Pokie Math, RNG & Mechanics Glossary
Definition-first technical glossary covering Return to Player (RTP), house edge, volatility, hit frequency, ISO/IEC 17025 RNG certification, and reel mechanics at Here2Win Casino.
Return to Player (RTP)
Return to Player (RTP) is the theoretical percentage of total wagered money a game pays back to players over a long-run sample of millions of simulated spins. For example, a 96.50% RTP leaves a 3.50% mathematical house edge. Explore matching titles →
House Edge (Mathematical Margin)
House Edge is the complement of RTP (calculated as 100% minus Published RTP). It represents the theoretical gross margin retained by the operator per 100 units wagered over the long term. Explore matching titles →
Volatility (Variance Index)
Volatility measures the dispersion of payouts around the theoretical RTP. Low-volatility titles deliver frequent small returns, whereas high-volatility titles concentrate return weight into rarer, high-multiplier bonus rounds. Explore matching titles →
Hit Frequency (Hit Ratio)
Hit Frequency is the percentage of paid spins that return any non-zero payout (even a return smaller than the base stake). A 28.5% hit ratio equals roughly 1 winning spin in every 3.5 spins. Explore matching titles →
Megaways Reel Modifier
Megaways is a dynamic reel-modifier engine where each of the 6 reels displays between 2 and 7 symbols per spin, creating up to 117,649 ways to win on adjacent reels from left to right. Explore matching titles →
Hold and Win (Lock & Respin)
Hold and Win is a bonus feature triggered by landing 6+ coin or prize symbols. Triggering symbols lock in place while a 3-respin counter resets every time an additional prize or jackpot symbol lands. Explore matching titles →
Cluster Pays Grid
Cluster Pays replaces traditional paylines with a large grid (typically 7×7 or 6×6) where payouts are awarded whenever 5 or more matching symbols touch horizontally or vertically. Explore matching titles →
Pay Anywhere (Scatter Pays)
Pay Anywhere awards a payout whenever 8 or more identical symbols appear anywhere on the screen (commonly a 6×5 grid), regardless of whether they sit on adjacent reels or paylines. Explore matching titles →
Cascading (Tumbling) Reels
Cascading reels remove winning symbols after a payout is evaluated and drop new symbols into the vacated positions, allowing multiple consecutive wins within a single paid spin. Explore matching titles →
Bonus Buy (Feature Buy)
Bonus Buy allows direct entry into the main free-spins or bonus round for a fixed multiple of the base spin stake (commonly 80× to 200× stake) where permitted by jurisdiction. Explore matching titles →
Independent RNG Certification
Independent RNG Certification is mathematical and statistical testing performed by accredited ISO/IEC 17025 laboratories (such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI, or BMM Testlabs) to verify that spin outcomes are unpredictable and match the declared RTP. Explore matching titles →
Multi-Tier RTP Profiles
Multi-Tier RTP Profiles allow a studio to certify several mathematical return configurations for the same title (e.g., 96.50%, 95.50%, and 94.00%), with the active setting disclosed inside the in-game help file. Explore matching titles →