Slot Machine Myths

A pretty nice article from a Tunica, Mississippi television station helps burst the bubble regarding some myths regarding slot machines. The story is linked here. The essence of the bubble bursting is the presence of a random number generator inside each slot machine. It determines wins and losses.

From the article the myths are (with my commentary):

1. "Hot" and "cold" machines. The random number generator, being an electric component, can become warm when inside and operating in a machine, but other than that on a per-pull basis, the result is the result. What happened last pull doesn't have an impact on the result of the next pull. Sad but true. That being said, just because a jackpot was won the last pull, doesn't mean you won't get a jackpot on the next pull. Highly unlikely given the typical payout distribution of the machine, but it is theoretically possible.

2. Using a player's club card helps you win. Nope. Those cards help track your play, which if plentiful can earn the player benefits and perks, but the slot machine doesn't modify its payouts depending on who is playing.

3. Casino management controls who wins. If that were true, you'd be seeing LOTS of lawsuits. No, the machines operate independently from casino management's ability to control who wins and when. Machines typically go through vigorous regulatory testing to ensure proper operation before they are approved for use.

4. Machines alter payouts depending on how much money is bet. Again, the result is determined on a per-pull basis, not on a per-bet basis. Is it possible that if you had wagered on more lines than just the minimum you may have won on a particular pull? Sure. But remember you would be wagering a lot more money per slot machine pull, which may mean your bankroll would potentially go away a lot faster (unless you win of course).

5. You can determine the odds of the machine based on physical examination of the reels. Not even close to being accurate. Hate to break this to you but with newer games, the reels have no impact on whether you win. Huh? Yep. I posted this back in 2008 explaining this, which you can read here. What happens in modern slot machines is that when you push the button (or still pull a handle), the machine determines if you win and if so, how much, THEN the reels will spin and stop on various symbols in order to reflect that resulting win (or loss). A bit disappointing, isn't it?