Should You Play High Variance Slots?
4 minutes
Posted by: Ivan
With the popularization of online slot games, especially progressive slots, high variance slot games have gained legendary status in the gambling community.
Many slot players fantasize about triggering a staggering multi-million win on one of these exciting and fast-paced games. But, these daydreams aside, high variance slots are actually very serious business.
They require extensive research and definitely aren’t for every player.
So, if you play online slots regularly, how do you know if these high variance games are worth your time and attention? Continue reading this page to find valuable tips that will help you answer this question based on your slot preferences, gaming bankroll, and experience.
What Are High Variance Slots?
Variance measures what type of results the slot machine will produce in the long run. In other words, it measures how far can real-world results of a particular game vary from the statistical average.
It’s not measured in weeks and months. Instead, variance measures how likely results are to change, not how many times they will change.
If a variance is high, the wins are scarce. This is because there’s no way of telling how far each win is from another on the long-term scale of things.
This level of unpredictability also means that your sessions can quickly go off-track if you don’t have a proper plan for every spin you make.
Is High Variance the Same as High Volatility?
These two terms are often used to illustrate the same thing, but there are specific differences you should know about when you play online slots.
Simply put, variance measures changes in the long run and isn’t limited by any time frame. Volatility also measures the changes in the results, but within a specific time limit, for example, a week or a month.
In the context of high variance slots, on which we’re focusing on this page, the term addresses how these games are unpredictable in the long run. On the other hand, if a slot is highly volatile, it has unpredictable short-term results.
Inevitably, these two terms go hand in hand. This is because volatility ratings are often available while variance ones aren’t. However, you can use volatility ratings to predict the slot’s variance.
What to Consider Before Playing a High Variance Slot
Before attempting to play any slot game, especially a high variance one, you should understand both the good and the bad aspects that come with the choice. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of high variance slots.
Pros of High Variance Slots
High variance slots are undoubtedly very popular among a particular gambling audience. This is primarily due to these two benefits:
Massive Payouts
High payout promises have always drawn in big crowds to specific casino games. With wins going up to the millions, these games are significantly more rewarding than regular slots or table games like blackjack.
More Exciting Sessions
This isn’t as important as the first advantage, but is certainly a significant factor for many players who decide to play these volatile games. You never know when the next jackpot payout will come, making every spin more exciting than a low variance slot.
Cons of High Variance Slots
Despite the fantastic advantages high variance slots can provide you with, these types of games also come with an apparent downside. Here are the two most notable cons of high variance slots:
You Need a Large Bankroll
The bankroll size needed to support such games is the biggest deterrent for many potential high variance slots players; they can eat up to 200 times the base bet within one hour. If you don’t have such a massive gambling bankroll, it’s best just to avoid these games.
Wins Can Be Few and Far in Between
Not every slot player is comfortable betting round after round only to lose when the reels stop spinning. But, this is something you must accept if you want to play high variance slots. Prolonged droughts of losing spins are a common thing for these games.
Should You Play High Variance Slots?
Whether or not you should try out high variance slots entirely depends on who you are as a slots player.
If you have a limited bankroll and can’t afford to lose for extended periods, it’s better to stick with low variance games. Conversely, if you have the bankroll to back up a long string of large and unpredictable losing bets before you hit a big win, these games are certainly worth a try.
If you decide to play these exciting and entertaining slot games, remember to bet carefully. They will burn through your entire bankroll in a second if you’re not betting responsibly.
But, with a bit of luck and a sensible betting strategy, hopefully, you’ll land one of those amazing wins that can only be compared in size to wins in large poker tournaments.
