She drives and is healthy and able to go to the shops. Sorry but that's pure laziness using a slot someone who needs it could use. It might not seem like 1 person would make a difference but it does. My housemate has severe asthma and needs their Tesco delivery slot as they wouldn't cope going into the shop through fear and anxiety. THE NIGHT POLICE is the debut novel of my good friends and fellow authors, Chris Berg and Paul James Smith. Based on real-life events, THE NIGHT POLICE is a deeply complex, page-turning anthology. These thematically linked short stories reunite five warrior lawmen for a cathartic night of drinking, a homecoming of sorts.
James Smith Never Losing Slot Machines
Slot machines have a very volatile payout structure, whereby a small percentage of players win big while many others lose. This unpredictability is part of what makes slot machines so fun; you never know when a huge win is around the corner.
On the downside, though, it also causes gamblers to experience lots of losing sessions. Many of the same players have trouble explaining their losses.
After all, they can’t see what’s going on inside of slot machines. These gamblers often make up excuses for why they’re losing, given that they don’t have a clear understanding of what’s happening.
The following nine excuses are the worst of the bunch. Keep reading to find out why they’re so bad and what the realities are behind each excuse.
1 – The Casino Changed the RTP
Many gamblers mistrust the casino when it comes to slot machines. They suspect that the casino can change return to player (RTP) whenever they feel like it.
These same players may even blame gambling establishments for causing their losses. A common belief is that casinos change RTP whenever a player is winning.
Here’s a sample scenario on how this might happen:
- Bob is up $1,000 on a slot machine
- His luck suddenly takes a downturn
- He loses heavily over the next two hours
- His $1,000 profit has now vanished
Certain gamblers also believe that casinos alter payout percentages based on the time of day. They think that gambling venues raise RTP during less busy daytime hours, only to lower it during the busier evenings.
The idea that casinos change RTP to suit their situation seems plausible. After all, land-based casinos do have some ability to adjust payback.
However, they can’t just modify payout percentages whenever they feel like it. Gambling jurisdictions have laws in place that require casinos to undergo specific protocols when they switch RTP.
Nevada requires that a casino leave a game offline for four minutes before they change payback.
They also must put a sign on the game and leave it offline for another four minutes after the changes are made.
If casinos modified RTP to take advantage of busy nights, then players would see the signs and clearly find out. Assuming they tried altering payout percentages when players were winning, a staff member would have to inform gamblers and shut down the machines.
Therefore, the idea that brick-and-mortar casinos change payout percentages whenever they feel like it is a completely invalid excuse.
2 – This Isn’t My Lucky Machine
Many slots players who visit land-based casinos develop a lucky machine or two. They may experience a hot session on a certain game and believe that it will bring them profits every time.
Of course, these gamblers don’t have the right to reserve machines. If their favorite game is taken, they have to play a different one.
This scenario leads to a common excuse where, after suffering losses, a player will claim that it’s because they couldn’t get their lucky machine.
Slots results are determined by a random number generator (RNG). This program cycles through countless combinations each second to determine spin results.
The key word is “random,” because an RNG truly does deliver random results. A lucky slot machine is simply one where the RNG happens to be spitting out favorable results at the moment.
No slot machine is technically lucky, but some can have high hit frequency, which refers to how often slots deliver winning payouts.
Many times, a game with high hit frequency doesn’t offer many bonus features and/or a large jackpot. It makes up for these deficiencies by delivering more wins than the average slot.
Anybody who plays these games might feel lucky because they’re winning more often than usual. But the downside is that they probably won’t be playing for a large jackpot or many bonuses.
3 – Online Slots Are Rigged
I’ve discussed how some gamblers don’t trust slot machines. But this mistrust ramps up to a new level when combining slots with online casinos.
Skeptical players believe that internet casinos can alter slot machines more easily than land-based venues. Their logic is that gaming sites are faceless online operations that essentially do whatever they want.
But what many of the same people don’t realize is that casinos themselves don’t usually run their slots. They instead license games from software providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Betsoft, and Real Time Gaming (RTG).
These software developers — not the casinos they’re supplying — are the ones that have the opportunity to cheat players. Of course, software companies have plenty of incentive not to cheat anybody when considering that their reputations are on the line.
Moreover, software providers often secure multiple licenses so that they can operate in different licensing jurisdictions. Microgaming, for instance, is licensed in Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
A developer is therefore not only risking their reputation but also their licensing by trying to cheat players. They don’t really have much reason to rig online slots when considering that they’ve already been paid by casinos that license their products.
Some incidents have arisen in the past that comprise players’ worst fears. Amigotechs, for example, was twice caught running faulty video poker games.
