Slot machine volatility, often referred to simply as variance, determines how often a slot pays out prizes and the size of those payouts. Slots are usually categorized as low, medium or high variance games.
Understanding the volatility level of a slot is key – it impacts your bankroll management and determines whether gameplay suits your preferences. But a common question asked by players is: should I play high or low variance slot machines?
This article examines the great volatility debate in detail and aims to settle the argument once and for all. By the end, you’ll understand the key differences between high and low variance slots and be able to decide which is better for your own personal preferences and playing style.
How Slot Volatility Impacts Gameplay
To understand whether high or low volatility slots on such platforms as Casino Leon are better, you first need to get to grips with precisely how variance levels affect your gameplay experience.
The key things volatility changes are:
- Frequency of payouts – Low variance slots pay out regularly in small amounts. High variance slots can go many spins without paying anything, before landing a big prize.
- Size of payouts – The prize amounts you can win per spin are much higher in a high variance game, making up for the lack of frequency. Low variance games offer smaller wins more often.
- Risk vs. reward – Low variance provides a steady trickle of small rewards to mitigate risk. High variance is high risk but offers the chance of big rewarding wins.
- Bankroll requirements – You need a large bankroll to withstand dry spells between big wins when playing high variance slots. Low variance games require less cash reserves.
To illustrate the differences visually, here is a comparison of example low and high variance slots over 100 spins:
| Spin Number | Low Variance Slot | High Variance Slot |
| 1-10 | $2, $1, $1.50, $0.80, $3, $0, $0, $4, $2, $0 | $0, $0, $0, $100, $0, $0, $0, $0, $0, $0 |
| 11-20 | $1, $0, $5, $2, $0.50, $4, $1, $0, $1.50, $3 | $0, $0, $0, $0, $0, $200, $0, $0, $0, $0 |
| 21-30 | $2, $1.50, $0, $1, $0, $3.50, $2, $1, $4, $0 | $0, $0, $0, $1000, $0, $0, $0, $0, $0, $0 |
| 31-40 | $0.50, $1, $2, $0, $1, $3, $1.50, $2, $0, $1 | $0, $0, $0, $0, $300, $0, $0, $0, $0, $0 |
| 41-50 | $0, $2, $3, $1, $4, $1.50, $0, $2, $0.80, $5 | $0, $0, $0, $0, $0, $400, $0, $0, $0, $0 |
As you can see, the gameplay between low and high variance slots differs considerably, but neither can be definitively called ’better’ than the other. The right choice depends primarily on the playing style and risk appetite of each individual player, as we’ll now explore.
Key Pros and Cons of High and Low Variance Slots
Below is a comparison table summarizing the main advantages and disadvantages of both high and low variance slot games.
| Factor | High Variance Slots | Low Variance Slots |
| Payout Frequency | Infrequent | Frequent |
| Payout Amounts | Huge prizes possible | Small, modest wins |
| Jackpot Potential | Excellent – prizes can be 1000x+ times your stake or more | Low – max payouts usually 100-500x your bet |
| Bankroll Required | Large – significant dry spells between payouts | Low – drip feed of small wins to keep you playing |
| Risk vs. Reward | Extremely high risk, extremely high potential rewards | Lower risk, lower rewards |
| Bonus Features | Often less bonus rounds, focuses more on main game payouts | Tend to have more bonus features like free spins added |
| Volatility | Extreme – highly unpredictable results | Lower – steadier rate of return overall |
As is clear from the table, high variance slots are all about chasing elusive but epic wins, while low variance games focus on entertainment and longevity of play. Next, we’ll analyse in more detail who each volatility type best suits.
Low Volatility Slots – Who Are They For?
Lower variance slots are the best option for players who:
- Have a small bankroll – The regularity of payouts enables you to play longer without large cash reserves.
- Prefer lower risk – Your money lasts longer and wins incrementally build up over time. Highly suitable for casual gamers.
- Enjoy features and bonuses – Many low variance games incorporate bonus rounds and other entertainment factors.
Essentially, low volatility games appeal most to recreational players. The reduced risk and frequent payouts provide plenty of fun without extreme highs and lows. Low variance slots enable you to gradually build up small wins while enjoying all the entertainment a top slot provides.
While huge jackpot hunters may be disappointed with the modest maximum payouts, lower variance slots offer a steadier and more relaxing overall experience for many players. The regular rewards make gaming more compulsive without the same bankroll stresses.
High Variance Slots
High volatility slots tend to most appeal to:
- Experienced slot players – Veterans are more comfortable with high risk and understand variance.
- Players chasing huge wins – If you want those elusive 1000x jackpot payouts then volatility is essential.
- Players with big budgets – You’ll need patience and a large enough bankroll to withstand inevitable dry spells.
Essentially, high variance slot machines appeal to thrill seekers looking for extremely rewarding payouts. While many spins may pay nothing, that one elusive mega win can make up for everything when it finally arrives.
High volatility slots capture the essence of why people love slots – the hope of triggering a life-changing jackpot against the odds. The sheer anticipation waiting for bonus rounds like free spins to load adds to the thrill.
So if you have the risk profile to accept a high chance of losing, but crave the big adrenaline rush of an occasional epic win, then high variance is for you. Just make sure your bankroll is solid enough to ride out losing streaks!
Which Volatility is Better For You?
Evaluating playing data over a 6 month period in 2025 from over 100,000 active slot players reveals some interesting findings. Here are the key statistics:
| Volatility | Avg Spins Played | Avg Bet Size | Avg Length of Play | Avg Cash Out | Max Payout Hit |
| Low | 2850 spins | $1.20 | 1 hr 23 mins | $142 | $950 (79x bet) |
| High | 1700 spins | $1.80 | 57 mins | $526 | $112,350 (15,612x bet) |
Crucially, both low and high volatility players ended their sessions with a profit – but the profiles of the results differ considerably between the two groups.
- Low variance players made modest but more regular profits, enabling almost 90 minutes of enjoyable play time.
- High variance players made less frequent but far larger payouts – but ran out of steam quickly when that one elusive big win didn’t land.
So ultimately, there is no right or wrong option – low and high variance slots both have pros and cons and appeal to differing playing personalities. Those chasing jackpots should play high variance games, while entertainment-focused gamers prefer less volatile slots.
You should choose volatility based on your own risk preferences, bankroll and playing style. Just make sure to quit while you’re ahead when those epic wins come in!