Consumer News

Slots: Separating Myths From Facts

Posted: 2/4/2011

When casino visitors know more about the odds of the games, they can make informed decisions about their gambling.

(NAPSI) - America’s favorite casino game is one of the most widely recognized symbols of casino gaming.

There are currently 833,000 slot machines in the U.S., yet most people know very little about how they work. A tiny computer inside the machine called the Random Number Generator (RNG) determines where the reels stop on each play.

“Learning how slot machines and other casino games work is an important part of responsible gaming,” said Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association. “Once players understand the role of the RNG, many of the most commonly held slots myths don’t hold water.”

A closer look at these machines may help dispel some of the myths associated with them:

Myth or Fact?

Myth: If a slot machine hasn’t paid out in a while, it’s due for a win.

Fact: Slot machines operate randomly at all times due to the RNG-no matter how many wins or losses have occurred in the past.

Myth: A slot machine can tell the difference between maximum and minimum bets.

Fact: The RNG, not the number of coins played or the amount of a wager, affects the outcome of a game.

Myth: Players can determine a machine’s odds by counting symbols on each reel.

Fact: Because multiple numbers generated can correspond to the same symbol on a reel, there are many more number combinations possible than are visible to the eye.

Myth: Using a player’s club card will increase the chances of winning a jackpot.

Fact: The outcome of the game is determined by the RNG and is not linked to the player’s club card reader.

Myth: After hitting a jackpot, a player should move to a new slot machine. The machine currently in play is not likely to hit again.

Fact: Because the outcome of each play is determined by the RNG, the odds of winning a jackpot on the next play are the same as they were before hitting the jackpot. There is no such thing as a “hot” or “cold” slot machine.

Myth: Slot machines are highly addictive.

Fact: Research has found no evidence that slot machines lead to greater rates of gambling addiction.

For more information, you can read “Taking the Mystery Out of the Machine: A Guide to Understanding Slot Machines” on the American Gaming Association site at www.americangaming.org.