Mechanics files →CASINO MATHEMATICS REFERENCE DESK
Games For All documents the numbers that product pages compress into one RTP figure: rule variants, feature contribution, hit frequency, volatility and wagering exposure. Every claim should answer a professional question: what changed, by how much, and where is the calculation?
REFERENCE CARD
ROULETTE ZERO POCKETS
With the standard 35:1 straight-up payout, single-, double- and triple-zero wheels have house edges of 1/37, 2/38 and 3/39. The extra zero does not merely add one number; it nearly doubles the edge from single to double zero.
zero pockets ÷ total pocketsRTP IS NOT LINEAR TO LOSS
At 96% RTP, each $100 wagered has a $4 theoretical loss. At 92%, it is $8. A four-point change looks modest on the return side but represents twice the long-run cost.
$100 × (1 − .96) = $4PACE CREATES EXPOSURE
A one-dollar stake played twelve times a minute for an hour produces $720 of action. At 96% RTP, the corresponding theoretical loss is $28.80—even though the visible balance may recycle the same money through many rounds.
$720 × .04 = $28.80EXPOSURE CALCULATOR
This separates stake size from total action. It is an expectation model, not a bankroll forecast; short sessions can finish far above or below the result.
FEATURE CONTRIBUTION LEDGER
“More features” is not a mathematical category. The useful question is where each percentage point of theoretical return sits and what must happen for the player to reach it.
The return generated outside separate bonus modes. A lower base contribution can make ordinary rounds feel sparse even when headline RTP is unchanged.
The share assigned to free spins, hold-and-win, pick bonuses or other modes. Moving return here generally changes hit timing and variance, not total RTP.
A small portion may fund a fixed or progressive prize. Compare whether the published RTP includes that contribution and whether eligibility requires a specific stake.
Two games can share the same RTP while producing radically different paths: frequent small returns versus rare concentrated wins. Equal average does not mean equal experience or bankroll demand.
Gaming Laboratories International describes RTP analysis as including base-game, feature-game and jackpot contributions, alongside probability and volatility analysis. Review the GLI methodology ↗
COMPARISON FIELDS
EDITORIAL METHOD
We separate published figures from derived figures. Published RTP, variant information and game rules should trace back to a regulator, laboratory, manufacturer document or in-game help file. Derived figures show the inputs and arithmetic so another reader can reproduce them.
Ontario standards require game information to disclose the theoretical payout and explain how rule or paytable variants affect it. That is the minimum; a useful reference also records pace, feature allocation, decision points and the unit used for every statistic.
Read the AGCO gaming standards ↗NEW REFERENCE FILES