Gaming Guru, can casinos tighten slot machines.

Can casinos tighten slot machines

New casino sites to play real money

The 40,000-plus number comes from taking the reciprocal of the probability of hitting a royal flush and gives us the mean waiting time (measured in hands) between occurrences of the event. If we looked at all the hands of video poker you played, practice or pay, we'd find the ratio of royals over the number of hands to be about 40,000. If we looked at practice and pay hands separately, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on a particular video poker machine, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on all the video poker machines in a casino, we'd get the same result. (OK, you may not play enough to home in on the statistic, but a machine's total play or the total play on all machines in a casino will be close — although, in yet another disclaimer, players' strategies affect their probabilities of hitting royals.) there's a slot machine that I particularly enjoy playing at my local casino. It's from bally and combines hot shot and quick hit. The first time I played it, I won about $100. The next time, I lost about $200. The next time, I won back the $200 I had lost. The machine didn't change from one session to another. Sometimes I was lucky, sometimes the machine was lucky.

G aming G uru

Ask the slot expert: do casinos tighten machines when they're no longer new?

Question: we travel from the U.K. To vegas twice a year. Just about every trip there is a new slot machine that just about every casino has. We have noticed that when we play these machines on the first trip, they pay out very well.

Titanic was a great example. We won on it downtown, on the strip and even at laughlin. The next trip and all subsequent trips, we just could not win anything.

Are new slots adjusted to pay out more in their first few weeks/months on the casino floor?

Answer: let's look at this theory. New machines on the slot floor are loose so players will get used to winning on them. When the players are hooked, the casino tightens the noose — er, machines — so players lose now and some keep playing trying to recapture the old magic.

The main problem with this theory is the word "new." casinos on the las vegas strip get far more destination visitors like yourself who come once or a few times a year. Even though a machine may have been on the slot floor for a few months, it's still "new" to many destination visitors. At what point does a casino decide that a machine is no longer "new" and it's time to tighten it up?

And if a casino did tighten an "old" machine, how could it ensure that it wins enough money for the casino to make up for the money won by the players during the honeymoon phase? Wouldn't the casino risk alienating the "old" players and they don't play enough to give back what they won?

There's a slot machine that I particularly enjoy playing at my local casino. It's from bally and combines hot shot and quick hit. The first time I played it, I won about $100. The next time, I lost about $200. The next time, I won back the $200 I had lost. The machine didn't change from one session to another. Sometimes I was lucky, sometimes the machine was lucky.

Similarly, sometimes I win on my favorite video poker machines. Sometimes I don't. I know the machines haven't changed because the only way to change the long-term payback on video poker is to change the pay table.

What we've both experienced is randomness. Sometimes we're lucky. Sometimes the luck is with the casino.

Even though most (maybe all) casinos in las vegas have a manufacturers license (you can usually see it on display at the cage in a frame like a diploma) and can change the long-term payback on a machine, as a rule they rarely do it. They still have to file paperwork about the change with the state.

Casinos specify the long-term payback percentage they want on a machine when they order it, and the machine stays with that percentage until it comes off the slot floor.

Question: my group has been discussing the meaning of video poker royal flush frequency. Statistics say there are approximately 40K plus hands between royals. Does this mean the machine that hit the royal would on average see this many hands before repeating? Or, does this mean the player may have to see this many hands before he experiences the next royal?

Who, where, and how does the 40k average play out? If it is the player, then when at home playing on a practice game and I hit a royal, am I lessening my chances of hitting at the casino?

Answer: where does the average play out? I think the beatles have your answer: "here, there and everywhere."

The 40,000-plus number comes from taking the reciprocal of the probability of hitting a royal flush and gives us the mean waiting time (measured in hands) between occurrences of the event. If we looked at all the hands of video poker you played, practice or pay, we'd find the ratio of royals over the number of hands to be about 40,000. If we looked at practice and pay hands separately, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on a particular video poker machine, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on all the video poker machines in a casino, we'd get the same result. (OK, you may not play enough to home in on the statistic, but a machine's total play or the total play on all machines in a casino will be close — although, in yet another disclaimer, players' strategies affect their probabilities of hitting royals.)

There is no cosmic hand-counter keeping track of your play or the play on a machine and counting the number of hands since the last royal. This statistic is strictly for looking at past events. It says nothing about what will happen in the immediate future. A royal can hit at any time. It's not unusual to go fewer than 40,000 hands between royals (I'm at about 25,000 right now) and it, unfortunately, is also not unusual to go more than 40,000 hands between royals, even 80,000 or 120,000 hands.

Your chances of hitting a royal are the same on every hand, even if you just hit a royal in practice or in real play. The average number of hands between royals is just another way of looking at the probability of hitting a royal. You don't diminish your chanced of hitting a royal in the casino by having hit one at home on your computer.

Question: my local casino occasionally has $1,000 free play giveaways. If I were lucky enough to win one, how would I go about maximizing the amount (in cash) that I could take home?

