How Slot Machines Work
How Slot Machines Work
When slot machines first debuted, they relied upon an assortment of mechanical gears and other moving parts. A lever (or “arm”) was positioned on the right side which players would pull in order to spin the reels.
Most slots during that early developmental stage had only 3 reels; each reel was decorated with a number of symbols.
You would win if a winning combination of symbols on the 3 reels lined up on a payline. The amount you would win would be displayed on the slot machine’s pay table.
Slots have evolved dramatically over the years.
They no longer rely upon moving gears and levers. Instead, a computer chip, algorithm, and a random number generator (RNG) do the heavy lifting. In fact, both land based and online slot machines are ran from similar random number generators.
The days of the mechanical gears controlling the outcomes are long gone, replaced by the microchip.
In this article, we’ll describe how slot machines work by first considering pay tables and payout percentages.
We’ll then explain how a random number generator controls the reel stops. Finally, we’ll provide an example to clarify the concept.
Pay Tables And Slot Machine Payout Percentages
Each slot machine has a pay table. As noted, the pay table describes how much you’ll win for a variety of winning symbol combinations.
Each slot also maintains a predefined payout percentage.
That is, for each $100 that a machine’s collective pool of players bet, a given percentage can be expected to pay out.
For example, a slot with a 96% payout percentage will pay out $96 for each $100 bet over the long-term.
The key to understanding a slot’s pay table and payout percentage lies with its random number generator.
The Slot Machine Random Number Generator
The moment you make your bet and spin a slot machine’s reels, a computer algorithm decides the outcome of your spin. It does this through a computer program called an RNG which randomly generates thousands of numbers each second.
One of those numbers is selected for each reel and is already plotted algorithmically to each reel’s stop position.
This plotting is the result of dividing the random number generated by the RNG by 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, or 512.
Once the RNG-generated number has been divided by one of the factors listed above, the remainder of the resulting value represents the “stop number.”
It is compared with the slot machine’s lookup table. That table lists the symbol for each reel that should appear given a particular stop number.
Once the symbols for each reel have been determined by the stop number, the slot’s computer chip checks the internal pay table to determine whether there is a winning combination. If there is, the computer further checks the appropriate amount of the winning combo’s payout.
An Example Of How Slot Machines Work
Let’s suppose that you are playing a 3-reel slot machine with a dividing factor of 64. You press the “Spin” button and the reels begin turning.
At the moment you triggered the reels, the slot’s computer selects three numbers generated by the RNG (one number for each reel).
Each of the three numbers is divided by the factor 64.
Let’s assume the three RNG-generated numbers chosen are 1,300,000, 2,500,700, and 7,967,257. Once they are divided by 64, the following numbers result (in order):
Reel #1: 20,312 with a remainder of 32
Reel #2: 39,073 with a remainder of 28
Reel #3: 124,488 with a remainder of 25
The remainders (32, 28, and 25) are the stop numbers. They’re compared to the computer’s lookup table in order to determine the symbols which should appear for the corresponding reels.
If it produces a winning combination of symbols, you win.
Playing The Best Online Slots
Knowing how slot machines work is only the precursor to enjoying playing them. The important thing to realize is that online slots work in the same manner as we have described above.
The biggest difference between online slots and land-based slot machines is that high-quality online casinos such as Rushmore Casino offer generous sign-up bonuses when you come to them to play slot machines online.
Visit Rushmore Casino today in order to claim your free $888 Welcome Bonus. It’s a 100% match on your first two deposits and can be used to enjoy their wide range of exciting slot games.
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