Slots are by far the most popular casino games in online casinos around the world. This reason for the immense popularity of slot machines online is that they are quite easy to play. Also, they don’t involve much strategy, and players mainly rely on luck to win. However, slots machines do tend to have a small measure of strategy. One of the most important concepts in this regard is the hit frequency.
If you don’t know what hit frequency is, then you’ll definitely want to learn more about it. Read on to learn more about hit frequency and its role in slot machines online.
What is hit frequency?
Hit frequency refers to how often a player can expect to win a prize on each spin. So, if a particular slot game offers a payout on one out of every five spins, then it has a 15% hit frequency.
However, you’ll also need to consider the paylines into the equation. For example, 15% hit frequency on a 50-line slot is different than it would be on a 25-line slot. The latter will allow you to win with the same frequency while only playing half as many lines.
What are high-frequency slot machines?
When playing casino slot games, many players tend to find a slot machine which is more likely to reward them with a payout. Usually, players refer to these machines as “loose” slots. There are many reasons as to why players think that some slots are “looser” than others. And of course, most of them are not true.
A slot machine can only be loose when it has a high payout frequency. High-frequency slot machines are exactly what the name implies – slots that generate a winning combination on a high percentage of spins. In contrast, loose slot machines generate a winning combination on a lower number of spins.
So, if you get lucky, you might get a winning combination and a subsequent payout with a high-frequency machine every four to five spins. On the other hand, a lower-frequency slot machine might take up to ten spins to generate a winning combination (on average, as slot machines online make use of Random Number Generator (RNG) so you can’t predict the outcome).
While many players flock to high-frequency slot machines as they tend to pay out more often, there are some players who avoid them. The reason for this is that you can’t have everything at the casino. If a machine is going to pay out more often, then it will undoubtedly pay out less. Players who want to win a huge jackpot are thus going to stick with low-frequency slots.
Different ways to judge hit frequency
While hit frequency is extremely important for players, most slot machines don’t offer a correct indication of their hit frequency. But there are some factors that can help you in determining how often you can expect to win at slots.
Jackpot size
Slot machine games online
that feature a big jackpot tend to have a low hit frequency. The developers have to seed the jackpot with a huge amount of money, so they program the slot machines to pay less often.
In order to determine the hit frequency of slots, you must pay attention to how much a jackpot is seeded with, instead of its current value. After all, this is the money that developers need to get back through lowered payout frequency.
Number of bonuses
Online slot machines offer various bonuses that can provide players with extended gameplay. Bonuses may seem like harmless features that ramp up the entertainment value, but they also play an important role in how often a game pays.
For instance, a slot with free spins, scatter payouts and pick’em round could have very low win frequency. This is especially true if the bonuses have the potential to offer some really big payouts. Meanwhile, a slot with just free spins or a small jackpot will probably pay out more often.
Volatility rating
Volatility is a term used in slots to let players know how often they can expect the slot to pay out, and how big they can expect the payout to be. A really volatile slot game will offer bigger prizes, but will also pay less frequently. On the other hand, slots with lower volatility have smaller payouts and fewer bonuses, but also payout more often.