How often have you heard players on losing streaks saying that it is impossible to win while playing online slots? And one might even question the legitimacy of past winners, online leaderboards and global casino news stories informing their readers of those lucky players winning life-changing jackpots.
The answer is that it is possible to win, provided the slots you are playing are licensed and regulated by a reputable body. All slots have a house edge and find one anywhere that does not. If the slots get licensed by Authorities such as the MGA, EuropeanGC or Curacao, they are fair and not rigged. To understand the criteria, we will look at what makes a slot fair and how a slot works.
Where it all started?
The first slots date back to the 19th century, and they were mechanical and, although lacking in features, appealing. All players had to do was pull the arm of the one-armed bandit, and one could hear the gears ticking and the reels spinning as they waited for their luck to change. In a typical mechanical slot, players insert a coin, pull a lever, and the wheels start spinning. It allowed the reels to act as tumblers inside a combination lock, activating a payout when the correct combination hits tumblers align.
It worked on a series of metal pins known as payout triggers, worked in tandem with the reel plate and determined the payout value. The better the combination, the more coins players won. For those players mechanically inclined, this is easy to understand and see why they are challenging to rig without using electronics. Those were simpler times, but the slots did not offer the same level of action we see in the modern-day versions.
The Evolution of Online Slots and Electronics
Over time the mechanical slot evolved to the electronic equivalent. Before long, the electronic slots developed into online slots that have become one of the most popular forms of online entertainment.
The mechanical internals of the slot got swapped for digital ones. Instead of gears, motors got used to spin the combinations of symbols, leaving the lever for purely nostalgic reasons.
Move forward and compare further developments in online gaming, players are now clicking the mouse or tapping the screen and trusting it to be “fair”. There have been severe advancements, but first, one must understand how an online slot works, enabling players to make valid judgments about fair online slots.
Random Number Generators (RNG)
Let us discuss how online slot functions ensure a fair chance of winning because people gamble for fun and win, knowing they may also lose.
An RNG is precisely what its name says. It’s a piece of code in the game’s mechanics, allowing random numbers to get generated. RNG’s display a set of numbers each time the reels get spun when playing any online slot. The numbers generated get translated into the results that players see on their screens, leading to different combinations of pay lines.
The RNG’s’ will coincide with the RTP (Return to Player) of the online slot, and although the numbers generated are random, the slots get developed so that they still permit the desired RTG. Now that’s advancement! What’s important to note is that the memory of the system that creates wins and jackpot payouts does not have any memory of the past events. Although it may seem like a slot is hot or cold during different times, everything is random. The system has no memory; therefore, it cannot dictate who wins or loses, and it’s been known to hit the jackpot after a significant big win, and that’s because the numbers are fair and generated at random. The bottom line is each player’s fate lies in the hands of an algorithm.
The Slot RTP and why it’s important
The RTP will dictate how much you win and how much you lose, so it’s of crucial importance that players understand the importance of a slots RTP. The RTP or Return to Player is the long-term statistical advantage that the slot has over you in its most basic form. It, in a sense, operates precisely like the house edge found in games such as Roulette, Blackjack and Video Poker. However, the house edge when playing online slots acts in reverse. What this means is the higher the RTP, the lower the house edge and vice versa.
