Glossary · Games

Variance

Also: volatility

A measure of how often and how large a slot's wins are. High-variance slots pay rarely but bigger; low-variance slots pay often but smaller.

In detail

Studios usually publish a 1-5 (or low/medium/high) variance rating. High-variance slots like Pragmatic Play's Bonanza titles can run 100+ spins between meaningful wins and rely on bonus rounds for big payouts. Low-variance slots like Starburst pay more frequently but rarely deliver large multipliers in the base game. Choose variance to fit bankroll and patience.

Back to all 70 terms