/ 19 December 2025

The best metrics to track to achieve low-risk online slots gameplay

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Slots are an entertaining casino game, but they can draw you in as the reels keep spinning. Analyze these metrics to maintain a low-risk gameplay strategy to safeguard your bankroll. You can spin through the best slots with real prizes by evaluating return to player (RTP), slot volatility, and other important metrics. 

Return To Player (RTP) Rate

A 96% to 98% RTP machine is best for low-risk players. This means that slot machines will return $9.60 to $9.80 for every $10 spin. A higher RTP reduces how fast you lose your bankroll if you are lucky enough to hit a winning payline. Avoid any slot machines below 94% because these medium to high volatility slots can produce somewhat colder streaks than the units with higher RTP. 

Hit Frequency

The hit frequency is measured as a percentage to show the probability of a slot machine hitting a winning payline. The best slot machines producing low-risk gameplay have a hit rate of 20% or higher. Playing on a slot machine with an increased hit frequency does not guarantee a win. There’s still the chance of losing all the spins during that session because of the machine’s random number generators (RNGs) falling on losing combinations. 

Collect data by tracking how many spins it takes for you to hit a win. These spin numbers could vary from session to session, but gathering an average amount can help you gain insight into which slot machines to play over others. 

Slot Volatility Rating

Review the virtual slot machine’s description to discover its volatility rating. A low volatility slot machine pays out smaller amounts but more frequently than higher volatility units. However, the less frequent payouts high volatility slots offer also come with larger, more substantial prizes if you do land on a winning payline. 

Spins Per Minute (SPM)

SPMs measure how fast you spend your bankroll. A higher bet size placed on autospin can procure higher spins each minute. Switching between manual and autospin can reduce your SPMs to maintain your bankroll for longer. Even if you are playing a low volatility machine with a high RTP, bankroll depletion can happen quickly if you aren’t careful. 

Low-risk players keep their SPMs to 15 to 25. Anything higher could cause you to lose too much of your funds in a shorter time than intended. Set a one-minute timer to track how many spins happen. Do this for at least 5 minutes of your gaming session. Average these totals to see whether you are in the low-risk or high-risk zone to evaluate how you can better safeguard your bankroll with habit changes. 

Average Win Payout Versus Bet Size

Possibly scoring more frequent wins doesn’t matter if the payouts are too small. A low-risk player aims for a healthy balance of win frequency and payout amounts. It’s best to play slot machines that pay at least 0.5x to 1x your original bet size invested. Track your average payout per win and whether the session is giving stable or sporadic payouts. 

Remember that you can play a slot machine without hitting a win at all. Hence, change up on which units you play on to maintain a strategic, competitive edge. 

Bonus Trigger Frequency

Bonuses may not happen as frequently as players want. However, tracking how often bonuses occur to see which machines trigger them more than others. Analyze how many spins it takes to hit a bonus. Note the average for each bonus hit. Examine whether it’s a consistent or variable trend. The best low-risk bonus trigger frequency happens between every 120 to 200 spins. If the slot machine doesn’t trigger a bonus within the first 100 spins, you should move on to another one.