186 million spins on le cowboy: a 10-point RTP ladder, and the floor version added up to 20 points to the bust rate
exp · 059 · 2026-06-27 · simulation-based
Run it yourself in the live simulator. All figures are simulation-based observations, not predictions. See our methodology.
what we measured
| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| provider / engine | Hacksaw Gaming · feature spins, Western theme |
| configs simulated | 96.28% (provider default) · 86.33% (published floor of the ladder) |
| published rtp ladder | 96.28% / 94.31% / 92.30% / 86.33%, a verified 9.95pp spread |
| volatility | medium (3/5) |
| hit frequency | 38.7% (~1 in 2.6 spins) |
| stakes | $0.20 / $0.50 / $1.00 per spin |
| bankrolls | $50 / $100 / $200 |
| sessions | 10,000 per stake/bankroll cell, 90,000 per version |
| spin cap | 2,000 spins per session |
| max win | 25,000x stake (a feature event) |
| feature buys | 3x, 75x, 65x, 250x (non-UK) |
model inputs worth flagging: the four-step RTP ladder, hit frequency (38.7%) and the 25,000x max are sourced; the lower ladder steps come from a single high-trust source (Bigwinboard). Hacksaw does not publish a bonus trigger frequency, so we modelled it (about one feature every ~200 spins) as a documented assumption; the bonus payout distribution and base-versus-feature split are model assumptions calibrated to the published RTP and the 25,000x cap. the cross-version comparison holds all inputs constant, so it is robust; absolute bonus figures are estimates.
how long bankrolls survived
the stake sets the clock. at the $100 bankroll the default-version median ran 714 spins at $0.50. the high hit rate keeps small wins coming, stretching sessions out, but the destination does not change.
bust rates
bust rates within the 2,000-spin cap, 96.28% default version, 95% confidence intervals:
| $50 bankroll | $100 | $200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.20/spin | 68.6% ±0.9 | 34.0% ±0.9 | 0.4% ±0.1 |
| $0.50/spin | 88.3% ±0.6 | 75.6% ±0.8 | 48.4% ±1.0 |
| $1.00/spin | 94.4% ±0.5 | 88.1% ±0.6 | 76.0% ±0.8 |
plain reading: hold the bankroll at $100 and move the stake from $0.20 to $0.50, and the bust rate more than doubles from 34.0% to 75.6%. the only genuinely safe cell is $0.20 against $200 (0.4%).
the bonus wait, and what it pays
on our modelled trigger rate (about 1 in 200 spins, an assumption), the feature is where about 52% of the total return is concentrated. the payout side (model-based estimates): the average feature paid 100x stake but the median was 55x, and 47% paid under 50x. the 25,000x ceiling is the rare tail; a typical feature pays around half the average.
what a finished session looks like
the final-bankroll distribution at $0.50/$100 has almost no middle. seven sessions in ten ended with under $0.50 of the original $100, busted, in effect, with the median finish near $0.47. then it leaps: the 90th percentile kept $305. medium volatility on the label, but the same die-or-detonate shape.
the rtp version lottery
le cowboy has one of the widest spreads we have measured: a published ladder from 96.28% down to 86.33%, a 9.95-point gap, and the casino picks the rung. we ran the full grid at the default and the floor; same model, same inputs, only the RTP changed:
| cell | 96.28% default | 86.33% floor | delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.20/$100 bust | 34.0% ±0.9 | 54.0% ±1.0 | +20.0pp |
| $0.50/$100 bust | 75.6% ±0.8 | 85.9% ±0.7 | +10.3pp |
| $0.50/$200 bust | 48.4% ±1.0 | 66.2% ±0.9 | +17.8pp |
| $1.00/$200 bust | 76.0% ±0.8 | 86.2% ±0.7 | +10.2pp |
the floor version raised the bust rate by 10 to 20 points depending on the cell, among the largest effects in our library, because the spread is nearly ten points wide. same game, same six-shooter. the only difference is the RTP the operator chose to run. the version is the one variable a player can actually pick, so play it where the published RTP is highest. our casino hub ranks operators by exactly that.
methodology note
we simulate models calibrated to published math, RTP, hit frequency, volatility profile, bonus behaviour, not the provider's game engine. results are sample-based observations from 186,240,499 simulated spins (180,000 sessions across two RTP versions), with 95% confidence intervals shown. hit frequency (38.7%) is sourced; the lower ladder steps are from a single high-trust source; the bonus trigger frequency is not published and was modelled (~1 in 200) as a documented assumption; the bonus payout distribution and base-versus-feature split are modelled. the base-game ceiling (400x) is a reasoned estimate; the 25,000x max is a feature event. casino-by-casino RTP figures are the published ladder, not statements about any operator's current configuration. model validation: le-cowboy v1, analytic calibration exact at 96.28% and 86.33%, 10M-spin checks within tolerance. slots are negative-expectation games; nothing here predicts outcomes or improves odds. corrections policy: methodology.html.
Where the max win actually comes from
52% of this game's RTP is locked inside the bonus you rarely trigger; the base game on its own returns just 46%.
A normal spin in our simulation never returned more than ~400x (€200). The 25,000x top win is a feature event, it only came out of the bonus. (base-game ceiling: model estimate)
Play the Le Cowboy demo, or stress-test it
Looking for the Le Cowboy demo or free play? A demo shows you a handful of spins. Our free simulator runs Le Cowboy 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.
FAQ
Is there a Le Cowboy demo or free play?
Yes. You can play Le Cowboy 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.