Volatility can be a big factor in how someone plays an online casino game; there are many different strategies that someone can employ depending on their playstyle and factors that the game itself may produce. So how does volatility affect this? And what can you do in order to better your chances?
What does volatility mean?
Before we dive into different strategies, it would be a good idea to explore what volatility actually means within online casino gaming.
Well, generally it refers to how often and how much an online slot machine is likely to pay out; low volatility machines producing little wins more often, medium being somewhere in the middle, and high volatility being larger payouts but not as often.
Low volatility strategies
These can be good for less experienced players who are just getting a feel for a machine, as they generally will require smaller bankrolls to play.
They can also be good for someone who is looking to have a longer play session, since their money will go a lot further because each spin will cost significantly less than on a higher volatility machine.
Medium volatility strategies
Medium volatility machines are great for players who want the best of both worlds, as they provide moderate risk as well as moderate reward.
They can be good for those players who want a chance to win bigger prizes than those available throughout low volatility machines, but don’t want to go all out on a high volatility slot.
High volatility strategies
These slots have more in-depth strategies, as there is generally a lot more at stake when using them. Because they are not likely to produce a win as often as machines with lower volatility, the player has to be much more patient.
There is, of course, more risk associated with these machines, because there is a greater chance that you can go on a hefty losing streak. Some players try to combat this by placing smaller bets to ride out the period of time when they are not winning.
What other strategies can you employ?
Something that a lot of online casino players do is utilize online casino bonuses, as these can give players an upper hand with potentially free funds they can use to better understand any particular online slot machine.
It can be a good idea for players, and especially beginners, to start exploring no-deposit bonuses in online casinos, as these will allow players to get a feel for a machine before committing any of their bankroll.
When playing machines on any level of volatility, it is important that you have the correct procedures in place in order to protect yourself when playing at online casinos. A great way to do this is to introduce a gaming budget that you stick to strictly.
This can be monthly or weekly, and can be split up into separate play sessions if you think that would benefit you further. Having this in place and sticking to it can be useful in protecting you from overspending and potentially putting your lifestyle at risk.
It is also very important that you are able to check yourself every so often. This may include understanding that you perhaps pushed it too far and spent over your budget, But not to worry, we’ve all been there – it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of it all.
What is important is to be able to look at this retrospectively and understand why you perhaps went over budget, and what you may be able to do in the future to stop it from happening again. Because, after all, this is a hobby and should be fun!
What else can affect these strategies?
It can be important to have a plan B in place when you are playing at online casinos or slots. Different online casinos may operate differently from one another, so a strategy that worked well for you on one platform may not be so effective on another.
This is because the random number generator (RNG) tech in use can have different odds, meaning you may have to change strategy if you are planning to move to another online casino.
Although not so much a strategy, something that can massively affect play is your online security. It would be a real shame to study and develop a strategy, only for your data to then be intercepted. So, it is important to take it seriously. There are a few things to consider.
Always check whether a site has an HTTPS connection or not, which means that the site will encrypt data transmissions to and from it, meaning that your data will be much safer and of no use to anyone who may manage to intercept it.
Although it’s something that we have all neglected to do in the past, it’s also important that you read the terms and conditions of any online casino, because in order to be fully protected on the internet, it is vital that you know how your data is being handled.
