When many players talk about slots, sometimes they are targeting a certain type of answer but using language that might yield another. This question, which we get a lot, is one of those.
So to cover all the bases, we’ll answer both – the question above and what we think the intended question really is.
Do high limit slots have better odds? It depends. Different games have different odds of winning. This tends to coincide with volatility, in which with a higher volatility slot, it tends to be harder to win, but when you do you’re likely to win more.
High limit slots tend to have some volatility to them. In part, that’s what makes them fun – the higher stakes plus those chances to get some epic wins. But with growing volatility on the lower limit games over the years, and with games in general having different scenarios, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.
However, when many players ask about odds, they many times are asking about whether the payback is higher. While odds and payback can be related, they’re different components of a game.
For instance, slot manufacturers will often ensure that any payback option for a game has a similar odds of hitting a line hit within a small range. This ensures that playing a game at any payback level will feel similar – you get line hits and bonuses and such around the same level of frequency.
But to achieve the payback they want to have, they might adjust which symbols appear and how often, so perhaps on higher payback versions the higher payback symbols come out a bit more often than on lower payback options, with the reverse being true for the lower paying or poker symbols. They won’t change the paytable, as that would be a dead giveaway to the observant, but instead, the frequency of symbols on the reels.
On the notion of payback and higher limit games, that is definitely the case – as a rule, casinos will set higher limit machines to a better overall payback percentage than lower limit games.
This is often because with the higher wagers that are being made on those higher limit machines, you’re pushing more money through the game, and having that house edge lowered makes the game more enjoyable for players spending that much money.
So while the odds may be the same, the payback will be different.
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Technical writing without being too dry and statistical is a difficult task! Thank you for explaining these concepts in an approachable style. As a self-identified low-roller, I had the general impression that the paybacks on the higher limit slots were easier to achieve at those higher bets. But I have also watched plenty of Brian’s You Tube videos where the numbers of dead spins in the sequence of play is shocking. My entertainment budget would be gone in minutes in many of those situations! ‘Flip the Switch’ is going to be a valuable resource. Thanks for creating this useful platform!
Thanks for checking it out, Susan! We look forward to providing more as we go!
So is the increase gradual, or is it more like the payout is low for any denomination under $1, then a lot bigger for $1, $5 and up denominations?
Generally it’s a step up per denomination shift. So nickel is a step above penny, quarter a step above nickel, and so on. The logic behind it is that higher denomination games are expected to have larger bets, and so the adjustment in payback reflects that higher spend.