It is a fair question and the one that people type into search boxes most often once they have chosen a slot: which of the four Coin Volcano games gives the best return? The honest reply is that we cannot rank them, because the official pages of 3 Oaks Gaming that we are able to read state no return-to-player percentage for any of the games. They describe features, grids and jackpot multiples. They do not list RTP, volatility, hit frequency or a maximum win. Any page that presents a clean ranking of the series by RTP is either reading a source we have no access to or filling in blanks. We prefer to leave our entry as Not published and to show you how to obtain the number where it truly exists: inside the game.
What RTP means, in one paragraph
Return to player is a long-run average expressed as a percentage of the total staked. If a slot were configured at, say, ninety per cent for the sake of illustration, then across a very large number of spins it would hand back ninety units for every hundred wagered, keeping ten as the house edge. That example is purely arithmetic and not a claim about any of these games. It says nothing certain about your next session. A single evening can end far above or below the average, and the shorter your session, the wider that spread tends to be. RTP also does not tell you how the wins are distributed: two games can share the same percentage while one pays small amounts often and the other pays rarely but in larger sums. That second property is volatility, and the studio does not publish it either.
Why one game can show different numbers at different casinos
Many studios supply the same title in more than one configuration, and the operator picks which one to run. The result is that the identical slot may show a slightly different percentage at two venues. This is not a rumour about this particular series; it is a general feature of how licensed slot content is delivered. It also explains why a number you read in a forum thread, taken from someone else’s casino, may not match what you see in yours. The only figure that applies to you is the one displayed by the game you are actually about to play, at the venue where you are playing it.
How to find the figure in the game
- Open the game in the lobby of your casino, in either demo or real mode.
- Find the menu icon. It is often three lines, three dots or a letter i, and it sits near the stake controls or in a corner.
- Choose the information, help, rules or paytable section. Some games spread this over several pages, so swipe or click through all of them.
- Read the text for the words return to player, RTP or theoretical return. It is often placed near the end, close to a note about malfunctions voiding pays.
- Write down the percentage together with the game name, the casino and the date.
If the panel states nothing, ask the support team in writing: what is the theoretical return of this title as configured for my account? Casinos that are regulated are generally expected to be able to answer, and some publish the figure on a help page. Keep the reply.
Do the four games likely differ?
They may, but we do not know, and speculation helps nobody. What we can say is based on published features alone. The original uses a three-by-three grid; the second and fourth titles use a four-by-three layout that can grow by two rows; the sequel uses three by five. Features such as the Volcano Multiplier, the boosters, the Super Wheel and the Gold Volcano change how a bonus round unfolds. None of those descriptions comes with a percentage. A game with more features is not automatically more generous, and a simpler game is not automatically less so. Resist the temptation to infer a number from complexity, release date or jackpot size.
The Grand and Royal figures are not RTP
The studio does publish two multiples: the Grand jackpot at five hundred times the stake in all four games, and the Royal jackpot at two thousand times the stake in the two titles with three volcanoes. These describe the size of top prizes, not how much the game returns overall, and they are not a statement of maximum win. A larger top prize can sit alongside a lower overall return, so the presence of a Royal tier says nothing about whether the 3 Coin Volcanoes or 3 Super Coin Volcanoes beats the original on average.
Comparing two casinos fairly
If you find the same title at two venues, check that you are looking at the same game and the same mode. Some info screens show a different set of rules when the buy option is available. Record each percentage with the date, because configurations can change. A difference of even a point matters over long play, yet it matters much less than the limits you set yourself. A slightly better return does not turn a slot into a source of income; it only means the built-in edge is somewhat smaller. And a bonus buy, where available, is a separate mode whose return the studio has not stated.
Be wary of confident rankings
You will see tables ranking slots by return, frequently presented with two decimals. Ask where each number came from. If the source is not named, if the casino is not stated or if the date is missing, the table is worth little. Even a correct figure from one venue describes that venue only. Be cautious as well of claims such as a given version being looser or tighter when no figure supports them; players often feel such differences after a few lucky or unlucky sessions, and feelings are poor evidence about long-run averages.
What would change our answer
If 3 Oaks Gaming publishes official return values for any of the four games, we will add them to the version pages and revise this article, naming the source. Until then, our entry for these figures reads Not published, and we think that is the most responsible thing to say. If you find a clear statement in your lobby that contradicts anything here, send it to us through the contact page and we will review it.
Practical takeaways
Do not choose a version based on a rumour about its return. Choose the one whose rules you enjoy, open its info screen at your venue, note the percentage if one is displayed and keep your own limits regardless. For feature-by-feature comparisons, see the version overview and our article on how the four games differ.
Gambling is for adults only (18+, or the legal age where you live). No RTP figure guarantees results in a session. Help resources are linked in our footer.
Related versions
- Coin Volcano: Not published RTP
- 3 Coin Volcanoes: Not published RTP
- Coin Volcano 2: Not published RTP
- 3 Super Coin Volcanoes: Not published RTP