In the fascinating world of casinos, slot machines stand as an intriguing cornerstone, their bright lights and captivating melodies pulling in millions of players each year.
Yet, beneath the glitz and glamour, a complex mechanism is at work, determining when these machines payout.
The seemingly random process of payout is actually governed by an intricate system regulated by an algorithm known as Random Number Generator (RNG).
In this article, we will unravel the mystery of how slot machines decide when to reward their players.
2 Popular Theories
Firstly, we want to touch upon common theories.
1. Cold and Hot Streak
The first thing we believe is important to take into consideration is the concept known as a cold or hot streak. We are talking about two occurrences.
In the first case, the player or players have been losing for a certain period.
In the second theory, the process is reversed.
Over the years, a theory about a hot streak coming as a result of a cold one has been compiled. We cannot stress out how wrong this is.
But in reality and according to an analysis of many slot games on operators like JackpotParty, the truth is much simpler: slots have an algorithm that goes through numbers in a split second.
The results of generating these numbers will help determine whether the outcome will be a successful one or not.
Generating these numbers is completely random. What’s even more important to know is that the outcome will not come as a result of any previous result.
Each spin made is completely independent of the previous ones. Let us say the game is described as one that has a payout frequency of 10%.
That doesn’t mean that one in ten spins will be successful for the player. Instead, this means a certain number of spins will have 10% successful ones.
With that in mind, you can see just how wrong this theory is. We don’t advise you to use it in your sessions at all.
2. Payout Schedule
The next theory we want to talk about is the payout schedule. The theory talks about certain schedules when the slots will allow the players to win, and there is another period where they will lose.
It is a wrong theory for several reasons. It is illegal for online casinos to calibrate their devices to pay out at a certain period.
Probably every legislation in the world emphasizes this aspect. The reason why this theory originated is because it has become widespread a thought that players tend to win more at night than during the day.
However, the statistics have shown that the number of players who play during the night exceeded the number of those who play during the day. Therefore, it makes perfect sense why more wins are to be expected during this part of the day.
What Does Make a Difference?
Now, we will touch upon something that makes the actual difference.
The Importance of Volatility
When it comes to the actual way slot machines work, understanding volatility is a crucial factor. There are two ways this concept goes, high and low volatility.
High volatility means that the chances of winning are rather small. But if the player wins, then the prize money tends to be quite high.
You can draw a parallel with higher odds in sports betting. You should be careful not to lose your bankroll.
On the other side, scoring a win, in this case, can result in multiplying your win by 100,000x, which is not common, as we’ve already stated.
Low volatility is the complete opposite which means players can count on a higher number of successful spins, but the payout will not be nearly as high as is the case with high volatility. That doesn’t mean this one doesn’t represent a danger for your bankroll.
The choice you will make here depends on personal preference. However, making this choice is not an easy one since online casinos are not known to be as transparent in this case.
The biggest misconception regarding the concept of volatility is that one choice is wrong while the other one is the right one. There is no reason to determine if this is the case or not. It’s a personal preference, as we’ve said previously.
The Use of Bonuses
Bonuses are often regarded as one of the most important tools for overcoming the house edge. Online casinos offer numerous bonuses to their players.
There are several forms of bonuses casinos offer. The best-known form is known as a welcome bonus.
Welcome bonuses are a way to treat new players. The idea is to give new players a warm welcome by providing them with additional funds to gamble. The next form we want to point out is free spins. Free spins are exclusive for slots. There are two sub-groups.
The first group consists of those that do not require any wagering requirements. It means that the players will not need to bet any money to use these.
Another group consists of those that require a little bit of money. Free bets are quite common, but they are not common for slots.
Getting free money from an online casino is another common form. Before using any bonus, players should read the terms and conditions. The reason why this is an absolute must is that these describe the proper way these are to be used.
Reading these will prevent many unpleasant scenarios. That’s why new players need to read them before they claim any of the bonuses.
Summary
As you can clearly see, there is absolutely no way for someone to accurately predict the precise moment when slot machines will pay out.
This is because the outcome of these games is solely dependent on sheer luck, leaving no room for any logical pattern or predictable sequence.
Consequently, all the theories and speculations surrounding this particular aspect of slot machines are completely baseless and devoid of any rationality whatsoever.
