A slot with 30% hit frequency pays something on roughly three spins in ten; a high-volatility title might sit under 20%, a low-volatility one above 40%. The figure is independent of RTP: two games can return the same 96% with one paying often and small, the other rarely and large. Frequency describes the rhythm; RTP describes the price.
The number's dark side is that many hits pay less than the stake: a 0.40 win on a 1 spin lights up and sounds like winning while costing 0.60. Losses disguised as wins are among the best-documented illusions in slot design, and high hit frequency is what makes them possible.
Why it matters
Hit frequency is the number that shapes how a session feels, and the mechanism by which a steadily losing session can feel successful. Knowing it is not RTP is one of the quickest upgrades in gambling literacy.
Related