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When A Slot Machine Hits – Can Players Predict Success?

The idea that hen a slot machine has recently paid out, its to be avoided is entrenched in the thinking of many casino players. They feel that if the machine has paid out, then somehow it will not pay out again so quick. But these players have forgotten that the slots pay out at random. Meaning they could pay out at any time. It could be 1 minute after a previous payout, or conversely, it might be months. Yet these illogical ideas persists and you'll find many players thinking like this.

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When A Slot Machine Hits, Can A Player Predict An Outcome

The belief that slot machine hits are more likely to hit a jackpot when it hasn’t paid out for a while is a persistent myth on the casino floor. If you’re observing a group of slot machines, you can often see gamblers switching seats, trying to determine which machine is due to give a big payout. However, according to Anthony F. Lucas, a professor of casino management at UNLV and a former gaming industry operations analyst, this belief is completely false. “There is absolutely no truth to it,” Lucas explained. “Each spin on a slot machine has an equal chance of producing a jackpot. Previous spins have no impact on future outcomes, and every spin is independent of the others.”

The Random Number Generator

Here’s the inside scoop on how slot machines work. All slot machines in every US casino operate as video jackpot games, known as virtual reels, with their results controlled by a microprocessor. The microprocessor contains an algorithm called a random number generator (RNG). It is this that determines the outcome of each spin and whether there are slot machine hits. This algorithm is set by the slot machine manufacturer. So the casino operator cannot change them. This technology, introduced by International Gaming Technology in 1986, is now widely used. Even the machines that have a classic look utilize this technology. This is because they are required by law to maintain auditing data, which mechanical machines couldn’t track.

Although slot machine hits are not technically random due to the varying chances of different symbols appearing, they are still considered to be random. “The probabilities remain constant. They never change,” Lucas clarified. “Your odds of hitting a jackpot on any given spin are always the same.” Therefore, it is illogical to believe that playing a jackpot slot machine right after someone else has won a million-dollar jackpot would increase your chances of hitting the same jackpot.

Playing With Fixed Ideas

“Most people struggle to accept this concept psychologically,” Lucas remarked. In fact, this misconception has proven to be a disadvantage for some slot operators in the past. For instance, if a regular player walks into a bar in Nevada, which is limited by law to 15 machines, and notices that a progressive jackpot has just been reset to its lowest value, let’s say $10,000, they may assume that the machine is more likely to hit another jackpot soon. As a result, they might choose to leave that bar and play somewhere else where they believe the machines are more favorable to increase their jackpot winning chances.

“To counteract this perception, many neighborhood bars employ hidden meters,” Lucas revealed. “They allocate a small portion of every coin to a meter that remains unseen. So, if the progressive jackpot reaches $14,000 and then gets hit, it will reset to a higher amount, like $12,510, instead of the standard $10,000, thanks to the additional sum accumulated secretly.”

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Slot Machine Hits – The Illusion Of Slot Machines

Slot manufacturers and operators take advantage of players’ belief in lucky advantages for slot machine hits in order to encourage more play. The experience of playing a video slot machine at an online casino like Bovada Casino creates an illusion, where symbols appear to fall into place in real time, similar to traditional machines. However, the truth is that all the symbols are predetermined when the spin button is pressed. This is thanks to the constant operation of the random number generator. The spinning and stopping of symbols on the screen is merely a facade to help you in your belief that you can win the jackpot online.

Some players may mistakenly believe that pulling the lever instead of pressing the button can influence the outcome of slot machine hits. They might touch the screen or perform various actions in an attempt to sway the results. However, according to Lucas, these actions have no effect, much like repeatedly pressing an elevator call button.

Furthermore, the virtual wheel on the slot machine is designed to deceive players into thinking that slot machine hits are more likely than they actually are. While players may assume that with 20 stops on the wheel and three reels, their chances of slot machine hits are one in 8,000, this is not the case. Slot manufacturers can manipulate the virtual reel to have more stops, such as 50 or 100. Giving them control over the odds of winning. While still maintaining a randomized chance for each spin.

Understanding The House Advantage In Slot Machines

According to Lucas, slot machines are designed in a way that gives the house a consistent monetary advantage over time. Although he considers the term “rigged” too harsh. By Nevada law, the casino’s advantage cannot exceed 25%. But in reality, it typically ranges between 4% and 10% for reel slots. A 10% house advantage means that, on average, the operator will keep $10 for every $100 wagered in the long run. These percentages for slot machine hits are predetermined at the factory. They are offered to operators as options for each machine sold.

Operators like Bovada Casino have no incentive to disclose which machines pay out more frequently, as it would discourage players from trying their luck on other machines. Interestingly, a study led by Lucas and published in the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management in 2019 revealed that even regular slot players cannot discern the difference between high and low-house advantage games.

Slot Machine Hits – Players Can’t Guess Outcomes

Lucas and his team conducted a comparison of two identical jackpot slot games. One with a high house advantage and the other with a low one. The reason players failed to detect a distinction, according to Lucas, is that the outcomes at the individual player level were too similar. In the short term, random outcomes can vary widely. Thus leading to the illusion of control. But over an extended period, the house advantage becomes apparent. Lucas’s findings were supported by six additional peer-reviewed studies. Despite the evidence, some individuals vehemently disagreed and sent angry emails claiming they could discern the difference. The results challenged their deeply held beliefs.

Playing slot machines, like any form of gambling, often involves engaging in mythical thinking. You begin to look for reasons to increase your jackpot winnings chances, where there are non to be found. “In fact, the experience encourages such thinking,” Lucas explained. “It taps into the psychology of gamblers. Casinos offer hope and the excitement of variable outcomes. By investing a dollar, you could potentially win $100,000. This combination of variance and hope entices players.”