RTP and house edge: what the numbers really mean

RTP and house edge are two sides of one number

Return to player (RTP) is the share of all money bet that a game pays back over a very large number of plays. House edge is the rest. A slot with 96% RTP has a 4% house edge: across millions of spins it keeps about ₱4 of every ₱100 wagered.

What it means for one session

RTP is a long-run average across all players, not what you will get back today. To estimate the expected cost of a session, multiply your total bets by the house edge:

• 500 spins × ₱100 = ₱50,000 wagered.
• At 96% RTP the expected loss is about ₱2,000.

Notice that it depends on how much you bet in total, not on your starting balance — the same ₱1,000 bankroll can be bet many times over.

House edge in common table games

• European roulette (single zero): 2.70%.
• American roulette (double zero): 5.26%.
• Baccarat (8 decks): Banker about 1.06%, Player about 1.24%, Tie (paying 8:1) about 14.4%.
• Blackjack: often around 0.5%–1% with perfect basic strategy, depending on the table rules — much higher if you play by feel.

Slots vary by game; the RTP is usually shown in the game’s information screen.

Volatility: same edge, different ride

Two games with the same RTP can feel very different. High-volatility games pay rarely but in larger amounts, so your balance swings more and can run out quickly. Low-volatility games pay small amounts more often.

Myths to ignore

Machines are not “due” to pay, results do not get “hot” or “cold”, and betting systems such as doubling after a loss do not change the house edge — they only change how quickly and how badly you can lose. Every spin or hand is independent.