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There has long been a debate as to which casino games are based on skill and which are pure chance. Poker and blackjack are widely considered games of skill, although that should be tempered with the fact that luck is still required for success, regardless of what the pro players say. Roulette is considered more a game of chance, although there are arguments – even from mathematicians – that strategy can impact your play.
As for slot games, well, that’s easy – they are games of chance in the purest sense, as nothing you do can help you predict the outcome. That clearly doesn’t matter to players, as slots are the most ubiquitous games at online casinos. Yet, you can also argue that players are better served by understanding the mechanics and, indeed, the underlying math applying to slot games. It won’t help them predict the outcome of the next spin, but it can help with informed choices of how and what to play.
RNGs are at the heart of casino slot games
So, what are the underlying mechanics at play? The basic concept is that all slots work on RNGs (random number generators), which are basically lines of code that continuously produce random numbers (even when players aren’t playing). When someone hits spin, you take the random number produced that instant. For example, the number 1,233,762, 192 might correspond to Cherry, Cherry, Bar. Modern slots are much more sophisticated than the old fruit machines, but you get the idea, and the same rule applies.
Now, the important part is that the randomness is contained within certain boundaries. In effect, the outcomes are bound within a figure termed RTP (Return to Player), which is essentially the house edge in reverse. If a slot game has an RTP of 95.5%, it means that, over time, the slot will pay back $95.50 for every $100 spent. The term “over time” is important here because it refers to millions, if not billions, of spins. As such, it tells you little about what an individual can experience over a session of slots play. It’s about the collective.
Yet, it’s worth noting that RTP does vary from game to game. Generally speaking, slot RTP ranges from about 92%-97%, with some outliers higher or lower than that range. Nonetheless, theoretically, you are better placed playing a game with a higher RTP. The good news is that this information is usually easy to find on casino sites or casino forum sites. As an aside, the RTP information is usually independently audited by bodies like eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or GLI, and they will issue certifications to the casinos. Only play at online casinos with licenses and that are regulated in this way.
Jackpot games use RNGs in a different way
If we have a basic understanding of how slots work, then what about other elements within a game, such as a progressive jackpot? That’s a little different. A progressive jackpot is a prize funded by players, usually taking a small contribution from each bet on the game. Some can reach millions of dollars in value before being randomly awarded to an individual player. But how is that player chosen?
It goes back to the RNG again, but it’s different from general play. The RNG randomly chooses the exact amount where the progressive jackpot will pay. For example, it may choose a figure of £1,928,173.17. The player whose bet on the game adds the contribution to reach that figure will trigger the jackpot to win the prize. As with RTP figures, certain websites will track the value of progressive jackpots, although they can never be certain of when the prize will pay.
These are just some of the underlying mechanics of slot games. As we said, the fact is that it still makes it impossible to determine what will happen in any given spin, but you can make informed choices by playing high RTP games as well as researching games with valuable progressive jackpots as part of your overall strategy.