Playtech bills itself as “the world’s largest gambling software and services supplier,” and I see no reason to dispute that claim. In business for over 15 years and traded on the London Stock Exchange, this Isle of Man-based business provides software for online casinos, sportsbooks, virtual bingo halls, and much more.
Brief History
The company was founded in 1999, born in Estonia by billionaire businessman Teddy Sagi and a group of investors. Their first brand new casino would appear in 2001, and they quickly settled themselves as one of the crucial names in the industry. This was a time of significant innovation.
They became publically traded entities in 2006, successfully floated on London’s AIM venue at a value of $950 million. While this decision was quite successful, the acceptance of America’s UIGEA in the identical year resulted in a 40% stock decline and a major withdrawal from the important U.S. market.
Playtech transitioned to the primary market of the London Stock Exchange in 2012, and a relatively short time later they were added to the prestigious FTSE 250 Index (which consists of the 101st to 350th leading businesses in the nation). The company has been experiencing a period of dynamic growth in recent years, acquiring significant properties such as Aristocrat Lotteries and YoYo Games. This acquisition strategy has proven effective.
Available Games
Given their status as one of the oldest gaming designers in the business, it should come as no surprise that Playtech casinos have a large selection of games to choose from. Multiple versions of casino classics like blackjack and roulette are available, and fans of slots have more than 100 choices. In the latter case, the return rate generally ranges from 93% to 97%.
Playtech Jackpots
Like most online casinos, the largest jackpots available from Playtech casinos are their progressives. These games, which are usually slot machines, take a small percentage from each wager and add it to the ever-growing progressive total. When a player finally gets the required combination of symbols, the entire amount is paid out. The jackpot then resets at a certain level and begins to grow again.
In case you’re wondering about the size of Playtech progressives, here’s a list of their all-time top payouts:
- Beach Life – Paid $8,211,861 in February 2012
- Jackpot Giant – Paid $6,420,011 in January 2016
- Gold Rally – Paid $6,347,118 in November 2013
- Beach Life – Paid $5,917,782 in July 2015
- Beach Life – Paid $4,801,527 in July 2007
As you can see, Beach Life is the game to play if you’re looking for a massive, life-changing payout. Just be sure to temper your expectations, as record-setting jackpots don’t occur on a regular basis. While the average win on the game is $2,791,834.62, it only pays off an average of every 176 days. Still, that’s a reasonable wait in exchange for becoming a multi-millionaire.
In addition to their 30+ progressives, Playtech online casinos also have a tremendous number of other slot machines with jackpots of various sizes. Take the three different Streak of Luck titles, for example. Each of these games pays out about every three days, with the average winnings being just over $8,000.
Some of their jackpots are considerably smaller. While the Marvel Super Power and Marvel Extra Powers are both progressives, there’s another non-progressive called Marvel Power. This modest slot pays an average jackpot of $415.18, but it does so about every half hour.
If you’re in search of a huge jackpot, it’s important to note the terms and conditions used by Playtech casinos. While it’s not always the case, there are a surprising number of casinos associated with Playtech that like to limit their monthly payouts to no more than around $11,000. While this might be enough to accommodate the average online gambler, it may also apply to those who’ve won a progressive jackpot. In the case of someone who was fortunate enough to hit a $1 million payout, for example, the $11,000-per-month withdrawal limit would force them to wait more than seven years for the entire amount.
Slots RTP for Playtech
RTP stands for “return to player,” and it’s the average amount of cash returned to gamblers. If a game had a RTP of 98%, for example, a player could expect to get back $0.98 for every $1 deposited over the long term.
If you’re looking for the Playtech slots with the best RTP, I suggest trying one or more of the following: Ugga Bugga (99.1%), Ocean Princess (99.1%), Goblin’s Cave (99.3%), Tropic Reels (98.9%), and Triple Profits (98.7%).
As for slots with the lowest RTP, you might want to avoid the following: Alien Hunter (90.9%), White King (90.1%), and The Mummy (92%). The licensed slots from Marvel Comics are also notoriously stingy, such as Thor (91.9%), The Incredible Hulk (91%), Fantastic Four (92%), and Blade (92%).
It should be noted that the RTP for a Playtech slot can differ depending on the casino you’re using. This is because the software allows each client to make adjustments to the house edge, and this can turn an otherwise profitable slot machine into a dud. A prime example is Alien Hunter, which has a pitiful 90.9% RTP at some casinos and a respectable 97.7% at other locations.
Finally
Playtech is one of the biggest names in the online gambling business, and their games can be counted on to provide a wide variety of bonuses and themes. The only real negative about this company involves the sometimes unethical payout practices of casino clients, but players can avoid this issue by carefully reading the terms and conditions before signing up.