- How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work In
- How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Working
- How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work In Casinos
- How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work Without
- Every square foot of the casino is analyzed, measured, and reported on by the casino gaming department. Traffic patterns are monitored and value is placed on certain areas of the casino to determine which slots or games to place in that area. Usually, the highest yield slots are placed in the most popular locations in the casino.
- 'If somebody is cheating a slot machine, invariably, they'll sit at it and they don't really have to look at the machine because they know what they're going to cause it to do,' says Derk.
- Some Indian casinos have Class II games and some have Class III games. Indian casinos are able to offer bingo, scratch-off tickets, and pull-tabs games as long as the state allows charities to run those games. A Class II gaming device just puts a slot machine front on one of these games.
- True slot machine games are Class III games. Native American casinos offer Class II bingo games that are made to look like slot games. The game cabinets must display the casino bingo games that are used to determine wins. Class II slot machines may have reels and bonus games but they're not really slot machine games as defined by federal law.
Casinos have more slot machines than all of the other games combined. But unlike many casino games, the slots still have some secrets.
Knowing how slot machines work is the first step to learn the best slots secrets and tips to improve your chances to win. Despite the popularity of these games, slots are not easy to beat both when you play them on the best online casinos and at land-based slots rooms. Slots are games of chance.
Looking to play slots online? Check out one of the sites above!
Here's a list of 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know about.
1. Slot placement isn't random
Although casinos would like you to think that everything on the floor is placed in a completely random way for ease of access and aesthetics, this certainly isn't the case.
Every square foot of the casino is analyzed, measured, and reported on by the casino gaming department. Traffic patterns are monitored and value is placed on certain areas of the casino to determine which slots or games to place in that area.
Usually, the highest yield slots are placed in the most popular locations in the casino. On top of this, the most popular slots are also placed in these areas to attract players into the casino to play.
So now you know that those slots that are most prominent and visible are the ones that make the most money for the casino, which means they're also the most disadvantageous for the player. Head towards the back of the casino next time you want to play slot machines to find a better value.
2. Some slots pay out more than others
Not all slot machines are created equal, and this means they all don't pay out at the same rate.
Generally speaking, video slots pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because reel slots are cheaper to run and maintain, and aren't as appealing to the player as the video slot.
Video slots are now extravagant and have pop-culture themes, which attracts more players. Because of this, the casinos can dial down the payout rate.
Alternatively, the classic slots aren't as popular or appealing anymore so the casinos will dial up the payout rate to attract more players, and subsequently keep you at the slot longer. I suggest you do a bit of searching on the internet about slot payout rates as this information is widely available, particularly for popular gaming locations.
3. The slots club doesn't exist to reward you
This is one of the biggest cons in the gambling industry. You know how the casinos promote themselves as giving back to the player and rewarding you for your play? This is all a lie.
Now, I'm not saying you won't get some free play credits, access to promotions, and other comps for being a part of the slot or player's club, but this isn't why it exists. It exists to provide the casino marketing department with player data so that they can attract and retain you as a customer.
Yes, that's right, all the free money and comps you get out of the casino are from the marketing department. They will analyze your play, movement, likes, dislikes, and betting patterns to determine how best to market themselves to you so that you return.
The slots club is a powerful marketing tool, and while it's always a good idea to join and use your card whenever you play, don't fool yourself into thinking that this is all done to reward you.
4. You can't win at slots in the long run
People do win at slots all the time. They have big wins and small wins; the problem is that on a long enough timeline it's impossible to win.
Slots are manufactured and programmed in a way to ensure that they only pay back a certain percentage of the money that's placed into them by players. Usually, this is in the range of 70-90% but it can be far worse or better depending on where you're playing.
No one would ever play if you didn't win from time to time, so this is also built into the machines. Some casinos don't want you to know this and in some US states, they don't even have to tell you what the payout rate is. Fortunately, there are many states that do provide it to players, and I highly recommend taking advantage of that information.
Although it's pretty common these days for players to know that you can't win in the long run, some still don't know, and those that are oblivious to this fact are loved by casinos.
5. Max betting is the best option
This one may seem counter-intuitive but it's true. On most slots, max betting activates all the bonuses and jackpots and increases your odds of getting lucky and winning, which makes it the best option for players.
Although it doesn't make too much of a difference, it still creates more favorable conditions for the player. The casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to bet small and more often at a worse payout rate, which makes them more money in the long run.
One thing you certainly don't want to do though is max-bet above your bankroll and burn through more money than you intended to. Playing more than you can afford to lose is playing right into the casino's hands. If you can't afford the max bet on a slot then drop down in denominations or move to a machine where the max bet is smaller and works within your bankroll.
6. Class 2 slots aren't really slots at all
Sometimes you'll come across slot machines that are classified as class 2 slots. These are usually found on native Indian reservations or racinos in the United States.
