Just a quick discussion of modern slot machines and probability.

A modern slot machine is driven by an RNG (a random number generator). In machines built in the 2000’s or later a computer chip or other electronic component is what generates the random number. The methodology for RNGs have developed to an extent and have been tested so throughly by regulatory agencies that they are for practical purposses flawless. In other words, other portions of a slot machine may malfunction, but it very likely that the RNG is not the problem.

So, if a machine is truly random and the RNG is so good at producing random numbers, why are some machines better at paying off than others?

This is because of how the machine is programmed to respond to the random number generator. The paytable and the frequency of the paytable are the most important design element of a slot machine. For example, betting one dollar each spin one machine may be programmed to hit $900,000 pay every 1,000,000 spins whereas another one may be programmed to hit $90,000 every 100,000 spins. Both are entirely random but they behave very differently. I might add that they are exactly the same for the Casino in terms of the overall payout.

And in this example in the picture all three games pay the same amount. All of them are equally random in the sense that the RNG works the same way, but the games play differently. With game 3 you are more likely to hit a prize but you won’t win as much.

Stay tuned here at Slot Machine Mania for lost more analysis and most importantly games you can play as a simulation to learn about games and have fun without losing your money.