Answer: first, let's ensure that everyone understands the ground rules. The free play is just that — play. You can't cash it out, you can only play it off. Whatever you win from the free play, however, is yours to take home.

With only $1,000, long-term payback doesn't really come into play and, unfortunately, randomness (luck) really does. We're in the short run here.

I would play a machine with a high hit frequency so you have a good chance of turning your free-play bet into take-home cash. Many video slots have high hit frequencies, so you could try one of them. I however would play a video poker machine. Most video poker pay tables have relatively high hit frequencies and you have a good shot at hitting a premium hand. In fact, I once won $1,000 from $10 in free play on a quarter video machine.

Send your slot and video poker questions to john robison, slot expert™, at slotexpert@slotexpert.Com. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.

Copyright © john robison. Slot expert and ask the slot expert are trademarks of john robison.

Slot machine myths and misconceptions

No other segment of the gaming industry has benefited more from the technology revolution than the slot machine. Once considered the ugly stepdaughter placed on the gaming floor to appease the spouses of table players, the slot machine has been transformed into the fairy princess of the gaming world. With her, she has brought a dowry of riches no one would have imagined for the casino and a few lucky players as well. Over twenty years ago the slot machine accounted for 30 percent of the casinos' profits. Today it accounts for about 70 percent. Computer technology and the ability to play with little to no gambling knowledge makes it possible to offer life-changing jackpots big enough to turn a pauper into a king.

However, the fact that it doesn't take much gambling knowledge to play means that most people don't understand the inner working of the slots -- which makes it easy to explain a loss or a win with some false logic. Like any other "wives tales" these are passed from person to person until they become gospel. Most of these myths and misconceptions are harmless but they can add to your frustration and take away some of the enjoyment of your casino visit. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular myths and the truth behind them.

Myth #1

Someone hit a jackpot on the machine you just left -- so you would have won that jackpot if you kept playing.
This is probably one of the most common notions about slot machine gambling -- but it's patently false. The slot machines have a computer chip inside that runs the random number generator (RNG). The RNG is continuously cycling through numbers even when the machine is not being played. These numbers correspond to the stops on the wheel that display the winning or losing symbols that you see when the reels stop. When you hit the spin button or pull the handle, the RNG picks the combination at that given microsecond. If you had stayed at the machine, it is highly unlikely that you would have stopped the RNG at the exact nano-second to display that same combination of numbers. In the time it takes to talk with a friend or sip your drink the RNG has cycled through thousands of combinations.

Myth #2

You can tell the odds of winning by counting the symbols on each wheel.
Actually, you can't. The RNG generates a number for each spin. There can be hundreds of virtual stops on each wheel even though you only see a few symbols. For example, you may see 20 symbols on each wheel of a three-reel machine. You figure 20 x 20 x 20 = 8,000 combinations and your chance of hitting the jackpot is 1 in 8000. In reality, the computer chip may program 256 stops for each wheel which makes the odds 256 x 256 x 256 =16,777,216 combinations. Being able to generate millions of combinations is the reason that slots can offer large paybacks.

Myth #3

Casinos can loosen or tighten the slot machines with the flip of a switch.
In actuality, the slot machines have a computer chip in them that determines the payback percentage. These are preset at the factory. In order for a casino to change the payback, they would have to change the chip. In most jurisdictions, there is paperwork that has to be filled and submitted to the casino control commission for each machine if the chip is changed. It's time-consuming and the chips are very expensive. For this reason, it is more economical to decide on the payback percentages before purchasing the machines and having the factory ship them with the proper chip.

Myth #4

A machine that has not been paying out is due to hit.
There is no way to determine if a machine is due to hit. Each spin is a random occurrence and has no bearing on what has happened previously. Don't ever play more than you should because of this misconception -- it will be devastating to your bankroll if you do.

Myth #5

The temperature of the coins played will affect the way a machine pays.
Unfortunately, the machine is not affected by temperature. It doesn't matter if you play hot, cold, old or new coins. The coin slot is a mechanical device and has no feeling.

Myth #6

If you use your slot club card the machine will pay back less.
This may well be the most damaging myth of them all. There is no link between the card reader and the RNG, but by not using your player's card you are denying yourself valuable comps and sometimes cash back from the casino.

G aming G uru

How easy is it for a casino to tighten slots?

I'm reading the reply to the question of tightening machines. I thought it took an act of god for a casino to do that. You did not say anything about that. People still think that, in the middle of a thursday night, casinos tighten machines for the weekend. They swear they've seen the machines open; they must be changing the payback on those machines.

My wins/losses go in spurts. I win for months at a time, then lose for several visits. Overall, I win. (I play video poker.) I feel that there is a better chance of consistent winning playing vp than the basic slots.

Again, remind me and others if a casino CAN tighten slots or video poker (which I understand is more chance as the "computer" is shuffling the deck, right?)

Thank you. Love your column.

Thanks for the kind words about my column.

You're right. Casinos cannot easily change the payback on a machine, but it does take considerably less than an act of god. An act of congress might be a better description.

A disclaimer: I'm specifically talking about class III games (those that contain their own RNG and determine their results independently). Class II games and machines abroad may operate differently.