These aren't traditional slots like what you would find in Las Vegas. Vegas slots are Class 3 slots and are proper slot machine games.
Class 2 slots are actually pre-programmed bingo games which present a slot face for entertainment purposes. Class 3 slots are usually illegal in the jurisdictions that have these slots bingo games, so game manufacturers and casinos combined their forces to come up with this alternative.
Sometimes you'll see a small bingo card on the bottom corner of the screen which will straight away tell you that this is a class 2 slot machine. So, be warned, these machines are not slots at all and you'll be effectively playing computer bingo when you start spinning on these.
7. Video slots pay out less than classic slots
Big fancy video slots will almost always pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because of the fact they're more entertaining, draw more players and action, and cost the casinos a lot more to run and maintain.
These big machines often take up two to three times the amount of space compared to classic slots and tend to cost the casinos a lot more to keep them running. In order to maximize profits, the casinos will then dial down the payout rate on these machines so they still make enough money on them.
Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don't go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you're looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
8. Slots are completely random
Casinos don't want you to know this, but slot machines are completely random in nature. Although they are weighted to pay out at a certain rate, this is still in line with the randomness of results that a slot will produce.
Each spin is completely independent of the previous spin. As an example, if you were to win the jackpot on one spin, then the likelihood of winning the jackpot on the next spin is exactly the same. No previous events impact future events. This isn't how they work.
Casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to think slots are 'hot' or 'cold', because that will cloud your judgment in respect to how much you play and gamble. This works out better for them in the long run so they are happy for these myths to grow and spread.
9. All of your play is tracked
From the moment you sit down at a slot and enter your player card and cash, every movement you make is tracked automatically by the casino. Slot machines are now networked and have sophisticated hardware and software to track everything you do.
This information is collected, analyzed, and insight reports are developed and delivered to the casino marketing department so they can work out the best possible way to market their casino and slots to you so that you keep coming back and play more. If you don't want your play tracked then simply don't use your player's card, but then you won't get any casino comps.
In the near future, if it's not being used already, casino marketing departments will start using security infrastructure to monitor and track your play irrespective of whether you use your card or not. Facial recognition programs will detect you, associate you with a player's card or create a new player account and track everything you do on a video feed.
This is a bit scary and it shows the lengths casinos will go to. If you play online, everything is tracked under your player account, so it's easier for online casinos to monitor what you do in this respect.
10. Payout tickets are more likely to be put back into a machine
Over the past 20 years, casinos have slowly phased out cash payouts at slots. These days you'll likely receive a ticket when you cash out, which you then must take to a cash-out machine or the cage to exchange for cash.
While the casinos will claim this is for your convenience, one of the main reasons they've made this change is to disassociate you from the fact you're holding money. This is similar to what they do with chips on table games.
Psychological studies have proven that people are far more likely to gamble more with a ticket or chips, as opposed to cash. So don't be fooled into placing your ticket into another slot on the way to cashing out, they've done this on purpose. I'd recommend that you always cash the tickets out for cash every time, instead of keeping it for play later.
11. Slot arms don't exist as much anymore because they slow down play
Back in the day, pretty much every slot machine had an arm, or lever, that you pull to activate the spin. These days it's much harder to find machines that have these.
While there are a few reasons for this, the main reason and the one the casinos don't want you to know is because using a lever is much slower when compared to pressing a button. Casinos want you to be playing as quickly as possible when it comes to slots because the more you spin the more the odds move in their favor.
So by having buttons instead of levers the game moves a lot faster. Some may even say they've removed the lever so people don't refer to slot machines as one-armed bandits anymore, but that may just be here-say.
12. Games are designed to be played as fast as possible
As we touched on in the previous secret, casinos want you to play whatever game you're on as quickly as possible. While one of the main measurements on a slot is the time spent playing, they also want you to play as quickly as possible.
This increases the yield on the machine for the casino, meaning they make more money. Consider this, if you have a bank of widely popular slots which many people want to play, and it takes 20 seconds per spin, that's quite a lot of time.
If a spin takes five seconds then you're getting four times the amount of play on that machine which results in much more money passing through. So, all the time the casinos are trying to think of ways to make games happen much faster. They don't want you playing slowly, so make sure you take your time next time you sit down at a slot. After all, the more time you play the more entertainment value you get.
13. Slot sounds and graphics are designed to make you feel happy
One thing that casinos certainly don't want you to know about is the fact that slot machine manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers that provide advice on what sounds, colors, movements and graphics to use in games in order to make the player feel as happy as possible.
This is both good and bad. Firstly, it's good if you're playing for entertainment's sake and know your limits when it comes to how much money you're willing to play with. If this is the case then why not play a game that's designed to make you feel happy.
Secondly, it's bad when it comes to problem gamblers who don't know when to stop and are chasing that happy feeling that the games give them. So this is a two-way street; that's for sure. Casinos probably don't want you to know this because it isn't a great look.
