Did you know that about 70% of the casinos’ income comes from slot machines? These are probably the most popular contemporary form of gambling, and as modern times brought new challenges, slot machines evolved, too.

Older models were mechanical as they’d used physical reels, but nowadays we have modern slots, equipped with complex microchips which make the winning combinations land on the reels in a random manner, using something called the Random Number Generator or RNG.

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When you set for yourself an ambitious goal such as to learn how to win at Slots or how to pick a winning Slot machine, hard work is key. You need to have a clear process in place, a defined bankroll to invest in your tests, and a lot of patience. The secrets to winning on Slot machines are not easy to uncover, especially since Casinos don't want you to know them.

Slot machines are programmed using Random Number Generator (RNG), which means slot machines are random and are games of luck. But, there is a way to win at slot machines, and here are 10 useful tips to help you win the game.The machines that are pre-programmed to pay out more often are known as loose slot machines. That's because a slot machine is programmed for many more stops than the 20 symbols visible on the reel, something like 256 stops on each reel. Inside each slot machine is a tiny computer.

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What Is the Random Number Generator (RNG)?

All the slot machines in all the casinos now operate by utilizing the RNG, a microchip that generates numbers all the time, even when nobody plays the machine. These numbers are created at a rate of several billion hundreds of times per second!

Be it a classic slot, a video slot, or perhaps a progressive slot, the generated numbers are what actually determines the position of the reels.

When you pull the lever or press the button, the machine actually displays the position of the latest numbers generated, as the random numbers correspond to positions on each of the machine’s reels.

The RNG is a microprocessor, the brains of the slot machine so to speak, and it is very important to understand that no matter what you do while playing, you can’t really affect any of the processes and the numbers generated in a random manner.

The hit frequency and the payout ratio are set and can’t be changed, no matter what!

Functions of the RNG

For as long as the machine is turned on, the RNG will keep producing random numbers each and every millisecond, as that’s its major function. The values derived from the numbers get translated into different combinations of symbols on the machine’s reels.

The outcome of each spin is predetermined by the randomly generated numbers, so the machine is very accurate and impartial at the same time.

What is Hit Frequency?

It’s a number that shows how often a winning combination lands on the slot machine. The higher the hit frequency, the more often the game will render winning combos.

Even though it seems perfect in theory…

…keep in mind that slot machines that have a high hit frequency aren’t necessarily the best ones to play.

If we were to observe it all in a mathematical manner, your chances of hitting the jackpot while playing a slot machine are 27,000 to 1. Even though the winning combo gets generated relatively often, it all comes down to the fact that the probability of pressing the spin button at the precise moment when the jackpot combo is up is extremely low.

What is Payback Rate?

The payback rate is payback percentage of any slot machine. It commonly grows with the amount of money that’s been fed into the machine. Simple as that.

What is the Correlation between Payback Rate and Hit Frequency?

It would be silly if all the slot machines were programmed to have the same payback rates and hit frequencies, so they are actually all different.

When we speak of slots that have a higher hit frequency, we usually refer to them as “loose”, but do remember that these machines don’t come with a high payback percentage.

On the other hand, we have machines with a low hit frequency, and we call these “tight” machines.

Yes…

…you’ve guessed it right, they come with a payout rate that’s better than the one of the so-called loose machines.

When it comes to choosing a slot you want to play and applying some proper strategy, let’s just say that it makes so much more sense to play a tight machine than a loose one, because higher payback percentage certainly beats higher fit frequency.

FAQs

Quite simply, if you’re playing at a licensed casino, then relevant gaming boards and test laboratories guarantee the randomness of all games. Every new machine is checked before it can hit the floor and audited on a regular basis throughout its entire operating life.

No. The RNG does not deal with money, it simply does not know the size of your bet. It only generates random numbers that appear on the reels as the combinations of different symbols.

Yes, casinos have such a possibility, of course, within the boundaries established by regulatory requirements of gaming commissions since every jurisdiction has its own standards for a minimum payback and the frequency of wins. Anyway, they do not do it often since it’s a complicated procedure accompanied by miles of red tape.