Betsoft was involved in a controversial incident where they failed to pay the full value of a $1 million jackpot. They instead settled privately with the player in question.
Of course, the industry is good at identifying these incidents and bringing them into the light. Both Amigotechs and Betsoft drew heavy scrutiny for their failures.
If you’re leery about online slots, then you can read reviews on the different providers featured at your favorite casino. You should uncover any possible dirt on the developer — if there is any — through reviews.
4 – I Was Ripped Off Because I Used a Rewards Card
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding slots is that casinos find a way to recoup the rewards they give out.
As you may know, players receive comps based on their playing volume. If they play a lot of slots, then they’re going to receive plenty of rewards.
The key point to realize here is that gambling establishments are fully aware of how much they can comp each player and still make a profit. Furthermore, the amount of rewards they give out doesn’t even come close to what the average gambler loses.
Here’s an example:
- Jimmy plays a slot machine with a 5% house edge
- He bets $20,000 on the game throughout a week
- The casino’s comp rate is 0.1%
- 20,000 x 0.001 = $20 in rewards
- 20,000 x 0.05 = $1,000 in theoretical losses
- 1,000 / 20 = 50
- Jimmy’s theoretical losses are 50x greater than his rewards
Many players would be happy to get $20 worth of comps. However, they wouldn’t be so pleased to learn that they’re expected to lose $1k in the process of earning these rewards.
Casinos offer low comp rates to ensure that they still make a healthy profit off slot machines. They don’t need to further gouge players by programming slots to pay less whenever a rewards card is used.
5 – I Was Ripped Off Because I Chased a Slots Bonus
Continuing off the point above, some online slots players believe that sites will rip them off when they’re pursuing a bonus.
Online casinos commonly offer welcome packages that feature a deposit bonus, which is based on a match percentage of your first deposit.
Of course, casinos don’t just hand over the money immediately after you deposit. They instead require that you meet terms and conditions before withdrawing the bonus.
Playthrough is the most noteworthy requirement because it determines how much you need to bet in order to unlock bonus money.
Here’s an example:
- An online casino offers a 100% match bonus up to $200
- You deposit $200, thus qualifying for a $200 bonus
- Playthrough is 40x the bonus
- 200 x 40 = $8,000 must be wagered
- The slots you play feature a combined 5% house edge (95% RTP)
- 8,000 x 0.05 = 400 in theoretical losses
- 400 (losses) – 200 (bonus) = 200
- You’ll theoretically lose $200 while earning this bonus
The variables used above represent a common deposit bonus offer within the industry. You can see that at the end of the process, you’re expected to lose a little money.
The good news here is that deposit bonuses are a better deal than land-based casino comps. But again, you’re going to lose money on average by the time you can withdraw the funds.
This is another case where casinos have already worked out the math and know they can make money off the average player through bonuses. They don’t have programming in place that lowers RTP when people are going after these rewards.
6 – The Game Was Running Cold
Many players are convinced that slot machines run hot and cold. They may cite evidence of sessions where they switch from one game to another and suddenly start winning countless credits.
It can definitely seem like slots run hot and cold when these scenarios arise. However, the truth is that multiple factors are behind a hot game.
The chief element is that you need the RNG on your side. As explained before, the RNG moves so quickly that you can never predict slot results with any measure of success. Therefore, you’re merely getting lucky if this program is favoring you in the moment.
Hit frequency also plays a role in so-called hot games. A slot machine with higher hit frequency will seem like it’s on a roll. The truth, though, is that it’s simply designed to pay more often than the average game.
Finally, RTP plays a small part in how often you win. Slots with higher RTP will usually pay out more often on average.
7 – I Wasn’t Betting Enough to Win
Another excuse used among slot players is that they lost because they weren’t betting enough. Those who subscribe to this belief think that slots are programmed to pay more based on how much one is betting.
This excuse actually has a little truth to it because certain slots can pay more based on bet sizes. Here are a few instances where this is the case:
- A slot requires a special bet to qualify for a jackpot
- A game’s jackpot pays more when all coins are used on paylines
- Gamblers need to play every line to qualify for a bonus feature
- Players have better odds of winning a random progressive jackpot when they bet more
You can see that these situations offer bonuses and higher jackpots based on one’s bet size. But you can see when a game’s bet size factors into RTP by visiting the info/help screen.
An info screen explains all of a slot machine’s rules. Assuming you need to make a special bet or play a certain number of lines, the help screen will explain so.
However, ill-informed players only have a vague understanding of how bet sizes factor in when they make this excuse. Whether a slot truly pays out more based on your bet size varies from game to game.