14. Sometimes a win isn't a win
One recent trend on slots is to play a jingle and show an animation showing that a player has had a win; this used to be a good thing and it meant you were making a profit, but not so much these days.
Much to the ire of lawmakers and the regulators, slot machines now play this jingle and imply a win, even when the spin results in less money won than you actually wagered on that spin in the first place. So this is essentially a loss and it's trying to trick the player into thinking that they won.
Regulators are trying to have this outlawed but it will take some time. So, next time you're playing don't be fooled by the animation and sounds and the on-screen advice that says you've had a win. Make sure you check how much you ‘won' when compared to how much you bet, before you celebrate.
15. Major progressive jackpots are played across multiple venues
Have you ever walked past a progressive jackpot slot machine and stared in awe at the huge jackpot which is currently available and is running into the millions of dollars?
If so, then you may not be aware that these slots are actually linked nationwide and the jackpot is played across thousands and thousands of machines and the casinos actually have no part in this prize.
Casinos don't want you to know this of course; they want you to think that it's just that machine so that you sit down and play and spin away thinking that you're the only person who could possibly win that prize at that time.
These major progressive jackpot machines actually take a small cut from each bet you make and divert it to the major jackpot. So you should never play on one of these unless your ultimate goal is to win the life-changing money, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Conclusion
Casinos are designed to make money just like any business. The slot machines are a big piece of the profit puzzle so the casinos do everything they can to make them more profitable.
Now that you know these 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know you can gamble as an informed player. If you love slots there's no reason to stop playing, but you should know these secrets before you play again.
One of the most common questions you'll see about anything in the casino gambling industry relates to 'honesty'. You'll see this question asked about every casino game under the sun. You'll also see it asked about every casino, especially the online gambling sites.
In this post, I want to address this specific question:
Are slot machines honest?
How Do You Define Honest?
When I use Google to look for a definition of honesty, I see some of the following definitions listed:
- 'Free of deceit and untruthfulness'
- 'Sincere'
- 'Morally correct or virtuous'
- 'Fairly earned, through hard work'
I think most people are thinking of the first definition when they ask whether slots games are honest. They want to make sure they're not being cheated. In this context, the answer is yes, slot machines are honest. I'll explain why in detail in the rest of this post.
In the second context, where 'honest' means 'sincere'—I'm less sure. Are the casinos sincere when they want you to think you're able to win money? I think so, but they know in the long run, anyone who plays slots long enough will lose all their money.
In the third and fourth contexts, I'd have to say that slot machines are NOT honest. Slot machines are closer to morally neutral than they are to sinful, but you might have a different belief system about such things. It's hard to say that slots don't appeal to one of the seven deadly sins, though (greed).
I'm not sure anyone could (or would) consider money won on a slot machine 'earned' or to have anything to do with 'hard work'. It's a game of luck. If you win, then you got lucky—it has nothing to do with working hard or being smart.
I'll explain more about that later in this post, too.
How a Slot Machine Works Mathematically
Answering the question 'are slot machines honest?' begins with learning how the games work mathematically. The math behind the games is easier to understand than most people probably think.
The first concept to understand is basic probability. When someone says 'probability', they're talking about the mathematical likelihood that something is going to happen. That 'something' is called an event.
The probability of an event is always represented as a number between 0 and 1. An event that will always occur no matter what has a probability of 1. An event that will never occur has a probability of 0. An event that will occur half the time has a probability of 0.5.
For simplicity's sake, and to make understanding the concept easier, I just used whole numbers and decimals in the previous paragraph. But probabilities are almost always expressed as percentages or fractions.
How to Express Probability as a Percentage
You're watching the evening news, and the meteorologist says there's a 50% chance of rain tomorrow.
That means it's just about as likely to rain as it is to not rain.
How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work In
Here's another example:
You flip a coin. You have a 50% chance of it landing on heads. You also have a 50% chance of it landing on tails.
If you add the probabilities of all possible events together, you always get a total of 1 (or 100%).
Probability is the mathematical engine that makes gambling games possible.
How to Calculate a Probability
How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Working
Here's how you calculate a probability:
How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work In Casinos
You take the number of ways an event can happen. You divide that by all the total events possible (including what can happen and what happens if it doesn't.)
You're rolling a single six-sided die. You want to know the probability of getting a 6.
There are 6 possible outcomes. Only one of them is a 6.
The probability of getting a 6 is 1/6.
Another way to express that is using odds, which can be useful when calculating whether a bet is expected to be mathematically profitable or not.
Odds expresses the number of ways something can't happen versus the number of ways it can happen.
How Do Indian Casino Slot Machines Work Without
In the six-sided die example, the odds of getting a 6 are 5 to 1. You have 5 ways of NOT rolling a 1, and only 1 way of rolling a 1.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word 'or', you add the probabilities of the events together.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word 'and', you multiply the probabilities by each other.
