Are Slot Machines Truly Random?

The question ‘are slot machines truly random’ has been asked by a number by online slots enthusiasts and people who consider starting to play slots. If you’re one of those looking for an answer to this common question, don’t worry it is an answer that we can provide, along with a range of answers to all sorts of other relevant questions regarding slots and their true randomness.
If you read reviews and articles on non-credible sites, you may find tips on how to trick slot machines. They might suggest that you will be able to win whenever you want and that makes some people question the randomness of slot machines.

However, these sources that tell you how you can trick slot machines and win every time, or at least that you can influence the outcome, are clearly wrong, that is not possible and slot machines are truly random. So, to answer your question – slot machines are truly random. That’s the short answer though, if we look at the longer version there’s a lot more to say.

Are Slot Machines Random Or Programmed

So, know that we’ve got the answer to the question – ‘are slot machines truly random’, we can move on to explain how that randomness comes about and what guarantees it. First, let’s look at why slots machines have to be random. If they aren’t random, it wouldn’t be fair, and players would be in a position to predict the outcome of the game and if that is possible, everybody would attempt to predict the outcome of the game.

Unlike games where you play against other players, or against the dealer, there can’t be skills involved when you’re playing against a computer, or in this case an algorithm called random number generator (RNG). This software insures that all outcomes are entirely random, and nobody can predict how a game will end.

The random number generator includes a wide range of combinations, millions or even billions, and that ensures that no series of spins will be repeated, and nobody will be able to discover some sort of a pattern, simply because there aren’t any patterns, that’s not how slot machines and random number generators work.

How Do Slot Machines Work?

If you’re playing slots online, or at a land-based casino, even if you’re playing the demo version, you should know that the outcome is completely random and determined by the RNG, there’s no way to predict what is going to happen or whether the next spin will be a winning one or not.

Bear that in mind, slot machines are random. You might hear or read someone asking – ‘are slot machines random or programmed’, but that question can be a bit misleading. Namely, slot machines are programmed to be random, and if you want to know how are slot machines programmed, we’ve already answered that – the random number generator is what causes them to be random.

So, it is clear that your next question would be ‘how are slot machines programmed’, but to answer that in full, the explanation would have to be a bit too technical. Let’s just say that the random number generator is the engine, the software bit that powers the game. Every online slot features a random number generator and all random generators are similar.

Other online casino games, meaning non-live games, like Roulette and Blackjack also feature a random number generator. This RNG enforces the rules of the respective game and ensures that the likelihood of each outcome is the same as if the game had been played with actual cards/roulette wheel.

Random Slot Machine Generator Vs RTP

We have explained how slot games are random and how you can’t predict the outcome of each game. The return to player percentage (RTP) is tightly linked to the random number generator. This percentage gives the average amount that the casino returns to the players. So, if the RTP of a particular game is 96%, that means that out of £100, the machine will return about £96 to players.

That’s not true for each £100, as the RTP is calculated on a theoretical level, when a large number of virtual spins is taken into consideration. In fact, the RTP is determined by the RNG. Slot developers set the RNG to have the game working at a determined RTP percentage.

The developers test the game before it is released, and then independent testing organisations proceed on to do additional tests, even after the game’s release. Most casinos hire independent organisations to test their games and the most transparent sites publicise the figures for each individual game, as well as for all of their games on average.

Even though slot machines are entirely random, the RTP is the only objectively available figure that you can take into consideration when deciding whether one game pays more than another. Still, even with the RTP figure, there are no rules, precisely because the games are random. For instance, you might win on a game with a lower RTP, and then lose on a slot with a higher return rate.

So, Are Slot Machines Truly Random?!

There are slots with fluctuating RTP percentage and this is one instance where you can make a difference. Namely, it is often the case that providers set a different RTP percentage depending on the wagered amount. For instance, players who choose one wagering option play at a higher RTP rate compared to players who play with a lower stake.

In such cases, your actions can have an impact on the RTP. There are also cases where the RTP is different in the bonus features. When it comes to online slots there are very few occasions and very few games where your actions can influence the return rates. Still, the outcome is still random, and you have no way of knowing when you might hit a jackpot. Look for games with a higher RTP if you’re looking to have better statistical chances of winning.

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