While the RNG always works in the same way and guarantees absolute randomness of every spin, the EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) chip inside the machine is in charge of determining payouts valued in money. By replacing the EPROM chip, a slot manager can change the theoretical return of the game, but, of course, not the randomness of the outcome.

Land-based slots are driven by Hardware Random Number Generator or HRNG, which can be described as some kind of external device connected to the casino server’s USB port.

On the other hand, the core of virtual one-armed bandits is Pseudorandom Number Generator or PRNG – a program code created by software developers, so complex mathematical algorithms “tell” reels when to stop.

Typically, both types of RNGs in slots are designed to be able to generateup to 4 billion numbers for every single spin. They always start with a so-called “seed number” used by the program to engender a new, random number, which in its turn becomes a seed to supply the complicated algorithm with more data for the endlessly repeating process.

No. Do not confuse randomness and equality. Even when some symbols (usually low-paying) show up more often than others, the results still can be random.

Yes, they are. Sometimes it is hard to believe but streaks, both winning and losing perfectly fit in the law of probability and come as an inevitable component of the game.

No. Although some slots strategies can contribute to a better and safer experience, they cannot influence on the house edge. Betting systems can be generally divided into two categories: positive and negative progression. The main difference between them lies in the moment of increasing stakes.

The truth is, none of them is able to affect the outcome of a game, regardless of whether it is a single spin or long series of spins. Once and again, sophisticated RNG is the only one that makes sure the result of every single spin of reels is random and absolutely independent from the previous rounds.

No. Many punters believe that casinos try to attract them by making the new releases “looser”. Well, in the eyes of players it could certainly be a nice way of promoting slots, but it is too far from being the truth.

Keep in mind, that payback percentage for the same game can vary from casino to casino as every playing house can decide between several options provided by slot makers.

Yes, your choice does matter!

The overwhelming desire to control our own destiny is in human nature, so the good news is your decisions affect the outcome. The RNG sets the possibilities but the final result (the size of your prize) is not predetermined and depends on your selections.

No. Even though numerous cabinets are linked in a progressive system, each machine works on its own and generates combinations independently. The moment RNG of one of them chooses the sequence that triggers the jackpot, the „lucky“ machine sends a message to the monitoring center, which then informs all other devices about the big hit.

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No, the machine does not have a huge element table of over two billion elements. The random number generators choose each number once in the cycle using mathematical algorithms and do not need to keep track of which numbers were already chosen. Regarding the pause, it has nothing to do with how much it is going to pay. I think the game does some internal auditing from time to time. There is no such thing as hot and cold cycles with slot machines. The ups and downs are just normal random variation.

How to win big on casino slot machines. You should stay away from playing the slot machines that aren’t popular with the players. It is the more popular games that have a better chance of becoming loose and offering you the results you are looking forward to. By getting on a stale and less popular slots game you can waste your money only to find that the machine has nothing good to offer you in the way of decent wins. You want to play a game that has been getting a lot of attention from players.

These are just random events. The laws of probability dictate that some days will be dry with a few big winners and others will have a lot of lower payouts. Most days will have a balanced mix and these days are always the first forgotten by the player. There is no switch the casino is throwing to alter the mood of their machines. I tend to think you're just remember what you want to in order to substantiate your theory.

No, this does not happen. How much the slot machine pays is determined by a microchip called an EPROM, which is generally left alone. To change it, at least in Nevada, the casino would have to get permission from the gaming authorities. Even without permission, they would have to open up each machine and change the EPROM by hand.
I speculate that the reason for what you observed about all the machines on a carousel getting hot at the same time is due partially to chance, partially selective memory, and partially to a snowball effect where players will gravitate to an area where they hear a lot of winning and simply add to the number of wins because of more players.

Your explanation of virtual versus physical slot machine reels was most informative.

1. Given the random number generator stops on a virtual Cherry say, how does the machine make the physical reel stop on a visible cherry? I mean technically speaking.
2. Does this explain how pachinko machines from Japan can electronically alter payout percentages without altering the physical reel symbols?
3. Suppose the machine decides its time for a BAR, the only BAR on the third reel, just as one passes the pay-line. Does it let the reel go one full turn and catch it on the next go-round?
4. Suppose a physical reel stops on a paying combination by mistake, i.e. a symbol other than the virtual one pre-ordained. What happens then?