You want to know the probability of getting a 1 or a 2 on a roll of a six-sided die. The probability of each is 1/6.
1/6 + 1/6 = 2/6
You can reduce that to 1/3.
Here's another example:
You roll 2 dice. You want to know the probability of getting a 6 on both dice. The probability of each is 1/6.
1/6 X 1/6 = 1/36
Applying Probability to a Simple Hypothetical Slot Machine Game
But how does all this apply to the honesty of slot machines?
I'll use a super simple hypothetical slot machine game to explain how this probability affects the integrity of the game.
This super simple game has 3 symbols on each reel—an orange, a lemon, and a cherry.
The probability of getting a lemon on the first reel is 1/3.
The probability of getting a lemon on the second reel is also 1/3.
In fact, it's the same on each reel.
But the game only pays off if you get 3 of the same symbol on each reel.
The probability of that is 1/3 X 1/3 X 1/3, or 1/9.
Let's suppose the payoff for getting 3 lemons is 4 for 1.
And let's suppose the payoff for getting 3 cherries is 3 for 1.
Finally, we'll suppose the payoff for getting 3 oranges is even money.
- The probability of winning 4 coins is 1/9.
- The probability of winning 3 coins is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning 1 coin is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning nothing is 6/9, or 2/3.
Now let's suppose you're putting $1 in on every spin, and you play 9 spins, getting every possible result once.
You win 4 coins once. You win 3 coins once. You win 1 coin once. That's a total of 8 coins you've won.
But you've inserted 9 coins into the game.
Where did the extra coin go?
In the pockets of the casino, that's where.
By setting up the payoffs so that they're lower than the odds of winning, the casino sets up a situation where it's guaranteed a mathematical profit over the long run.
Of course, most modern slot machines aren't quite this simple. They have more symbols on each reel, for one thing. For another, the probability of getting a particular symbol might be different from the probability of getting another symbol.
For example, you might have a 2/3 probability of getting a pear, and only a 1/24 probability of getting a cherry.
What Happens in the Long Run vs. the Short Term?
By manipulating the payoffs and the probabilities of the symbols, the casino can guarantee that over a long period and many spins, they'll profit.
But in the short run, a player might win a big jackpot or lose several times in a row.
That's the nature of random events. In the short run, anything can happen. In the long run, the numbers get closer to the theoretical probability.
This is obvious when you look at it with an extreme example.
On an infinite number of spins, your average loss per spin will mirror the mathematical expectation.
The closer you get to an infinite number of spins, the closer you'll get to the mathematical expectation.
Do Slot Machines Cheat?
The casinos don't need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
The slot machine designers and manufacturers don't need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
In fact, in well-regulated jurisdictions (like Nevada), games are thoroughly audited for fairness. When they're auditing a game for fairness, one of the things they check is whether a game has a jackpot that's impossible to win.
That's the main concern many players have when they ask if slot machines cheat.
Does the game have jackpots that are impossible to win?
The short answer in almost every case is no, they don't.
But you have no way of knowing what the probability of winning that jackpot is. Slot machine games have opaque odds and probabilities. The results are generated by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).
The only people who know the exact settings for that RNG are the designers and the casino managers.
In fact, you could be playing two identical slot machines located right next to each on the casino floor and have different odds of winning. Not only is this legal, it's common.
Does that sound like cheating?
By the strict letter of the law, it's not.
Is it honest?
I'd say yes. Having two games next to each other offering different odds is intentionally misleading. It's legal, but it's not sincere in any way.
Online slot machines are no different, except that in some cases, these games HAVE been known to cheat. But not reputable casinos and not reputable software providers.
How do they cheat?
They set up games which are impossible to win.
The reasons baffle me. You stand to make far more money in the long run if you offer an honest game.
Even an idiot can tell after a while that he's never going to win a rigged casino game on the Internet.
But otherwise smart people will continue to deposit money and wager it at a breakneck pace if they're winning something every now and then, even if they're showing a net loss over time.
That's how gambling works.
What About Video Poker Games?
You need to understand immediately that video poker games are NOT the same thing as slot machine games. They look similar on the surface, but the math and the gameplay couldn't be more different. And the philosophy behind these games is different, too.
Here's why:
A video poker machine uses a random number generator that duplicates the odds found in a 52-card deck of cards. You know the probability of getting a specific symbol. Any specific card has a 1/52 probability of appearing.
A card of a specific suit has a ¼ probability of appearing. A card of a specific rank has a 1/13 probability of appearing.
Payback Percentages and the House Edge
Although it's pretty common these days for players to know that you can't win in the long run, some still don't know, and those that are oblivious to this fact are loved by casinos.
5. Max betting is the best option
This one may seem counter-intuitive but it's true. On most slots, max betting activates all the bonuses and jackpots and increases your odds of getting lucky and winning, which makes it the best option for players.
