Volatility in Slots: Find High, Medium & Low Volatile Slot Machines

What does volatility mean in slots and why is it important?

The Slots Volatility (or variance) indicates the frequency of a game’s payouts, the amount the slot pays out, and the game’s overall level of risk. This is important because it tells players what to expect from a slot game and helps them choose a game that suits their playstyle and available budget. 

Players with smaller budgets are usually more interested in low volatility (or low-risk) slots, because they can play for longer periods of time without investing a huge sum of money. Use our list of low volatility slots above to find games with frequent small wins. They can be a lot of fun!

On the other hand, players who don’t mind spending more for a chance to win significant rewards usually veer towards high volatility (or high-risk) slots, where they can expect large payouts less often. 

PRO TIP

The great thing about volatility is that it provides an option for everyone. Understanding the concept is a great first step and researching a slot’s volatility before playing is just as important. With this information in mind, you’re better equipped to choose a slot tailored to your play style and budget and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Slot volatility falls under one of the following 5 categories:

• High
• Medium-high
• Medium
• Low-medium
• Low

Let’s go over each category in detail and see what it has to offer.

HIGH VOLATILITY SLOTS

If you are a born risk-taker and believe that great rewards are worth the wait, then you will be more inclined to choose high volatility slots.

But what does high volatility mean in slots exactly?

The best high volatility slots are set to offer big payouts less frequently. Sometimes an entire gaming session might pass without a prize in sight.

However, this does not mean that high-risk slots are no fun.

They often include special features such as free spins and expanding symbols, as is the case with NetEnt’s Jungle Spirit. Some highly volatile games may even include exciting mechanics such as Megaways, like in Raging Rhino or Bonanza Megaways. The most rewarding high variance slots may also offer jackpots with massive payouts. 

Special features might not guarantee you a win but they certainly boost your chances to cash out on some big prizes. To maximize the value of your payouts, it’s a good idea to pair high volatility with a high RTP.

MEDIUM - HIGH VOLATILITY SLOTS

Halfway between high and medium volatility slots we find a popular hyphenated subcategory: medium-high. As you might expect, this level of volatility implies that the slot will offer slightly smaller payouts than highly volatile slots.

On the upside, you can expect these payout to come more often than they would in a high volatility slot.

Medium-high volatility slots are great for those who don’t want to commit to a lot of risk-taking but still chase substantial payouts. A great slot to get your started on medium-high volatility slots is Finn’s Golden Tavern by NetEnt. 

MEDIUM VOLATILITY SLOTS

Slot machines with medium volatility offer the best of both worlds. Playing this type of slot, you can expect medium-sized prizes (smaller than in a high-risk slot and larger than in a low-risk one) at medium frequency (similarly situated between high-risk and low-risk slots).

Pair that with a couple of lucrative bonus features and you’re all set!

Asgardian Stones by NetEnt is a perfect example of medium variance slots that also provides a gold mine of special features: progressive multipliers, colossal symbols and a bonus wheel. IGT’s Cleopatra or Play n Go’s Gemix are also great contenders for the best medium volatility slots prize. 

For easier bankroll management and peace of mind, we suggest you choose a medium risk slot with a high RTP so you can mitigate the unpredictability of its payouts. 

LOW - MEDIUM VOLATILITY SLOTS

Similarly to medium-high volatility, low-medium is a popular middleground for those who can’t decide between low and medium volatility or simply want the best of both worlds. With low-medium volatile slots you can expect lower-value payouts and an increased hit frequency compared to medium volatility. 

If you have an above-average budget at your disposal and you’re willing to risk it for some substantial prizes, then a low medium volatile slot machines be your best bet. Quickspin’s Sevens High is a great choice for this category.

LOW VOLATILITY SLOTS

Finally, low volatility slot machines are the ideal choice for players with smaller budgets, who can enjoy a fun gaming session without needing to land any groundbreaking wins. Low-risk slot games deliver small payouts frequently, so you won’t have time to get bored. The great thing about the best low volatility slots, besides the low degree of risk involved, is that you can keep playing them for a long time with minimal investment. 

