Jackpots with known break-even values (original) (raw)

Jackpot break-even amounts and current RTP values

Explanation and further information

When a jackpot reaches its break-even value, the casino no longer has an advantage over the player and the return to player (RTP) for the jackpot bet is 100%. Should the jackpot rise above this value, the jackpot bet represents positive expected value and the player has an advantage over the casino. Note that the current RTP number in the table on this page applies to the progressive jackpot bet only in a game with a jackpot side bet. For example, in a game of Caribbean Stud Poker, the RTP listed is for the jackpot side-bet only, not the regular ante bet that is required to play the game. You can maximise your potential RTP by betting the table minimum for the ante while playing the fixed jackpot side bet.

Most of the jackpots listed above are for table games or video poker games involving cards. This is because these types of games allow us to calculate the probability of hitting a jackpot through a defined event such as a player being dealt a royal flush from a single deck of cards. In that case we know that you have exactly 4 chances out of the total 2,598,960 possible hand combinations to be dealt a royal flush.

It is far more difficult to calculate the exact probability of hitting a progressive jackpot on a slot machine and then use it to determine the break-even amount. In order to do so without being told directly by the game's developer, you would need to know the position of each of the symbols on each of the reel strips and if there are any weightings applied by the game to the reels, and then cross-reference this information with the paytable to determine all the possible outcomes for a spin. This is information that the developers of slot machines almost never divulge. In addition, many jackpot slot games these days are determined by the outcome of randomly selected bonus games which complicates things even further.

The effect of currency choice on RTP

An interesting thing we noted when compiling this information is that it can sometimes be beneficial to play a jackpot game in a specific currency as it can affect the RTP of each wager. This happens when the jackpot is adjusted to account for foreign exchange rates, but the coin size used to play the game and qualify for the jackpot is not.

A good example are the jackpots provided by Playtech casinos such as Jacks or Better 10-line or MegaJacks. In each case, the jackpot is scaled using foreign exchange rates so that you win effectively the same amount no matter which currency you play in (e.g. 1.3m/€1.2m/£1m).Howeverthecoinsizeusedtoplaythegameisfixednomatterthecurrency(e.g.1.3m / €1.2m / £1m). However the coin size used to play the game is fixed no matter the currency (e.g. 1.3m/€1.2m/£1m).Howeverthecoinsizeusedtoplaythegameisfixednomatterthecurrency(e.g.0.25 / €0.25 / £0.25). Therefore in our example players wagering in Pounds or Euros are at a disadvantage because they are contributing more with each bet than players using Dollars. Therefore the break-even amount for players betting in Dollars is always lower, and the RTP is always higher.

Other networks such as Microgaming do things differently, by either offering jackpots that have the same numerical value in every currency or adjusting the qualifying bet size by currency. This means that everyone playing has the same RTP and break-even point no matter what currency they wager in.

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Michael Shackleford, a.k.a. The Wizard of Odds, for his assistance in calculating many of these break-even values and helping us determine the formulas to calculate the current RTP for each game.