Ever since the invention of the first slot machines more than one hundred years ago, this pastime has been the object of fascination and devotion by millions of fans around the world. While slots gaming is highly entertaining, there is also a lot of money to be made through these machines, especially with the creation of progressive jackpots. It comes as no surprise then, that when we combine this highly entertaining pursuit with elements of luck and chance, various myths and urban legends have grown around slots and their billion-dollar industry. What, then, is fact and what is fiction?
Situation #1: You spend two hours playing a particular slot machine. You get up to get a drink and come back to find somebody else at the machine. Two minutes later, that somebody else wins big! You say to yourself: “I should have stayed! I could have won that jackpot”
Fact or Fiction? Definitely fiction! Slot machines operate through a system called a Random Number Generator (RNG). As its name implies, the RNG ensures that the outcome of all spins are totally random. It really doesn’t matter, then, whether you spend two hours or two minutes at a particular machine. In the end, you had just as much chance as the other player to hit the jackpot. Unfortunately for you, he got lucky!
Situation #2: You see somebody winning the jackpot on a slot machine and your first instinct is to try your luck there. After thinking it through, however, you decide to try another machine because this one has already paid out a lot.
Fact or Fiction? As we’ve discussed before, the Random Number Generator is what determines when a slot machine pays slot out its winnings. As such, if a machine pays out now, there is just as much chance of it paying out in the next spin or in another 1000 spins. For this reason, unless you simply want a change of scenery, there is no reason to avoid a particular machine on the casino floor or at online slot sites.
Situation #3: You decide to avoid a particular casino/site because you heard that they ‘rig’ their slot machines.
Fact or Fiction? Yes, it may be physically possible to change the computer chip that determines the payout rates of a slot machine, but the chances of a casino actually going to such great lengths to do so are minimal. Like any business, casinos have a reputation to maintain and for that reason, they go through the process of determining the payout rates with the software company before the slots are delivered. If they wish to make any changes to these rates, they need to go through a number of difficult procedures, including endless paperwork. It is always a good idea, anyway, to stick to reputable casinos and internet sites that are licensed, with a transparent payout odds.