Most casino games that have a progressive pot attached to them have a break-even point. This is the point when the return to player (RTP) reaches 100 percent. In many cases, the break-even point is more theoretical than practical, but in some cases, such as a full-pay Jacks or Better video poker machine, the RTP can actually move beyond the point. In other words, the machine can pay out more than it takes in.
Qualification
Every progressive game has rules regarding the contribution to and the payout of its progressive pot. These rules tend to be stricter when there is a realistic opportunity of reaching the break-even point. In order for a wager to contribute to the progressive pot, and have a chance to win it – that bet must qualify. Some slot machines, for instance, only allow qualification when all paylines are active or when the stake uses the maximum coins allowed.
Meter
A game’s or mobile game’s meter is the mechanism used to regulate the progressive jackpot. If a game has multiple progressive pots assigned to it, it’ll have one meter for each. A meter has a contribution rate, which is the percentage of a qualifying bet that goes to the jackpot. When a progressive jackpot is won, the meter resets. Details like meter volume, contribution rate, seed jackpot and reset period determine how fast a player is able to reach a game’s break-even point.
Advantage Play
Casino games have a house edge or advantage. If the house edge for a game is one percent, then only 99 percent of wagers are returned to the player population. A player’s goal is to minimize the house advantage as much as possible. When the edge is zero, the player has reached the break-even point, and beyond that point, the player has the advantage. Keep in mind that gambling is always a matter of probability. A video poker machine may be at a 101-percent RTP, but that doesn’t guarantee a player that he or she will earn money by playing it.
Break-Even Point
With few exceptions, slot machines are entirely games of chance. That means that when you reach the break-even point, you should simply place the bets with the best odds as long as your bankroll will allow it. In the case of games that have a tactical component, strategy also determines the break-even point. If in video poker or blackjack you choose a less-than-optimal strategy, then you’ll increase the house edge, reduce the RTP and eliminate your chances of reaching or exceeding the break-even point.
Conclusion
In the world of gambling, particularly online, the break-even point is not often a realistic goal. Full-pay video poker machines, for instance, don’t even exist online. Nevertheless, it’s an important concept for evaluating progressive games, and there are instances online where a slot machine’s progressive jackpot swells so large that it gets very close to the ideal.