lab studies / le bandit
lab study, simulation-based

167 million spins on le bandit: 80.7% of $0.50/$100 sessions busted before the cap

exp · 011 · 2026-06-15 · simulation-based

provider Hacksaw GamingRTP 96.34% (versions: 96.34*;94.23;92.17;88.36)volatility medium
at 50c a spin
€5,000
biggest win
10,000x top win
~248
spins to the bonus
about 50 min at 5/min
€75
average bonus
when it hits (151x)
€0.48
avg back per spin
of your 50c
win hit frequency 22.0% (~1 in 4.5 spins)max win 10,000x = €5,000 (a feature event)
We simulated Le Bandit across nine stake/bankroll combinations at the 96.34% provider default, 10,000 sessions each, then re-ran the full grid at the 88.36% floor version (167,783,284 simulated spins in total). At $0.50 a spin against a $100 bankroll, 80.7% ±0.8 of sessions busted before the 2,000-spin cap and the median session ended with $0.32. The published RTP ladder for this game spans 7.98pp, and the floor version raised the bust rate in every cell we measured. Bonus trigger rate and value are modelled estimates and flagged; the verified item is the four-step published RTP ladder.

Run it yourself in the live simulator. All figures are simulation-based observations, not predictions. See our methodology.

what we measured

parametervalue
providerHacksaw Gaming
rtp default96.34% (simulated)
rtp versions96.34 (default) / 94.23 / 92.17 / 88.36 (floor).
volatilitymedium (single-source)
hit frequencyestimated (Hacksaw does not publish a hit frequency; low-confidence)
max win10,000x
mechanicssuper-cascade, three bonus modes and a bonus buy.
simulated167,783,284 spins, 9 stake/bankroll cells per version, 2,000-spin cap

These results are simulation-based observations from a model calibrated to the published RTP. Hit frequency and, where applicable, bonus frequency and value are estimates and are flagged above; absolute bust levels carry that uncertainty, while the default-versus-floor comparison holds those inputs constant and so is robust.

how long bankrolls survived

survival curves, share of sessions still alive vs spins played

At a $100 bankroll, the median session lasted 2000 spins at $0.20 a spin, 484 spins at $0.50, and 181 spins at $1.00. Stake-to-bankroll cover, not the game, decided how long the money lasted: every step up in stake at a fixed bankroll shortened the session and raised the chance of busting.

bust rates

bust-rate grid, share of sessions that busted before the spin cap

Share of sessions that busted before the 2,000-spin cap (default 96.34% version, 95% CI):

$50 bankroll$100 bankroll$200 bankroll
$0.20/spin75.3% ±0.947.4% ±1.05.8% ±0.5
$0.50/spin91.1% ±0.680.7% ±0.860.2% ±1.0
$1.00/spin95.7% ±0.490.7% ±0.681.0% ±0.8

what a finished session looks like

final bankroll by percentile

At $0.50 on a $100 bankroll the median session ended with $0.32 of the original $100. The 90th percentile kept $331.84. In our model a bonus arrived about once every 251 spins on average (a modelled trigger rate, flagged). This is the shape of a negative-expectation game: most sessions drain toward zero, a few tails run long, and the average is propped up by outcomes most players never see.

the rtp version lottery

The same game ships at different RTP versions and the casino chooses which to run. We re-ran the full grid at the 88.36% floor. Holding every other input constant, only the RTP changed:

cell96.34% default88.36% floordelta
$0.20 / $10047.4%60.5%+13.1pp
$0.50 / $10080.7%86.7%+6.0pp
$0.50 / $20060.2%70.2%+10.1pp
$1.00 / $20081.0%86.5%+5.6pp

Same game, same animations, same bonus wait. The difference is which version the operator licensed, the one variable a player never sees on the reels. This is why we promote the casino running the highest published version: see the casinos ranked by verified RTP.

methodology note

We simulate models calibrated to published math (RTP, hit frequency, volatility class, bonus behaviour), not the provider's game engine. Results are sample-based observations from 167,783,284 simulated spins across two RTP calibrations, with 95% confidence intervals. Estimated (hacksaw does not publish a hit frequency; low-confidence). Bonus trigger rate and value are modelled estimates and flagged; the verified item is the four-step published RTP ladder. Slots are negative-expectation games; nothing here predicts outcomes or improves odds. Corrections policy: methodology.html.

Where the max win actually comes from

base 36%
feature 60%

62% of this game's RTP is locked inside the bonus you rarely trigger; the base game on its own returns just 36%.

A normal spin in our simulation never returned more than ~100x (€50). The 10,000x top win is a feature event, it only came out of the bonus. (base-game ceiling: paytable-sourced)

Play the Le Bandit demo, or stress-test it

Looking for the Le Bandit demo or free play? A demo shows you a handful of spins. Our free simulator runs Le Bandit across thousands of sessions and shows what actually happens to a bankroll over time: the bust rate, how long the money lasts, and the wait for the bonus. It is the demo with the math switched on.

stress-test Le Bandit free

FAQ

Is there a Le Bandit demo or free play?

Yes. You can play Le Bandit in demo mode at most casinos, and you can stress-test it free in our simulator, which runs thousands of sessions and reports the bust rate and session length, the demo with the math switched on.

Is Le Bandit worth playing?

It is negative-expectation like every slot. In our simulation, 80.7% of $0.50/$100 sessions busted before the 2,000-spin cap. We report the cost; we never tell you to play.

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