Thanks much.

Let me answer each question individually.

1. It is just programming code that dictates to the machine that if the virtual reel stops on a cherry to make the actual reel stop on a cherry. There are actual notches on the reels which may help the machine to stop in the right place. If you peer through the glass at and angle you can sometimes see these notches. However, I am not an engineer and am not sure exactly how the machine knows to stop at just the right moment. It just take it for granted that it can.
2. Theoretically, the casino could change the payout on a slot machine with just a remote control. The remote control could tell the machine to use any previously programmed virtual reels. Practically speaking, the major casinos need to get approval from the gaming authorities to change the payback of a machine. If they did get such authorization all a slot technician has to do is replace a chip inside the machine, known as an e-prom. This happens infrequently and would not warrant the expense of a remote control.
3. It seems to me the reels spin at least several times before stopping.
4. In the unlikely even that happened, then I think it would trigger a malfunction and the bet would be voided.

I will say that for class 3 slots by major slot makers like IGT, Bally, and Williams do not resort to these sort of tricks. With respectable slot machines every play has the exact same probability of winning. If you don't believe me then why don’t you go from machine to machine playing each one for half an hour.

Not often. Contrary to popular myth the casinos don’t tighten the machines on weekends or whenever it is busy. Here in Las Vegas the casinos have to fill out a form every time they change the percentage on each game. Most slot managers I have spoken with have a policy on what coinage is set to what return. I tend to think the most likely reason to change the percentage would a change in ownership and/or management, which do not happen often.

Pre Programmed Bcm

No. Neither the amount you put in nor the denomination affects the odds. The same is true of slots.

From what I hear anything you can configure at the machine you can configure remotely through the server. This would include the theoretical return percentage. However most casinos report that changing the theoretical return of a slot machine necessitates a lot of paperwork.

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Even if it were effortless to move the slot machine return up and down, it strikes me as a conspiracy theory to think the casinos would do that on a player by player basis. Living here in Vegas, I hear all kinds of theories about the lengths the casinos go to in order to win, like pumping in oxygen and playing a subsonic mantra that says 'lose lose lose.' These are just urban legends. Most casinos correctly believe that if you give the player a good experience and a fair gamble then he will keep coming back. As they say, you can only slaughter a sheep only once, but you can shear it many times. (My webmaster, Michael Bluejay, who is a vegetarian, tried to get me to use this analogy instead: 'You can seize all of a sheep’s money only once, but you can force it to take you bowling many times.')

I asked a source of mine who works at one of the casinos that utilize this technology. Besides the Treasure Island, this technology is also used at casinos in California, Michigan, and Mississippi. Here is what he said,

'Nothing can be changed if there are credits on the game. The slot machine will always reject any changes sent when there are credits on the meter. In Nevada, the machine also has to be idle for four minutes prior to and following any changes. It’s also not completely transparent to anyone standing in front of the slot machine. A black window pops up that says ’Remote Configuration In Progress’ (or something like that).

We mainly use ours to change the available denominations on our games. Similar to how table games will raise minimum bets on when the casino is busier, we will remove lower denominations on Friday morning and return them on Monday morning.'

So, rest assured, that the slot manager can not tighten up a game on you just because he doesn’t like you. As long as you have credit in the game, nothing can be changed.

If you are implying the casino is changing the odds of the game while you're sitting there playing it, then I would say that is just a myth. To change the odds of a game, the slot maker would have to open up the game and change the EPROM chip. With server based game, where this can be done remotely, regulations require that the game be unplayed for a certain number of minutes before any changes can made.

If you are implying that the casino sets a slot machine loose for the first so many days, to draw new players, and then switches the EPROM to a stingier one, then I would disagree as well. That could easily be done, and legally, but I doubt it is. In my slot machine survey I found that any given casino was fairly consistent in how loose or tight they set their slots.