Today casinos have to change a chip in a machine to change its long-term payback. Depending on jurisdiction, casinos can either make the change themselves without a witness from the gaming commission, make the change with a witness, or watch as someone from the gaming commission makes the change. The jurisdictions with which I'm familiar all require the casino to file paperwork notifying the gaming commission of the change.

Just opening a machine isn't sufficient to change the long-term payback. The slot technician has to open another section of the machine, known as the logic drawer, in order to change the appropriate chip.

With video poker, the only way the casino can change the long-term payback is by changing the pay table. That change will be obvious to players. With slots, the virtual reel layout is changed and players will never know.

Video poker is no more "chance" than slots or any other casino game. All casino games are random events.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
john

What it takes to tighten video slot machines

A customer stopped me as I was walking the casino floor the other day and asked me when I tightened up the slot machines her husband usually plays.

This is an easy question to answer, but providing evidence to her that my answer was an honest one proved to be a bit more difficult.

You see, this guest and her husband are regular customers of our restaurant, and he enjoys playing a particular section of penny slot machines most days they visit. It seemed lately her husband wasn’t even getting any play time before losing his money, and she couldn’t remember him cashing out a winner in weeks.

He was certainly having a cold streak, and it’s entirely possible that this dry spell of his (or any of ours) could be a result of tightened machines. If not the sole reason, tighter machines could certainly extend a cold streak. So questioning me certainly makes sense. If I were her, I’d want to know what was going on too.

Problem is, I hadn’t tightened the machines. In fact, I haven’t tightened a single machine since I started at stetson’s as the G.M. In early 2009. Like I told my inquisitive guest, I’ve actually loosened just about every machine in the place since my arrival.

Proving to her that I loosened the video poker and keno machines and that I never tightened them back up is easy, because it’s all in the paytables. A quick comparison of a paytable at stetson’s with an old paytable from before I started or a paytable from a competitor down the street will confirm that we’re set pretty darn loose.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for slots. Well… actually the same can be said. I can say that stetson’s slots are looser until I’m blue in the face. I just can’t prove it.

This is because tightening or loosening a slot can affect more than just the paytable. It can affect the number of symbols on the reels, the spacing, the awards and multipliers on bonus screens – a whole litany of different things.

And even if, as it is on some slots, only the paytables change between different settings, who among us can memorize the entire paytable of a 5-reel, 40-line video slot with dozens of different symbols and several bonus rounds? I know I can’t.

So there’s no way for me to prove to her that I didn’t tighten her husband’s favorite bank of machines. All I can do is assure her, and my readers, that it’s not as easy to tighten a machine as you might think. It’s actually pretty difficult, and so casinos don’t do it too often at all.

Many of us assume that a casino can set any machine, especially a slot machine, to any setting they want with relative ease. Open the thing, turn a key or flick a switch and voila – the machine is now tighter than a knotted shoelace.

Nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, adjusting the setting of any machine takes keys that can only be gotten with two signatures. Even I, as the general manager, can’t just waltz down to the casino, pull a few keys out and start hopping around the floor tightening and loosening machines at will. It takes a minimum of two people, and it takes a lot of knowledge and quite a bit of time too.

Even once the keys are in hand, programming chips need to be installed by a trained technician before game choices and settings can be altered. These techs follow what’s called a par sheet, which is basically a list of games, denominations, paybacks and option settings (let-it-ride, double down, etc.) that execs like me choose ahead of time and then hand to the true professionals to program into the machines.

Each game on the device is programmed independently, and settings within a game can vary between denominations. While setting up a single game, single denomination slot is pretty easy, changing the settings on a machine with a dozen different games at various denominations can take an hour or more. Also, casinos like continuity, so tightening one machine usually means tightening several other surrounding machines too.

Point being, tightening machines is serious work. New par sheets must be drawn up, machines must be roped off and shut down for reprogramming, and the actual process of tightening the games will tie up the time of at least two people for several hours.

Casinos can and will tighten machines from time to time, but the decision to do so is not taken lightly, and it’s certainly not done with any type of regularity.

Unfortunately, it is far more common for a gambler to go on an extended cold streak than it is for a casino to tighten a slot machine.

And remember, just like the tightest machine can be a winner, the loosest can be a loser. Sometimes it’s not the payback setting of the machine that’s the cause of our woes. Sometimes it’s just plain bad luck.

At gaming today we are dedicated to providing valuable up-to-date information on the casino industry and pari-mutuel race wagering. With news and features, plus expanded coverage in key areas – race and sports analysis, picks, tips, and handicapping.

(editor’s note: brad fredella is general manager of stetson’s saloon and casino in henderson, NV.)

Can casinos tighten slot machines

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Dispelling slot myths

By henry tamburin

Here are some popular misconceptions about slot machines and why they are false.

