1. What Plinko RTP Actually Means
RTP stands for Return to Player. This number is presented as a percentage. For example, a 97% RTP means that for every $100 that is staked into the game by the players, the game will pay out $97 to those players. The casino gets to keep the remaining $3.
This percentage is not a promise that you will win that much money from your next session with the game. For example, you might drop 50 balls and lose most of them. Alternatively, you might drop 50 balls and win most of your bets. This percentage is for the long run of Plinko games, not the duration of one Plinko game session.
A game's RTP will always indicate the house edge for that game. For example, a Plinko game with a 97% RTP has a 3% house edge. A Plinko game with a 99% RTP has a 1% house edge. Games with a higher RTP are less favourable to the house as casinos take in less of the player's money over time.
Key point
BGaming's Plinko game offers up to a 99% RTP when playing with the maximum rows and risk levels set for the game. This makes BGaming's Plinko the highest RTP game in the entire casino game catalogue in Australia.
2. How Rows Change Plinko RTP
The more rows that you choose within the Plinko game, the higher the RTP of the game. This is true of every Plinko game provider for their Plinko games.
The reason for the higher RTP when choosing a higher number of rows is mathematical. When you select more rows, the ball will pass through more decision points. This means the multipliers will be distributed differently across the payout buckets in the game. The providers need to set higher multipliers on the outer buckets for higher RTP.
| Rows | BGaming RTP (Low Risk) | BGaming RTP (High Risk) | Volatility |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 rows | 97% | 97% | Low |
| 12 rows | 97% | 98% | Medium |
| 16 rows | 99% | 99% | High |
For example, choosing 16 rows with high risk will give you the 99% RTP but with a higher variance in the outcomes of your dropped balls. You are likely to drop many balls with returns of 0.2 times your stake but win with others at 1,000 times your stake.
3. How Risk Levels Change Plinko RTP
The risk levels for the game will change the multipliers distributed within the game but not the RTP. For most Plinko games, the RTP will be the same across the risk levels. For example, BGaming's 16-row Plinko game has a higher RTP when playing with high risk as opposed to low risk.
| Risk Level | Centre Bucket (typical) | Outer Bucket (typical, 16 rows) | Win Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 0.5x | 16x | Frequent small wins |
| Medium | 0.3x | 170x | Mixed, moderate swings |
| High | 0.2x | 1,000x+ | Rare large wins, many near-zero drops |
For example, choosing low risk will offer you the most stable gameplay experience with a 16-row Plinko game. High risk will give you the best chance to win big but requires a higher bankroll to weather the long losing streaks.
Practical example
For instance, if you have a $50 budget and are placing $0.50 bets in a 16-row high-risk Plinko game, you will get 100 drops into the game. The RTP of 99% will return $49.50 to you for your $50 stake. This is on average over 100 drops into the game. In any 100 drops, the outcome could be $80 or as low as $15.
4. Plinko RTP by Provider - Australia Comparison
The RTP will differ for each of the Plinko game providers. BGaming offers the highest RTP while Hacksaw Gaming offers a slightly lower RTP but with high-volatility game settings for players who want them.
BGaming's 16-row Plinko game at 99% RTP returns 3% more money to its players than the average Plinko game in Australia. Over 10,000 drops of $1 each, the casino will give $300 more to BGaming players than any other Plinko game providers in Australia.
| Provider | RTP Range | Available at | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BGaming | 97% - 99% | SlotsPalace, Neon54, ZetCasino, Bizzo, HellSpin, National, Wild Fortune | Best RTP, widest availability |
| Hacksaw Gaming | 96% - 97% | Bizzo Casino, HellSpin | High-volatility play |
| SmartSoft (PlinkoX) | 97% | WooCasino, CasinoChan | Crash-plinko hybrid fans |
| Spribe | 97% | Select casinos | Provably fair verification |
Play Responsibly
The RTP does not represent a player's gambling risk for the game. This is only a long-run statistical average for Plinko games. Any given gambling session can return any outcome above or below the RTP figure for the game. Always set a budget for your gambling session and never chase your losses.
Free support for problem gambling in Australia is available 24/7 at Gambling Help Online - call 1800 858 858. 18+ only.
Lachie Doyle is a Brisbane-based casino reviewer for PlinkoPulse. He tests every casino with real AUD deposits and specialises in plinko and crash games for Australian punters. Read his full profile.