Slot Machine Facts
Slot machines are a major feature of any casino. They were initially added in casinos as a diversion for wives and girlfriends as their men gambled at the table games or bet on horse races. Soon after gamers started coming up with strategies for winning at slot machines, as these one-armed bandits started taking up more and more floor space and seizing all their loose change.
Slot Fact #1: All slot machines are not created equal
The machines are all completely different when it comes to payout ratios, even the ones that are identical on the outside. Most slot machines are programmed to pay anywhere between 85-95 percent of all coins pumped into them. Casinos make over $7 billion a year, and since they always have an advantage over you, winning at slot machines, especially the new slot machines, can be pretty difficult.
Slot Fact #2: Slot machines generally account for about seventy percent of an online casino's income
Video slots, fruit machines, classic three-reel slots and progressive slots comprise the main categories of online slot machines. Classic three-reel slots are computerized versions of the slot machines that were invented by Charles Fey in 1887, and are just right for the beginning slots player because of their simple design. Video slots, on the other hand, are modern five-reel slot machines, and many of these new slot machines also have bonus features, such as free spins and special games.
Slot Fact#3: All modern machines, whether they are live or online casino slots, work the same way
Every slot machine has a computer chip that generates random numbers. When you press the "play" button, pull the handle or click your mouse, this random number generator, or RNG, produces either a winning or a losing combination. The final outcome is decided the moment you start the reels spinning. Although every spin is random, not every combination has the same chance of being hit: the lower wins will be hit many more times than the top prize.
Slot Fact #4: You can't tell the odds of winning by counting the symbols on each reel.
Each number generated by the RNG corresponds to a symbol on the reel, such as cherries, 7's etc. There can be hundreds of virtual stops on each reel even though you only see a few symbols. For example, a machine may have 20 symbols per reel, but the RNG may program 256 stops for each reel, which results in millions of possible combinations.
Slot machines are easy to play, and are available almost anywhere. They continue to be gamblers' favorites because of the simplicity of their operation, their convenience and their payouts. Winning at slot machines is always a thrill and the game continues to be the number one electronic generated game in the US, even with the latest poker machines available online and in casinos.
