Every time the reels of a slot machine are spun, it produces a random outcome. Make a thousand more spins, and you will always find it churning out a different result every time. What’s responsible for creating these outcomes is called the Random Number Generator or, as is more popularly called RNG. But have slot machines always been like this? Let’s find out.
The Vegas casino news we bring to you today focuses on the Random Number Generator in slot machines. We will examine its history, meaning, types, myths, and facts. Without further ado, let’s get started.
The Random Number Generator in Slot Machines Spins Your Fate
The Liberty Bell, developed by Charles Fey in 1987, is recognized as the slot machine that inspired modern-day slots. However, it had limitations.
The foremost slot machines were purely mechanical. They were engineered so that gaming outcomes depended on the movement of gears and levers to ensure randomness. This worked, but not quite well, and players soon found ways to manipulate them.
For example, in the 80s, an eight-person gang used wires, keys, and other gadgets to jitter slot machines in Atlantic and Nevada casinos to play out jackpots worth $1.6 million.
More such incidents made casino operators look for means to make their machines free and fair, yet they could not be cheated. They then turned to RNGs, and thanks to the advancements computers were undergoing at that time, things changed.
Random number generators (RNGs) were first introduced in the 1940s by a corporation called RAND. At first, RNGs were only suitable for scientists, researchers, and mathematicians, but their use soon extended to other areas, including gaming.
Casinos began incorporating RNGs into their slot machines, a practice that continues to affect how to win at casino slots.
What Are Random Number Generators?
The random number generator in slot machines is a complex algorithm integrated into games. It generates non-repeating slot machine numbers or symbols to ensure that outcomes are entirely random. This is why slot game outcomes are unpredictable and independent of previous results.
Types of Random Number Generators
There are two standard types of random number generators: True random number generators (TRNGs) and Pseudorandom number generators (PRNGs).
TRNGs depend on physical processes to provide random and unpredictable outcomes, while PRNGs use preset algorithms to deliver random outcomes. PRNGs are faster and more efficient. When you press the button spin on a slot machine, the PRNG kicks into action, determining the symbols that will show up on the reels. This is how slot machines work.
Random Number Generator in Slot Machines: Myths vs. Facts
Players have spread a few myths about the Random number generator in slot machines as a coping mechanism for losing and winning games. Below are some of the most popular myths about RNGs and their facts.
Myth 1: Hot And Cold Machines
Some players have divided slots into hot and cold machines. Hot machines are slots in a phase where the RNGs have been programmed to pay out big wins. On the other hand, cold machines are games that are not in any way prepared to give big payouts. Some players believe the RNGs of such machines are programmed to drain their bankroll which is untrue. So, to find the right games, they may use a random slot picker.
Facts
RNGs are built to churn out random results independent of previous outcomes, regardless if live or at the online casino. Yes, players can encounter winning or losing streaks, but it doesn’t involve RNGs. RNGs don’t have a memory of patterns formed. Hence, the hot and cold slot story is a myth.
Myth 2: You Can Beat Slot Machines By Timing The Spin
Some players believe that there is a specific time to play slots. They believe players who win massive payouts and even the jackpot are beneficiaries of spinning the reel at the right time. But is this true? No.
Facts
There is no right time to spin a slot machine. Any time can be a winning moment. Things happen by chance. No one can predict the number slot machine will generate, not even the casino operators. The outcome of a slot is independent of what time you spin the reel. The RNG is not time-based. What you can do is get familiar with the game mechanics through our casino guides.
Myth 3: There is a way to Beat Slot Machines
For a long time, players have believed that strategies exist to influence slot machines’ random results and, in turn, increase their profits.
Facts
Again, slots are purely games of chance due to random number generators. There isn’t a generator slot game that can be tricked. Even if anyone succeeds, such a person is bound to face the law.
The advised strategies for slots are money management skills, which have no direct influence on RNG slots.
Myth 4: You Can Influence The Outcome Using Bet Amounts
Some players believe that your bet can influence the outcome of your game: the bigger your bet, the higher your chances of winning. This is based on the notion that players with bigger bankrolls tend to win huge rewards compared to players with smaller bankrolls.
Facts
While RNGs focus on the game’s fairness, the RTP (return to player) focuses on payouts. The payouts of games with low RTP differ from those with high RTP. If you win, you win; if you lose, you lose.
This is why knowing the difference between RTP and RNG is important, far more than the size of your wager.
Myth 5: Casinos Can Change the RNG of slots
Many players believe that casinos can manipulate the RNGs in their favor.
Facts
As demonstrated in our many game reviews, the random number generators in slot machines are purely outside the control of casino operators. Instead, they are created by the slot providers who built the machines. If anyone has control over RNGs, the slot providers build them into the program. However, they cannot change the RNGs. That’s because regulatory bodies constantly monitor slot providers to ensure their games are fair, protecting the integrity of slots.
Final Thoughts
The Random Number Generator in slot machines is an algorithm that makes the games free and fair. This unpredictable nature of slot outcomes has led to players having different interpretations of what RNGs are and how they work. We have highlighted the myths and facts of RNGs. They cannot be influenced or manipulated by the house due to regulations. Now that you know what’s true and what’s not, focus on having fun playing slot games, and the right place to do so is Slots Paradise Casino.
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