Many people visit online casinos to play games for entertainment.
However, for those who want to be entertained and get the best odds, it pays to have a full understanding of the return-to-player percentage, aka RTP. This number tells you exactly what you should expect the average return of your stake to be.
For example, if you play a game with a 95% RTP, for every $100 you stake at the game, you would expect to receive $95 back.
Of course, there will be wild swings in any casino game. During any given hour or session, your actual return could be much higher than this. Or if you’re unlucky, much lower. In the long run, the numbers would move toward 95%.
In this guide, we discuss RTP for a series of casino games, detailing which games at which casinos offer some of the best numbers, while also sharing which games you should avoid. We also list the best casinos offering the highest payouts, in addition to the bonus offers at each casino.
Online Casinos with the Highest Payouts
How do slots differ from other online casino games?
In general, slots can have the broadest range of returns in the casino. The game percentage rate can range from as low as 85 to the upper 90s. Casinos usually display the RTP for any game somewhere within the pay table, so you can quickly get an idea if a game is generally a good payer or not.
Sometimes, the same game can have different RTPs.
A good example is Cleopatra from IGT, which you can find at many internet casinos including Caesars in New Jersey. The standard game offers a competitive RTP of 95.02%. However, there is also a jackpot version of the game, where the RTP increases along with the jackpot.
At reset (just after the jackpot has been won), the RTP of the game is reduced to 91.01%, rising to 93.03% when it reaches the magic million-dollar mark. If the jackpot continues to increase, you could see an RTP that eclipses the standard game and moves closer to 100%.
This variation in the RTP when playing slots is in marked contrast to other games at the casino, where you’ll usually find a more static line.
Keep an eye on those RTPs when playing slots. Generally, slots do offer some of the lower numbers, but if you shop around, you can find some gems.
For example, Starmania, which is available at online casinos including Golden Nugget and Caesars, has an impressive return-to-player score of 97.87%.
What are the qualifications for the best paying online casino games?
Generally, you could say that any casino game with an RTP of 99% or more could be considered a high paying game.
These games will you the best chance of enjoying a profitable session at a casino. In conjunction with bonuses and promotions, it is even possible that the odds could tip in your favor in the short term.
One thing to keep in mind is the “perfect play” scenario.
Take blackjack, for example. When playing blackjack, the RTP is based on the player making the perfect decisions on every hand. Every time a player makes a mistake, the casino edge increases, bringing the return down.
An extreme example of not-so-perfect play would be if a player who decides to hit every time he or she reaches 20. While this is an unconventional example, every time a player makes a mistake on a marginal decision, the RTP will decrease a fraction.
Fortunately, there are many charts available online to ensure you can play a perfect game.
Which online casino table games have the highest returns?
In terms of RTP, the best table game of all is blackjack.
While the basic premise of the game will be the same across several different versions, you can find slight variations in the rules of the game, which leads to similar fluctuations in the house edge.
For example, the lower the number of decks, the higher the RTP you’ll find: One-deck blackjack has an RTP 0.46% higher than six-deck blackjack.
You would also expect blackjack to pay 3:2 in most cases, but there are sites which pay 6:5 (which has a small, reducing effect on the RTP) or even 1:1 which increases the house edge by more than a disastrous 2% (avoid these games at all costs).
One of the best versions online is Virgin‘s single-deck blackjack, which has an RTP of 99.87%. Yes, there is a house edge, but it’s almost negligible. This is as close as you can get to a 50/50 game at the casino. The good thing about this game is that a strategy chart is incorporated into the software, too.
Other blackjack games online come pretty close to that number, reaching as high as 99.6%. Blackjack has always been a classic game at the casino, and the small edge makes it the perfect game if you want to finish your casino session in the black.
A number of other casino table games could be considered midrange when it comes to RTP:
- Baccarat, a popular game at the casino, has an RTP of 98.99%.
- Craps boasts an RTP of 98.64%.
- Three card poker sees players receive 98.24%.
- Sic Bo players enjoy a slightly lower return of 97.22%.
Which online casino table games have the worst payouts?
The worst table game for the RTP can be roulette, with one variation of the game that’s much worse than any other.
Without wanting to sound unpatriotic, the one game you’ll want to avoid is American roulette. This game has an RTP of only 94.74%. Why is this different from other versions of roulette? Well, American roulette has two zeros as opposed to one.
This means that when you bet on black, for example, you have 18 slots out of 38 winning for you, whereas in single-zero roulette, you have 18 out of 37 slots winning for you (this might seem insignificant, but it has a significant effect on the odds).
If you do plan on playing roulette, aim to play French roulette if available (this is available at some casinos including Harrah’s, 888 Casino and Virgin). This game has just one zero and the la partage rule (where players receive half their stake back if the ball lands in zero) for an overall RTP of 98.65%.
Which online casino video poker has the best RTP?
The best RTP in video poker is when playing Jacks or Better by GameKing, which is available at the Tropicana and Virgin casinos. This game has an RTP of 99.54%.
Video poker is similar to blackjack in the fact that there is an optimal strategy involved. If you get it wrong, that RTP will reduce, but fortunately, strategy charts are available online. While these charts might not come with the software, a Google search will reveal the perfect strategy. While it’s not quite as straightforward as the blackjack strategy chart, it doesn’t take long to get to grips with it.
Close behind Jacks or Better is Double Double Bonus King with an RTP of 99.51%. The difference is so small that it’s probably a good idea to play the game you enjoy the most of the two.
What happens when I win at an online casino? How fast can I get my money?
Hopefully, at the end of a casino session, you’ll be in profit. If you use some of our advice, you certainly will give yourself a good shot at winning. After a winning session, you may want to withdraw the cash and spend it.
You’ll have several options to claim the cash immediately.
One option is PayPal, which is possible if you made the initial deposit through your PayPal account. However, having made that initial deposit, the withdrawal will be immediate (following approval by the casino). The only downside to this method is a small fee.
A second option is Neteller, which is available at many online casinos. This is another third-party financial company, which acts in a similar way to PayPal. Like PayPal, the withdrawals are immediate, but fees are likely.
If you’re someone who likes cash in your hand immediately after a win, you can visit the local casino associated with your online account. Head to the casino cage with your account details and government-backed ID, and you’ll be able to withdraw your winnings in cash.
Some casinos will pay out large sums in cash. The downside to this withdrawal method is if you don’t live near the casino, and having to travel.
Prepaid cards are a good option, and many casino sites offer branded cards. You can withdraw via a prepaid card just as long as you previously made a deposit with the same card.
Another withdrawal method is an ACH/e-check, although these withdrawals can take a little bit longer.