The availability of online casinos is greater than ever. In addition, there are more and more offerings for slots games – often with dozens or more on the very same site. With different themes, styles, and animations, they can be a huge draw. However, unlike a lot of table games, slots can be a lot harder to gauge your chances. Luckily for you, we broke down some of the more important information to have when playing online slots.
Come check out these helpful hints for this popular casino game and remember to always bet responsibly.
3 Facts About Online Slots You Should Know Before Playing
All Spins are Independent
While it’s tradition to think of a slot being “due” or that you’re hitting the timing right, that simply is not the case. Online slots use something called a Random Number Generator (RNG), which is a mathematical algorithm that selects whether or not you see a winning combination. Now this doesn’t mean that you need a degree in mathematics in order to play, but it does mean that you should understand, as the name suggests, each play is random.
Playing consistently on one slot does not increase your chances as it essentially resets after every single play. RNGs have no memory function that is sure to create different combinations or to make sure certain numbers get hit. As a result, you are not gaining an edge by switching slots at a certain point or by playing longer.
Near Misses are Designed Into the Game
While NRGs are, by design, random, obviously not all symbols are weighed evenly. Online casinos do this to make sure they retain their house edge in the longterm. They also do it to create what is called the “Near Miss Effect”. This mechanism causes combinations that are close to the jackpot or other big hits to come up more frequently. As a result, the player feels close to a big win and may want to play more.
As we mentioned prior, these moments have no impact on your future spins. Your odds to do not increase or decrease with a near miss – instread your odds go immediately back to where they were prior to the spin. This is an important fact to know as it keeps you from getting lured into the games psychology. Be wary of both the near misses and the animations that come along with them.
RTP (“Return to Player”) Can Vary
The industry standard for a slot game is usually between 94% and 96%. This means that for every dollar that you play, you are expected to win between 94 and 96 cents back. This is what’s known as the house edge and how online casinos make their money.
However, what is important to note is that not all online slot games stay within the industry standard. Because there can be loose regulation around some of these games, if regulated at all, there are wildly different sets of odds available out there. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to be aware of these before playing.
Typically when you load a slot game, you can click an information button. These typically look like question marks and are small buttons on the edge of the busy casino game screen. Inside of that menu will usually tell you what the RTP is for that particular game. While the difference between 96% and a below industry standard number like 92% might seem like peanuts, in reality it is a huge swing. The house makes twice as much money (8%) in the latter example, which means you lose money at twice the rate on average.
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If you’d like even more info on Casino Games like online slots, be sure to check out the Sports Gambling Podcast and all of the casino articles over on SGPN.
