Slots Are Rigged
Do you love online gambling games but aren’t sure if the slot machines you adore are rigged? We’re here to dive into the truth about slot machines.
According to a 2010 American Gaming Association report, slot machines generate nearly 70 percent of a casino’s revenue. That is up from 45 percent in 1970.
Casinos love slot machines because they are consistent, popular money makers. But, at least at first glance, players should be suspicious of them for the same reason. Slot machines seem so good for casinos, it makes you wonder: are slot machines rigged?
Slot Machines “Rigged” by Casinos? It’s very common for people to state that slot machines are “rigged”. If your definition of “rigged” is that the casino is guaranteed to make money off of slot machines over a long period of time then you’re right. . Contrary to popular belief slot machines are not 'rigged', nor are they tightened or loosened at the drop of a hat. Slot machines have a preset payout percentage. A slot machine with a 97%. Irrespective of how enticing the bonus spins, jackpot slots, and free spins are, playing at slots in an online casino without a license is a bad thing to do. The chances are that their slot machines are fully rigged to prevent players from winning. A slot machine is said to be rigged when the casino manipulates the probabilities of the symbols of the machine to influence the payoffs and guarantee long-term profit-making for themselves. When they do this, players might think they are profiting from the occasional jackpots but they are losing in the long run if they continue spinning.
The answer is no, and yes. Really, it depends on what you mean by rigged.
Defining Rigged
In order to decide whether slot machines are rigged, we first need to talk about what rigged might mean in this context.
The first version of rigged you probably think of is a game it is impossible to win. That’s the way shady carnival games might be rigged, or the scam version of Three-card Monte where there isn’t actually a Queen.
The good news is slot machines, including online gambling slot games, are not rigged like that. It is absolutely possible for you to win playing. People win all the time, and it would be illegal if you couldn’t.
Now for the bad news: there is a different sense in which slot machines are rigged. Basically, the casino, or house, gets to decide how often people can win.
The House Advantage in Slot Machines
Casinos (including online casinos) are built to make money and they could not stay in business if people won more money than they lost. So, slot machines are programmed to take in more money than they pay out in the long run.
That doesn’t mean that an individual person cannot win money playing slot machines. Some do.
What it does mean is that if enough people play, the casino will take in more from the losers than it gives to the winners. Likewise, if any individual person plays long enough, they will lose money to the casino.
That is how slot machines are rigged: the house always has a built-in advantage. All casino games have varying house advantages, not just slots.
In slots, this advantage is represented by the return-to-player, or RTP. The RTP represents the percentage of your bet that you can expect to win back. So, if the RTP is 95%, then for every $100 you bet, you can expect to win $95 back. The casino makes its profit on the other $5.
Of course, things won’t follow the RTP perfectly in the short term. You could win more or less than the expected $95, and there are things you can do to help you win at slots. But in the aggregate, when you combine all the games of all the players, the machines will pay out at the RTP.
The casino is free to program the RTP based on the profit margin they need to stay in business. The RTP varies by machine, but in most cases, online casino gambling games and online slot machines have a more player-friendly RTP. Online casinos don’t have the same overhead, so they don’t need to make as much profit.
How Slot Machines Pick Individual Winners
So, RTP is one sense in which slot machines are rigged over the long term. But, while the casino can control the house advantage, it cannot decide who wins or when.
During an individual game, slot machines determine who wins based on random number generators (RNGs). RNGs are pieces of software that create billions of numbers a second. If the number it spits out happens to match a number associated with a jackpot, then you win.
(Technically, these numbers aren’t really random. Most machines cannot create truly random numbers so they are the result of a series of massively complicated math equations. But, these equations are so complicated that, for any practical purpose, the results are random.)
The RNGs are where all the action really is. The spinning wheels on digital or online slot machines are just for show. When the RNG spits out a winning number, you win a jackpot and then the wheels line up, not the other way around.
The casino can program the RTP, but it cannot manipulate the RNG. There are a range of third-party organizations, like eCOGRA, that make sure that doesn’t happen.
Ways Slot Machines Get You to Play More
Overall, the casino wants you to play as long as possible, since the RTP is only guaranteed to work in the long run. If you hit a big jackpot and then leave, the casino loses money. But if you keep playing, you’ll eventually give it all back.
With that goal in mind, there are a variety of ways slot machines are designed to keep you playing. That is another way you could say the machines are rigged.
Hiding the True Odds
As we discussed above, slot machines now rely on RNGs to determine winners, unlike in the old days when the machine had actual wheels with printed symbols. When slot machines had printed wheels, you could do a little math and arrive at a rough estimate of the odds of a jackpot.
