How Does the Hit Frequency Affect Online Slots?

 If you have engaged in your fair share of slot machines, then you have most likely noticed that some titles award payout combinations more than others. It is common knowledge that slot games are programmed to grant winnings randomly with the results of each spin being independent of the next. Therefore, most people prefer to go through a simple playing strategy and watch the reels spin. For instance, in the free Triple Diamond slots, all one has to do is place their stake and hope to walk away with more getar69 money in their pockets than what they came in with. Even with the random nature in playing, several factors are built in to contribute to how they generate winnings. One of these elements is the hit frequency, which often goes unnoticed under the shadow of RTP, house edge, and volatility.


The Value of Slot Hit Rates

Hit frequency is a rather simple concept to grasp compared to other metrics used to determine the payout rates in games. Also known as the hit rate, hit frequency refers to the likelihood of a slot hitting a payout combination as opposed to landing nothing. Slot machines are built as negative expectation games, which means that the chances of losing are usually higher than those of winning in each round. The hit frequency calculation is made according to any formation of a winning combo or landing bonus features. Therefore, payout clusters that award less than the placed stake count as well. For instance, a round with a bet of ten dollars can generate a winning combination worth five dollars. Even though the spin results in a payout, you will still be at a loss of five dollars. Nonetheless, the round will count towards the hit frequency, even if you do not win in terms of the placed stake.

The online platform is riddled with thousands of slot games, which makes the range of hit rates quite extensive. The frequency with which winnings are landed varies in each slot game with some awarding more payouts than others. In most cases, slot games display hit rates of between 20% and 30%. The closer the figure is to 30%, the more likely a pokie is to award winning clusters. Most online gaming software developers do not include information on the hit rates of their releases. Therefore, it is up to gamblers to find out for themselves how often a pokie pays. However, some online game-review sites ease this burden by running the numbers and providing them to readers.

Hit Frequency Against Other Slot Factors

The hit frequency is only one of several factors that most gamblers weigh before settling on a slot. When choosing the ideal pokie to engage, it is recommended to consider the hit rate alongside other parameters, such as:

Variance Rating

The hit frequency of slot games is often confused with volatility, which is also referred to as variance. Slot volatility refers to the tendency of a pokie to table rewards on a small scale. This phrase discloses not only how often it is likely to pay but also the range within which the amount will fall. Usually, slots fall into three volatility classes, and they are:

1. Low volatility – frequent payouts but in small amounts
2. Medium volatility – wins come in average amounts and intervals
3. High volatility – winnings are rare, but they are granted in significant amounts

Slot volatility gives players a glimpse on how slots pay on a smaller level while hit frequency covers the overall average. Nevertheless, one metric can often be used to tell about the other, even if the results do not correlate. For instance, a high variance slot is likely to have a low hit frequency with payouts being spaced out. Low volatile slots, on the other hand, have high hit rates since small winnings are granted more often. However, unlike volatility that carries some prediction for the winning values, hit frequency does not. Like the hit rate, slot variance is often unverifiable since not all online gaming software developers disclose this information.