Are Digital Slot Machines Rigged

admin 3/27/2022

If you've ever contemplated spinning the reels of a slot or have, in fact, spun one (or a few!), you've probably asked yourself a few questions every serious player in the iGaming industry has - can slot machines be rigged to trick the player, what are the odds of winning slots, are slot machines honest, and do casinos manipulate slot machines at the player’s expense. 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 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. However, slot machines from reputable casinos that use random number generators (RNG) are not “rigged” so that you will lose.

Author: Jungle Jim : Contact: Disabled World

Published: 2014-03-11 : (Rev. 2020-06-23)

Synopsis and Key Points:

Are slots really random? Explanation on why slot machines are not quite as random as both land based and online casinos say they are.

Are slot machine payouts really random?

Are all slot machines rigged as to when they payout to the player?

Main Digest

Please note that the article below is my opinion only, from what I have experienced from playing slots, both at land based casinos, and several different popular online casinos - all of which shall remain nameless.

Playing slots, pokies, fruit machines, one arm-bandits, poker machines, whatever you like to call them, depending on where you come from, is a popular pastime for many seniors and retired singles and couples.

Are Slots Really Random?

What Casinos and Slot Machine Technicians Will Tell You:

Online casino slot games are said to use the same kinds of random number generator programs as land-based casinos. They just serve up your results via animation that is sent to your computer via the Internet.

Casinos will often tell you that slot machines use a computer to generate random numbers, and these determine the outcomes of the game. When players press the 'Play' button, the machines computer generates what is known as a RNG, a gaming term that is an abbreviation for 'random number generator'. Random number generators (or pseudorandom number generators) are special algorithms that are used in computing when an outcome needs to be as random as possible.

When the play button is pressed the RNG randomly selects a winning or losing combination from among millions of available combinations.
Slots don't get hot or cold - Slot machines are said to have something in common with goldfish: they have no memory. Every spin is independent of the prior and/or following spins.
Every spin is considered to be a brand new spin, with any possible symbol combination outcome.
Slot players are said to either win or lose; they never 'maybe win' or 'maybe lose', or never 'almost win'.

Slot machines often display a series of spins where players appear to be only one symbol away from a win, therefore leading them to falsely believe that they almost won. Slot games do not work on any kind of cyclical basis - and slot machine jackpots don't become due.

I call BS!

Why I Believe Slot Machine Games are Not Random

Slots are not random and I will never be convinced otherwise, I have been playing slots for many years and seen so many different examples of them being NOT random, making it incredibly difficult to believe that slot machines are totally random, here's why:

If slot machine games are designed to fit into a maths model, which they are said to be, then they cannot be TRULY unpredictable.
I have played certain online slot machines where the 'Payout' or money won amount is displayed BEFORE the bonus game spins end.
How is it possible for a slot machine to be a random device and for a machine to also have to pay back a certain percentage of the money played through it?
Anyone who's played certain slot machines for example, could not fail to notice how you don't see ANY certain symbols on the reels for ages, then suddenly they are everywhere!
It often feels almost as if there is some algorithm at play preventing a certain feature to happen too soon after starting a slot game, and only happening once you've lost enough money to cover the feature's payout.
Have you ever been steadily winning playing a certain amount, e.g $1, so you decide to bet more to win more and increase your bet per spin to $2. What happens? The machine 'instantly' stops paying and becomes deader than a Dodo bird! Strange isn't it, considering slots are supposed to be so called 'random' (sarcasm).

Screenshot of the Mad Mad Monkey online slot game.

On some progressive jackpots linked to a bank of slot machines, the jackpot has to be won before a certain amount of money is reached. Now, if this is the case, how are they REALLY random if they have to hit before the jackpot reaches a certain amount? Totally random means they can hit at ANY time. If they have to hit by a certain amount they have to be programed to do that.

I was once asked in an 'anonymous' online casino survey, 'If I felt like I received enough playing time for the amount of money fed to the slot machine!' Now, why ask something like that if it is beyond their control to 'adjust the settings'? Was it because if a player was losing their money too quickly - resulting in a shorter machine play time - then the machine would 'compensate' by paying out more before the end of the playing time? This time of play adjustment would then allow casino patrons, both on and offline, to 'feel' they had value for money due to the adjusted extension of playing time on the machine.