Look at the info screen to see the requirements on winning the top jackpot and unlocking bonus features before automatically assuming that you need to wager more.
8 – This Slot Must Have Made a Big Payout Recently
One of the biggest myths in slots is that payouts are based on a scheduled cycle. Those who adhere to this philosophy believe that the jackpot only comes around once in a cycle.
When they lose, they’ll claim that the slot machine must have recently delivered a jackpot. Therefore, the game supposedly can’t pay very often in order to make up for this huge payout.
Once again, the RNG determines results by cycling through different payout combinations. The RNG has no recollection of previous wins, including jackpots.
It could theoretically pay a jackpot in back-to-back spins. The odds of this happening are extremely unlikely, but it is a possibility.
What’s not possible, though, is slot machines determining payouts based on a cycle. Slots prizes have no rhyme or reason, other than the odds at which they’re programmed to happen.
The only time that you can possibly predict when a specific payout will be made is with either a bonus accumulator slot or mystery jackpot game.
A bonus accumulator slot features a meter that’s gradually filled when you collect special symbols. Once the meter is full, a bonus will be delivered.
You know that these bonuses are set to be paid when the meter is near the top. You should therefore continue playing until you release the feature.
A mystery progressive slot machine shows exactly when the jackpot will be paid. For example, a game may deliver its top prize at $500 no matter what.
Assuming you see that this game’s jackpot is at $485, you can ramp up your play in hopes of making the contributing bet that pushes the prize to $500.
These types of games aren’t very common, though, meaning you’ll barely ever deal with a single prize — let alone an entire pay schedule — that’s paid with any degree of consistency.
9 – Everybody Loses at Slots
Gamblers can be resigned when they keep losing at slots and chalk it up to everybody losing with these slot machine games.
Earlier, I discussed how slots usually see a few big winners against a sea of losers. The thought that everybody loses with slot machines therefore has some element of truth to it.
But on the other hand, it’s not completely true.
Otherwise, nobody would ever play them.
Volatility plays a huge role in making gamblers feel like they’re destined to lose. After all, you can run through $50 on a slot machine rather quickly when the results aren’t going in your favor.
However, slot machines’ redeeming quality is that they can also award you a payout worth 1000x your bet or greater. You may only need 1-2 of these prizes to guarantee yourself a winning session under normal circumstances.
Of course, some players also win massive jackpots worth seven or eight figures. These gamblers are almost guaranteed to be lifetime winners.
You shouldn’t ever bank on winning a life-changing jackpot. After all, the odds on these prizes are usually something terrible like 1 in 100 million.
But you can at least look forward to having a chance to win some payouts that are much bigger than your average bet. When you do hit one of these prizes, it makes all of the previous losing sessions seem like a distant memory.
Conclusion
Gamblers commonly suffer losing slots sessions due to these games’ extreme volatility. But rather than recognizing the unpredictability of slot machines, some players make up lame excuses for their losses.
Most of these excuses have to do with not understanding how the RNG works. This program cycles through numerous combinations to determine completely random results.
Those who don’t understand this fact may believe anything from payout cycles to machines running hot and cold. These aren’t valid excuses, though, because the RNG determines results — not cycles or how “games are running.”
Other excuses derive from a mistrust of casinos. Players might claim that gambling venues change RTP when they’re winning.
Most casinos can’t legally change payout percentages whenever they feel like it. Instead, they need to go through the proper channels to adjust RTP.
Yet another set of excuses revolves around rewards. Some believe that their slots club card or online casino bonuses will cause them to lose more.
This idea is based on thinking that casinos want to make up for the comps they give. In reality, these rewards aren’t worth a fraction of theoretical losses.
Excuses don’t bring back losses from slot machines. Furthermore, they’re flat-out wrong in many cases.
Once you understand the realities behind slots losses, you can avoid falling for other players’ excuses and have a better chance of winning yourself.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Here’s the hard truth: casinos are designed to suck money out of your wallet. You may win some cash occasionally, but the casino always comes out on top. These smart casino businesses have carefully designed “traps” that lure you in and keep you playing for hours. Did you know that the sounds of the slot machine and the bonus games psychologically make you spend more? Ha! Well, it’s about time players wised up to these tricks employed by the casino industry. Only then can you truly make a bucks from playing at mobile casinos.
1. Sound Effects
Now, who would’ve guessed that sound impacts your gaming style? An experiment by the University of Waterloo shows that sound fools your brain into thinking that you have won. Besides providing a more enjoyable experience, sound also makes players overestimate how much they’ve won. If you’re not careful, these sneaky noises may cut into your ability to manage your bankroll. Of course, the clever slot makers exploit this fact; today’s slot games have about 400 sound effects! There’s the “ping” when you hit the spin button, the thematic background music, the build up, celebratory music; all of which add up to a stellar experience.
