A casino payout percentage (RTP) is the percentage of total bets returned to players over millions of spins or hands. A casino with 97% average RTP returns $97 for every $100 wagered on average. The best payout online casinos offer 96%+ RTP on slots, 99%+ on blackjack with basic strategy, and 98.9% on baccarat banker bets. RTP is set by the game developer — not the casino.
What Is a Casino Payout Percentage?
Return to Player (RTP) is the inverse of the house edge. A game with 96% RTP has a 4% house edge — the casino retains $4 of every $100 wagered on average over millions of bets.
RTP is a theoretical, long-run average — not a per-session guarantee. A 96% RTP slot does not return $96 when you deposit $100. In any individual session, you might win 300% or lose everything. The 96% figure only holds across billions of spins aggregated across all players.
Who sets and certifies RTP? The game developer sets the RTP at the point of development. Independent testing laboratories (eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI, BMM) certify that each game's actual RTP matches its published figure. Licensed casinos are legally required to use certified game software — the same slot has the same RTP at every licensed casino running that software.
RTP vs House Edge
RTP and house edge are simply inverses:
- RTP 99.5% = 0.5% house edge (blackjack, basic strategy)
- RTP 97.3% = 2.7% house edge (European roulette)
- RTP 94.7% = 5.3% house edge (American roulette)
- RTP 96.0% = 4.0% house edge (typical online slot)
The lower the house edge, the higher your expected long-run return per dollar wagered. For experienced players, the game with the lowest house edge is always the better choice at equal entertainment value.
RTP vs Payout Speed: Different Things
"Best payout casino" can mean either highest RTP (the game's theoretical return) or fastest withdrawal processing. These are completely unrelated. A casino can have excellent RTPs on its games and slow withdrawals, or fast withdrawals and mediocre game RTPs. This page covers payout percentage (RTP). For withdrawal speed, see our fast withdrawal casino guide →
Casino Games with the Highest RTP
The best payout casino games are table games — particularly blackjack and video poker — where player decisions affect the RTP. Slots offer the widest RTP variance by game.
| Game | RTP | House Edge | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack (basic strategy) | 99.5% | 0.5% | 4–8 deck, S17 rules |
| Video Poker (JoB 9/6) | 99.5% | 0.46% | Full-pay table, optimal play |
| Craps (Pass + Max Odds) | ~99.6% | ~0.37% | 3–4–5× odds |
| Baccarat (Banker) | 98.9% | 1.06% | Banker bet, 5% commission |
| Baccarat (Player) | 98.8% | 1.24% | Player bet, no commission |
| European Roulette | 97.3% | 2.7% | Single zero, any bet |
| French Roulette (La Partage) | 98.6% | 1.35% | Even-money bets only |
| Slots (high RTP) | 97–99% | 1–3% | Specific high-RTP titles |
| Slots (typical) | 94–96% | 4–6% | Average online slot |
| American Roulette | 94.7% | 5.3% | Double zero — avoid |
| Baccarat (Tie, 8:1) | 85.6% | 14.4% | Never bet Tie |
| Keno | 70–80% | 20–30% | Worst odds in any casino |
Online Slots with the Highest Certified RTP
Slot RTPs vary widely even within the same provider's catalogue. The highest certified slot RTPs available at standard online casinos:
| Slot | Provider | RTP | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblin's Cave | Playtech | 99.32% | Select casinos |
| Mega Joker | NetEnt | 99.00% | Widely available |
| Ooh Aah Dracula | Barcrest | 99.00% | Select casinos |
| 1429 Uncharted Seas | Thunderkick | 98.60% | Widely available |
| Blood Suckers | NetEnt | 98.00% | Widely available |
| Starmania | NextGen | 97.87% | Select casinos |
| White Rabbit Megaways | Big Time Gaming | 97.72% | Widely available |
| Extra Chilli | Big Time Gaming | 96.27% | Widely available |
Note: some high-RTP slots (particularly Goblin's Cave and Mega Joker) are not available at all casinos. Check the game's help section to verify the RTP before playing — some casinos run lower-RTP versions of popular slots.
Blackjack: Lowest House Edge
Blackjack with basic strategy has a house edge of 0.42–0.65% depending on rules — the lowest of any table game. Key rules that affect the edge:
- 6:5 payout (instead of 3:2): adds 1.39% to house edge — avoid entirely
- Dealer hits soft 17 (H17 vs S17): adds 0.22% to house edge
- More decks: 8-deck adds 0.61% vs single-deck
- Surrender available: reduces edge by 0.08%
See our full blackjack basic strategy guide → for the complete decision chart.
What Makes a High Payout Casino?