Losing on One Machine - You'll be Losing on All Machines!

What I don't get, if you have a win on one particular slot game and then move onto several others, they will all be dead. For every win I have had I then lose constantly until the money I won and some has been played back, no matter what slot I play before I even begin to get above my deposit back again - it is the same pattern each time and that does not appear random to me. It's as if all the online slot machines are linked to a central computer - For example: If you are continually losing, when playing online slots, switching to another slot game doesn't matter as all the games you try do not payout as well. The only so called random thing is if your players account has been deemed worthy of a win for a change. It would be extremely easy, and fast being a computer, for a 'central computer' to check the deposits, as well as wins and losses, your account has had over a certain amount of time and money deposited. Your account is then compensated for the losses with smaller, or medium amount, wins that will always see you losing over the long term.

Have You Noticed

Have you ever noticed that you miss out on a good winning combination because just one reel wasn't in the right position? Then lo-and-behold on the very next spin the symbol you needed is right where you needed it to be on the previous spin! Random? Nah! Teaser? Yes!

When in a bonus game and, for example, you have to select 3 symbols from a group of symbols in order to reveal the bonus money, number of free spins, or number of free spins and the winning combination multplier factor, 'beneath' the symbols. Once you have made your choices and the selections are revealed all the other symbols may be revealed as well - often with a better option than the ones you picked. Rest assured that had you picked the 'better options' you would still have made the EXACT SAME choices - So it's no use saying, 'If only I had picked that symbol...' As you don't know what's 'under' any symbol at the start of the bonus pick, the computer can, and does, calculate the amount of free spins etc. it is going to give you, and then reveals whatever it wants to 'under' those symbols you both did and didn't choose. Nothing is actually ever 'under' those symbols to pick from, the machine simply changes the icon picture to whatever its current calculation amount tells it to reward you.

Have you also noticed that after a modest win, or payout, assuming you keep playing the same slot machine, it almost seems as though the game NEEDS to win that payout back before giving you another, abeit smaller payout.

Have you ever been playing the slot machines, at for example $1 a spin, and you get a reasonable size payout win and wish you had bet $5 like you were a few minutes ago? Well rest assured had you been betting $5 a spin the win would not have been 5 times as much as your $1 spin - the machine would not have been 'ready' to payout that amount at that time.

In my experience it seems quite obvious that slot machines have to have some sort of computer coded system at play to ensure you can't win over and over again - Which is why when you do win big it is always followed by a long cold losing streak.

When bonus round occurs it ALWAYS seems the bonus round happens 2 or 3 more times in a short period after the first bonus round, then no bonuses for ages - and lots of cash gone.

Also in my experience, any big wins I've had in the past have come when I've spent a small fortune on that particular slot - almost as if the slot is forced to bring you back in line with the payout figure percentage rules.

Left to right paying slot machines are designed so high paying symbols are frequently on the 1st reel, slightly less frequent on the 2nd reel, less again on the 3rd reel, less yet on the 4th reel, and very rarely on the last reel. It is another trick by slot manufacturer's to gives you the feeling of possibly winning and missing out on the last couple of reels.

The online casino wants to keep you as a player - when playing you may seldom get any wins - then when you are near your last money in the machine you receive a moderate win - just enough to make you come back to that casino for more.

I've played them long enough to believe that they're not random, but as I said, it's my opinion from my personal observations, and you're entitled to yours. Next time you are playing slots stop and wonder why those top slot symbols and/or scatters mysteriously vanish after a while - short-term random, sure - long-term random, not so much...

Feedback on This Article

1 - A Mathematician Agrees

Recently Disabled World received an email from Dave M. stating his opinion. With his permission we have added the content of his email below:

Hi, I have just been reading an article by Jungle Jim on slot machines that was posted on your site, which was very illuminating, and everything he says seems to be quite accurate. Although the article is from a few years ago I found the contents gave quite a representative appraisal on online slot machines and land based slot machines.

My own area of interest however is the online slot machines.

