Compare free spins low vs high volatility slots and the average value is almost identical, but the outcomes are very different. On a low volatility game such as Starburst, 100 spins at 10p tend to return a steady trickle near the average; on a high volatility game such as Big Bass Bonanza, most batches return less and a few return far more. Either way, 100 × 10p is £10 of spins. 18+, terms apply.
Average value depends on RTP, not volatility: 100 spins at 10p average about £9.60–£9.80 on the slots compared here.
Low volatility gives smaller, more frequent wins and a narrower range of results.
High volatility gives more empty spins but a much higher ceiling per 10p spin (up to £2,110 on Sweet Bonanza's published max).
Winnings caps cut the upside of high volatility spins; no-wagering spins keep whatever lands.
Spin value on partner offers
10p per spin
Low volatility example
Starburst: 96.09% RTP, 500x max win
High volatility example
Big Bass Bonanza: 96.71% RTP, 2,100x max win
Average of 100 spins at 10p
About £9.60–£9.80 on these slots
Choice of game
Set by the offer at our partners
Free spins on low vs high volatility slots: the quick comparison
Volatility describes how a slot spreads its returns: lots of small wins, or long dry runs broken by occasional large ones. RTP describes how much, on average, comes back. A batch of free spins inherits both. The table sums up what that means for the kind of 10p spins our partners hand out.
Free spins on low and high volatility slots at a glance
Feature
Low volatility slot
High volatility slot
Average return per 10p spin
Set by RTP (about 9.6p at 96%)
Set by RTP (about 9.6p at 96%)
How often spins pay
More often
Less often
Typical size of a win
Small
Larger when it comes
Most likely result from 100 spins
Close to the average
Below the average
Highest possible result
Lower (e.g. 500x on Starburst = £50)
Much higher (e.g. 12,500x on Wanted Dead or a Wild = £1,250)
Low vs high volatility slots compared: RTP and max win per 10p spin
The figures below are the published RTP, volatility rating and maximum win for each game. The last column turns the maximum multiple into pounds for a single 10p spin. Developers often release several RTP versions of the same game, so always check the help screen of the version in front of you.
Published figures for well-known slots by volatility
Same average, different spread: 100 free spins worked through
Multiply spins by stake by RTP and you get the long-run average. Here is 100 spins at 10p, which is £10 of spins, on four of the games above.
Average return of 100 spins at 10p by slot
Slot
Volatility
RTP
Spin value
Average return
Blood Suckers
Low
98.00%
£10
About £9.80
Starburst
Low
96.09%
£10
About £9.61
Big Bass Bonanza
High
96.71%
£10
About £9.67
Book of Dead
High
96.21%
£10
About £9.62
The averages sit within 20p of each other, so volatility barely moves the expected value. What it moves is the shape of the results around that average. Our free spins maths guide explains the calculation, and the answer to the average win from 100 free spins shows why your own result will usually differ from it.
What a batch of free spins tends to look like on each type
On a low volatility slot
Wins land often but are mostly small, frequently less than or close to the 10p stake. Over 100 spins the running total tends to drift gently, and finishing with a few pounds is a common outcome. The ceiling is modest: Starburst's 500x is £50 on a 10p spin. If you value a predictable little balance from your spins, this is the shape you are after.
On a high volatility slot
Many spins return nothing, and much of the game's RTP is held back for features that trigger less often. A batch of 100 spins can easily end with less than the average, sometimes with very little. Occasionally a feature lands and the result is far above the average, and the ceiling is much higher: Wanted Dead or a Wild's 12,500x is £1,250 on a 10p spin. Our page on how much you can win from 10p free spins puts those ceilings in context.
These descriptions are general tendencies, not forecasts. Any batch of spins on any slot can end anywhere between nothing and the game's maximum, and the house edge applies in both cases.
How wagering and win caps change low vs high volatility spins
The terms attached to the spins can matter as much as the game. Three common set-ups change the comparison in different ways.
