Sooner or later, casino players become interested in how slot machines work. At first glance, everything is very simple: the reels spin, stop at the symbols and give out prizes. But in fact, all this is not as easy as it seems.
First of all, it's worth mentioning what will be shocking news for many players. In fact, the result of the spin is determined even before the reels stop. And this is not a deception, but a standard.
There is a special program called a random number generator (RNG). This program constantly generates different numbers, and at the moment when the player presses the start button, random numbers are selected. Each of these numbers is associated with a symbol, which is displayed on the screen.
But since the slot machine must retain some kind of intrigue, it is designed in such a way that the animation is shown first, and then the result. This is described in detail and clearly in the video “We watch cartoons”.
The duration of the rotation of the reels and the possibility of their manual stop does not affect the result in any way. The results are determined when the start button is pressed. And then the animation just plays. So whether you stop the drums sooner or later, it won't change anything.
That is, if you are looking for slots where you can manually stop the reels, then you should know that this is all useless. If you just need to make the game go faster, look for Turbo mode. Then one spin will be about two or maybe three times shorter and you will not have to wait long. Turbo mode can be called differently, sometimes it is indicated by a lightning bolt, in general, you will understand this intuitively.
In most cases, not completely random numbers are generated, but pseudo random ones. But for the average player, this difference will not be noticeable. This will be taken care of by the developer, who is not at all profitable for someone to be able to determine the algorithms used. Moreover, each slot machine is certified by a testing lab, which should also make sure that no one can guess how the random numbers are formed.
PRNG hack. However, there is at least one confirmed case where a way to generate slot results has been determined. The Russian, known as Alex, bought himself real slot machines and was able to determine the algorithm used. Thus, he always knew when the prize combinations would fall out.
He assembled a team that traveled around the casino and always left in the black playing on “hacked” slots. Details of how it all worked can be found in the article "Can You Cheat a Casino?" with the subtitle "Gang from St. Petersburg".
Commenting on the case, the Novomatic developers admitted that the slot machines are designed in such a way that, with prolonged and targeted observation, it is possible to determine the pattern in their work. So, pseudo randomness leaves room for such scenarios.
Reels in land-based slots are reels on which ribbons with game symbols are glued. There is limited space on real reels, so usually 18-20 symbols are placed on them. The same principle with ribbons is used in online slots. The only difference is that in this case the tapes can be of any length.
The video below shows in detail what a line of symbols looks like on a reel. The example uses a classic three-reel slot. A tape with symbols is shown, which we see on the screen and how the computer sees it. The video is in English, but you can understand by the picture.
Each cell on the reel is not necessarily equal segments. For example, if there are two sevens and singles on the tape, this does not mean that they have the same chances. Below we will consider an example from a video on a segment of 2 minutes 14 seconds.
If you look at the reel breakdown on the left and its symbols that the player sees, you can see a big difference. For example, a double bar on top occupies as many as seven positions, and the seven that follows it occupies only one position. It affects the likelihood. That is, if we compare these two symbols, a double bar is seven times more likely than a seven. Although on the drum that we see, they can occupy the same space.
Further in the video, it is shown that a certain symbol corresponds to a certain number that the RNG generates. For example, from 1 to 2 is a space, from 3 to 9 is a double bar, then a space from 10 to 13, then a seven is 14.
If the number 01 is generated for the first reel, it corresponds to a space, which is what appears on the screen. When the number 09 is generated, a double bar will appear on the screen, and so on.
In every studio where slots are produced, mathematicians work to create mathematical models. This is the basis that determines how the slot will pay out, how much and when. That is, they lay down such important characteristics as RTP, volatility, frequency and size of payments. Then all other elements are layered on this basis - graphics, sounds.
Judging by the cult slots, we can conclude that the mathematics of the game is more important for many players than the appearance. For example, take a look at Dead or Alive available at NetEnt casino. This is a completely outdated slot in terms of graphics, which was produced many years ago. But until now, players remember and love it, and this is due to the mathematical component - its high variance.
There is a video that explains with the simplest example what the mathematics of the slot machine means. In this example, a classic slot is considered, where the number of symbols on each reel is 20.
This information is only for those who are really interested in how the mathematics of slot machines works. Or who just wants to look at the amount of work mathematicians have to do and that it's not all that easy. The video is in English, but I will explain everything in detail.
The first thing the author does is paint the paytable. The one you can find in any slot machine.
It then shows the frequency of each symbol appearing on each of the three reels. For example, the seven appears only once on all three reels. A bar can fall out in 3 cases on the first reel, two on the second and one on the third. At the end of the table, he adds up all the values and calculates the total number of symbols that are possible on the reels (21, 24 and 23).
Next, you need to determine the maximum possible occurrences of a particular combination. To do this, the frequency of the symbol on each reel is multiplied. For example, only one line is possible, in which the seven will fall out on all three reels at the same time (1x1x1). The number of lines when watermelon+watermelon+bar will appear is 4 (2x2x1). This is because there are 2 watermelons (2x2) on the first two reels, and only one bar (2x2x1) is possible on the third reel.
After the frequency of a certain combination is calculated, the value is multiplied by the payouts that give these combinations. This is how the total payout amount for this combination is found. Then all these payments are added up, and you get a total return.
For example, the return from three sevens is equal to 200 credits. Since the payout is 200, and there is only one possible combination. It turns out 200x1 equals 200. Three bars can fall out in six cases, and each such case is paid at 100 credits. It turns out a total return from them 600 (100x6).
When the total return of all paid combinations is calculated, these values are added together to determine the total return amount. The author got 7556 credits. It also adds up the number of all combinations that bring payouts (the sum of column No. of ways). It turned out 1073.
Then he calculates the probability of getting at least some paid combination, no matter what. Since there are only 20 symbols on each reel, the number of possible combinations (including paid and unpaid ones) is equal to 20 to the third power, that is, 20x20x20=8,000. Knowing this, we get that the probability of receiving at least some payment is 1073/8000=13.41%. And expected return (RTP) is 7556/8000=94.45%.
This is just one of the simplest examples. When reels, lines, wild symbols, bonuses, etc. are added. All this math gets harder and harder. Moreover, you need to take into account that there are different types of slot machines and developers are constantly adding new slot mechanics - cluster, MegaWays, slots like Jammin' Jars.
For players, slots are easy fun, but for developers, this is a lot of work. At least for those who create good slot machines. And although most processes should now be automated, their work cannot be underestimated. Additional information on the development stages of slots and other details is available in the article How are slot machines for online casinos created?