"casinos can tighten or loosen the payback on a slot machine at will"
many slot players believe that casinos can get more money from players by decreasing their paybacks on slot machines (tighten them) before a busy holiday weekend when the casino is crowded with players. The fact of the matter is that in most gaming jurisdictions they can't change a machines payback without first notifying the state regulatory agency with a lot of paperwork. In some states the local gaming commission must be present when the change is made. It's literally too much of a pain for casinos to lower the paybacks for a short period of time and then turn around and raise them.

"she stole my jackpot"
you've either read the stories or seen it happen in person. A player is playing a machine then decides to take a break and some other player jumps in, plays, and hits the jackpot.В if the first player would have played a little while longer that jackpot would have been hers. Right?В nope. The reason is that the likelihood that the first player would have hit that jackpot if she played longer is slim to none. A random number generator that the computer chip uses to determine the results of each spin is constantly running even if the machine is idle. The RGN spits out a sequence of random numbers hundred of times each second (remember each sequence of numbers corresponds to the symbols that you see on the reels). Whatever the RGN number was at the split second that you hit the spin button or pull the handle is used to determine the symbols on each reel. Therefore the likelihood that the first player if she stayed and played would have hit the spin button at the same exact time as the second player did is highly unlikely.

"A machine that just hit the jackpot won't hit again soon"
the RNG determines the results of your spin. It doesn't know or care what happened in the past. Your chance of hitting the jackpot on the next spin is the same regardless of when the jackpot was hit.

"you'll get a better payback if you alternate pulling the handle and hitting the spin button"
when you do either it tells the computer in the slot machine to get the number that was generated by the RNG, which will determine the symbols you see on each reel after they stoop spinning. The results will be the same regardless of whether you hit the spin button or pull the handle.

"looser machines are placed near entrance ways to casinos to attract more players "
back in the old days when slot machines were not as popular as they are today, that may have been the case. But nowadays slot managers order slots machines with nearly the same paybacks as their competitors for each denomination of machine and group slot machines by denomination and types on the casino floor.

"always ask the slot attendant where the better paying machined are located"
slot attendants are hard working folks but they don't have any more knowledge then you or I as to which machine will pay off next. They'll offer advice on which machines to play if asked by players because if the player gets lucky and hits a jackpot they know they will receive a tip.

Can casinos tighten slot machines?

You may be wondering if this actually means what you think it means and if so how the process actually occurs.

Tightening slot machines is actually considered ‘the norm’ in gambling resorts like las vegas which attracts in excess of 40 million visitors every year.

However, this is not done as routinely as one might think; usually only after a careful analysis of the mathematics which include how often a particular slot is being played and then determining the reasoning behind this such as payout percentage.

In popular gambling destinations, many slot machines in casinos are hooked up to an internal server which can be operated manually from the back office, usually by a senior stakeholder.

Justin beltram, executive director of slots at the treasure island casino in las vegas can do this with just a small number of clicks of his mouse, reprogramming the over 1,500 slot machines that he has under his purview, adjusting the denominations that are required to play, payback percentages and even change the theme of games.

Previously, tightening a slot machine involved an arduous and time consuming process of opening it up, replacing the computer chip inside and then switching the glass display which markets the theme of the game, with the procedure usually costing thousands of dollars, not just in price, but also in the loss of potential profit while being out of action.

Now, beltram could not find his task any easier: “now, I just come to my office, and select the program,” he said, speaking to the new york times.

“with the technology, it takes 20 seconds.”

Original slot machines, were of course, highly mechanised. Now, with the massive shift in technological development, they are now virtually, completely computerised, allowing customers to play multiple reels simultaneously, luring them in attractive bonuses.

What it means to tighten a slot machine

The process of tightening a slot machine, is to reduce the frequency of payouts, essentially turning it into a high volatility slot, which means that it will payout less often, though when it does, this is likely to be a large amount.

For this to happen, even though done via a computer server, it can take a number of hours for the slot machine to update and firstly has to be shut down, cordoned off and customers made aware via the screen that changes are being made.

Due to the length of time that it takes for casinos to alter slot machines, the process is normally undertaken at the quietest periods of time, usually between 3am and 8am, which is usually when the majority of tourists have finally gone to sleep.

While a casino can tighten a slot machine, they can also loosen them which is to ensure the slot pays out more often, though in smaller increments. The decision to make either of those changes though, isn’t taken lightly and forms part of the casino’s annual and quarterly business and revenue plan. Of course, there are no guarantees and sometimes the decision to make any change can backfire considerably in the short term!

Charles baxendale

(bsc, msc mathematics and computer science)

A keen researcher in the development of methods and theories for computer sciences. A lover of algorithms and mathematical computation. Consultant to online slots software companies and a player in my spare time.

G aming G uru

Ask the slot expert: do casinos tighten machines when they're no longer new?

Question: we travel from the U.K. To vegas twice a year. Just about every trip there is a new slot machine that just about every casino has. We have noticed that when we play these machines on the first trip, they pay out very well.

Titanic was a great example. We won on it downtown, on the strip and even at laughlin. The next trip and all subsequent trips, we just could not win anything.

Are new slots adjusted to pay out more in their first few weeks/months on the casino floor?

