Getting it Right with Online Slots

Posted by

So let’s get the most important detail out of the way first of all – you cannot and will not cheat an online slot machine. It simply isn’t possible, as if there was any way of doing so, you can rest assured millions would be doing it and the whole industry would fall apart at the seams. As such, regardless of what anyone may tell you to the contrary, cheating your way around online slots simply isn’t possible…that’s sorted.

Understanding the Basics

When it comes to getting to grips with how online slot machines work, it’s all basically about getting your head around the concept of the random number generator – or RNG. Say for example you come across a slot where the odds of winning are one in ten. Assuming that the nine previous plays or players were unsuccessful, logic might tell you that you yourself are now statistically guaranteed a win. Unfortunately, logic would also be directing you down entirely the wrong path.

What’s crucial to remember is that each and every spin on any slot machine going is a 100% independent event. So what this basically means is that if there is a one in ten chance of winning, every single spin is governed by the same one in ten odds. Whether you spin once or 1,000 times, you still have exactly the same odds of winning, each and every time.

To assume that any spin or indeed any combination of spins has any impact whatsoever on the subsequent spins is to line yourself up for both disappointment and heavy losses.

What Not To Do

As there is technically no such thing as a comprehensively effective ‘winning’ strategy when playing slots, every such strategy you hear of is one you should most certainly avoid. Even in the instances of those that are well and truly sworn by in certain circles, slot machine strategies that make you believe you can predict and preempt the machine are bogus – every single one of them.

For example, you may along the way have heard of the so-called ‘zig zag’ system, which basically involves looking at the various patterns that appear on the reels in order to predict when and where a payout is likely. Certain symbols and patterns apparently indicate an imminent payout, while others tell you to bide your time. Sadly however, as it is all 100% random event and the reels/symbols themselves don’t actually mean a thing, this is really the dictionary’s definition of a nonsensical strategy.

It’s also largely useless to try your luck being one of the so-called ‘vultures’ who spend their time stalking machines that haven’t paid out for a long time, subsequently jumping on them when they believe a payout is imminent. This is of course something that’s considerably more common in the physical casinos rather than online, though in both instances the nature of each spin as a random event makes it an equally pointless strategy to follow.

Contrary to what you may have been told, machines do not get ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ when it comes to if and what they will pay out – it’s all a pure, random numbers game behind the scenes.

Getting It Right

So given the fact that this doesn’t take all the fun out of trying to find a winning strategy and making a fortune on the slots, what can the more realistic gamer do to further both their enjoyment and their chances of taking home a prize?

Well, the answer in the case of the latter really isn’t all that exciting, but when it comes to getting the most out of slots in general, a few expert tips can certainly help poke things in the right direction:

  1. Play for fun – Given the fact that the house always has a statistical edge over the players, this inherently means that sooner or later you are going to come out worse off. No matter how attractive deals may be, the house always wins and will always profit at the expense of gamers. It may all sound like doom and gloom, but it’s a reality that must be acknowledged in order to interpret slot games for what they are supposed to be – entertaining, enjoyable and fun.
  4. Join the club – if you are something of an avid or regular player of video slots, you might want to think about signing up with a casino that offers something of a loyalty club or special reward system for slot players. More often than not, these tend to pay out in the form of relatively modest cash bonuses or free spins, as anything you get free of charge is of course better than nothing.
  7. Progressive problems – When it comes to progressive jackpots…well, who can resist the chance of winning millions in a single spin? Unfortunately, it’s important to remember that the higher the jackpots, the lower the likelihood of winning anything at all. Think of it this way – when the jackpot on offer is similar to that of a lottery win, the actual chances of winning it are in fact very similar to those of winning the lottery. Good for an occasional flutter therefore, but not the kind of thing you should be focusing too much time, attention and money on.
  10. Play the field – last but not least, there are literally thousands of different slots out there to try out which means there’s absolutely no sense in driving yourself crazy trying to batter money out of the first one you come across. The whole idea is to find a slot that’s so up your street and genuinely enjoyable that you are guaranteed to have a great time, even if you don’t take home a penny. If at any time you find yourself playing strictly for profit, the truth of the matter is, you’ve already lost.

You might also find the following articles interesting:

  • SHARE:

TRENDING POSTS