But now, since there are no physical wheels, there is no way for a player to see the odds of a jackpot when looking at the machine. The wheels have no real relationship with the game.
Near Misses
Because there are no more physical wheels, casinos are free to program slot machines to take advantage of near misses, or spins that just barely miss a jackpot. This makes the player believe they almost won, when really they were no closer than any other miss.
These near misses increase playing time. B. F. Skinner, one of the most famous psychologists of all time, noted this in 1955, way back in the days of actual reels.
On electronic machines, casinos can program electronic machines to produce near misses more often than they would appear by chance.
Multiline Play
A final innovation that came with electronic machines was multiline play. On modern electronic machines, players can bet on multiple different paylines, unlike old reel machines which typically had only one payline.
Multiline play can disguise how much a player is losing. If you bet $1 on four different lines, and then win $3 on one hit, you’ve still lost $1. But the slot machine will treat it as a winner and that, again, will encourage the player to keep going.
Find a Reliable Casino
These three techniques, along with the RTP, are ways a casino can use their slot machines to separate you from your money more efficiently. This is all the evidence you should need for how important it is to find a reputable, trustworthy place to play.
As we discussed above, online gambling games tend to have a better RTP, and the best ones avoid these sort of shady techniques.
For help finding a reliable online casino, check out some of our casino reviews, or find more tips on how to play and win in our other blog posts.
Today, I’m going to answer another reader question which I received recently by email. It comes from Sarah in Scotland who wants to know “Are slot machines rigged?” I’ve copied the email directly below with her permission.
Dear GamblingSites.org team,
I’m Sarah McKeown, and I’ve been a long-time reader of your blog. I’ve found lots of interesting content over the years. I even won a healthy jackpot after playing one of your recommended jackpot slots.
However, I’ve been keeping a record of my bets versus my wins, and I’ve noticed that no matter how many big wins I have, I always end up losing it all again over the long term. Can you tell me if slot machines are rigged? Can casinos fix slot machines to make sure players lose?
Any insights you can share with me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sarah McKeown
Sarah, I’m going to answer your questions directly. Yes, slot machines are rigged. However, they’re not rigged in the way you think they are
In this post, I’ll explain how slot machines work, why you lose in the long-term, and I’ll give you some useful tips for beating slot machines more often. Let’s begin!
Are Casino Slot Machines Rigged?
I guarantee you that if you walk through any Vegas casino, or any casino in the world for that matter, and ask every slots player if they won, the vast majority of them will tell you no.
It’s difficult to understand how this could be the case unless slot machines are rigged. And if they are, how in the heck is that legal? Are casinos actively keeping slot machines rigged so that you can’t win? If so, what about all those stories of players who won huge jackpots?
This can all seem rather confusing, but it’s not. The simple answer is that the vast majority of players lose, and a few lucky players win. Each machine is programmed to pay out less than what’s put into it, ensuring that the casino makes a continuous profit over the long run. This could be anything from a 2% advantage on the best slot machines, to a 10% or greater advantage on some of the big-money jackpot slots.
So, in a nutshell, casino slots are rigged to make sure the casino makes a profit, but that does not mean you can’t win on any given gaming session.
Gaming commissions would never allow casinos to run games you can’t win, nor would it be good for business. Players would soon figure out that the games were unwinnable and would stop playing.
Let’s take a closer look at how slot machines work. This will help you understand that while the house always wins, you can win, too.
How Slot Machines Are Rigged
Understanding how slot machines are rigged requires you to understand how they work. Each slot has its game odds, but they all use a similar method of paying out jackpots. Here are some important things to know about slot machines.
Understand Slot Machine RTP
RTP is an acronym for “return to player.” If you read slot machine reviews, you’ll usually find each game has a specific RTP published by the developer. For example, on NetEnt.com, you can find the RTP of Starburst and other games.
RTP is a percentage.
For Example:Based on Starburst from above, the RTP is 96.09%. What does this mean in terms of money, jackpots, and wins and losses? It means that, for every £100 bet on these games, players win back £96.09.
It’s important to remember that this does not mean you’ll make back £96.09 for every £100 you bet on Starburst. It means that the casino returns £96.09 to all players spinning the reels at every casino which offers Starburst. This includes all of the small wins and losses each player wins on every spin. In the long run, the casino will make £3.91 on every £100 bet on that game, regardless of what happens in the short term.
Hopefully, this concept of RTP helps you understand how slot machines are rigged in favor of the game developers and casinos but are not rigged in absolute terms. You can win when playing slots, but you can’t win in the long run.
