The Random Number Generator (RNG) is the brains of the slot machine. While most players know that there is a computer chip picking the numbers, they do not fully understand how it works and this can lead to some of the many myths and misconceptions about a slot machine. One of the most common myths is that a machine has a cycle that can let a player know when it is due to hit. Many “Snake Oil Salesmen” will try to sell you a system for doing just that. Save your money — it can’t be done.
The RNG Program
This random name generator can suggest names for babies, characters, or anything else that needs naming. Can you beat the slot machines?The population of Las Vegas random word slot machine quadrupled from 1980 to 2010, blackjack nag nag download from 450,000 people to 2 million. Slot machines were originally made up of a few mechanical parts: Customize by changing the names.
Inside the slot machine is a microprocessor similar to the one in your home computer. Instead of running Word or Excel, it runs a special program, the RNG, that generates numbers to correspond to the symbols on the reel of the slot machine.
You might say that the RNG is in perpetual motion. As long as there is power to the machine it is constantly selecting random numbers every millisecond. The RNG generates a value between 0 and 4 billion (approx number) which is then translated into a specific set of numbers to correspond to the symbols on the reels. The outcome of each spin is determined by the number selected by the RNG. This number is chosen when you hit the spin button or deposit a coin.
The RNG uses a formula known as an algorithm which is a series of instructions for generating the numbers. The scope of this is beyond most of our mathematical knowledge but can be checked for accuracy. This is done by the Casino Control Board and other testing laboratories to make sure that the program performs as it should so the player will not be cheated.
Principles of the Random Number Generator
Here is a more simplified explanation that's easier to relate to. Although this is not precisely how the RNG operates, it should give you a basic understanding of the principles of how the winning spins are determined.
Reel Type Slot Machines
Reel type slot machines have a number of spaces on each reel that contain a symbol or blank. These are referred to as the physical stops. Most of the old mechanical machines had reels that could hold 20 symbols while the modern slots have reels with 22 physical stops. The microprocessing technology allows the new machines to be able to accommodate a large number of “Virtual stops” which I will explain in a future article.
For this example, let’s simplify things and imagine that there are only 10 stops on each reel. With 10 stops there can be 1,000 different combinations. We get this number by multiplying the number of symbols on each reel. (10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000) The 1,000 combinations that can be attained are known as a cycle, and this is the word that sometimes confuses a player into thinking that the machine has cycles of winning and losing.
The odds of a three number combination being picked are one in a thousand. Theoretically, if you play 1,000 spins you should see each of these number combinations once. However, we all know that this is not the case. If you played a million spins you would see that the numbers would even out to be closer to the actual probability. This is similar to flipping a coin 100 times. Although the odds are 50 -50 you are unlikely to see 50 heads and 50 tails after 100 spins.
The Daily Pick 3 Lottery
Many of you have seen the Daily Pick 3 lottery drawing. They have three glass bowls or drums each containing ten balls numbered 0 -9. The balls are mixed up and when the top is lifted a ball pops up the tube showing you the first number. This is repeated for the second and third number to give you a three-digit winning combination.
To use this as an example of the operation of the slot machine, we will replace the numbers 0-9 on the balls with slot symbols. In each bowl, we will have one ball with the jackpot symbol on it. Two balls with a Bar, three balls with a cherry and four balls which are blank. Imagine the RNG in the slot machine as the person drawing the winning combination.
Here is the breakdown of the number of times out of a thousand that the winning combination made.
- 3 Jackpot 1 (1x1x1)
- 3 Bars 8 (2x2x2)
- 3 Cherries 27 (3x3x3)
- Total Wins 37
The 963 losing combinations consist of:
- 3 blanks
- 2 blanks and a symbol
- 1 blank and two different symbols
- 3 mixed symbols
The RNG picks these combinations of numbers thousands of times each second. Now imagine a string of blinking lights where only one bulb can be lit at a time. The electrical current is zipping from bulb to bulb down the string. When you push a button the current stops moving and the bulb in that position lights up. In this example, the light represents the three digit number just picked by the RNG. If you hesitated a second before pushing the button the results would be different. This is the same as you getting up from a machine and seeing someone else sit down and hit the jackpot. The chances are astronomical that you would have hit the spin button at the exact same millisecond.
Slots has been a thing for eons. Over the decades, it has simply evolved and changed in form. But at its core, the gambling basics have remained unchanged. In the past decade or two, the industry has experienced many ‘tech upgrades’ that have increased the number of punters in the world. Today, you don’t have to take a trip down to Las Vegas. All you need is a steady internet connection an online casino you trust and you are set.Speaking of casinos, (land-based or online), there are two types of slot machines they feature; Class III and Class II. The two slots machines operate differently. The Class II slot machines are common in slots parlors. They are attached to Native American Casinos or horse racing tracks. Owing to improved tech tools, Class II slot machines have become more sophisticated. So much so that casual punters have a hard time telling them apart from Class III slot machines.
