Cleopatra RTP and volatility: 95.02%, 92.48% and what the figures mean

The standard online Cleopatra publishes a return to player (RTP) of 95.02% in IGT’s rules file, and the progressive MegaJackpots Cleopatra publishes 92.48%. Both are theoretical averages across a very large number of spins, not a forecast for any one session. IGT does not publish a volatility rating for either game, and machines on casino floors run payback settings that each casino chooses.

Cleopatra RTP by version

Each Cleopatra title carries its own figure, so match the name on the rules screen before you compare.

Cleopatra Gold’s higher number belongs to a different game with its own features, not to a better setting of the original.

What 95.02% means in dollars

RTP is measured against the total amount wagered, not against your deposit. Every spin counts, including spins paid for with earlier wins, so a $100 deposit played for a while can easily turn into $1,000 or more wagered.

Take a hypothetical $1,000 of total wagers, for instance 1,000 spins at $1:

The gap between the two versions is 2.54 percentage points, or $25.40 per $1,000 wagered. IGT’s own rules text warns that one player’s session can land far from these averages in either direction, and the fewer spins played, the wider the swing. The $49.80 is what the game is built to keep over an enormous number of plays, not what you will lose in 1,000 spins.

Why MegaJackpots Cleopatra prints a lower figure

The MegaJackpots rules say the jackpot grows from a fixed percentage of every bet placed by everyone playing for it. The chance of winning it is exactly proportional to the bet, so doubling your line bet doubles your chance, and the expected return per dollar stays the same at any stake.

The rules file does not split the 92.48% into base-game and jackpot parts. Either way, ordinary spins on the progressive version return less on average than the standalone game’s 95.02%, and the share that feeds the meter is paid out rarely, to one winner at a time. Progressive jackpots on US online slots covers how these prizes are funded and what they cost.

Does Cleopatra’s RTP differ by state or casino?

It can. BetMGM’s guide to the game notes that RTP may differ from one jurisdiction to another, so the figure on the rules screen of the game you open is the one that applies to you.

On a casino floor the figure is not public at all. IGT still sells Cleopatra cabinets, such as Cleopatra Legacy on its DiamondRS mechanical-reel line, and each casino picks the payback setting from options IGT offers. No per-machine figure is published, so 95.02% describes the online game only. Casino floor vs online explains the difference in more depth.

Is Cleopatra high or low volatility?

IGT does not say. Its rules files give the RTP but no volatility rating, hit frequency or breakdown of where the return comes from. Labels you see on casino blogs are not drawn from a published IGT figure, so treat them as opinion.

What the structure shows, without putting a number on it: part of the game’s return arrives through multipliers, the wild’s doubling and the bonus triple, and through a bonus that can run anywhere from 15 to 180 spins. Games built that way can produce uneven sessions, which fits IGT’s own warning that short-term results vary widely. MegaJackpots Cleopatra adds a rare jackpot on top.

How to find the RTP on the rules screen

1. Open the game, then its help, info or paytable screen from the in-game menu.
2. Check that the game name at the top matches the version you are playing.
3. Look near the end of the rules, after the text on expected payback. IGT’s files print it as a single RTP figure.
4. If no figure is shown, ask the casino’s support team before you play.

Keep reading

The free spins are where tripled wins happen: see the Cleopatra Bonus step by step. For the states where each version is legal, go to where to play Cleopatra online, and set a budget with our responsible gambling guide before you deposit.