Slot machines are one thing that although they have been around for over a hundred years, the technology that has become available in the last 25 years has significantly changed the way slots are played. For example, it was commonly believed that the odds of winning on a machine had some correlation to the number of symbols of any kind on each reel. Although this may have been true in the past with all mechanical machines, today’s slots are electronic and the payout odds are programmed. In these present day versions, the spinning reels and lever on the side of the machine are for entertainment and posterity values only. Which is why online casinos and their versions of online slots are so appealing: if you don’t need the physical appeal of historical slots, it’s just as satisfying to play in your own home. The computer programming takes care of all the rest, as the RNG (Random Number Generator) acts as the spinning reels.

The RNG is in constant use, generating arbitrary numbers at an alarming speed; hundreds, perhaps thousands per second. This actions continues between plays. The last random number generated when the lever is pulled, or the play button presses determines the outcome of the gamble. This is true with electronic slots both in-house, and online. The result depends on when exactly you press your button, make your move. Any variance in timing and the result will be different.

It’s been known for some professional gamblers to note that some games do not utilize true RNGs, but rather PRNG’s or Pseudo- Random Number Generators. These are quite simply poor programming; it is relatively easy to create a number generator that would not repeat a sequence in a human lifetime, but there were/are some games that do repeat sequences. Such incidences result in cases such as Ronald D. Harris,’ which after discovering the programming codes, was able to predict combinations accurately for specific games, such as Keno.

History

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Technology

Payout

Linked Machines

Near-Misses

Fraud

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