But you are in luck. In this piece, we shall scrape off the confusion by explaining the basics and answering some common questions related to Class II slot machines.
So, let’s get to it.
What Exactly Are Class II Slot Machines?
It’s simple. The Class II slot machines are designed to replicate Class III slot machines while remaining within the confines of the regulatory guidelines. The Class system is clearly stated and defined in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act by the Federal Government. The Act defines all Class II games as bingo regardless of whether computer, electronic or any other tech gadgets are used with it and if it is played in the same room with bingo or any games similar to bingo.
The immediate consequence of this regulatory Act was that the high stake bingo games were legalized. Yes, the bingo games held in halls were super popular at some point. But with time, as developers sought to upgrade their gaming experience, they leaned towards a casino-like environment and experience. Though they managed to incorporate Class III casinos in some of their gaming options, they were met with a lot of resistance and legal issues.
It was during this time that Class II slot machines were designed. Since their inception, key players in the industry have been working around the clock to replicate Class III machine experience in Class II jurisdictions. Engineers have been contracted to build in-house systems while slot manufacturers were brought on board to create games that would run on the designed systems
How do they Work?
It’s true, aside from the LED bingo card which displays your card patterns for every spin; it’s really hard to differentiate the Class II from the Class III. The big part of the difference lies in how the game operates. So let’s peep under the hood and see how Class II slots machines are designed to meet legal requirements of being a bingo game.
First, there is usually a 20-millisecond window. Any person that presses the ‘Play’ button during this window enters into a common draw. For this draw to run there needs to be a minimum of two players (there is no maximum number). If there are only two players, one of them will get the winning pattern.
So here’s what happens when a video or slot poker is brought into the picture. Designers extrapolate odds of specific bingo games to video or slot games’ results that have similar odds. Usually, there are extra algorithmic processes that are in play which help to determine the outcomes but usually, the end results are similar – you pull the machine handle and the reels spin.
Random Name Picker Slot Machine
From the moment you pull the handle to the millisecond before they stop, you become one of the participants in a multiplayer bingo game. The results of the bingo game are ‘reported’ by the reels when they halt. If you are lucky, you’ll win some cash. So now if you think about it, you’ll have had a Las Vegas slot machine experience while in the background, the machine meets all the requirements which make it legal in Class II slot machine jurisdictions – areas where bingo is legal but RNG machines are not.
Now, most casinos that run the Class II slot machines claim that their odds are similar to those of Class III machines. This is how they explain it – it’s more like a scratch-off lottery card. But instead of scratching you’ll be pulling a handle.
And though this analogy is close to the real thing, it’s not quite accurate.
What do Class II Slots Look Like?
While they look extremely similar to Class III machines, the main way in determining if it is a Class II machine is to look on the display for a bingo table. It will look quite obvious and will indicate that the machine is using bingo logic rather than the typical RNG of a Class III machine.
Here’s an example below – notice that there is a bingo table located at the bottom right of the display.
Should You Play Class II Slot Games?
This is a really good question. And believe it or not, it’s pretty common. But despite this, its answer is not straight forward. But here’s something that will help you make that decision.
Gambling experts insist that Class II games are similar to lottery scratch tickets than Class II machines. You see, with lottery scratch tickets, the prize is determined before the printing of the tickets. Class II games may have shorter realization times but unfortunately, they aren’t random. The moment you pull the slot handle, the outcome of whether you have won or not and what prize you have won has already been made. The reels are only there to deliver the news.
Why do Casinos Prefer Class II Slot Machines?
Why is it that modern casinos seem to have a mix of Class II and Class III slot machines and games? And why is it that even with the mix, they are skewed towards class II games?
New Random Slots
Well, first, the IGRA granted casinos self-regulating powers when it came to Class II games. However, with Class III games, they must be officially undergo rigorous testing through third parties and approved goverment organizations. This is to ensure that the randomness and reliability of the machine is deemed fair.
Second, casinos don’t have to pay taxes on the revenues generated from the Class II games. But on the Class III games, they are obligated to pay taxes.
Thirdly, the odds on winning in a Class II game are worse because you are put against a large pool of players to win instead of relying on RNG.
There you have it. Everything you need to make an informed decision. Hopefully, after reading this Class II and Class III slot machines don’t confuse you anymore. So with that go have a ‘happily ever after’ gambling experience.