A field manual for online slots

Read the game behind the reels.

Explore online slot rules, RTP, volatility and feature design. Work through the mechanics before drawing conclusions from the symbols.

RTP & varianceSlot featuresGame rules

A schematic reel window, with a separate layer for the game rules.

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RTP, in context

Hypothetical RTP (%)Stake per play (£)Number of hypothetical plays

Illustrative arithmetic only. RTP cannot predict a short session; every stake may be lost. Values are not a recommendation to play.

Slot manual

3 articles

Mechanics

What does online slot RTP mean? Two games, one average

Two completely specified toy games both return 95% on average. Their outcome tables show why RTP, hit frequency and a session result answer different questions.

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Mechanics

A near miss is still a losing result

The distance between symbols on a screen is not a measure of how close the next play is to winning.

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Reading games

The paytable is part of the design

Clear rules explain the relationship between symbols, outcomes and changes of state.

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