How offer terms interact with slot volatility
Offer terms
Low volatility spins
High volatility spins
No wagering on winnings (Coral, Ladbrokes, PlayOJO)
You keep a steadier, smaller amount as cash
You keep whatever lands, including the rare large win
Wagering on winnings (up to 10x in the UK)
A small balance usually needs wagering before cash-out
Often little or nothing to wager; occasionally a large balance to play through
Cap on winnings from spins
Usually below the cap anyway
Large results are cut back to the cap
Caps matter most for high volatility games, because they remove the part of the average that comes from rare big wins. Our free spins max win page lists what to look for, and free spins wagering explained covers how winnings are converted. None of these set-ups changes the game's odds.
The slot's own free spins round on low and high volatility games
Casino free spins and a slot's built-in free spins feature are different things, though the first can trigger the second. On many high volatility slots, the built-in feature carries a large share of the game's potential, which is why it feels so decisive when it lands. On low volatility games the base game does more of the paying. Whether casino free spins can trigger the feature, and how it plays out, depends on the game; check its help screen. Our answer to can free spins trigger the bonus round explains the general rule. Feature buys, which let players pay to jump straight into the bonus round, aren't offered on slots at UK-licensed casinos.
Can you choose low or high volatility for your free spins?
Usually not. Casino free spins are tied to the games the offer names. PlayOJO's welcome spins are on Big Bass Bonanza, rated high volatility with a 96.71% RTP. Coral's and Ladbrokes' spins are on selected games that the offer lists, so check the promotion page. Our answer to can I choose my free spins slot explains why. What you can do is check the game you've been given:
Open the promotion page or your bonus area to see which slot the spins are credited to.
Load the game and open its information or help screen.
Note the RTP; UK rules require it, or the likelihood of winning, to be available before you play.
Look for a volatility rating; many developers show one, some as a scale such as 3 of 5.
Check the maximum win and any cap the offer puts on spin winnings, then set your expectations accordingly.
UK rules that apply to free spins on every kind of slot
Low and high volatility games play by the same UK rules. Since 31 October 2021, slots must take at least 2.5 seconds per spin, autoplay and turbo or slam-stop are banned, and wins that are less than or equal to the stake can't be celebrated as wins, as the Commission set out in its online games design consultation response (opens in a new tab). RTP or the likelihood of winning must be shown before play under technical standard RTS 3 (opens in a new tab). Stakes are capped at £5 per spin for over-25s and £2 for 18 to 24s, well above the 10p used on partner spins. Our slot game design rules page has the detail.
Verdict: low or high volatility free spins for each player
Which volatility suits which player's free spins
If you…
Better fit
Why
Want a small, fairly predictable result
Low volatility
Narrower spread around the average
Accept that most batches return little, for a rare large result
High volatility can make a near-miss or a long dry run feel like a reason to keep playing. It isn't: each spin is independent and the house edge applies to all of them. Treat free spins as a short piece of entertainment and stop when they are used. The National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free and open 24/7, and GamCare (opens in a new tab) offers chat support if gambling stops being fun.
Partner free spins and the volatility of their games
All three offers below give 10p spins with no wagering on winnings, so the slot's volatility shapes the result but nothing is lost to play-through. PlayOJO gives 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza (high volatility, 96.71% RTP) with a first deposit of £10 or more, winnings paid in cash, Northern Ireland excluded. Coral gives 100 spins at 10p on selected games after a £10 slots bet, accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days. Ladbrokes gives up to 500 spins at 10p on selected games over 10 days after £10 on slots, claimed by 23:59 each day. Check each promotion page for its game list. All offers: 18+, new customers, payment exclusions and full terms apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: set a budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Are free spins better on low or high volatility slots?
Neither is better on average, because a spin's average value comes from the game's RTP, not its volatility. 100 spins at 10p average about £9.61 on Starburst (low) and about £9.67 on Big Bass Bonanza (high). The difference is the spread: low volatility gives steadier small results, high volatility gives more empty spins and a higher ceiling. Which you prefer is a matter of taste. See what is a good free spins offer for other factors that matter more.
