Return to player, or RTP, describes a game’s theoretical return relative to the stakes placed over extensive play. It does not describe what a particular player will receive from a deposit, and it does not make a losing session due for repayment.
Use the calculator below to explore turnover, theoretical return and house edge. You can also compare gross returns from a sample of play with the stakes for that same sample. The figures explain the arithmetic; they do not predict a session, certify a game or establish how long a balance will last.
What a percentage such as 96% actually means
A theoretical RTP of 96% corresponds to an expected return of 96 cents per dollar staked in the mathematical model across extensive play. The complementary 4% is the theoretical house edge. Neither figure tells you the next result or guarantees that your own session will finish near the average.
The UK Gambling Commission’s RTP explanation emphasises that the percentage is an average across substantial play, not an amount delivered each time a machine is played. Its explanation also distinguishes random games, where earlier wins and losses do not change the next outcome’s odds under the same rules.
Theoretical return
A property of the game model and applicable rules. It is not a promise about an individual account balance.
Observed return
The gross returns divided by stakes in a particular sample. It can differ substantially from the theoretical figure.
Net result
Gross returns minus stakes for the measured play. This is a money amount, not the same thing as an RTP percentage.
RTP and house-edge calculator
Enter the total stake per spin, number of spins and theoretical RTP. The figures show an expected-value calculation, not a session forecast. All money fields use AUD.
Calculated figures
- Total turnover
- Theoretical expected return
- Theoretical expected loss
- Theoretical house edge
Your entered results
- Observed return percentage
- Actual net result
Theoretical figures are averages under the entered model. They do not establish your chance of profit, a maximum loss, a guaranteed return or how long a balance will last.
Turnover is not your deposit
A deposit moves money into an account. Turnover adds up the stakes placed during play. If some money is returned and staked again, it is counted again in turnover. That is why a $50 starting balance can be associated with more than $50 of stakes without a new deposit.
Example: repeated stakes
At a total stake of $0.50 per paid spin, 100 spins produce $50 in turnover. At the same stake, 1,000 paid spins produce $500 in turnover. These calculations do not establish that a starting balance will last for either number of spins.
Enter the total spin cost in the calculator, including the amount actually being staked across the selected lines or ways. Do not enter a per-line amount when the game’s full spin costs more. If stakes change, calculate the actual total turnover separately rather than applying one stake to an inaccurate round count.
All money fields in this tool are formatted as AUD and must use one currency consistently. There is no currency conversion. Feature purchases, changing game modes and complex stake histories are not modelled by the simple stake-times-spins input.
Calculate expected return and house edge
Turnover
Stake per spin × number of spins. In the default example, $0.50 × 100 = $50.
Expected return
Turnover × RTP ÷ 100. With $50 turnover and 96% RTP, the model gives $48.
Expected loss
Turnover × house edge ÷ 100. At a 4% edge on $50 turnover, the model gives $2.
The word expected has a mathematical meaning here. It is not the most likely exact ending result, a maximum loss or a guarantee. You can lose more than the expected-loss figure, and the calculator does not estimate the probability of any particular outcome.
Compare two hypothetical percentages
On $500 of identical turnover, a 96% RTP model gives $480 expected return and $20 expected loss. A 94% model gives $470 expected return and $30 expected loss. The two-percentage-point difference changes the modelled expected loss by $10; it does not guarantee a $10 difference between two actual sessions.
Do not increase stakes or extend a session in an attempt to force the observed result towards an advertised RTP. The calculation is an explanation of a model, not a target that an individual player must reach.
Observed RTP uses gross game returns
For the optional actual-returns field, add the gross returns from the same spins used in the turnover calculation. Do not enter your deposit, final balance or amount withdrawn. Those quantities can be affected by other payments, earlier play or account adjustments.
Example: $50 in stakes, $35 in returns
$35 ÷ $50 × 100 = 70% observed return. The actual net result for that sample is $35 − $50 = −$15. If gross returns were $80 instead, the observed return would be 160% and the net result +$30.
The UK Gambling Commission’s RTP calculation guidance uses returns divided by turnover to assess observed performance. It also explains that interpreting a difference from the theoretical figure requires the volume of play and the game’s volatility. A short sample alone cannot certify that a game is fair or prove it is faulty.
Keep the sample consistent. Mixing stakes from one period with returns from another produces a misleading percentage. A free feature triggered by a paid round can also make informal records confusing; use complete game records rather than estimating returns from a few remembered wins.
RTP, volatility and hit frequency answer different questions
RTP concerns the expected share of stakes returned. Volatility concerns how widely outcomes can vary around that expectation. Hit frequency concerns how often an outcome counted as a win occurs. A small return can still be below the stake, so frequent winning animations do not necessarily mean a positive net result.
Two games can have the same RTP and different distributions of prizes. The calculator does not contain those prize distributions, so it cannot compare bankroll survival, predict how often a bonus feature will trigger or estimate a jackpot’s probability from RTP alone.
Read our pokies guide for game features and progressive jackpot guide for jackpot distinctions. A displayed jackpot amount is a potential prize, not a personalised return forecast.
Check the game rules and bonus conditions separately
Use the information for the actual game and mode being played. Do not assume a percentage quoted on another website describes every installation or configuration with a similar name. Check the game’s help information and relevant provider documentation, and ask the operator when the displayed rules are unclear.
RTP does not tell you how much a game contributes to a promotion’s wagering target. That contribution is a bonus rule. A game with a particular theoretical return might contribute fully, partly or not at all under the coupon terms. See bonus game restrictions and the wagering calculator.
Likewise, a modelled return is not an eligible withdrawal. Cashout caps, bonus deductions and account checks can apply separately. Return to the player-guides hub for those explanations.
Keep spending and time limits independent of a theoretical percentage. A high RTP does not remove the risk of losing money, and a poor session does not create a reason to chase a recovery. Our responsible-gambling page provides further information.
RTP and house-edge FAQs
What does RTP mean?
Return to player is the theoretical proportion of stakes returned as prizes over extensive play under the game’s model. It is not a promised percentage of an individual deposit or session.
Does 96% RTP mean I get $96 back from a $100 deposit?
No. The percentage applies to wagering turnover in a long-run model, not directly to a deposit. Session returns can be much higher or lower.
How is house edge related to RTP?
In the simple model used here, house edge is 100% minus RTP. A 96% theoretical RTP corresponds to a 4% theoretical house edge.
What is turnover?
Turnover is the total of stakes placed. It can include money staked again after a return, so it can exceed the original deposit without representing that amount in losses.
How do I calculate an observed return percentage?
Divide the gross game returns from the measured play by the total stakes for that same play, then multiply by 100. Do not use the ending balance or withdrawals as a substitute for gross returns.
Can an observed return percentage exceed 100%?
Yes. A sample with gross returns greater than its stakes has an observed return above 100%. That does not mean the game’s theoretical RTP has changed.
Does a losing streak mean a random slot is due to pay?
No. For an independent random game with unchanged rules, previous losses do not create an obligation to return money on the next spin. RTP is not a recovery schedule.
Is RTP the same as volatility or hit frequency?
No. RTP concerns expected return relative to stakes. Volatility concerns the spread of possible results, while hit frequency describes how often a defined winning outcome occurs. A return can be smaller than its stake.
Can the calculator predict my chance of completing bonus wagering?
No. It uses a simple expected-value calculation and does not model the game’s payout distribution, bankroll survival, bonus restrictions or probability of completion.
Are calculator values sent to a casino?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser without submitting the entries to a casino. It does not access a game’s live data or certify its actual performance.