Slots
Popular slots in Ontario, and what their RTP means
Return to player is a long-run theoretical figure, not a forecast. It also is not fixed: providers certify several versions of the same game and the operator chooses which one to run.
Ontario only, 19+. SlotScroll covers the regulated Ontario market. You must be 19 or older and physically located in Ontario to play with an operator registered by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Gambling is adult entertainment with a cost, not a way to make money. Free, confidential help is available 24/7 from ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600, or text CONNEX to 247247. The regulator’s own player help page is at iGaming Ontario.
| Slot | Provider | RTP | Volatility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starburst | NetEnt | 96.08–96.09% Operator-configured versions as low as 90.05% exist. |
Low | A five-reel, both-ways expanding-wild game that has been a Canadian default since 2012. Low volatility means small, frequent returns rather than large swings. |
| Book of Dead | Play'n GO | 96.21% Certified variants exist at 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18%. |
High | Expanding-symbol feature rounds drive the maths. The certified low-RTP variants matter here more than in most games — a 12-point spread between versions is possible. |
| Gates of Olympus | Pragmatic Play | 96.50% Casino-selected variants at 95.51% and 94.50%. |
Very high (5/5) | A cluster-pays tumble game with multipliers. Very high volatility means long stretches with no return, so session budgets matter more than the headline RTP. |
| Sweet Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.48–96.51% Variants down to 94.50%. |
High (5/5) | Tumble mechanic with multiplier bombs in the feature round. Volatility ratings differ between sources, so treat the 5/5 label as indicative. |
| Big Bass Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.71% Operator variants down to 94.02%. |
High | The highest headline RTP in this set. The fisherman-collect feature round carries the game's variance; the base game is quiet. |
| Mega Moolah | Microgaming (Games Global) | 88.12% base Base RTP is 88.12%; roughly 5.3–8.8% is diverted to the progressive jackpot pool, which lifts combined returns to an estimated 93–97% depending on the calculation method. |
Low to medium (estimates differ) | The progressive jackpot network behind several Canadian brands. The low base RTP is the price of the jackpot contribution — most of the theoretical return sits in a prize very few players will win. |
Explainer
What RTP is
Return to player expresses the proportion of all stakes a game returns to players over a very long run — typically millions of spins in the provider's certification testing. A 96.21% RTP means the theoretical house edge is 3.79%. It says nothing about your next hundred spins. Nothing you do changes it: there is no timing, staking pattern or system that moves the number.
Why the same game shows different figures
Providers licence several certified versions of one title, and the operator decides which to deploy. Book of Dead's headline RTP is 96.21%, but certified variants exist at 94.25%, 91.25%, 87.25% and 84.18% — a spread of more than twelve points. Gates of Olympus runs at 96.50% with variants at 95.51% and 94.50%. Starburst is 96.08–96.09% with versions as low as 90.05% in circulation. Always open the game's information panel and read the RTP the operator has actually configured before you play.
Volatility, and why it matters more than RTP for your bankroll
Volatility describes how the return arrives. Starburst is low volatility: small, frequent outcomes. Gates of Olympus is rated very high: long stretches with nothing, with the return concentrated in rare events. Two games with identical RTP can produce entirely different experiences and require entirely different session budgets. Volatility ratings also vary between sources, so treat them as indicative rather than exact.
Progressive jackpots are a special case
Mega Moolah's base RTP is 88.12%, well below the rest of this list. Roughly 5.3–8.8% of every stake is diverted into the progressive jackpot pool, which lifts the combined theoretical return to somewhere around 93–97% depending on the calculation method. That combined figure is real, but almost all of it sits in a prize that a vanishingly small number of players will ever win. For a typical session, the 88.12% base figure is the one that describes your experience.
How to check the version you are playing
- Open the game and find the information or paytable panel.
- Look for the stated RTP or theoretical return percentage.
- Compare it against the provider's own published figure — the sources for each game in our table above.
- If the operator's figure is materially lower, that is a reason to play elsewhere.
Provider figures in the table above were verified 31 July 2026 against provider documentation and independent game databases. Where sources disagreed we published a range. We do not publish which registered operator carries which title: catalogues change weekly and an out-of-date claim is worse than none.
A high RTP is not a plan
Every game in this table has a negative expected return for the player. A 96.71% RTP means an expected loss of 3.29% of everything staked, repeated for as long as you play. Choose games you enjoy, set a budget you are content to spend on entertainment, and treat any win as an exception rather than the objective. Gambling is not a way to make money.
Safer gambling commitment
Ten rules we would give a friend
We publish comparison content, which means we are part of the marketing chain, and in Ontario that makes us answerable to the same standards as the operators we list. So: no urgency, no “last chance”, no suggestion that gambling replaces income, and no inducement of any kind on any public page of this site.
- Decide what the evening is worth to you before you deposit, and treat it as the price of entertainment.
- Set a deposit limit in the account settings on day one, before you have a reason to raise it.
- Never gamble with money committed to rent, food, credit repayments or savings.
- Do not chase a loss. Adding money to recover money is the single most reliable route to a bigger loss.
- Keep a time limit as well as a money limit, and use the operator’s reality-check reminders.
- Do not gamble to change how you feel, and never while drinking or using drugs.
- Understand that RTP is a long-run average and that no session, streak or system changes the house edge.
- Take the winnings out. Withdraw rather than recycle, and read any promotional terms on the operator’s own site in full before you accept them.
- Use a timeout or self-exclusion the moment gambling stops feeling like a choice.
- Talk to someone. ConnexOntario, a GP or a friend — free confidential support is available 24/7.
If gambling is causing harm to you or someone close to you, call ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600 — free, confidential and 24/7, in more than 170 languages. You can also text CONNEX to 247247, use the service’s web chat, or start from iGaming Ontario’s player help page.