There was a time when you had to go to a local pub or bar or a high street bookmaker if you wanted to play on a slot machine.
Of course, that meant being limited to whatever few machines were on offer with little or no control over which had the best payouts – mainly because they all had the same rate!
Then came the internet, which not only revolutionised the gambling industry but entirely changed the way we played slots. And with casinos always looking for ways to get your custom, the competition with technology, bonuses and jackpots suddenly became very important.
When you can play from the comfort of your own home, the games you choose and the reasons for those choices, often revolve around those online slots with the highest payouts.
After all, why would you play a game that gave you fewer chances of winning if others could potentially win you a lot of money?
However, in order to find the games with great pay out percentages, there are a few things you need to know.
What Are Payout Rates?
The payout rate, also known as Return to Player (RTP), represents the percentage of wagered money that a slot machine returns to players over time.
For example, a slot with a 96% RTP will theoretically return £96 for every £100 wagered. That doesn’t actually mean you will win 96% of the time because the percentage is calculated over millions of spins, not individual gaming sessions.
Average RTP Ranges:
Like every industry, most of the online slot payout rates fall within a specific band. Sure, there are one or two outliers but most typically offer RTPs between 92% and 97%. For example, 9 Masks of Fire slot pays out at 94.1%, which is a very good rate.
The industry average hovers around 96%, with some of the top-paying slots often exceeding 97%.
Highest Paying Slot Machines
While sticking to online slots that have a solid payout rate, some stand out simply because of the exceptionally high RTP.
Three of the best that we have found are as follows:
Book of 99 (99% RTP)
Set in the world of Greek mythology, this Relax Gaming slot brings Homer’s Odyssey to life over five reels and 10 paylines.
Suitable for all pockets, you can play for as little as 10p but also have the option of increasing that stake up to £100 per spin.
The maximum win potential is an eye-watering 12,075x the bet, and with wild symbols, free spins, and expanding symbols, it is a game worth a look at, especially with that 99% RTP rate.
Mega Joker (99% RTP)
NetEnt’s classic slot matches Book of 99 with a 99% RTP. While it has a lower maximum payout of 200x, it features a unique Supermeter Mode and classic fruit machine aesthetics.
The slot features a 3-reel, 5-payline layout with a classic fruit machine design. You can bet between £1 and £10 per spin, with all paylines covered.
The game operates with a high volatility rating, meaning wins can be unpredictable but potentially substantial.
1429 Uncharted Seas (98.6% RTP)
This beautifully crafted Thunderkick slot takes players on a maritime adventure inspired by the Age of Discovery. With five reels and 25 paylines, and an expanding wild feature, you can potentially win up to 670x your bet.
The game’s unique visual style resembles a 15th-century map featuring mermaids, giant squids, and sea monsters.
Overall, this is an online slot with one of the highest payout rates available, so if you can play it in demo mode, give it a try today.
Alternatives to RTP Payouts
While looking at the highest payouts by using the RTP of an online slot is one to choose which to play, there are other factors that you should also consider.
Maximum Payout Potential
Take, for example, Maximum Payout Potential, which is the biggest amount you can win as opposed to the best chance of winning.
RTP and Maximum Payout Potential are two distinct concepts in gambling. RTP represents the theoretical percentage of wagered money that a game will return to players over time.
In contrast, Maximum Payout Potential refers to the absolute highest amount a betting site or casino will pay out on a single winning bet, regardless of the theoretical odds.
For example, while a slot game might have a high RTP of 97%, it could still have a relatively low maximum payout, whereas a game like Tombstone RIP offers massive potential payouts of up to 300,000 times the bet despite having a lower RTP of 96.08%.
The highest potential payouts in online slots are measured by their maximum win multiplier:
- Tombstone RIP (NoLimit City) – 300,000x stake
- Mayan Wild Mystery – 125,000x stake
- Razor Returns – 100,000x stake
- Rome: The Golden Age – 100,000x stake
- Dead or Alive 2 – 100,000x stake
So, if you can find an online slot that offers you an above-average payout rate, consider looking at those with exceptionally high maximum payouts.
Progressive Jackpots
Another alternative is looking at slot games with huge progressive jackpots.
These jackpots accumulate by taking a percentage of every bet placed across a network of linked games.
The jackpot continues growing until someone wins it. These jackpots can reach life-changing amounts, as demonstrated by recent wins.
The only downside is that while you may be playing a particular game on one site, often, the jackpot is rolled out across many more sites, so you end up competing with a lot more players who all want to win as much as you do!
Record-Breaking Wins
A New Jersey player made US online casino history on August 19, 2024, winning $6.45 million on BetMGM’s Fruit Blaster slot game with a $200 bet.
This win marked the largest jackpot in US online casino history, coming from “The Big One” progressive jackpot pool.
The jackpot had been growing since February, when it reached $4 million, before finally paying out this historic sum.
The global record for online slot jackpots belongs to a Belgian player who won A$23.6 million playing Mega Moolah Absolootly Mad in 2021.
This win sured all previous records and demonstrated the massive potential of progressive jackpot slots.
Another remarkable win occurred in 2018 when an anonymous player at Grand Mondial Casino won $23.5 million on the Mega Moolah slot game.
What made this win particularly noteworthy was that it took less than 50 spins to hit the jackpot.
Conclusion
While high-payout slot machines offer better theoretical returns, it’s essential to that each spin is independent and random.
The best approach is to choose games that match your playing style and budget while offering entertainment value alongside winning potential.
Whether you’re chasing progressive jackpots or enjoying games with high RTPs, understanding payout mechanics helps you make informed gaming decisions that will make your playing experience more enjoyable.
