As an avid user of online pokies, there’s a high chance you’ve come across the term variance. You might have ignored it, but it actually something worth paying attention to. It will change how you approach slots as it affects the way a slot behaves. As such, here is a detailed guide to slot variance in online slots. This guide will fill you in on what variance means and what variance slots you should look out for.

What Is Slot Variance?

The term variance refers to the size and regularity of payouts in a slot game. This relationship is what we call volatility. For the uninitiated, this means that high variance games will pay out higher winnings at irregular intervals. Low variance slots are those with smaller payouts at regular intervals. This ensures that there is a balance in payouts over time. This is something you should keep in mind as you play.

It is not rare to find players who confuse variance with the RTP rate of a slot. RTP rate is the theoretical money you will gain from your original stake after an undefined number of spins. It is basically the risks involved in playing a slot over a long period of time.

Variance, on the other hand, deals with the size and regularity of payouts from a slot. It is easy to come across slots that have a high variance with a high RTP rate and vice versa. Luckily, it is easier to find slots with high variance and high RTP. To explore this, be sure to check our top picks for high variance slots.

Types of variance slots

– Low Variance Slots
These slots are low-risk games played for a short period. They are perfect for beginners, gamers with a limited bankroll and overly cautious people. These types of slots offer a win after every few spins. This enables players to play while ensuring that their initial bankroll doesn’t take a huge dent in one go. The flip side to such slot is that you will never make a killing at one go. You will need to be patient or stake big in order to get huge payouts.

– High Variance Slots
This is where risk takers and thrill seekers come to quench their thirst. These slots are completely different from low variance slots. Gamers experience very few wins at long intervals. They require a sizeable bankroll as you will need funds to keep you going during dry spells. If you consider yourself a calm and collected person with a sizeable bankroll, then these slots were definitely made for you. The payouts from high variance slots tend to be huge but the interval between wins is wanting. This trend makes you eat through your bankroll but on the off chance of a win, you will recover your funds with some change to spare. Most online casinos that offer these slots source their games from NetEnt.

Whatever variance you decide to pick is solely based on how you want to play, the size of your bankroll and your appetite and perseverance of risk.