THE SLOT MACHINE
Slots are the most popular casino games and the most widely recognized symbols of gaming. Yet most people know very little about how they actually work.
TYPES OF MACHINES
Today there are two basic types of slot machines, mechanical reel and video slot machines.
Mechanical reel machines have actual physical reels that spin when play begins, while video slot machines have virtual reels that are displayed on a video monitor.
In addition machines can also include progressive jackpots in which the top payout award continues to grow as more money is played through a machine, as well as machines that offer interactive bonus games when certain symbols appear on the payline. No matter what type of machine you play, most slot machines operate in pretty much the same way.
HOW IT WORKS
Today’s slot machines work via a Random Number Generator (RNG), a tiny computer that determines where the symbols stop during each slot machine play. Even before a player approaches a slot machine, the RNG is cycling through millions of number combinations. Each number in the combination corresponds to the different symbols on the slot machine reels. Multiple numbers can correspond to the same symbol, which is called a virtual stop.
What happens once slot machine play begins?
• The player pushes a button or pulls a lever to initiate play.
• In that instant, the RNG picks the number combination highlighted in its system at that given moment, and each reel/ symbol stops in the position that corresponds to that number.
• If the numbers and accompanying symbols on the payline match a winning combination, the game processor notifies the player through the screen.
• The game processor simultaneously calculates the amount won based on the odds of the game and the amount wagered.
• The win is paid or added to the player’s credit meter.
• With each new play, this process repeats in exactly the same way, independent of the events that happened before.
RESPONSIBLE PLAY
Slot machines should not be considered a way to earn money. They are intended only to provide gaming customers entertaining – and often exciting – experiences.
Winners know when to stop. Not for persons under 18.