Betting, both online and in land-based casinos, has always been an ideal subject for forming myths. Because myths are based on superstitions and superstitions, and take into account the advantages of gambling, people’s imagination often goes beyond common sense and offers the craziest ideas. They are in the air, but have no logical confirmation. Therefore, you can try to immerse yourself in the variety of mythical alternatives that surround such a popular casino game as slot machines.
Myths about time and space
This is the most popular category of myths. Probably because it is not completely absurd and has at least some reasonable justification. Gamblers often believe that in slots the chances of winning are higher at certain times of the day, for example, early in the morning, on holidays or weekends. Another misconception is that the payout level is determined by the location of the slot machine in the gambling hall. A thorough study has identified the leaders in this category:
- It is much easier to hit the progressive jackpot on a weekend than on a weekday.
- Slot machines pay large amounts during periods of calm.
- Slot machines that are located in the zone of busy traffic (entrance/exit), more often and higher payouts.
- The same slot machines in different gambling establishments have different levels of payouts.
This list can be continued indefinitely, but we believe that you understand the essence. So, in order to avoid problems, it is worth summarizing – all of the above has nothing to do with reality. All slot machines have a built-in random number generator (RNG), which ensures that no spin depends on external factors-location, time, or anything else that the human brain is able to invent. The odds of winning are always the same and depend solely on mathematical puzzles, which determine the randomness.
Myths about “hot” and “cold” slots
The concept of “hot hand phenomenon” came from basketball and meant a situation in which a player with enviable accuracy hits the opponent’s ring many times in a row. Then the term “hot / lucky hand” (from the English. hot hand) moved to psychology and other related areas.
Here the whole point is in the mystery of the so-called hot and cold cycles of slot machines. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, then ” hot “is called a lucky streak, and “cold” – a series of losses. Such swings are absolutely normal, and there is nothing wrong with paying attention to them. Nevertheless, it is a myth and a potential mistake to assume that certain slot games are based on a “cold” or “hot” principle in the matter of the current winning/losing streak. The reason for this irrational behavior is incredibly simple and lies deep in our brain. People are excellent at detecting patterns even where they don’t exist. The phenomenon of the ” hot ” hand is the easiest way to describe how our brain tricks us around the finger. In short, it is perfectly normal to experience a series of wins or losses, and to believe that they are not random. However, it is worth remembering that if we are talking about slots, there is nothing else in them except chance!
Myths about jackpots
Jackpots attract myths like a magnet. They are so rare and so desirable that players often come up with different concepts to justify their lack.
The number one myth in this category is that a slot that recently paid the jackpot is not likely to repeat this in the near future. The quick answer to this assumption is that the RNG is 100% unpredictable, and an attempt to calculate and identify the principle of unpredictability will only lead to false expectations.
Jackpot myth number 2 can be called the “observer myth”. It formed the basis of one of the most popular episodes of the series “Friends”. The myth is based on the belief that if you start playing on a slot machine where the previous player had a series of losses, your chances of hitting the jackpot are incredibly high. A person who leaves after a losing streak is left with the annoying feeling that the jackpot has literally slipped out of his fingers. Dramatic, isn’t it? It feels as if someone else will be satisfied with the fruits of your hard work. However, this is nothing more than an illusion. Software that ensures randomness of the outcome works even when the slot machine is not used, generating millions of possible results even during the change of players. That’s why a winning spin is nothing more than a matter of luck, there are no guarantees or schemes no matter how desperately you try to calculate them.
Myth of the automatic game mode function
Playing with a pre-determined number of automatic spins is a great option, especially for a number of not very exciting slots. This helps to save your energy from pressing the spin button a million times. However, many believe that playing in automatic mode reduces the winning potential. The lack of control scares those players who doubt the actual randomness of the RNG. They see this as a great opportunity for the casino to collect automatic bets without triggering a bonus round or showing a higher winning combination on the reels. This has nothing to do with how slot machines work. Still, it’s another way to mess with your brain.
The winning coefficient can be found by counting the symbols on each reel
Actually, no, you can’t. The RNG generates a number for each spin. There can be hundreds of virtual stops on each reel, even though you only see a few symbols yourself. For example, you can see 20 symbols on each wheel of a three-drum machine. You count 20 x 20 x 20 = 8000 combinations, meaning your chances of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 8000. In reality, a computer chip can program 256 stops for each wheel, so that the resulting coefficients are 256 × 256 × 256 = 16,777,216 combinations. It is the ability to generate millions of combinations that is the main reason why slots can offer large payouts.
The temperature of the coins affects how the machine makes payments
It’s a funny assumption, but unfortunately it’s just a fiction. It doesn’t matter what coins you play – warm, cold, new or old. The slot hole of a slot machine is a mechanical device that has no senses.
If you pull the lever, the probability of winning is much higher than when you press the button
This may slow down the game a little, but it will not increase your chances of winning. This method will also help to reduce the average amount that you can lose within an hour, but the effect will be minimal. Imagine that you make 400 spins per hour by pressing a button. In the case of the lever, you reduce this number to 350. If you play on a slot machine where the payback percentage is 97%, then by simple calculations you can come to the conclusion that you will lose about $12 per hour if you use the button. If you prefer the lever – $10.50. And it’s not because you changed your winning odds. You simply reduced the number of bets per hour.
The staff of the gambling establishment can help you to find a “winning” slot machine
Another fun tip is that you need to contact one of the lower-level employees, and he will tell you which machine is easier to win. In exchange for information, you will have to offer him a share of your winnings. However, bartenders, waiters and cleaners have no idea which slot machine has the highest chance of hitting the jackpot.
Slot machines- the games for pensioners
Yes, most slot lovers do have a pension certificate in their wallet. But this does not mean that slot machines are not interested in young people. The era of mindless rotation of bells and fruit has long since sunk into oblivion. Modern video slots are equipped with full-fledged video clips, sound effects that can compete with IMAX cinema in quality, as well as smart bonus games, additional bets and other interactive features.
Thanks to the licensing agreements of major Hollywood studios, record companies and other attributes of pop culture, modern slot machines are also adapted for the millennial generation. “The walking dead”, “Dungeons and dragons”, “Game of thrones” – all that you like, most likely, can be found in the form of slot machines.
The last myth on this list is the most anticipated. Namely, the casino is the main evil genius who pulls the strings. The gambling establishment, presumably, determines the game settings in its favor. Usually slot machine lovers come to this common and completely wrong conclusion after a long series of failures, when they desperately try to shift the blame for losing to someone or something. Indeed, the bonus feature is not so easy to get. It is so difficult that you can’t help thinking that something is wrong here. Most likely, the casino affected the course of the game by interfering with the settings! You are left alone with the gambling house! This is an epic fight in which you will surely lose, because the enemy controls everything. An epic story, but no more than for a dramatic series. In reality, slot machines are usually rented out, so the casino review just uses an already adapted product. Fortunately for us, operators don’t have superpowers, secret buttons for settings, or any other magic tricks. The power belongs exclusively to His Majesty the random number generator, leaving everything to good old luck.