RTP and house edge calculator
Convert RTP into house edge and see the expected cost of a session for any stake and number of bets.
This house edge calculator converts a game’s RTP into the house edge and shows what a session costs on average for your stake, your pace and the time you play. Enter the RTP from the game’s information screen, your bet per spin or hand, the number of bets per hour and the hours played.
The result is the expected loss: what the game takes on average. Use it to compare games before you play and to set a session budget that matches your pace.
How it works
House edge = 100% − RTP. The expected loss of a session is total amount staked × house edge, and total amount staked is bet size × number of bets.
Formula and test case
Edge = 100 − RTP. Staked = bet × bets per hour × hours. Expected loss = staked × edge ÷ 100.
Test case: RTP 96%, bet 1, 500 bets per hour, 1 hour → staked 500, expected loss 20.
How to use the RTP and house edge calculator
The RTP calculator needs four numbers: RTP, bet size, bets per hour and hours played. Take the RTP from the help or paytable screen of the game at the casino where you play, not from a figure quoted elsewhere, and use your own stake rather than the minimum.
Bets per hour is the input most people underestimate. Time yourself for a few minutes and multiply up; autoplay and fast table games add bets quickly. Every bet counts, including bets placed with money won earlier in the session.
How the house edge calculation works
House edge is 100 % minus RTP, and expected loss is the total amount staked multiplied by the house edge. Total staked is bet size × bets per hour × hours played.
Worked example
A slot with 96 % RTP has a 4 % house edge. At 1 per spin and 500 spins in one hour you stake 500, and the expected loss is 500 × 0.04 = 20. The same session on a slot with 94 % RTP costs 30 on average.
On single-zero roulette, where the Wizard of Odds gives a house edge of 2.70 % (RTP 97.30 %), 60 bets of 5 per hour for two hours means 600 staked and an expected loss of 600 × 0.027 = 16.20.
| Bet | House edge | RTP |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack, liberal Vegas Strip rules | 0.28 % | 99.72 % |
| Baccarat, banker | 1.06 % | 98.94 % |
| Baccarat, player | 1.24 % | 98.76 % |
| Roulette, single zero | 2.70 % | 97.30 % |
| Roulette, double zero | 5.26 % | 94.74 % |
| Baccarat, tie | 14.36 % | 85.64 % |
House edge figures from the Wizard of Odds; RTP is 100 % minus the edge. For slots, the same source gives a house edge of 2 % to 15 % based on one major manufacturer’s returns. Our highest RTP slots list and the roulette odds guide go into game-specific figures.
How to interpret the results
Expected loss is the average price of play over a very large number of bets; any single session can end far above or below it. The calculator gives the centre of the range, not its width.
The width comes from variance. In an example on Wikipedia’s casino game article, ten even-money bets of 1 on double-zero roulette have an expected loss of about 0.53 but a standard deviation of about 3.16, roughly six times larger. Because standard deviation grows with the square root of the number of bets while expected loss grows in proportion to it, the average dominates over long play. High volatility slots with the same RTP swing harder, so the same expected loss arrives with bigger wins and longer losing runs.
Expected loss per hour is the most useful figure for planning: treat it as the price of your entertainment, set your budget above it with a margin for variance, and stop when the budget is gone. A deposit limit makes that easier to keep.
Limits of the calculator
The calculator assumes a fixed stake and a fixed RTP, so anything that changes either makes the result approximate.
- Changing stakes, side bets and optional features with a different RTP are not modelled.
- For games where you add money mid-hand, such as doubling or splitting in blackjack, the Wizard of Odds notes that house edge is measured against the initial bet; enter the initial bet as your stake.
- Bonus wagering is a separate calculation; use the wagering calculator for that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between RTP and house edge?
They describe the same thing from opposite sides. RTP is the share of total stakes a game returns to players on average; house edge is the share the casino keeps. They always add up to 100 %, so a game with 96 % RTP has a 4 % house edge.
How do you calculate house edge from RTP?
Subtract the RTP from 100 %. A slot with 96.5 % RTP has a house edge of 3.5 %. To turn that into money, multiply it by the total amount you stake: 1,000 in total bets at a 3.5 % edge means an expected loss of 35.
Does a higher RTP mean I will win?
No. A higher RTP lowers the average cost of play, but every game with RTP below 100 % loses money on average. In a short session, variance matters far more than a difference of one or two percentage points, which only shows up clearly over many thousands of bets.
How much will I lose per hour on slots?
Multiply your bet by your spins per hour and by the house edge. At 1 per spin, 500 spins per hour and 96 % RTP, the expected loss is 20 per hour. Actual results in any given hour can be much higher or lower, depending on the slot’s volatility.
Sources: Wizard of Odds: house edge, Wikipedia: casino game (house advantage and standard deviation)