Answer: let's look at this theory. New machines on the slot floor are loose so players will get used to winning on them. When the players are hooked, the casino tightens the noose — er, machines — so players lose now and some keep playing trying to recapture the old magic.

The main problem with this theory is the word "new." casinos on the las vegas strip get far more destination visitors like yourself who come once or a few times a year. Even though a machine may have been on the slot floor for a few months, it's still "new" to many destination visitors. At what point does a casino decide that a machine is no longer "new" and it's time to tighten it up?

And if a casino did tighten an "old" machine, how could it ensure that it wins enough money for the casino to make up for the money won by the players during the honeymoon phase? Wouldn't the casino risk alienating the "old" players and they don't play enough to give back what they won?

There's a slot machine that I particularly enjoy playing at my local casino. It's from bally and combines hot shot and quick hit. The first time I played it, I won about $100. The next time, I lost about $200. The next time, I won back the $200 I had lost. The machine didn't change from one session to another. Sometimes I was lucky, sometimes the machine was lucky.

Similarly, sometimes I win on my favorite video poker machines. Sometimes I don't. I know the machines haven't changed because the only way to change the long-term payback on video poker is to change the pay table.

What we've both experienced is randomness. Sometimes we're lucky. Sometimes the luck is with the casino.

Even though most (maybe all) casinos in las vegas have a manufacturers license (you can usually see it on display at the cage in a frame like a diploma) and can change the long-term payback on a machine, as a rule they rarely do it. They still have to file paperwork about the change with the state.

Casinos specify the long-term payback percentage they want on a machine when they order it, and the machine stays with that percentage until it comes off the slot floor.

Question: my group has been discussing the meaning of video poker royal flush frequency. Statistics say there are approximately 40K plus hands between royals. Does this mean the machine that hit the royal would on average see this many hands before repeating? Or, does this mean the player may have to see this many hands before he experiences the next royal?

Who, where, and how does the 40k average play out? If it is the player, then when at home playing on a practice game and I hit a royal, am I lessening my chances of hitting at the casino?

Answer: where does the average play out? I think the beatles have your answer: "here, there and everywhere."

The 40,000-plus number comes from taking the reciprocal of the probability of hitting a royal flush and gives us the mean waiting time (measured in hands) between occurrences of the event. If we looked at all the hands of video poker you played, practice or pay, we'd find the ratio of royals over the number of hands to be about 40,000. If we looked at practice and pay hands separately, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on a particular video poker machine, we'd get the same result. If we looked at the results on all the video poker machines in a casino, we'd get the same result. (OK, you may not play enough to home in on the statistic, but a machine's total play or the total play on all machines in a casino will be close — although, in yet another disclaimer, players' strategies affect their probabilities of hitting royals.)

There is no cosmic hand-counter keeping track of your play or the play on a machine and counting the number of hands since the last royal. This statistic is strictly for looking at past events. It says nothing about what will happen in the immediate future. A royal can hit at any time. It's not unusual to go fewer than 40,000 hands between royals (I'm at about 25,000 right now) and it, unfortunately, is also not unusual to go more than 40,000 hands between royals, even 80,000 or 120,000 hands.

Your chances of hitting a royal are the same on every hand, even if you just hit a royal in practice or in real play. The average number of hands between royals is just another way of looking at the probability of hitting a royal. You don't diminish your chanced of hitting a royal in the casino by having hit one at home on your computer.

Question: my local casino occasionally has $1,000 free play giveaways. If I were lucky enough to win one, how would I go about maximizing the amount (in cash) that I could take home?

Answer: first, let's ensure that everyone understands the ground rules. The free play is just that — play. You can't cash it out, you can only play it off. Whatever you win from the free play, however, is yours to take home.

With only $1,000, long-term payback doesn't really come into play and, unfortunately, randomness (luck) really does. We're in the short run here.

I would play a machine with a high hit frequency so you have a good chance of turning your free-play bet into take-home cash. Many video slots have high hit frequencies, so you could try one of them. I however would play a video poker machine. Most video poker pay tables have relatively high hit frequencies and you have a good shot at hitting a premium hand. In fact, I once won $1,000 from $10 in free play on a quarter video machine.

Send your slot and video poker questions to john robison, slot expert™, at slotexpert@slotexpert.Com. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.

Copyright © john robison. Slot expert and ask the slot expert are trademarks of john robison.

Inside the myth that casinos can change slots RTP at will

Return to player (RTP) is one of the most-important concepts to slots players. Payback determines how much the average player wins from a slot machine.

A slots game with 95% RTP, for example, would theoretically deliver $0.95 back for every $1 wagered. A slot machine with 88% payback would only offer $0.88 for each dollar wagered.

Gamblers want to know slots’ RTP for obvious reasons. Knowing a machine’s payout percentage provides an indication on your long-term odds of winning.

But one of the most-common fears is that casinos can simply change slots odds whenever they feel like it. Many gamblers are convinced that casinos alter RTP for a variety of reasons, whether it’s to lower payback during busy hours or simply earn more overall profits.

