RTP (Return to Player) is the long-run percentage of wagered money a slot or casino game is programmed to return to players. A slot with 96% RTP is designed to return $96 for every $100 wagered, on average, over millions of spins — not over a single session.
Also known as: return to player, payout percentage
RTP is a theoretical average measured over millions of game rounds. Short sessions can produce wildly different results, both above and below the stated RTP, because of variance (also called volatility).
In Ontario, AGCO-registered operators publish RTP values for every certified slot. Anything below 92% is considered low; mainstream slots cluster between 94% and 97%; a handful of jackpot games are deliberately set lower to fund the prize pool.
RTP is the inverse of the house edge. A 96% RTP slot has a 4% house edge — that is the operator’s long-run margin. RTP says nothing about how often a game pays; that is volatility.