Although it doesn't make too much of a difference, it still creates more favorable conditions for the player. The casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to bet small and more often at a worse payout rate, which makes them more money in the long run.
One thing you certainly don't want to do though is max-bet above your bankroll and burn through more money than you intended to. Playing more than you can afford to lose is playing right into the casino's hands. If you can't afford the max bet on a slot then drop down in denominations or move to a machine where the max bet is smaller and works within your bankroll.
6. Class 2 slots aren't really slots at all
Sometimes you'll come across slot machines that are classified as class 2 slots. These are usually found on native Indian reservations or racinos in the United States.
These aren't traditional slots like what you would find in Las Vegas. Vegas slots are Class 3 slots and are proper slot machine games.
Class 2 slots are actually pre-programmed bingo games which present a slot face for entertainment purposes. Class 3 slots are usually illegal in the jurisdictions that have these slots bingo games, so game manufacturers and casinos combined their forces to come up with this alternative.
Sometimes you'll see a small bingo card on the bottom corner of the screen which will straight away tell you that this is a class 2 slot machine. So, be warned, these machines are not slots at all and you'll be effectively playing computer bingo when you start spinning on these.
7. Video slots pay out less than classic slots
Big fancy video slots will almost always pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because of the fact they're more entertaining, draw more players and action, and cost the casinos a lot more to run and maintain.
These big machines often take up two to three times the amount of space compared to classic slots and tend to cost the casinos a lot more to keep them running. In order to maximize profits, the casinos will then dial down the payout rate on these machines so they still make enough money on them.
Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don't go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you're looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
8. Slots are completely random
Casinos don't want you to know this, but slot machines are completely random in nature. Although they are weighted to pay out at a certain rate, this is still in line with the randomness of results that a slot will produce.
Each spin is completely independent of the previous spin. As an example, if you were to win the jackpot on one spin, then the likelihood of winning the jackpot on the next spin is exactly the same. No previous events impact future events. This isn't how they work.
Casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to think slots are 'hot' or 'cold', because that will cloud your judgment in respect to how much you play and gamble. This works out better for them in the long run so they are happy for these myths to grow and spread.
9. All of your play is tracked
From the moment you sit down at a slot and enter your player card and cash, every movement you make is tracked automatically by the casino. Slot machines are now networked and have sophisticated hardware and software to track everything you do.
This information is collected, analyzed, and insight reports are developed and delivered to the casino marketing department so they can work out the best possible way to market their casino and slots to you so that you keep coming back and play more. If you don't want your play tracked then simply don't use your player's card, but then you won't get any casino comps.
In the near future, if it's not being used already, casino marketing departments will start using security infrastructure to monitor and track your play irrespective of whether you use your card or not. Facial recognition programs will detect you, associate you with a player's card or create a new player account and track everything you do on a video feed.
This is a bit scary and it shows the lengths casinos will go to. If you play online, everything is tracked under your player account, so it's easier for online casinos to monitor what you do in this respect.
10. Payout tickets are more likely to be put back into a machine
Over the past 20 years, casinos have slowly phased out cash payouts at slots. These days you'll likely receive a ticket when you cash out, which you then must take to a cash-out machine or the cage to exchange for cash.
While the casinos will claim this is for your convenience, one of the main reasons they've made this change is to disassociate you from the fact you're holding money. This is similar to what they do with chips on table games.
Psychological studies have proven that people are far more likely to gamble more with a ticket or chips, as opposed to cash. So don't be fooled into placing your ticket into another slot on the way to cashing out, they've done this on purpose. I'd recommend that you always cash the tickets out for cash every time, instead of keeping it for play later.
11. Slot arms don't exist as much anymore because they slow down play
Back in the day, pretty much every slot machine had an arm, or lever, that you pull to activate the spin. These days it's much harder to find machines that have these.
While there are a few reasons for this, the main reason and the one the casinos don't want you to know is because using a lever is much slower when compared to pressing a button. Casinos want you to be playing as quickly as possible when it comes to slots because the more you spin the more the odds move in their favor.
So by having buttons instead of levers the game moves a lot faster. Some may even say they've removed the lever so people don't refer to slot machines as one-armed bandits anymore, but that may just be here-say.
12. Games are designed to be played as fast as possible
As we touched on in the previous secret, casinos want you to play whatever game you're on as quickly as possible. While one of the main measurements on a slot is the time spent playing, they also want you to play as quickly as possible.
This increases the yield on the machine for the casino, meaning they make more money. Consider this, if you have a bank of widely popular slots which many people want to play, and it takes 20 seconds per spin, that's quite a lot of time.
If a spin takes five seconds then you're getting four times the amount of play on that machine which results in much more money passing through. So, all the time the casinos are trying to think of ways to make games happen much faster. They don't want you playing slowly, so make sure you take your time next time you sit down at a slot. After all, the more time you play the more entertainment value you get.