This fear seems valid when considering that players don’t see the inner workings of slot machines. But are casinos really able to alter payback on a whim?

I’m going to discuss this matter by looking at how casinos change RTP, common beliefs on the subject and casino limitations in controlling payback.

Slot machine RTP is determined by the pay table and how often each prize is programmed to hit.

The pay schedule shows how many credits each symbol combination delivers. The pay table only tells so much, though, and doesn’t show how often each payout is programmed hit.

A random number generator (RNG) ultimately determines which symbol combinations come up on each spin. Contrary to common opinion, the RNG does not determine payback.

Instead, this program merely cycles through different symbol combinations to determine the results of your spin. The RNG is more likely to include symbols that have a higher number of stops.

An RNG has no recollection of what happens on your previous spins. Instead, its main job is to come up with random results.

Again, icons with many stops will be chosen by the RNG more frequently than other symbols.

Casinos don’t need to worry about programming payout percentages — this is the game developer’s job. Instead, they simply consider what RTP they want to order for a given game.

Providers give land-based casinos a number of options to choose from when ordering payback.

• MGM grand wants to order aristocrat’s game of thrones.


• Aristocrat offers RTP choices of 88.0%, 90.0%, 92.0%, and 94.0%.


• MGM selects the version with 92.0% payback.

Online slots developers usually offer a uniform RTP for any game that they produce. Internet casinos that license their slots are then forced to use the provider’s chosen payout percentage.

But a minority of online slots providers do let casinos choose from preset RTP amounts (covered later).

How casinos change payout percentages depends upon the style of game. Payback for most land-based slot machines is determined by the EPROM chip located inside.

A gambling establishment can alter a machine’s RTP as long as they have the EPROM chip, which is sometimes the case. Theoretically, any casino that has these chips can change payback whenever they like.

The catch, though, is that many gambling jurisdictions require the casinos to report when they alter a game’s RTP. This process requires that a casino manager spends time filling out paperwork.

Some slot machines operate on downloadable software, which comes from a central server. In these cases, the casino doesn’t have to open a game and change a chip.

Instead, they can simply download the software to alter RTP. But just as with replacing an EPROM chip, casinos need to follow their jurisdiction’s guidelines when changing server-based payout percentages.

For starters, gambling venues can’t make these changes when somebody is playing a machine. Furthermore, they have to wait a certain amount of time before altering any game settings.

Some slots players believe that casino owners and management can change RTP across the board by simply flipping a switch. This theory has been furthered propelled bythe rise of video slots.

Very few land-based slot machines operate on mechanical reels and levers these days. Instead, casinos mainly feature video slots that run through software programs.

Of course, gamblers’ fears are only magnified when dealing with online casinos. These websites are headquartered far away from most players, leading to concerns that internet casinos can do anything they want to slots payback without anybody knowing.

But what else beyond suspected greed leads players to believe that casinos will cheat them through lower RTP?

A driving force behind conspiracy theories is how slot machines are the streakiest casino game. Most slots only see players win around 20-40% of their spins, even with every payline activated.

Such low hit frequency leads gamblers to experience long losing streaks. In turn, these cold streaks cause players to theorize that casinos have changed RTP.

Contrary to what some players believe, casinos don’t simply alter payout percentages whenever they feel like winning more money. Instead, gambling venues must go through the proper channels.

Earlier I covered how many jurisdictions require casinos to submit paperwork before changing the EPROM chip inside a slot machine.

Not only does an important employee waste time filling out paperwork and sending it to the local gambling control commission, but the casino must also pay for another EPROM chip. These chips are expensive, meaning it’s not economically viable to continue changing RTP.

Of course, server-based slot machines can be altered faster without opening machines. But there are deterrents from doing this as well.

Some las vegas slot machines are so popular that they have people standing off to the side waiting to play. Therefore, casinos can’t change RTP for these games until things slow down in the middle of the night.

More importantly, gambling establishments don’t like tying up games and preventing people from playing. This creates another situation where it doesn’t make economic sense to put games down for maintenance just to constantly change payback.

Casino employees’ time is valuable, especially with regard to managers. It would be a waste of resources and manpower to alter RTP from machine to machine.

Of course, none of this subsides fears that online casinos can change payout percentages as they please. But gaming sites face roadblocks in this regard too.

In fewer cases, online casinos can choose from different RTP options just like land-based establishments. Realtime gaming (RTG) commonly does this by offering their clients payout percentages ranging from 91.0% to 97.5%.

Casinos must decide on the chosen payback when ordering a certain game. They can’t, however, ask RTG to change payout percentages back and forth every day.

RTG allows gaming sites to choose from different payout percentages due to the various bonuses offered through their software setup. RTG offers total casino packages where they handle the bonuses, games, and more. Clients have some flexibility here and can either choose high bonuses with low slots RTP or vice versa.

In any case, you can see that there’s nothing nefarious going on with the average online casino and game provider. This is especially true when considering that many slots developers and casinos undergo third-party auditing to ensure that their games offer fair and random results.