Understand Random Number Generators
Even though the house has a built-in advantage on slot machines, it’s clear that some players do win massive jackpots. Just take a look at this story about a British soldier winning a record-breaking jackpot from a £0.25 spin.
Lots of players wonder when the best time to play slot machines is, which slots are “loose,” and all sorts of other questions. They hope that figuring out the answers will help them win slots more often, but the truth is that this is all a waste of time.
Slot machines decide when to pay out in accordance with a Random Number Generator (RNG). Believe it or not, it’s possible for a slot machine to pay out a jackpot on two spins in a row, although it is unlikely. A Random Number Generator is a piece of software which spits out billions of numbers per second, and if it happens to spit out a number associated with a jackpot, you’ll see the high-value symbols line up across a payline and you win.
There’s no way to manipulate RNGs. You can’t cheat online slot machines no matter how hard you try. Some smart players note that RNGs can’t be truly random since humans create them, but for all reasonable and practical purposes, you can’t manipulate them.
Perhaps, someone will someday spot a pattern in the apparent randomness by using a quantum computer to crunch numbers. But until then, just assume they’re random.
While the slots developer can control the RTP via programming, it can’t control the RNG. There are third-party games testing organizations such as eCogra which test RNGs and verify that they are fair. This doesn’t mean all slots developers play fair, but big names like Microgaming and NetEnt do.
How to Win at Slots — Tips and Tricks
Now that you understand how slot machines work, and how they are rigged without being unfair, it’s time to turn the tables on the casinos. I’ve learned a lot about slot machines throughout my career as a player, and I’m going to share my best tips on how to win slots more often.
Pick Slot Machines With a High RTP
One of the first and most obvious tips is to select high RTP slot machines. These games pay back the most to players in the long run, so you’re better off playing them even if the jackpots are smaller.
Very often, the jackpots are smaller. Since the casinos have less risk to deal with when a smaller jackpot is involved, they can afford a higher payback percentage to players. It makes sense, doesn’t it?
So, which slot machines have the highest RTP? Here are five to get you started.
- Blood Suckers by NetEnt – 98%
- Rags to Riches by Cryptologic – 98%
- Good Girl, Bad Girl by Betsoft – 97.8%
- Kings of Chicago by NetEnt – 97.8%
- Wolfpack Pays by NextGen – 97.8%
Those slots have a variety of excellent bonus features, decent jackpots, and higher than average RTPs. If you want to get the most bang for your buck as a long-term player, it’s wise to play them.
Pick the Right Volatility for Your Bankroll
There’s a top-notch article on slot machine variance and volatility here. If you want a more detailed breakdown of what they are, check that out.
Slot machine volatility is important to understand because it will tell you which slots are suitable for your bankroll. Volatility indicates both how often a slot should pay and the average size of the payouts.
- Low volatility slots pay smaller amounts more often.
- Medium volatility slots pay decent amounts fairly often.
- High volatility slots pay less frequently, but wins are more explosive.
If I had a smaller bankroll, say £20, I’d start by playing a low volatility slot such as Starburst. I find that it’s a good slot to build your bankroll with. Once I double up, I usually switch to a higher volatility slot with bigger payouts which occur less frequently.
Managing your bankroll effectively is about the only slot machine strategy which works. Therefore, knowing the volatility of a game is useful information.
Use Free Spins With Low Wagering Requirements
Bovada Slots Are Rigged
Most online casinos offer free spins bonuses for new players. Lots of them also offer free spins to loyal players who spin slots daily or weekly.
I’ve learned the hard way that not all free spins bonuses give me an advantage. Sometimes, the wagering requirements are so high that the bonus is a liability. This is especially true if it comes with predatory terms such as that I can’t withdraw my deposit until I meet the wagering requirements. Yes, such bonuses exist, I’ve seen it all over the years I’ve been playing!
There are other free spins bonuses you will want to take. They’ll give you a chance to beat the house with its own money and have these characteristics.
- They won’t require excessive minimum deposits.
- The wagering requirements will be low, around 20x or less.
- You’ll be able to keep all of what you win when you wager the bonus.
Free spins with low wagering requirements are available at lots of top UK casinos. There are even casinos with no wagering requirements, and they’re especially popular in the UK market.
Final Words
Thanks for writing to me with this question, Sarah. It’s given me a chance to cover lots of ground with regards to slot machines, and I hope that it answers your question. Are slot machines rigged? Yes, the house has a mathematical advantage which you can’t alter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t win.
Slots Are Rigged
Beating slot machines is a case of picking the right games, managing your bankroll effectively, and getting lucky. Don’t forget the last part! Luck is essential. There’s no effective way to beat the slots every time. Happy spinning, and don’t forget to pick up a casino bonus before you begin!