Pothole's RTP: 97%

Definition

Return to player (RTP) is the share of stakes a game pays back on average, computed over a very large number of rounds. In Pothole it is 97%: for every 100 tokens staked, the game returns 97 on average and keeps 3. That's what funds the game; it's also why nobody "beats" it in the long run.

How it's obtained

The RTP isn't measured after the fact; it's built into the multiplier formula: multiplier(n) = 0.97 ÷ pⁿ. The probability of reaching km n is pⁿ; multiplied by the payout 0.97 ÷ pⁿ, it gives 0.97 whatever kilometre you cash out at. Our Monte-Carlo tests (200,000 rounds per route) land on 97% within ±0.2%.

What 97% does not mean

• Not "you get 97% of your tokens back tonight". Over one session, variance dominates: you can triple your balance or empty it.
• Not "the game owes you a win after a losing streak". Every round is independent; the pothole has no memory.
• Not a reason to stake more. RTP is identical at 10 tokens and at 2,500.

Is 97% good?

A little higher than most slots, a little lower than Chicken Road (98% advertised by InOut Games). But the comparison only goes so far: Pothole is played with tokens that are worth nothing, so the RTP mostly changes how long your balance lasts, not your wallet.

Verify a round yourself

1. At the start, the game shows the SHA-256 fingerprint of the round's secret key.
2. At the end, it reveals the key and the pothole's position.
3. Compute the SHA-256 of the key (any online tool will do): it must match the fingerprint from the start. So the draw couldn't have been altered after your first decision.

The exact drawing rule (one threshold per kilometre equal to p) is public and reproducible — which is what will allow independent certification later on.