13. Slot sounds and graphics are designed to make you feel happy
One thing that casinos certainly don't want you to know about is the fact that slot machine manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers that provide advice on what sounds, colors, movements and graphics to use in games in order to make the player feel as happy as possible.
This is both good and bad. Firstly, it's good if you're playing for entertainment's sake and know your limits when it comes to how much money you're willing to play with. If this is the case then why not play a game that's designed to make you feel happy.
Secondly, it's bad when it comes to problem gamblers who don't know when to stop and are chasing that happy feeling that the games give them. So this is a two-way street; that's for sure. Casinos probably don't want you to know this because it isn't a great look.
14. Sometimes a win isn't a win
One recent trend on slots is to play a jingle and show an animation showing that a player has had a win; this used to be a good thing and it meant you were making a profit, but not so much these days.
Much to the ire of lawmakers and the regulators, slot machines now play this jingle and imply a win, even when the spin results in less money won than you actually wagered on that spin in the first place. So this is essentially a loss and it's trying to trick the player into thinking that they won.
Regulators are trying to have this outlawed but it will take some time. So, next time you're playing don't be fooled by the animation and sounds and the on-screen advice that says you've had a win. Make sure you check how much you ‘won' when compared to how much you bet, before you celebrate.
15. Major progressive jackpots are played across multiple venues
Have you ever walked past a progressive jackpot slot machine and stared in awe at the huge jackpot which is currently available and is running into the millions of dollars?
If so, then you may not be aware that these slots are actually linked nationwide and the jackpot is played across thousands and thousands of machines and the casinos actually have no part in this prize.
Casinos don't want you to know this of course; they want you to think that it's just that machine so that you sit down and play and spin away thinking that you're the only person who could possibly win that prize at that time.
These major progressive jackpot machines actually take a small cut from each bet you make and divert it to the major jackpot. So you should never play on one of these unless your ultimate goal is to win the life-changing money, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Conclusion
Casinos are designed to make money just like any business. The slot machines are a big piece of the profit puzzle so the casinos do everything they can to make them more profitable.
Now that you know these 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know you can gamble as an informed player. If you love slots there's no reason to stop playing, but you should know these secrets before you play again.
One of the most common questions you'll see about anything in the casino gambling industry relates to 'honesty'. You'll see this question asked about every casino game under the sun. You'll also see it asked about every casino, especially the online gambling sites.
In this post, I want to address this specific question:
Are slot machines honest?
How Do You Define Honest?
When I use Google to look for a definition of honesty, I see some of the following definitions listed:
- 'Free of deceit and untruthfulness'
- 'Sincere'
- 'Morally correct or virtuous'
- 'Fairly earned, through hard work'
I think most people are thinking of the first definition when they ask whether slots games are honest. They want to make sure they're not being cheated. In this context, the answer is yes, slot machines are honest. I'll explain why in detail in the rest of this post.
In the second context, where 'honest' means 'sincere'—I'm less sure. Are the casinos sincere when they want you to think you're able to win money? I think so, but they know in the long run, anyone who plays slots long enough will lose all their money.
In the third and fourth contexts, I'd have to say that slot machines are NOT honest. Slot machines are closer to morally neutral than they are to sinful, but you might have a different belief system about such things. It's hard to say that slots don't appeal to one of the seven deadly sins, though (greed).
I'm not sure anyone could (or would) consider money won on a slot machine 'earned' or to have anything to do with 'hard work'. It's a game of luck. If you win, then you got lucky—it has nothing to do with working hard or being smart.
I'll explain more about that later in this post, too.
How a Slot Machine Works Mathematically
Answering the question 'are slot machines honest?' begins with learning how the games work mathematically. The math behind the games is easier to understand than most people probably think.
The first concept to understand is basic probability. When someone says 'probability', they're talking about the mathematical likelihood that something is going to happen. That 'something' is called an event.
The probability of an event is always represented as a number between 0 and 1. An event that will always occur no matter what has a probability of 1. An event that will never occur has a probability of 0. An event that will occur half the time has a probability of 0.5.
For simplicity's sake, and to make understanding the concept easier, I just used whole numbers and decimals in the previous paragraph. But probabilities are almost always expressed as percentages or fractions.
How to Express Probability as a Percentage
You're watching the evening news, and the meteorologist says there's a 50% chance of rain tomorrow.
That means it's just about as likely to rain as it is to not rain.
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Here's another example:
You flip a coin. You have a 50% chance of it landing on heads. You also have a 50% chance of it landing on tails.
If you add the probabilities of all possible events together, you always get a total of 1 (or 100%).
Probability is the mathematical engine that makes gambling games possible.
How to Calculate a Probability
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Here's how you calculate a probability:
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You take the number of ways an event can happen. You divide that by all the total events possible (including what can happen and what happens if it doesn't.)
You're rolling a single six-sided die. You want to know the probability of getting a 6.