Low variance slots are also a great choice for new players, who might want to practice on some low-risk games before trying their luck with the highest volatility slots. 

Slots such as Microgaming’s Wild Scarabs, which makes up for the small size of its prizes with creative features, are excellent choices for fans of low volatile slots.  Reels of Wealth by Betsoft and Guns n Roses by NetEnt are also great options to consider. 

To improve your chances, look for a slot machine with higher payouts. Yes, they exist! Also, be careful to minimize your bets as much as soon you can so you can get more bang for your buck in the long run.

RECOMMENDATION

Want to learn about other slot features such as wilds, bonus rounds or RTP? Check out our slot features compendium to learn more!

How Can You Determine Volatility?

Game suppliers will not always display a slot’s variance as baseline information. You usually have to use other methods to determine the volatility of a certain slot machine. Luckily there are several ways in which you can do this.

• Play the slot machine
  One of the simplest and most effective (though possibly time-consuming) ways to determine a slot’s volatility is by playing it. Opt for the free to play slots, so you don’t spend any more money than you have to. Start playing and keep track of your winnings, the size of the prizes and their frequency. By the end of the gaming session, you will have a good idea of the slot’s volatility.
• Examine the slot’s paytable
  If you don’t want to spend your time playing the slot machine, the next best thing you can do is examine its paytable. To learn more about slot paytables, check out our guide All You Need to Know About the Slot Paytable in the Blog section. Once you’ve accessed the paytable, you need to look for the lowest paying symbol displayed there. The higher its value is, the lower the payout frequency is, the more chances you have to be dealing with a high variance slot, and vice versa. While you’re checking the paytable, it would be a good idea to look at the available prizes. If the slot offers massive cash prizes, you can safely assume it’s a medium or high risk slot.
• Look for special bonuses
  As a rule of thumb, low-risk slots usually offer more bonuses with less payouts, whereas high risks slots offer fewer bonuses but with higher payouts. That being said, it’s also important to consider what a bonus actually offers, how easy or difficult it is to trigger it and therefore how likely it is to help you land a win.
• Look at max bet sizes
  Another way to check a slot’s volatility is to look at the slot’s max bet size. Usually, high variance slots will limit the maximum bet size, to compensate for the possible big wins.
• Check the slot’s RTP
  When trying to choose a slot to play, it's a good idea to consider its RTP (Return to Player). You can check out our complete RTP guide to learn more about Return to Player in slots. High-risk slot machines usually come equipped with an average RTP, while medium and low volatility slots ideally come with a higher RTP. This is not set in stone, but it’s a good metric to take into account when trying to determine the volatility of a slot machine.

Volatility vs Variance - Is There a Difference?

You may have noticed that we have been using volatility and variance interchangeably so far. That is because the two terms refer to more or less the same thing, with a slight difference that players should be aware of. 

Both volatility and variance describe the distribution of rewards for a particular slot machine. That means, as we’ve previously pointed out, the size of the payouts and the frequency at which they are delivered. 

KEY TAKEAWAY

Volatility essentially refers to the predictability (or lack thereof) of rewards during an individual gaming session, by predicting how much you can win and how often.

Slots variance refers to the same metric but from a long-term perspective.

How Do You Choose the Best Volatility for You?

Choosing the right slot to play should not take a lot of your time. If you know your budget and you playstyle (which includes your level of patience, expectations, etc) you can easily pick out the type of volatility you want in a slot machine. To make things even easier for you, we’ve put together a table outlining the main specs for each volatility level, so you can pick the ideal slot for you.
 

Even if you fit completely into one of these categories, there’s no harm in exploring other options. After all, that’s how we all learn how to play (and win at) slots, by simply hitting that Spin button.

You can start by playing games in demo mode here on SlotsMate. We have a complete slot volatility list that can be easily filtered to suit your needs.

When you feel ready to take the next step, you can give Real Money Slots a try too.

Have fun!