Whether you’re playing online or at a land-based casino, the question at the back of your head will always be: “Are slot machines rigged?”
Slot machine players aren’t strangers to this question, so we’ve decided to look into this possibility.
Are Slot Machines Rigged?
The element of risk whilst playing slot machines is enough of a deterrent for potential players.
Add the risk that slot machines might be rigged and you can see why many players prefer games like poker and blackjack to slot releases, where gamblers have some form of control over their game.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the arguments against rigged slot machines.
RNG Software
Most slot games use what is called a Random Number Generator to determine the outcome of each and every spin, making for a completely random result every time.
The way a Random Number Generator works is that it shuffles through thousands of random numbers per second — even when the slot game isn’t being played — and stops when the reels spin.
What does this achieve? Well, this ensures that the outcome of each spin is completely random and not influenced by any external factors. Do all slot machines work this way? Yes, they do.
Gambling Authorities
In most jurisdictions, there can be no such thing as rigged slot machines — not when gambling authorities are around.
The role of gambling authorities is to ensure that all online casinos operating in their jurisdiction operate fairly.
Every online casino is vetted to ensure that all its casino games operate randomly — most casinos are even audited by third-party organisations.
Slot machine RTP
The way slot machines work is that they are required to pay a specific percentage of money in the long run. This percentage is known as the Return to Player (RTP) or the payback percentage.
The RTP usually hovers around the 87% to 98% mark, but some slot machines pay more than that.
One particular slot is Book of 99 by Relax Gaming, whose RTP stands at a whopping 99%.
Although every casino — be it a land-based or online casino — is set to profit in the long run, a high-RTP slot machine can definitely earn players money if they’re lucky.
Some slot machines can be called ‘loose slots’ and ‘tight slots’. Loose slot machines pay more frequently and offer the best winning chances of most games, whereas tight slots don’t pay very often.
If you’d like higher winning chances but lower rewards, you might want to play loose slot machines, whereas other players could prefer tight ones for their entertainment value. Play both types to see what you enjoy more!
Slot machine house edge
In the same vein as the RTP, the house edge (or house advantage) is often mistaken as a conniving tactic employed by gaming sites to make secret profits off of slot players.
The house edge is simply the percentage of a player’s bet that the casino expects to keep over time.
Think of the house edge as the casinos’ official profit margin — an inevitable requirement for every business to keep operating.
You can find the exact house edge when playing slots in the game rules.
A reputation to maintain
Gaming sites know that any form of cheating or rigging would not only make people stop playing their slots, but gaming authorities would be quick to act on such transgressions.
After all, many regulatory bodies and independent auditors regularly monitor and test online gaming sites to ensure that they are adhering to fair play standards.
It is worth keeping in mind that licensed casinos must obtain a license from a gaming regulator before operating legally — this also goes for land-based casinos.
Rare malfunctions
Although slot machines at legitimate casinos are rigorously tested before being made available, malfunctions can still occur.
What exactly can cause a slot game to malfunction? Generally speaking, hardware failures and the game’s programming are usually the culprits of the occasional error.
Slot machines will also malfunction if players attempt to hack the software. In most cases, such attempts are futile since slot game developers always make sure to program their games as hacker-proof as possible.
In any case, attempts at manipulating slot machines almost never bypass online casino security measures.
Gaming sites aren’t the ones that developed the slots
Slots are not likely to be rigged since the site itself is not the one that programs them. Gaming sites license products available on-site through third-party developers. This might lead to the following question: is the game itself rigged?
Similar to gaming sites, software developers rely on creating high-quality and reliable products to keep growing their business and upkeep their reputation.
Additionally, strict industry requirements also come into play for software developers to ensure fairness to roulette players.
Important Slot Features That You Should Know About
As we’ve seen in the section above, there are several factors that dispel the notion of rigged slot machines, at least, in legitimate gaming sites.
The more knowledgeable one is about slot machines, the less likely one is to believe that they are rigged. In that light, let’s add to that knowledge by explaining some key features of every slot game.
Slot volatility
Slot volatility, also known as slot variance, is a measure of the risk involved when playing slot games. It refers to how often and how much a slot machine pays out to slot players over a determined period of time.
Low volatility slots tend to pay frequently but in smaller amounts, whereas high volatility slots have pay much less frequently but offer a potentially great payout or jackpot.
