May 22, 2024, published at 5:23 PM ET
The history of gambling began with a glorious Liberty Bell chime made in 1895, and the wheels have been spinning ever since. Fruits, symbols, stars, minerals, faces, logos, you name it, slots they had throughout their rich history. They are one of the main games of land and online casinos and as such attract many players and theories. It is normal for people to have good luck rituals and habits when playing slot machines, but knowing the science behind it can be much more helpful.
Article continues below advertisement
1. Basic conditions
From niche to highly popular games and industries, specialized terms and phrases are common and essential to understanding what you're getting into. Some of the common closing conditions are:
-
RTP
-
RNG
-
House edge
Here and below we'll go through them and others so that you and any other player can better understand how slots work and use some of the mechanics to your advantage. Many leading casino sites dominate the industry precisely because they offer high RTP values on slot machines. RTP is shorter for return-to-player, and is usually in the 95-99% range, which indicates what percentage of money will ultimately return to a player over a given period of time.
The higher the better is of course the standard here. Vlad Grindu says it's a good way to choose between the best real money online slots like those at the best casinos mentioned by Techopedia, is to compare their payout percentages (RTP) and volatility levels. The RTP gives a rough estimate of how much the game pays out in the long run, while volatility indicates how winnings are awarded.
Article continues below advertisement
2. Predicting the random chance
RNG is next in line and stands for Random Number Generator. Slots may not always have numbers, but symbols, cards, etc., but if you replace everything that appears on the wheel with numbers, it becomes clear how RNG is involved. Each wheel can have a certain number of symbols. From five to ten: the more symbols present, the more combinations can occur. If you take into account the number of spinning wheels (or lines), the number of combinations skyrockets.
Article continues below advertisement
All great non-Gamstop casinos offer their players the opportunity to increase the number of lines per spin, increasing their chances of winning a certain combination. When you turn each symbol and wheel into a number, you will realize that a RNG is to shuffle them every time, that is to rotate. There are two types of RNG:
-
Hardware device
-
Software algorithm
And playing online slot machines is of course about understanding how the software algorithm works. Today, AI integration is ubiquitous and helps investment opportunities by making predictions and complex calculations, but even advanced AI can't predict the outcome of your next spin with absolute certainty. You can increase your chances with more lines and the number of spins because you give your slot game the chance to produce more combinations. The algorithm behind each slot game is truly random and certified by the authorities, giving every player the same fair chance on every slot game.
Article continues below advertisement
MORE:
Miscellaneous
Article continues below advertisement
3. House edge
The last term to explain is how the house edge, in short, represents the casino's advantage over the player. Every game is built with a certain house edge factor and it is important to play slots with a lower house edge. Every casino expects to make a profit from a game, as financial literacy implies, because they are a business after all. This practice leads to games with lower house edges usually having restrictions such as maximum wins, number of bonuses and others, but they are consistent in player winnings.
Finding a casino with the lowest slot house edge and the highest RTP ratio gives every player a mathematical advantage, and while there are some limitations, these slots offer a steady stream of smaller wins.
Article continues below advertisement
4. Social casino
At first glance, playing at social casinos is not winning, so players who try to win at online slot machines avoid them, make a mistake and do not use a free resource. Social casinos are places where you cannot bet money on games, but cannot win cash prizes. They offer a more beginner-friendly atmosphere and a slower pace due to the different nature of their organization. But they are also an important testing ground, allowing every player a demo version of any casino game, where they can essentially try out new strategies, ideas and moves without any risk of losing money or being fined.
Regular online casinos may offer a number of free spins or X number of attempts at online slot machines, but social casinos are much better suited for testing game variations or strategies because they are completely risk-free. Of course you won't win anything, but you will gain valuable experience and gaming knowledge that is transferable when you start playing a real money gambling game.
Article continues below advertisement
5. Diversify
Sometimes an online gambling game does not work for a player, regardless of the strategies, time or investments made. If you think that a gambling game is not for you, you can switch to another gambling game. Online slots are incredibly diverse and offer a fresh experience with every theme. Whether it's ancient Egypt, Rome, the distant future or a pirate ship theme, a fresh start can make all the difference. Online casinos offer a number of free spins on new slot games, and checking the online casino's portfolio regularly can be beneficial to your winning strategy.
For example, when an online casino introduces a new gambling game, it is a good practice to try it out because it can be beginner-friendly and catered favorably to new players, so the game gains popularity. Theme weeks or promotions are good indications of where to play, because online casinos that offer thousands of slot variations will want to promote them all and have them all up and running, even if only at some point. Finally, just as casinos are diversifying their portfolios, so should you. Some online casinos may offer some beneficial feature for online slots, which may suit some players, but not all players. Others may have what was missing, but still lack the complete package. The most important thing you should do is research and shop around to see which slot games work for you and resonate with your playing style, regardless of public opinion, as ultimately you are the one playing and want to have fun.
