What is Hit frequency?
Hit frequency is the percentage of game rounds, usually slot spins, that produce any winning result, regardless of whether the win is larger than the stake.
A slot with a hit frequency of 25% produces a win on roughly one spin in four on average. That figure counts every payout, including wins smaller than the amount staked. On a £1 spin, a 40p return is recorded as a hit even though the player is 60p down on that round.
Hit frequency is related to volatility but is not the same measure. A game can hit often and still be volatile if most of its value sits in a rare bonus feature. Some studios publish hit frequency in their game information, while others only give RTP and a volatility rating.
The measure matters because frequent small wins can make a session feel more successful than it is. Researchers have studied so-called losses disguised as wins, where lights and sounds celebrate a return that is below the stake.