How a round works
Who or what decides the result, and how long it takes. This tells you which rule screen holds the details.
The four categories side by side
Read across a row to see how one question differs by category, or down a column for everything to check in one category.
| Question | Slots | Live casino | Instant games | Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How a round works | You spin; a random number generator sets the result | A dealer runs each round on the table’s timer | Varies by game; many rounds are short, such as multiplier or draw formats | The bet settles after the real event’s official result |
| What you decide | Stake and features before each spin | Bets inside the betting window; some games add choices mid-round | Depends on the game; in multiplier games, when to cash out, where offered | Market, timing (pre-match or in-play) and, if offered, cash-out |
| Rules to inspect | Paytable, RTP and feature rules | Table rules, payouts and stake limits | Game rules, any win cap and the disconnection rule | Market rules, settlement and payout limits |
| With an offer, check | Contribution rate and maximum stake | Whether tables count at all | Whether the game is included | Minimum odds and excluded bet types |
| Where the terms are | Game info or paytable screen | The table’s help screen | The game’s rules screen | Sportsbook rules and the bet slip |
Why the same question has different answers
A live table, a slot and a sports market can all be part of the same offer, yet each settles differently and may count differently towards wagering. Comparing them on the same questions shows which rule screen to open first.
What each comparison point means
What you decide
The choices you make before or during a round. More choices mean more rules to read, not a better chance.
Rules to inspect
The screens that define payouts, limits and edge cases for that format.
With an offer
How the category is usually treated in offer terms: contribution rate, exclusions and maximum stake.
Where the terms are
The place to find the rules for a specific game, table or market.
Same session, four formats
Imagine a 30-minute session. On slots, that might be several hundred spins, each settled instantly by the game. At a live table, it is perhaps a few dozen rounds, paced by the dealer. In instant games, round count depends on the title and can rival slots. On sports, it may be one or two pre-match bets that settle hours later.
The same stake per round therefore means very different total exposure across formats. Comparing by time and rounds, not just stake, gives a more realistic picture of a session, and it is why time limits matter as much as spending limits.
RTP, volatility and hit frequency
RTP (return to player) is the share of all stakes a game is designed to pay back over a very large number of rounds. It is a theoretical long-run figure, set per game and usually shown on its info screen.
Volatility describes how widely returns are spread around a game’s theoretical average. Designers usually express it as a statistical measure such as standard deviation. It is not the same as hit frequency: a volatility rating alone does not tell you how often any payout occurs.
Hit frequency is how often a round returns anything at all. A “hit” can be smaller than the stake, so a high hit frequency is not the same as winning often.
None of the three predicts a session. Actual results over a short period can sit far from the designed RTP.
Same total return, different patterns
Two hypothetical sets of ten rounds that return the same total, 370% of one stake, in very different patterns.
Return per round, as a percentage of the stake
Example A: returns spread out
- 1: 0%
- 2: 40%
- 3: 0%
- 4: 120%
- 5: 0%
- 6: 60%
- 7: 0%
- 8: 0%
- 9: 150%
- 10: 0%
Returns land in four of ten rounds, all small; two are below the stake.
Example B: returns concentrated
- 1: 0%
- 2: 0%
- 3: 0%
- 4: 0%
- 5: 0%
- 6: 0%
- 7: 0%
- 8: 0%
- 9: 0%
- 10: 370%
Nine rounds return nothing; one returns 3.7× the stake. The total matches Example A.
Scenarios: which rule to open first
These scenarios help you decide what to read. They do not suggest what to play or which game pays more.
You are using an offer with wagering
Open the offer’s contribution list first, then the maximum stake allowed while it is active.
You are considering a parlay
Read how the sportsbook settles a void or postponed selection, and any parlay payout limit.
Your connection is unreliable
Read the disconnection rule for live tables, instant games and in-play bets before you start.
A slot has a bonus-buy option
Check the price of the feature, whether its RTP differs, and whether bought features count for an offer.
A match is postponed or abandoned
The sportsbook rules decide whether bets stand, are voided or settle on the result at that point.
You want to stop at a set point
Look for auto settings and your account limits before the session, not during it.
Where the rules live
Each format keeps its rules in a different place. Slots use a paytable inside the game; live tables have a help screen with payouts and procedures; instant games have their own rules screen; sports rules are in the sportsbook terms and on the bet slip. When something unexpected happens, that is where the answer will be.
Settlement and cash-out caveats
Cash-out is not universal. Where a sportsbook or game offers it, the amount reflects the current price or multiplier and can be lower than the stake. It can also be suspended at short notice, for example during a key moment in a match.
Using cash-out can change how a bet is treated in an offer. Many offer terms exclude cashed-out bets, so read the offer before using it.
For sports, settlement follows the official result as defined in the sportsbook rules, which also say how void selections change a parlay. For live tables, the round result stands under the table’s rules even if your stream lags.
Using the comparison
The table shows where rules differ. The useful next step is reading the one rule that matters for your situation.
- Using an offer
- Open the offer’s contribution list before choosing a game.
- Unreliable connection
- Read the disconnection rule for live, instant and in-play betting.
- Long sessions
- Formats with short rounds need firmer time and spending limits.