As they welcome players into casinos with flashing lights and sounds of slot machines, many may be unfamiliar with how exactly these games operate. Though seemingly simple – insert currency, press spin, and hope for the best – slot machines contain complex algorithms designed to be mathematically fair while also increasing profits at casinos. At their heart lies an RNG (Random Number Generator).
This machine-coded algorithm, which replaces the traditional spinning wheels found in mechanical gambling machines from the first half of the twentieth century, generates thousands of three-number combinations every second that designate where reels will stop and, should symbols line up on paylines, pay out. While various forms of slot machines exist within casinos – from real spinning reels to video poker – they all work similarly and use similar random number generation processes.
Once a coin, token, or credit is inserted and activates the on switch, the RNG randomly generates numbers that it uses to control where the reels stop spinning; step motor then spins them until they reach that position; if this leads to a winning combination being produced, flashing LED lights and sounds indicate it, with any winnings determined according to a pre-programmed percentage and table pay table.
Many gamblers mistakenly believe that machines “due” to pay out in long periods are “due” if they haven’t. Unfortunately, this notion is entirely misplaced. Early mechanical slot machines only had 10 stops or blank spaces on each reel, giving only approximately 10,000 chances to hit the top jackpot; today’s electronic slots feature hundreds of symbols on every spin and are connected electronically across casinos; thus creating huge jackpots.
Though these systems can add an element of excitement to selecting which slot game to play, they cannot alter your chances of a specific result – for instance, hitting the top jackpot always stands at one in 10,000 regardless of how long you spend standing at any particular machine.
Casino managers use two numbers when assessing a slot machine’s performance – drop and handle. Drop refers to how much a player has spent at any given time in playing that slot, while handle is what remains after winning jackpots or bonuses rounds. These figures are then compared against its set hold percentage and payout percentage so as to ensure that it is making money.