If you enjoy the element of risk in slot games, you can try and play high-volatility slots, but if you don’t, we’d recommend sticking to low-volatility slots. Finding the right volatility for you might take some time, so feel free to take some demo modes for a spin.
Hit frequency
Hit frequency in slot games refers to the rate at which a winning combination appears on the slot machine. The hit frequency is usually expressed as a percentage, and it is calculated by dividing the number of winning combos by the total number of possible combinations. For example, if a slot machine has 200 possible combinations and 20 of them are winning combos, the hit frequency would be 10%.
It is important to note that hit frequency does not indicate how much a player can win but rather how often a player can expect to win. Slot machines with a high hit frequency may offer more frequent wins, but these wins may be smaller in size. On the other hand, slot machines with a lower hit frequency may offer fewer wins, but these wins may be larger in size.
Hit frequency can be influenced by several factors, including the number of reels, the number of paylines, the types of symbols used, and the game’s overall design.
Paylines
Playing slots successfully is a matter of landing matching symbols on the paylines available. A payline can be a straight line, a zigzag pattern, or any other pre-determined pattern that the game developer chooses.
In most slot machines, paylines run from left to right across the grid, but some games may have paylines that run in different directions or patterns.
The number of paylines on a slot machine can vary quite a lot, with some slot machines having just a few paylines and others having several hundreds of paylines.
Demo mode
If you have never taken advantage of demos, you really should! Demos are the best way to practise a slot and find the right volatility before trying any real-money spins.
The demo mode is a gaming mode available on almost every casino site that includes all the same features and mechanics you can expect when digging into the actual gameplay. The only difference is that you cannot bring home that big win as an actual cash prize when testing out free demos.
To take your big wins home, you’ll have to play the real thing.
How are slot machines rigged sometimes?
All this talk about rigged slot machines might lead people to believe that massive amounts of slots are illegitimate. Really and truly, how exactly can slot machines be rigged?
- Programming errors: Slot machines are controlled by computer programs, and errors in the programming can cause the machine to malfunction or pay incorrectly.
- Manipulating the software: Skilled hackers may attempt to manipulate the software of a slot machine by inserting a virus or other malicious code. This can allow them to control the machine remotely or cause it to pay in their favour. As we’ve mentioned above, attempting this will alert the casino’s security.
- Illegitimate online casinos: If the slot game is offered by an illegitimate or unlicensed casino, it may eat up your bankroll more than usual. You may discover that the same game pays more when playing at an unlicensed casino. Do not fall for this trap! When playing online, it’s important to identify licensed casinos before placing any deposits.
Keep in mind that these possibilities are extremely rare. In a regulated online casino, you won’t have to keep these possibilities in mind.
How to make sure you are using a safe slot machine?
If you want to make sure that any big wins that come your way are real, you should really heed the following advice. This is how you should go about playing slots safely.
Play at a licensed casino
Only play at casino sites that are licensed and regulated by reputable gambling authorities. These sites are required to follow strict rules and regulations to ensure that the games they provide are safe.
Identify certifications
Look for certification from independent gambling testing agencies such as eCOGRA, GLI, or iTech Labs.
These agencies test and certify that the slots and other games in the casino’s portfolio are fair and legitimate.
Establish a budget and stick to it
All slot machine players should be playing this way. Before testing your luck and trying any spins, make sure to set a gambling budget.
Simply set a fixed amount of money that you’re willing to spend on slots. If you encounter a stretch of bad luck, stop placing bets. It’s important to never gamble money that you cannot afford to lose — that’s the only way playing games can stay fun!
Consult slots’ paytables
Before playing a slot machine, check the paytable to see the payouts for each combination. A reputable and fair slot machine should always have clear and consistent payouts for each combination.
If you discover that the game doesn’t have a clear paytable displaying each winning combination, we’d advise against testing your luck.
Play slots online safely at EnergyCasino
If, like many slot fans, you want a legitimate gaming site that offers the best winning chances in an honest and fun way, then EnergyCasino is the place to be. We are licensed by the MGA, offering you a safe platform to play any popular casino game. Our portfolio full of almost 3,000 slots is sure to include the games you enjoy — be it Megaways™ slots, jackpots or even progressive jackpots! Are slot machines rigged at EnergyCasino? Definitely not! We have worked with several gaming authorities to bring you the most authentic and honest experience possible.
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