice of High RTP slots
Features and Transparency
Online slots provide easy access to paytables, volatility ratings, and bonus mechanics. They often include advanced animations and bonus rounds, adding variety to the gameplay.
Physical machines focus on visual and tactile elements but, as mentioned, typically display only basic paytable information, with fewer tools available for analysing volatility or payout behaviour.