Earlier I mentioned how some players believe that casinos can merely flip a switch to change all of their slot machines’ RTP.

I dismiss this idea, because casinos need to go through the proper channels to change payback. But is there any shred of truth to the switch-flipping concept?

A 2006 new york times piece offers evidence that it’s possible for casinos to quickly change RTP for many different games.

This article revolves around a treasure island casino executive named justin beltram, who discusses how his casino was undergoing a technology experiment at the time.

The piece reads that “with a few clicks of his mouse” beltram can reprogram the “denominations required to play, payback percentages, even game themes” for all of treasure island’s 1,790 slot machines.

Much of the article deals with how easy it is to change settings in server-based slots versus the EPROM-chip games. Beltram notes that he could change a game’s settings within “20 seconds” using this technology, compared to the lengthy and complicated process of opening machines to alter settings.

The executive also squashed the notion that his casino would abuse this power to win more money from players. Beltram insists that such practices would be bad for business and possibly lead to trouble with gaming regulators.

David G. Schwartz, director for UNLV’s center for gaming research, did express concerns about casinos changing payback through servers. “let’s say you’re playing at 2 and you’re doing great and you come back at 6 and the pay tables have changed,” explains schwartz.

While this is a valid concern, lowering odds and causing players to lose more is counterproductive to business. Nobody wants to play at a casino where they think that the odds are stacked against them.

Overall, the article suggests that while it’s possible for casinos to quickly change slots payback with server technology, this concept is more about meeting customer demands than anything.

Long story short, casino managers don’t have time to sit in their back office and switch RTP every time that they see somebody winning. Casinos already have the edge over players, and it’s not worth the time or repercussions to con gamblers.

The thought that casinos instantaneously change all of their slots payback is only one misbelief regarding the subject. Here are a few more myths surrounding how casinos handle slots RTP.

Slots payback happens on a cycle

Some gamblers are convinced that slots payout percentages happen on a cycle. This idea stems from the belief that slot machines are programmed to offer payouts at specific intervals.

Here’s an example of how one might conceptualize this:

• Jackpot pays exactly once every 1 million spins.


• 1,000-coin prize pays every 250,000 spins.


• 500-coin prize pays every 50,000 spins.


• 100-coin prize pays every 10,000 spins.


• 50-coin prize pays every 5,000 spins.


• 5-coin prize pays every 50 spins.


• 1-coin prize pays every 10 spins.

Players who believe that slot machines work like this often think that they can win a jackpot by playing at the right point. They look for a jackpot that hasn’t been won in a while and start playing in hopes that the game is nearing the end of its payout cycle.

But slots results are determined by an RNG, which has no recollection of previous payouts and merely continues generating random results.

Jackpots and other payouts are programmed with specific odds. Certain jackpots may very well be programmed to pay every 1 million spins on average.

But the key is that this prize doesn’t have to pay out after exactly 1 million rounds. Instead, the jackpot can hit at 500k spins or 2 million spins.

Casinos change RTP during the day and night

Another common slots myth is that casinos alter payout percentages throughout the day. This theory is based on the logic that slot machines are more generous during the less-busy day hours and tighter during the busier evening hours.

It makes sense to believe that casinos would tighten payback when they have more slots customers. Doing so would enable them to earn far more profits.

If a slot has a 5% house edge, this means that casinos are winning a nickel for every dollar wagered by players. Assuming a gambler bets $600 per hour, the casino is making $30 on average (600 x 0.05).

The last thing a gambling establishment wants to do is lower payback and discourage people from playing during busy hours.

Many gamblers already become suspicious that payback has changed when they go through cold streaks. Casinos don’t want to add fuel to this fire by actually altering RTP just to increase an advantage that they already have.

Native american casinos can do whatever they want

I’ve covered the limitations facing gaming sites and commercial land-based casinos when altering slots payout percentages. But what about native american casinos?

Some slots players believe that US tribal casinos can do whatever they want, because they’re located on sovereign ground. The reality, though, is that native american casinos don’t have as much free rein as people think.

These casinos must comply with gambling regulations set forth by the tribe’s gambling commission. These standards are defined by negotiations between tribes and the state where they’re located.

Once the state and tribe come to an agreement, the pact must be approved by the US department of the interior.

Contrary to some players’ opinions, native american gambling venues don’t make rules as they go and change slots payback whenever. Instead, they too have regulations that are discussed and approved by multiple parties.

Many gamblers picture casinos fiendishly lowering slots RTP to maximize their profits. But these theories are the result of misunderstandings about how the gambling industry works.

Most land-based and online casinos operate in jurisdictions that impose restrictions on alerting payout percentages. Some jurisdictions go as far as to require paperwork every time that casinos want to change RTP.

In other cases, gambling venues can quickly change payback through server technology. Even this comes with restrictions, though, including a machine being down while the casino changes payback.

You can generally assume that most land-based slot machines offer anywhere from 88% to 95% RTP. Penny and nickel slots comprise the lower end, while quarter denominations and above constitute the higher end.

Online slots usually deliver between 95% and 97% payback. You can google individual slots or game providers to research online payout percentages.