Over the past few months I have been conducting my own research being a mathematician I was interested to find out if these forms of gambling were in actual fact random number generated as the major casino's , bingo halls and other gambling establishments claim them to be.

Firstly I played an online popular slot machine after joining a popular bingo hall and online company. And low and behold after depositing a modest sum had a virtually immediate win followed by subsequent wins giving me a substantial reward on my investment.

Then as if a button had been pressed to say OK this person has won enough and is now 'hooked' when trying other slot games those wins accrued from a previous slot game was starting to be eroded away quite rapidly with a succession of totally win free blank spells apart from very low denomination pay outs.

So before the 'winning pot' had been exhausted I returned back to the original slot game to try again after a day or two. And low and behold it subsequently eroded the rest of the winnings paying absolutely nothing in the way of substantial wins, only small denominations until it was all gone, this in my opinion is a very systematically heavily controlled form of gambling which also in my opinion is not random at all.

I went on for the next several weeks to play and document all the wins and losses from some free game plays to see if there was any difference between them and the paying games and over a period of time playing the free games found that these games always paid substantial wins consistently.

However in between when switching back to the paying money slot games it was always whittling whatever I deposited away, without any substantial wins whatsoever. This I documented and found over a period of time that the wins I initially procured was taken back three fold.

So my research has concluded and justifiably concurred with Jungle Jim's opinions that online slot machines are not random number generators at all and are in my opinion being governed by the operators and companies that are running them.

2 - RNG is NOT RNG

It seems there are many many people out there who agree completely with the article above. Here is one such email, (permission was obtained to include it on this page), from Lewis T. who wrote in under the heading 'RNG is NOT RNG...'

Hi, I'm a fellow slot machine player at a few of my neighboring casinos and way before I came across your post, I noticed those patterns and it wasn't just with slot machines but also with Roulette when I saw the momentum of the ball slow down, rest in one spot, then started vibrating extremely, then rolled around the metal ring and land in another pocket. From that point on I stayed away from roulette and would always watch closely as to how the ball would do the things it would do - yet no one would notice it but me!

As for the slot machines, I would take videos of how the reels would go into hyper-speed all to avoid the bonus symbol it would, and or should, have landed on. All the casino games are suppose to be regulated but who can you really trust them when money runs the world and the gaming commission is getting their pockets loaded by the casinos that are suppose to be operating fair games.

These places have a operations room that allows them to control the winnings and the losings, from the games all the way to the rewards cards they persuade you to sign up for, all for them to regulate you even further.

It has been too many times that I've sat down, inserted my rewards card, inserted my hard earned money and played until I exhausted my $100 in the machine. Then I would sit and watch someone sit right down behind me and play the same game and hit so many bonuses RIGHT AFTER I FINISHED PLAYING! And it wouldn't be just one instance.

The way my mind works I can focus on the whole game verses just focusing on one reel and see the rhythm on wins and loses, and this is just from me!

How are these establishments, the gaming commission, and all the other 'gaming regulators' able to get away with preying on people and get away with it???

3 - Slot Games are Not Random at All

John V. wrote into Disabled World to give his opinion on the unfairness of slot payouts:

The opinions of Jungle Jim to me are what I have been saying all along as well. The games are not random at all, to me the one thing I notice most is 100% of the time you get free spins or a bonus on one game, win some money, then guaranteed after if you keep playing that game you will not get another free spin or bonuses for a long period of time.

What I do is if I get free spins or a bonus I will spin maybe couple times after knowing I will get nothing, then I will change games right away. You have to be very focused when playing and be very patient. When you have low balance bet small as you have to slowly build up your balance, then when you get to around 200 I would say you can start playing the jackpot games, bet more per spin on regular slots etc.

They are definitely not random they try to brainwash you and tell you they are, but when you're an experienced player like myself you play a game for a while give it a chance don't go in thinking I will play till I get free spins or a bonus you could lose a lot of money thinking that. Just play 20 spins or so if theres nothing then move on don't get lazy and stick with the one game, be focused take your time if you feel like your getting very frustrated and angry turn the casino off take break if you don't you will lose it all with in minutes.

