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Slots loss calculator

Slots are the fastest way to lose money in a casino: hundreds of spins an hour, each one taxed by the house edge. See what that adds up to.

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Estimated loss

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Lucky player top 10%

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Average player the middle

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Unlucky player bottom 10%

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Chance of profit

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Estimates based on the RTP and pace you entered. Lucky and unlucky outcomes are approximate. How the numbers work

Your balance over time

    Slots odds and house edge

    RTP of popular online slotsUsually about 94–96.5%, but some casinos run versions as low as 87%
    Land-based slots (Nevada, 2024)Kept 7.2% of money played on average; penny slots kept about 10%
    Typical pace (estimate)We assume 400 spins an hour, a relaxed pace of one every 9 seconds. In Great Britain a spin must take at least 2.5 seconds, up to 1,440 an hour
    VolatilityLow to extreme, depending on the game. Rarely published
    Average cost per hour at $1.00 a bet$16.00 ($400.00 wagered)

    A 96% RTP slot keeps 4 cents of every dollar you spin. That sounds small, but at 400 spins an hour of $1 you put $400 through the machine and expect to lose about $16 every hour, whether you deposited $50 or $500.

    Many slots come in several RTP versions, and each casino chooses which one to run. RTPTrack found Book of Dead running anywhere from 96.21% down to 87.25% at UK casinos. At the lowest version the same game costs over three times as much. Pick the low-RTP version in the calculator above to compare. Check the game's info or help screen for the RTP it is actually running.

    Volatility decides how a slot feels. Low-volatility slots pay small wins often; high-volatility slots go long stretches with nothing, then pay a rare big win. The average loss is the same either way. Only the size of the swings changes. Providers rarely publish an exact figure, so the volatility levels in the calculator are estimates.

    Bonus buys let you pay a large multiple of your stake (often 100×) to jump straight to the bonus round. The RTP is usually similar to the base game, so you are simply betting much more, much faster.

    Expected loss = bet × bets per hour × hours played × house edge

    House edges for table games and video poker are exact, worked out from the rules. Slot RTPs vary by game and casino. Bets per hour are estimates, so change them to match how you play. The lucky and unlucky lines are an approximation showing the top and bottom 10% of players.

    Sources

    1. RTPTrack: Deployed slot RTP at UK casinos
    2. CDC Gaming: Nevada slot win averaged 7.2% in 2024
    3. Pahrump Valley Times: Why nickel slots might be a gambler's best bet (penny slots held 9.85% in 2021)
    4. Wiggin: Gambling Commission package of changes to online games (2.5-second minimum spin)
    5. Wizard of Odds: House edge of casino games compared

    FAQ

    Is a slot "due" to pay out?

    No. Every spin is decided independently by a random number generator. A machine that hasn't paid in a while is no more likely to pay on the next spin.

    Do bigger bets get a better RTP?

    Not on most online slots. The RTP is the same at every stake. Bigger bets just mean bigger losses per hour.

    Are land-based slots worse than online?

    Often, yes. Nevada's slots kept 7.2% of money played in 2024, which is a 92.8% return on average. Penny slots, the most popular machines, keep more: about 10%. Popular online slots usually run 94–96.5%.

    Do you take money from casinos?

    No. notluck has no casino affiliates and no gambling ads.

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