For decades, people have been spreading myths and rumors about slot machines, and video slots are no different. It’s funny because I’ve heard some of these rumors among my own family. And when I try to explain the truth, I’m often met with skepticism. I hope that this article with help to inform other fans of video slot machines as to what’s true and what’s not.
Myth #1: If I use my player’s card to play video slots, the machine will pay less
Truth: Video slots are set to a certain payout percentage, so using the card will not reduce your odds of winning. However, by NOT using your card, you miss out of valuable comps like free cash back, food, concerts, and room stays.
Myth #2: By cashing out and re-depositing, I will cause the slots to think I’m a new player, and therefore it will payoff more frequently
Truth: The theoretical payout percentage never changes (unless it’s changed manually). Each time you hit the button the machine decides which reels will appear based on a mathematical formula.
Myth #3: After a video slot machine hits a jackpot or a winning player cashes out, the machine has to “tighten up” to get even. On the other hand, if a video slot hasn’t paid off for a long time, it is “due” to hit.
Truth: Once again, video slots run off random number generators. Yes, they are set to pay off a percentage, but that’s over an infinite amount of time. If a video slot machine hits the jackpot, you have the same chance of hitting another jackpot on the next spin, as you did before the jackpot hit. Also, just because someone played a video slot machine for a long time and didn’t win, doesn’t make it more likely to pay off if you play it.
Myth #4: I got up from a machine and the jackpot hit. If I had played a little longer, I would have won.
Truth: The random number generators on slot machines are constantly calculating thousands of combinations that represent stops on each reel. When the “spin” button is pressed, the RNG calculates what combination the machine will land on. That means, for you to have hit the jackpot on that machine, you would have had to push the button at the exact same time as the other person did. It’s highly unlikely that you would have, so you shouldn’t feel bad.
Myth #5: Online casino video slots pay less than land-based casinos
Truth: This is a big one! Many online video slots actually pay more than live casinos! Due to the popularity of online casino gambling, and less operating expenses, online casinos can afford to give players higher bonuses and higher payback percentages. Most land-based casinos pay back between 90-93% while some online casinos pay back up to 95-99%.
Summary
Since video slots use random number generators, your chances of winning are the same, regardless of whether a machine has recently been hit or not. Instead of relying on luck alone to pick video slots, use available resources to find the best places to play video slots. For example, the fact that online video slots have a higher payback percentage, plus great deposit bonuses, makes them an excellent way to win more at video slots.