It's a game between you and the casino. You can win once in a while, but don't go in expecting to win and wonder why a game paid out so well yesterday and today there is nothing at all. Emotions are key, be relaxed, be alert, and take your time be smart, and you have a good Chance in winning. I have done it 7 times. I have withdrawn money in the last few months that's pretty good so it can be done. Good luck to you all.

Let's Keep the Discussion Going!

So, are slots really random? What do you think? Can you add to the above lists on how you think slot machines may be cheating? If so contact us, as we'd be interested in more opinions.

You may also be interested in meeting new friends by playing online bingo with chat - Free Online Bingo
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It has been said; Slot players don't lose because they never win, they lose because they don't quit when they're ahead...

It all started with the mechanical slot

The very first slots, dating back to the late 19th century, were mechanical and although lacking in features, were charming in their simplicity.

Pull the handle of the one-armed-bandit and you’ll be able to hear the gears turning, spinning the reels and chancing your luck at a jackpot.

With a physical machine, it’s much more difficult to rig, yes there’s the chance that there’s never going to be a winning payline, but it’s unlikely to rank as popular with the players so there’s very few around.

In a typical mechanical slot, players insert a coin and pull the lever which triggers the spinning of the reels.

This action allowed the reels to operate like tumblers inside a combination lock, activating a payout when the correct combination hits and the tumblers align.

A series of metal pins, known as the payout trigger, would work in tandem with the reel plate and determine the payout value – the better the combination, the longer that the trigger will be released, the more coins a player will win.

If you’re mechanically minded, you’ll see how it works and why they’re particularly difficult to rig without the use of electronics.

Parts will have to be custom made, fettled with and altered to make sure the reels aren’t making combinations and more often than not, it’s more complicated to make a fixed machine that it would be an honest one.

It’s a simpler time, sure, but there’s not exactly the same level of action that we see in the modern-day slot.

The evolution of electronic and online slots

It didn’t take long for the typical mechanical slot to evolve to the electronic equivalent and before long, the electronic slots developed into the online slot we all know and love.

The mechanical internals of the slot was swapped for a digital one and instead of gears running the reels from a pull of the lever, motors were used to spin the combinations of symbols, leaving the lever for purely nostalgic reasons.

Compare this to online and you’re now just clicking your mouse or tapping your screen over a button labeled ‘spin’ and trusting it to be fair.

There may have some serious steps forward, but to understand exactly how the online slots work, it’s important to know the logic behind them to make a valid judgment as to how fair the online slot actually is.

How the online slot works

Online slots are different to both electronic and mechanical in that they don’t exist at all in the physical space, but instead in the digital world as a series of algorithms.

The slot may be designed in an attempt to mimic the reels of the past, but don’t be fooled by flashy graphics and exciting features – the games are simply lines of code that you’re playing through the screen.

So what are the algorithms in place and what do they mean for our winnings?

Return to player (RTP) rates

The first number that we’re taking into account is the RTP rate and is featured across all three different forms of slot machines.

The return to player (RTP) rate is the percentage that a player should expect to win back of the sum that they’ve entered into the machine. Usually, you’ll find the RTP set around the 95% mark to lure players into believing that they’re not actually losing all that much money by keeping their win rates high.

In mechanical slots, this value is typically unknown due to the nature of the ‘random’ internals, but with electronic and online slots, the number is predetermined and written into the software when the game is created.

The minimum theoretical payout percentage is defined by law or regulation but varies depending on the jurisdiction.

In the state of Nevada, this percentage stands at 75%, in Mississippi, it’s at 80% and New Jersey sticks at 83%.

Any less than this and the slot machine is breaking the rules and will be subject to legal action if discovered.

Historically, many casinos, both brick-and-mortar and online, have been unwilling to publish the data surrounding their machines RTP values, making it impossible for players to know the theoretical return on the games they’re playing. However, particularly recently, these figures have been reaching the public domain via the release of information from casinos and the independent studies of gambling authorities.

RTP and variance

The return to player isn’t the only figure that’s of interest to players of the casino, the variance is perhaps of equal importance when picking a slot to play.

In theory, the higher the RTP rate, the less chance of losing significant sums over a long period of time you should expect.

Of course, this should only be used as a guide and it should be noted that those with lower RTP rates commonly offer increased opportunities for bigger one-off wins.