The software provider NetEnt employs this tactic most professionally. This company tasks an entire team with programming the music that accompanies its slot games. This music is also played dynamically according to the outcome of the game. Get a bigger win, and the sound amplifies. If you are close to a win, the music seems more anxious. You can get a glimpse of the musical magic in the video of Starburst below, which is one of NetEnt's most popular slots.
2. Bonus Rounds and Mini Games
The slots scene is saturated with bonus games. There are so many different iterations too – pick one out of three, go around a board, spin the jackpot wheel, match two symbols. The best games integrate these diversions very well too and write them into the storyline of the game. I love them, along with many other slot players. I would keep playing a slot game with the sole aim of triggering the mini-game. These features are designed to hold our attention and keep us playing.
However, some of these games are more fun than they are profitable. Do check the paytable before playing – some mini games pay out a paltry 1-5x multiplier. A slot designer also revealed on reddit that, in some cases, the result of the bonus game would have been decided before you made your choice. How rude! It is simply how the software provider controls the payout percentages for each slot, and consequently, their profit margins. The lesson here is to never let mini-games shift your focus from the slot itself. You will never win the jackpot or strike it big from these features.
3. Near Misses
You know the frustration that comes about with near misses. You’ll score two out of three “jackpot” symbols needed to win the prize. Annoyingly, the third symbol would land just above or below the payline. Sometimes, these near-misses happen really often. Regular humans like you and me would hit spin again. To me, near-misses indicate that a win is due soon. Of course, my logic is flawed and mobile slots are completely random.
An outcome like this is psychologically arousing – it activates the same areas of the brain related to winning. In fact, it is even more exciting than small wins, as our brain anticipates the possible jackpot win when the first two symbols fall. Researchers at The University of Exeter discovered that these events even encourage slot play. Volunteers who were exposed to a higher frequency of ‘near misses’ would continue to play their mock slot machine. In comparison, volunteers who were exposed to a random likelihood of near-misses were three times less likely to continue playing. Moral of the story: treat near-misses the same as you would treat a loss.
4. Perceived Skill Involved
Take control of your winnings! Nudge the reels or gamble your winnings
Features such as “nudge” and “hold” buttons create the perception of skill and the illusion of control. The player thinks that they are affecting the outcome of the game. You should know better, since slots are based wholly on chance. Like mini-games, these features are designed to divert your attention. If you would actually like to control your winnings, you’d be better off playing actual skill-based games like poker or sports-betting.
The “gamble” feature is even more dangerous – it invites the player to chance his/her winnings on a game of coin toss. Win the toss and you’ll double your winnings, pick wrongly and lose all your winnings. The odds are 50/50, so which do you choose? I always recommend taking home the cash. Of course, a game of coin toss every once in a while is supremely fun!
5. Losses Disguised as Wins
Losses disguised as wins (LDW) is even more arousing than wins!
This is the meanest trick in the book. Some slot games disguise losses as wins. Take this example: you bet on 15 paylines at 10p each, spending a total of £1.50. Two of these paylines result in a winning combination, rewarding you with £0.90. The screens flash excitedly to celebrate your win. There is celebratory music too!
If you do the maths, you have actually lost 60p! Events like this happen even more frequently that you think, especially in games that allow you to wager on multiple lines at once. You should always keep an eye on the amount you’re spending per spin, so that your bank balance doesn’t diminish faster than it should.
6. Frequent Wins but Small Payouts
Only 26p?!
Most slot games have a high win probability and very frequent payout intervals, but very low payout figures. This is because players like instant gratification. Proper big wins only occur once every 20 spins or so. Now, this aspect of the slots software is not random. Software developers actually hire specialist gaming mathematicians to design their slot games; it is perfectly legal to tweak the odds of different types of wins occurring.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls this concept 'flow'. It arises when there is a perfect balance between stress and reward. If you aren’t rewarded often, you’ll get frustrated and stop playing. But if you get too many small wins, you’ll get bored. When challenge and success is balanced, the result is emotionally intoxicating. While it seems counter-productive to spend all your time playing small-win games, you won’t blow your bank balance too quickly. You won’t win much either, but this kind of fun is well-suited towards casual players.
I hope that this article has opened your eyes to the design process of slots. At times, it may seem like players are fighting a losing battle against these conniving casino men. From another perspective, you can appreciate how complex the slots industry has become. It has moved away from being purely about money and has evolved into a kind of entertainment. Always keep an eye on your bank balance and most importantly, have fun!