There are 6 possible outcomes. Only one of them is a 6.
The probability of getting a 6 is 1/6.
Another way to express that is using odds, which can be useful when calculating whether a bet is expected to be mathematically profitable or not.
Odds expresses the number of ways something can't happen versus the number of ways it can happen.
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In the six-sided die example, the odds of getting a 6 are 5 to 1. You have 5 ways of NOT rolling a 1, and only 1 way of rolling a 1.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word 'or', you add the probabilities of the events together.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word 'and', you multiply the probabilities by each other.
You want to know the probability of getting a 1 or a 2 on a roll of a six-sided die. The probability of each is 1/6.
1/6 + 1/6 = 2/6
You can reduce that to 1/3.
Here's another example:
You roll 2 dice. You want to know the probability of getting a 6 on both dice. The probability of each is 1/6.
1/6 X 1/6 = 1/36
Applying Probability to a Simple Hypothetical Slot Machine Game
But how does all this apply to the honesty of slot machines?
I'll use a super simple hypothetical slot machine game to explain how this probability affects the integrity of the game.
This super simple game has 3 symbols on each reel—an orange, a lemon, and a cherry.
The probability of getting a lemon on the first reel is 1/3.
The probability of getting a lemon on the second reel is also 1/3.
In fact, it's the same on each reel.
But the game only pays off if you get 3 of the same symbol on each reel.
The probability of that is 1/3 X 1/3 X 1/3, or 1/9.
Let's suppose the payoff for getting 3 lemons is 4 for 1.
And let's suppose the payoff for getting 3 cherries is 3 for 1.
Finally, we'll suppose the payoff for getting 3 oranges is even money.
- The probability of winning 4 coins is 1/9.
- The probability of winning 3 coins is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning 1 coin is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning nothing is 6/9, or 2/3.
Now let's suppose you're putting $1 in on every spin, and you play 9 spins, getting every possible result once.
You win 4 coins once. You win 3 coins once. You win 1 coin once. That's a total of 8 coins you've won.
But you've inserted 9 coins into the game.
Where did the extra coin go?
In the pockets of the casino, that's where.
By setting up the payoffs so that they're lower than the odds of winning, the casino sets up a situation where it's guaranteed a mathematical profit over the long run.
Of course, most modern slot machines aren't quite this simple. They have more symbols on each reel, for one thing. For another, the probability of getting a particular symbol might be different from the probability of getting another symbol.
For example, you might have a 2/3 probability of getting a pear, and only a 1/24 probability of getting a cherry.
What Happens in the Long Run vs. the Short Term?
By manipulating the payoffs and the probabilities of the symbols, the casino can guarantee that over a long period and many spins, they'll profit.
But in the short run, a player might win a big jackpot or lose several times in a row.
That's the nature of random events. In the short run, anything can happen. In the long run, the numbers get closer to the theoretical probability.
This is obvious when you look at it with an extreme example.
On an infinite number of spins, your average loss per spin will mirror the mathematical expectation.
The closer you get to an infinite number of spins, the closer you'll get to the mathematical expectation.
Do Slot Machines Cheat?
The casinos don't need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
The slot machine designers and manufacturers don't need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
In fact, in well-regulated jurisdictions (like Nevada), games are thoroughly audited for fairness. When they're auditing a game for fairness, one of the things they check is whether a game has a jackpot that's impossible to win.
That's the main concern many players have when they ask if slot machines cheat.
Does the game have jackpots that are impossible to win?
The short answer in almost every case is no, they don't.
But you have no way of knowing what the probability of winning that jackpot is. Slot machine games have opaque odds and probabilities. The results are generated by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).
The only people who know the exact settings for that RNG are the designers and the casino managers.
In fact, you could be playing two identical slot machines located right next to each on the casino floor and have different odds of winning. Not only is this legal, it's common.
Does that sound like cheating?
By the strict letter of the law, it's not.
Is it honest?
I'd say yes. Having two games next to each other offering different odds is intentionally misleading. It's legal, but it's not sincere in any way.
Online slot machines are no different, except that in some cases, these games HAVE been known to cheat. But not reputable casinos and not reputable software providers.
How do they cheat?
They set up games which are impossible to win.
The reasons baffle me. You stand to make far more money in the long run if you offer an honest game.
Even an idiot can tell after a while that he's never going to win a rigged casino game on the Internet.
But otherwise smart people will continue to deposit money and wager it at a breakneck pace if they're winning something every now and then, even if they're showing a net loss over time.
That's how gambling works.
What About Video Poker Games?
You need to understand immediately that video poker games are NOT the same thing as slot machine games. They look similar on the surface, but the math and the gameplay couldn't be more different. And the philosophy behind these games is different, too.
Here's why:
A video poker machine uses a random number generator that duplicates the odds found in a 52-card deck of cards. You know the probability of getting a specific symbol. Any specific card has a 1/52 probability of appearing.
