What Hold Means in Online Gambling

Hold converts expected return into operator retention: Hold = 100% – RTP. A 96.5% slot therefore carries 3.5% theoretical hold, while a 99% video poker paytable carries 1% hold when played with the correct strategy. The calculation applies across slots, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and RNG table games, but the inputs come from each game’s rules and paytable. In Ontario’s regulated iGaming market, AGCO standards set a minimum theoretical payout of 85.000% for games. Strategy games need extra care: blackjack hold assumes basic strategy, while weaker decisions increase the real cost of play.

Hold measures mathematical expectation, while volatility describes how unevenly wins arrive. A 3.5% hold slot and a 5.26% American roulette game can both produce winning or losing sessions, because variance dominates short samples. RTP states the player-return side of the same equation; hold states the operator-retention side. The practical use is comparison: 97% RTP equals 3% theoretical hold, while 94% RTP equals 6% hold. Canadian players should read the game rules before comparing figures, because side bets, roulette wheel type, bonus features, and table rules can change the percentage materially.