Which slots are low volatility?
Among well-known games, published figures rate Starburst (96.09% RTP, 500x max), Blood Suckers (98.00%, 1,014x), Esqueleto Explosivo (96.0%, 700x) and Jumanji (96.33%) as low volatility. Ratings come from developers and reference sites and can vary between versions, so check the game's help screen. Low volatility usually means more frequent, smaller wins and a lower maximum. Our page on free spins on low volatility slots covers more examples and how they handle spin offers.
Which slots are high volatility?
Big Bass Bonanza (96.71%, 2,100x), Book of Dead (96.21%, 5,000x), Gates of Olympus (96.50%, 5,000x), Wanted Dead or a Wild (96.38%, 12,500x) and Sweet Bonanza (96.48%, 21,100x) are all rated high volatility in published figures. These games pay less often but have higher maximum wins, often concentrated in features. Several have more than one RTP version. See free spins on high volatility slots and our Gates of Olympus free spins page for details.
Is PlayOJO's Big Bass Bonanza high volatility?
Yes. Published figures rate Big Bass Bonanza, by Reel Kingdom and distributed by Pragmatic Play, as high volatility, with a 96.71% RTP and a 2,100x maximum win, which is £210 on a 10p spin. PlayOJO's 80 spins at 10p are worth £8 and average about £7.74 at that RTP, with winnings paid as cash. Expect many batches to return less than that and a few to return more. See PlayOJO free spins for the offer terms. 18+, terms apply.
Can I pick a low volatility slot for my free spins?
Usually not with a welcome offer. The spins are credited to the games the offer names: PlayOJO's to Big Bass Bonanza, and Coral's and Ladbrokes' to selected games listed on their promotion pages. Trying to use spins on other games won't work and may break the terms. If you want to know the volatility of the game you're given, check its information screen before you start. Our page on how to know which slots your free spins are on explains where to look.
Does volatility affect free spins wagering?
It affects what you have to wager, not the average cost. Low volatility spins tend to leave a small balance that then needs wagering, while high volatility spins often leave little or nothing, and occasionally a large balance. Wagering on any balance costs about wagering × house edge on average. Since 19 January 2026, UK wagering can't exceed 10x. Our partners' spin offers carry no wagering on winnings. See free spins wagering explained for how it works.
Why do high volatility slots have bigger max wins?
Because the game holds more of its RTP back for rare outcomes. If two games return the same 96% on average, the one that pays less often must pay more when it does, which usually means larger features and a higher ceiling. That is why Sweet Bonanza lists 21,100x while Starburst lists 500x. A high maximum is reached very rarely and is not a likely result from any batch of spins. Our free spins max win page covers caps set by offers.
Do free spins winnings caps matter more on high volatility slots?
Yes. A cap on spin winnings mostly bites when a large win lands, and large wins are what high volatility games are built around. On a low volatility slot like Starburst, the 500x maximum is £50 on a 10p spin, so a cap above that rarely matters. On Wanted Dead or a Wild, a 12,500x win on a 10p spin would be £1,250, so a cap could remove most of it. Always read the offer terms. See casino bonus max win.
Is volatility the same as RTP?
No. RTP is the average percentage of stakes a game returns over a very large number of spins; volatility describes how unevenly that return is spread. Two games can share a 96% RTP and still feel completely different. UK rules require RTP or the likelihood of winning to be available before you play, but volatility ratings are optional and come from developers. Our glossary entries on RTP and house edge explain the related terms.
Do UK slot rules differ between low and high volatility games?
No, the same rules apply to every online slot. Since 31 October 2021, spins must take at least 2.5 seconds, and autoplay, turbo and slam-stop are banned. Since 2025, stakes are capped at £5 a spin for over-25s and £2 for 18 to 24s. Feature buys aren't offered at UK-licensed casinos. These rules don't change a game's RTP or volatility. Our slot game design rules page explains each one.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Visit GamCare.org.uk and GamCare, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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