Because RTP is set by the game developer rather than the casino, every licensed casino running the same software version has the same game RTPs. The differentiating factors for "best payout casino" are:
- Game library composition: A casino with many high-RTP slots (NetEnt, BTG, Thunderkick catalogue) will have a higher average library RTP than one dominated by lower-RTP providers
- Certified RTP reporting: Reputable casinos publish certified average RTP audits (monthly or quarterly) from eCOGRA or similar labs — this is the only independently verifiable payout percentage figure
- No operator-controlled RTP modes: Some software allows casinos to select from multiple RTP configurations for the same slot (e.g., 96%, 94%, 92% modes). Avoid casinos that do not disclose which RTP mode they use for each game
- Table game availability: A casino with blackjack and video poker available gives players access to the highest-RTP games. Slot-only casinos cannot offer equivalent value to RTP-focused players
Best Payout Online Casinos by Region
Best Payout Casino — New Zealand
New Zealand players access online casinos through internationally licensed operators — primarily MGA (Malta) and Curaçao-licensed casinos, as New Zealand does not license online casinos domestically but permits play at offshore sites.
High-RTP considerations for NZ players: look for operators with NZD account support (avoiding currency conversion fees), a game library heavily weighted toward 96%+ RTP slots from NetEnt, BTG, and Thunderkick, and published eCOGRA certified RTP reports. Withdrawal speed matters: PayPal is unavailable in NZ; Visa, Mastercard, and Skrill are the primary withdrawal options.
Best Payout Casino — South Africa
South African online casino play operates in a legal grey zone — the National Gambling Act (NGA) does not explicitly license online casino operators, and players access offshore MGA or Curaçao-licensed sites. South African players should prioritise operators with ZAR account support to avoid conversion costs and published certified RTP documentation.
High-RTP games accessible to ZA players include the same global NetEnt, BTG, and Pragmatic Play catalogues available internationally. Table games (blackjack, baccarat) remain the highest-RTP options regardless of geography.
Sweepstakes Casinos and Payout Rates
US sweepstakes casinos (Stake.us, McLuck, Crown Coins, Pulsz) operate on the Gold Coin/ Sweeps Coin dual-currency model and are legally available in most US states.
Sweepstakes casino game RTPs mirror the underlying software RTPs — slots from Pragmatic Play or NetEnt carry the same published RTP in sweepstakes mode as in real-money mode. However, the redemption rate is the critical variable: most platforms redeem Sweeps Coins at 1 SC = $1 USD, but redemption limits (daily/monthly caps) and minimum redemption thresholds vary by operator.
For US players in states without regulated real-money online casinos, sweepstakes casinos offer access to the same high-RTP game library through a different legal framework. See our sweepstakes casino guide → for full details.
Tips for Maximising Casino Payout Percentages
- Check the game's RTP before playing — open the game's info page (usually a "?" or "i" icon) and verify the stated RTP
- Use basic strategy on blackjack — this single change reduces the house edge from 2–4% to 0.5%
- Choose European over American roulette — the single zero saves 2.6% in house edge per bet
- Choose French roulette when available — La Partage reduces even-money bet edge to 1.35%
- Avoid side bets: insurance, perfect pairs, lucky ladies, and similar bets all carry house edges of 5–25%
- At video poker, bet maximum coins and verify the Full House/Flush payout (9/6 = 99.5% RTP; 8/5 = 97.3%)
- Check the casino's published RTP report or eCOGRA certification before choosing where to play
FAQ
- What is the best payout percentage at online casinos?
- The best payout online casinos average 96–97% RTP across their slot library and offer 99%+ RTP on table games like blackjack with basic strategy. The highest certified slot RTP widely available is Goblin's Cave by Playtech at 99.32%.
- Which online casino pays out the most?
- Payout percentage is primarily a function of which games you play, not which casino you're at — the same slot from the same provider has the same RTP everywhere. A casino with a large selection of high-RTP slots (96%+) and available table games is preferable to one that only carries 94–95% RTP titles.
- What is the highest RTP slot?
- Goblin's Cave by Playtech has a published RTP of 99.32% — the highest certified figure of any widely available slot. Mega Joker (NetEnt, 99.0%), Ooh Aah Dracula (Barcrest, 99.0%), and 1429 Uncharted Seas (Thunderkick, 98.6%) are among the next highest.
- Is a 97% RTP casino good?
- Yes — 97% average slot RTP is excellent. Industry average for online casinos is approximately 94–96%. A casino advertising certified 97%+ average slot RTP is in the top tier. Verify this figure comes from an eCOGRA or equivalent certified audit, not a self-reported number.
- What is the difference between RTP and payout speed?
- RTP (Return to Player) measures the percentage of all wagers returned as winnings over the long run — a game mechanic. Payout speed is how quickly the casino processes and transfers a withdrawal — an operational process. These are entirely unrelated. A casino can have high-RTP games and slow withdrawals, or fast withdrawals and average-RTP games.