You have little reason to fear casinos lowering RTP to a ridiculously small percentage. They have too much at stake if they’re caught, and gambling jurisdictions have rules against doing so.

Can casinos actually loosen or tighten slot payouts?

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Those of us who try our luck on the slots at foxwoods or mohegan sun hope the next pull of the lever will be life changing. But what are the odds you’ll really walk away with cash?

Connecticut’s two tribal casinos rank in the middle of the pack in terms of slot payouts when compared with other states around the country.

According to the connecticut gaming commission, foxwoods' slot payout average is 91.85 percent. Mohegan sun pays back at a rate of 91.71 percent. That means connecticut has the eighth-highest payout rate of the 20 states requiring casinos to report.

The best payout percentage by state is in neighboring new york. The empire state, with its nine reporting casinos, pays back 93.75 percent. Resorts world in queens, new york, pays the highest returns, at 95.05 percent.

It’s not an exact science. Most states include video poker, keno and video blackjack in their percentages, which tend to give better odds. Connecticut is the only state to include only slots. States like nevada and louisiana report area averages, not individual casinos. Other states, like new york and florida, exempt tribes from reporting.

The NBC connecticut troubleshooters sorted through slot revenue reports submitted to gaming, lottery and racing commissions for all reporting states. The troubleshooters found that the areas with more competition tend to pay out higher averages.

Also, the lower the denomination, the lower the payback. Penny slots at both connecticut casinos pay lower than 90 percent and receive almost half the total money wagered. The highest payouts at foxwoods are the multi-denomination machines. They pay out 95.77 percent. Mohegan sun’s $10 machines return 96.96 percent.

Mohegan sun president bobby soper argues his casino is as competitive as any around the country. He points out the economy and amount of free play credits they give to entice bettors plays a big part in keeping them from being even higher on the list.

"there are certainly a higher percentage of penny machines and nickel machines than previous," said soper. "that across the board, across the industry is going to drive hold percentage."

This investigation comes at a time when connecticut is exploring the option of allowing foxwoods and mohegan sun to jointly operate a third state casino, off tribal land, north of hartford.

Locations being considered include the enfield square mall, the bradley off-track betting property in windsor locks and the former showcase cinemas property in east windsor.

The legislature approved the right for tribes to consider proposals from towns willing to host a satellite casino. Soper expects its cost could save thousands of jobs in the state and cost close to $300 million. It will include slots, table games and a poker room.

Soper hopes to see it as close to the connecticut border as possible. Just 5 miles from the border, MGM is building a $1 billion resort casino in springfield. A spokesman for MGM estimates its slot payouts will be in the mid-90 percent.

State sen. John kissel believes casino expansion is bad policy. He argues a casino in his area of north central connecticut will not stop people, especially high-end gamblers, from traveling to springfield.

"they’re aware of payouts and they’re going to travel," said kissel, a republican from enfield. "if massachusetts is better than connecticut, all the high-end gamblers are going to massachusetts and the people that are struggling to just make ends meet are going to end up in north central connecticut."

In connecticut, the tribes are required to pay 25 percent of all slot revenue to the state. They don’t need to pay anything on table games. The state has received nearly $7 billion total since mohegan sun and foxwoods opened in the 1990s.

Question: can slots be rigged?

While not all slot machines are rigged, especially if you play at a reputable casino site such as caesars, however you should know that there are scam sites out there.

For example, some of these scam sites could be up for a day, and then be completely gone the next.

Can a slot machine be rigged?

The short answer in almost every case is no, they don’t. But you have no way of knowing what the probability of winning that jackpot is. Slot machine games have opaque odds and probabilities. The results are generated by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).

Do casinos control who wins on slots?

It does matter. In essence, any slot machines with odds of winning directly controlled by a casino have patterns of winning because casinos keep adjusting those odds to meet their financial performance metrics. These patterns make it possible for savvy slots enthusiasts to improve their own gambling performance.

Can casinos loosen tighten slots?

Casinos can loosen or tighten the slot machines with the flip of a switch. In order for a casino to change the payback, they would have to change the chip. In most jurisdictions, there is paperwork that has to be filled and submitted to the casino control commission for each machine if the chip is changed.

How do I pick a good slot machine?

If that is the case, then read this article and you’ll find out how to pick a winning slot machine!

• Choose winning slots with the highest payouts.


• Determine the volatility of slots.


• Don’t go with the obvious option.


• 4. Make higher bets.


• Trust other players.


• Avoid branded slots.


• Take advantage of free spins.

How do I pick a winning slot machine?

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Slot machines – how to win and how they work – youtube

How do you know if a slot machine is loose?

Slots with a higher payback percentage than average are loose, while slots with a lower payback percentage than average are tight. Loose slots usually have a higher hit ratio than tight slots, too. The probabilities involved with slot machines are “opaque.”

so, let's see, what we have: the best way to play free play. Do casinos tighten machines after they've been on the slot floor for a while? What exactly does 40,000 hands between royals mean? At can casinos tighten slot machines