A card of a specific suit has a ¼ probability of appearing. A card of a specific rank has a 1/13 probability of appearing.
Payback Percentages and the House Edge
Knowing this enables mathematicians and computer programs to calculate the actual payback percentage for these games.
What's a payback percentage?
It's the percentage of each bet that's paid back to the player on average in the long run. It's the opposite of the house edge.
On a slot machine, you have no way of calculating a game's payback percentage. It's impossible, because you have no way of knowing the probability of getting a specific symbol.
But on a video poker game, you can calculate all the possibilities. And since you know how much the game pays out for various combinations, you can add the expected value of each to get an overall payback percentage for the game.
And you know what's even better than this?
The payback percentages for video poker games are significantly higher than the payback percentages on slot machines in almost every case.
Even the worst video poker game usually has a payback percentage of 95% or so. But the better games offer payback percentages in the 98%+ range. Some (rare) games have pay tables which offer a slightly positive game for the player, like 100.2%. But those numbers assume perfect strategy on your part.
But even the best slot machine games usually have a payback percentage in the 95% range. The more common games slip down into the lower 92% or so range.
Expected Hourly Loss Rates in Slot Machine Games vs. Video Poker Games
What does this mean to your bankroll?
Let's look at how much money you can mathematically expect to lose playing 2 different games:
We'll start with an average slot machine game with a 94% payback percentage. You're playing for $1 per spin, and you're making 600 spins per hour. You expect to win 94% of each bet back, which means you expect to lose 6% of each bet.
6% of $600 is $36, which is the amount the casino expects you to lose on this game on average over time.
Then we'll consider a 9/6 Jacks or Better game which you're playing with perfect strategy. The payback percentage for this game is 99.54%, which means the house edge is 0.46%.
We'll assume you're playing a quarter machine and betting 5 coins per hand. You're putting a little more money into action on each bet–$1.25. Most video poker players are as fast as slot machine players; they play 600 hands per hour. That's $750/hour in action.
But with a house edge of 0.54%, your expected loss on that kind of action is only $3.77.
That's right.
Playing slots costs you 10 times as much as playing video poker.
Video poker offers other advantages over slots, too. One of these is the skill element. You might not want to think about what you're doing when you're gambling.
But if you're anything like me, you want to be able to at least exert a little bit of control over your destiny.
In video poker, you get to do that. The decisions you make playing each hand have a direct effect on your bottom line.
Play your hands well, and you'll be playing one of the best gambling games in the house.
Should You Play Slot Machines at All?
This is a legitimate question. Should you play slot machines at all?
Here are some pros and cons of playing slots:
Pros:
- You can win bigger jackpots on slot machine games than any other gambling game except maybe keno. If you're looking for a life-changing jackpot, like you'd see if you won a lotto drawing, slots are the way to go.
- They require little in the way of attention or effort on the part of the player. This suits some temperaments just fine. Relaxing in front of the spinning reels seems like a good deal for a lot of people.
- They're available in an endless variety. You can find a slot machine game with any theme you can imagine. Love Elvis Presley? You'll find a slot machine for it. Play Dungeons & Dragons when you were 12? There's a slot for that, too. The themes and games are almost endless.
Cons:
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- They offer some of the worst odds in the house. The house edge for slot machines vary widely. Some of them might offer good odds, but most of them have a house edge of between 5% and 10%. This isn't awful. After all, roulette has a house edge of 5.26%. The problem is that slots play so fast that you can easily put more money into an action than you thought you could.
- You can't figure out what the odds are. I have a philosophical problem with slot machine games. No other casino game is opaque about your odds. You can calculate the house edge for any table game in the casino. You can calculate it for video poker, too. But you're never given the information you need to figure out the house edge on a slot machine. This is unacceptable to me.
- They're designed to be addictive. Slot machine manufacturers spend millions doing research into what kinds of stimuli are going to put most people into the 'flow' state. Flow is great if you're interested in personal productivity at work, but if you're playing a gambling game, it's awful. No other casino game is as addictive as a slot machine.
Conclusion
Yes, slot machines are honest—in a manner of speaking, anyway. Casinos don't make claims about slot machines that are blatantly untrue. If a game has a maximum jackpot of $1 million, you do have a chance of winning that much money.
What you don't know is how likely or unlikely it is to win that amount.
Is this disingenuous on the part of the casinos?
I think it is, at least to some extent.
But all casino games have math behind them that puts the odds in the casino's favor. That's just the nature of the games. Slots are no different in that respect.
No matter which casino game you play, if you stick with it long enough, you'll eventually lose all your money.
The only exceptions are certain games that can be played with advantage techniques, but that's another subject entirely.
The only way for you to get an edge against a slot machine game is to cheat.
In most jurisdictions, cheating is blatantly illegal. You're better off learning to play poker at an expert level, or learning how to count cards in blackjack.
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