For the benefit of other readers, the way slot machines have usually work is that a chip inside the machine, called an EPROM chip, determines how loose or stingy the machine is. The vast majority of slots today still function this way. Contrary to popular myth, slots don’t achieve their desired return percentage by paying more when the actual return is too low and less when it is too high. Rather, it is just subtle changes in the reel stripping on video slots and the virtual weights on stepper slots. It is usually up to the casino manager which chip to put in. Some jurisdictions leave that decision up to the state. A common myth about these slots is that the slot manager can flip a switch in his office and cause any slot machine, or all of them, to pay more or less. The truth is a slot technician has to open up the machine and physically change the EPROM chips.

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However, with the new generation of 'server-based slots,' the myth has potential to be a reality. Slots on this system can indeed be controlled remotely. The slot manager is now able to change the theoretical return, pay tables in video poker, denomination, as well as the entire game, in the comfort of his own office. Here in Nevada there are safeguards to prevent abuse of this power. The Gaming Control Board has the following regulation:

'The conventional gaming device or client station must be in the idle mode with no errors or tilts, no play and no credits on the machine for at least 4 minutes. After this time, the conventional gaming device or client station must be disabled and rendered unplayable for at least 4 minutes. During the time the machine is disabled a message must be displayed on a video screen or other appropriate display device notifying the patron that the game configuration has been changed.' — Technical Standards for Gaming Devices and On-line Slot Systems 1.140

Pre Programmed Message Fan

So the slot manager couldn't tighten up the game you’re playing just because he didn't like your polka-dotted hat. However, in theory, he could loosen or tighten every machine that wasn’t being played. To finally get at your question, would he loosen and tighten the slots like a yo-yo depending on the time of day or day of the week? On my forum, I argued that would be bad business, but many who submitted comments disagreed with me. To help argue my side, I asked Nick Dillon, Executive Vice President/Assistant General Manager at the Barona Casino in San Diego County about it. Here is what he wrote back.

'The concern with SBG (server-based games) is that the manufacturers and most casinos are looking at it mostly from a cost savings (less slot techs/labor needed to convert games, etc) perspective. At Barona, we really only want it if it proves a true value to the player. We have approximately 80 units on the floor that we began testing a couple of years ago. We are not yet at the point where we can say there is a true benefit to the player. We have tested many aspects of these games but have never raised/lowered the hold based on time of day, day of week, etc. We have, however, tested some other things. One is changing the minimum denom based on day of week (penny during the week moved to nickel on the weekend, for example). The idea being the same as table games whereby the denom (table minimum bet) moves higher when demand is peaking. This maximizes revenue. However, we found that was not the case with our test (likely because tables are limited and full capacity during the increase, but slots generally are not, and because a “penny” player can actually be a “dollar” player regardless of what min denom he is playing). We found more dismay from guests that were used to finding their preferred game/denom and that it was now changed. We also tested changing only the default denom from penny to nickel. This is the denom that shows on screen when the game is idle. The majority of players may not be aware of multi-denom and play the default the majority of time. Again, we found no real difference in revenue.

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As evidenced by our Loose Troop and Manufacturers Best programs, best blackjack rules, loosest video poker, no ATM fees, etc. we truly believe the player deserves the best gamble he can get. We feel that providing the longest play time for the dollar is the best strategy we can employ. There is no need to play with hold percentages and adjusting them 1-3 points either way for a day or two. Of course, a Strip property may feel differently as they only have a limited amount of time to win the money.

We are hopeful that we can help push the manufacturers to continue to develop SBG in favor of the player. We are hopeful that a player can put his player card in and his preferred games, denoms, etc will appear for his enjoyment at whatever device he sits. There are so many opportunities for this to be a great product for the player, which we believe will be good for our casino and the industry. If cost savings also come, great, but that should not be the main focus of a product like this.' -- Nick Dillon

In conclusion, I think you are safe playing server-based slots. If you don’t believe me, keep an eye on the video poker pay tables. If you don’t see those going up and down on a daily basis, chances are the slot returns are being left alone as well.

Pre Programmed Definition

This question was raised and discussed in the forum of my companion site Wizard of Vegas.