This effect is due to the impact of variance, a term describing the type of payout that should be expected from a slot machine.

A slot that boasts a high variance will pay out less frequently but will pay out large sums when a player finally wins.

The opposite is true for slots claiming a low variance with players find payouts more often but in smaller denominations.

Regardless of variance, RTP should be the main figure of interest and regardless of what type of wins you’re hunting down, the larger RTP values should always be the main focus and make up the bulk of play.

Random number generators (RNGs)

If we’re going to discuss how the online slot functions to make sure there’s a fair chance of winning and losing, we’re going to need to talk about random number generators (RNGs).

An RNG is exactly what it says on the tin, it’s a piece of code written into the game’s architecture that allows for random numbers to be generated, meaning that each player has the same chance to win as the next.

RNG’s display a set of numbers to the system each time the reels are spun when playing an online slot. These numbers generated are then translated into the results that we see on the screen, leading to different combinations of paylines.

The RNGs will coincide with the RTP of the slot and although the numbers generated will be truly random, they will be developed in such a way that still permits the desired RTG. Clever right?

Are Digital Slot Machines Rigged Odds

What’s maybe most important to note is the memory of the system that dishes out the jackpots and although it may feel like a slot is ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ during different times of playing, they’re actually completely oblivious to past events.

The system itself has no memory, therefore, it cannot dictate when to permit wins and/or losses depending on how much players have previously won/lost. That means it’s equally likely to hit a jackpot immediately following another big win – the odds are the same.

Ultimately, your fate is in the hands of the algorithm and there’s not a lot you can do to change its mind.

The licensing of fair games

The way a slot works might make sense when it comes to the theory, but when you consider that the developers of the games are in charge of the payouts, a little bit of skepticism might start nagging away once again.

You’d be absolutely right to question the word of the game developer, after all, who’s going to sell more slots – the one that pays back more or less to the player?

It’s a point that emphasized even further when it comes to the online casino market with plenty of suppliers creating their own games for maximum control and maximum profit – so why would we trust these slots?

Thankfully, you don’t just have to take the word of the game developers that you’re in safe hands, instead, you can rely on the independent regulatory authorities and their licensing powers to ensure that all games are fair to play and match their stated RTPs.

But it’s not just the games providers that need the licensing to prove that they’re providing a fair product – all platforms used must have a trustworthy casino license by a recognized body to ensure that they’re up to scratch.

The license takes into account all things safety from the standards of security to the customer service that online casinos provide.

Authorities are incredibly thorough so it’s not just a case of a quick flick through and a license granted, but a solid look into different forms of criteria to make a judgment on both the games and the casino.

The credentials of the casino will be checked across a range of indicators, the financial clout and business competence evaluated and the policies in place to allow for a reputable organization to form.

It’s then and only then that the casino will be granted a license, but expect regular check-ups and interest whenever there’s game development from these entities.

How to make sure you’re playing fair

If you’re sat there wondering whether or not you should be concerning yourself with the credentials of the casino – the conclusion is simple – you should always check the casinos licensing and reputation.

By only playing at licensed casinos you’ll be sure that you’re only gaming where it’s fair and where your personal data is safe and secure.

You don’t want to be playing subpar games with subpar odds with insecure data, so this is an absolute must when checking out new places to play.

In cases in which companies do not post official data regarding the RTP, it is good practice to investigate third-party testing companies that have the chosen slots within their portfolio.

Third-party sites are often out to help the consumer and they’re usually particularly trustworthy, especially when visiting well-respected sources.

The best bet is to target games that come alongside published payouts so you can ensure you’re getting the fairest deals.

Rival and BetSoft casinos are great examples of fair places to play and with payouts published online, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting involved with when you’re heading to the slots.

Ultimately, it’s a case of keeping your wits about you. Providing that you’re playing at a reputable, well-known and reliable site, the chances are that you’ll be in safe hands when spinning the reels.

The grey area comes with newly launched casinos that lack the licenses that we’d expect to be associated with the games.

Are Digital Slot Machines Rigged Spin

If you’ve spotted a dodgy one, it’s best to steer well clear – there’s plenty of other places to play – no matter how good the sign up offer is!