Dead or Alive 2 already proving why high volatility slots are so popular.
When seeking out an online slot machine, moderately experienced players tend to choose the one with the highest RTP (return to player). They are smart enough to know that the higher the RTP, the more the machine is theoretically capable of paying back. True veterans will also take into account the volatility of a game.
Volatility – or variance, is it’s also known – dictates the probable frequency and value of the average payout. Slots can come with a low, medium or high variance. Knowing the difference, and what it can do to/for your bankroll, allows players to choose their games more wisely.
Low, Medium & High Volatility Slots
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect from each type of slot machine variance.
– Low Volatility: Best for low-budget bankrolls; high win frequency, low value payouts.
– Medium Volatility: Perfectly balanced machine; medium win frequency, medium value payouts.
– High Volatility: Best for larger bankroll budgets; low win frequency, high value payouts.
Dead or Alive 2 Proves Value of High Variance
Just three short weeks ago, NetEnt launched Dead or Alive 2 (DOA2), a sequel to one of the brand’s most popular online slot machines of all time. The new game comes with the same high variance, wherein players gain the best value by playing long enough to trigger the free games feature. However, this version is equipped with more unique opportunities for players.
Once the free spins are triggered, the player can choose just how high they want the feature’s variance to be. The three free spin options include Train Heist (lowest volatility), Old Saloon (balanced; mimics the free spins feature of the original Dead or Alive Slot), and High Noon (highest variance).
Whilst spinning the reels of DOA2 a few days ago, one very lucky player was willing to take the highest risk of all. While betting £0.18 per spin, this player triggered the free spins and chose to play the High Noon feature. Like the Old Saloon feature, High Noon comes with sticky wilds, holding each wild that appears in place until the free games are complete. However, these wilds come with 2x and 3x multipliers.
The player in question was lucky enough to land a total of 9 wilds on the reels throughout the feature, with all but one containing a multiplier. All together, it awarded this fortuitous player a payout of 30,000x the stake. With a bet of £0.18, that payout came to a jaw-dropping £5,400.
This player’s fantastic haul was the most recent of several high-paying multiplier wins on the Dead or Alive 2 since the game was released on April 23. Such bountiful payouts on even the smallest wagers are proving why high volatility machines like this one are seeing a massive boost in popularity.
It doesn’t hurt that this particular game has an above average RTP of 96.82% to go with that high variance. Clearly the developers at NetEnt knew what they were doing when they combined all those favorable aspects within the sequel of an already famous title such as this.
