Are casino slots honest
New casino sites to play real money
Every casino we found online pretends to be safe and secure to attract players, however after testing over 300 online casinos, we have had have had many unpleasant surprises. Are online casinos honest? Well, we can’t answer with a simple yes or no. Keep reading on and you will find out more on how to distinguish good online casinos from cheating ones. As you have probably figured by now, online casinos differ in design, software providers, licenses, honesty of the casino operator as well as the bonuses offered.
How do we select honest online casinos?
Are online casinos honest? Well, we can’t answer with a simple yes or no. Keep reading on and you will find out more on how to distinguish good online casinos from cheating ones. As you have probably figured by now, online casinos differ in design, software providers, licenses, honesty of the casino operator as well as the bonuses offered.
Thus, selecting honest online casinos isn’t an easy task.
During our 15 years of experience in the online gambling world, we have manually tested every online casino software there is, and we have experienced a huge number of different situations, both good and bad. We believe this gives us a unique insight to determine what the best deals are.
Top casinos
The top criteria we always take into consideration when analyzing an online casino are:
Honesty of the casino software
Online casinos use rngs (random number generators) to achieve the results in online casino games.
The major software providers such as microgaming and playtech are 100% reliable, but we still keep records of every bet we make at any casino to be able to notice statistical variations that may fall outside the normal distribution for that particular game.
This becomes even more important when dealing with smaller software providers.
Of the hundreds of online casinos we have tested in recent years, you will find only the most reliable ones in our “top online casinos” list which will be populated shortly.
Honesty of the casino operators
Even if the software is reliable and trustworthy, not all casino operators are. Some casino operators will simply not pay a player that has a big win or goes on a lucky streak
This can especially be a problem if it’s a new player that happened to win whilst taking advantage of a generous bonus offer.
We know from experience and from the many hundreds of serious players that we communicate with that all the casinos on our top casino list will honor and pay out on a win, regardless of how big it is or if it was a new player that happened to win.
Safety and security
Every casino we found online pretends to be safe and secure to attract players, however after testing over 300 online casinos, we have had have had many unpleasant surprises.
Sometimes depositing or withdrawal capabilities were compromised, sometimes no SSL certificate was found, no 128-bit encryption was used etc.
The casinos we recommend all use the highest industry standard when it comes to their general security features.
First impression
The first impression a player gets when entering an online casino is an important part helping the player decide if he actually wants to play in that particular casino or not.A well-established casino will show off its features to potential new players, and will have a professional presentation.
Variety of games
Although the majority of online casinos use software from similar providers they do differ in to the number of games you are able to play after logging in.
Downloading the casino software is a thing of the past as nowadays most online casinos offer mobile browser gaming or an app.
All the casinos we recommend offer hundreds of games including classic casino games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, slots poker and video poker.
Casino bonus and promotions
To distinguish between a truly interesting online casino promotion and a “terms and conditions apply” type of hidden criteria promotion is almost an art nowadays.
Since january of 2005 we examined almost a thousand of online casino promotions, however of these only less than 100 were actually worth our time.
The online casino market is a highly competitive and any serious casino operator knows that that they have to budget for new player promotions if they want to compete in today’s market.
New customer acquisition is simply a cost that the casinos have to absorb, and if you are a new player you should always take advantage of the fact that they are willing to pay you to play in a new casino.
Deposit and payout methods
Different casinos offer different methods for depositing and withdrawing and there are also differences in the speed that they process withdrawals.Most serious and honest online casinos offer the industry standard payment methods such as, visa, mastercard, neteller, skrill, click2pay etc.With the above payment methods you can instantly deposited into your account.
The speed of withdrawals are sometimes a sticking point though and even some big reliable casinos like 888.Com take far too long to process a withdrawal for our liking. There is no real reason a player should have to wait more than a week to receive payment from a big win, ever.
We use a multitude of criteria to determine which honest online casinos you can trust and are worthy of your attention when we navigate the online casino “jungle”.
You can rest assured that any casino recommended on this website has passed all of our tests and in our opinion they can be considered a safe place to gamble online.
Obviously experiences may vary but we have been testing casino sites since 2005 so you can definitely take our word for it.
Are online casinos honest?
In evaluating the honesty of an online casino, there are several things to be taken into consideration. The biggest bonus does not necessarily mean the best choice.
It is pointless to get a $/£/€500 signup bonus from an online casino that does not pay its winners or cheats the players with a fraudulent software on all casino games.
There are approximately 1200 online casinos available online today, and we estimate that a good percentage of these casinos defraud their players in one way or another. Do online casino cheat? Read more.
Which online casinos are honest?
Test and play at the best online casinos we recommend and you can safely bet your money without getting cheated.
If you are lucky enough to hit the jackpot you can be certain that you will get paid. Don’t forget to send a screenshot of winnings you made through us.
Our online casino guide will enable you to make your own casino evaluations and will show you how to distinguish the serious online casino operators from the fraudsters.
Read our best online casino reviews and stay safe. We made sure they all offer reasonably fast payouts, industry-leading security measures and gambling bonus offers for you.
Are slot machines honest?
One of the most common questions you’ll see about anything in the casino gambling industry relates to “honesty”. You’ll see this question asked about every casino game under the sun. You’ll also see it asked about every casino, especially the online gambling sites.
In this post, I want to address this specific question:
How do you define honest?
When I use google to look for a definition of honesty, I see some of the following definitions listed:
- “free of deceit and untruthfulness”
- “sincere”
- “morally correct or virtuous”
- “fairly earned, through hard work”
I think most people are thinking of the first definition when they ask whether slots games are honest. They want to make sure they’re not being cheated. In this context, the answer is yes, slot machines are honest. I’ll explain why in detail in the rest of this post.
In the second context, where “honest” means “sincere”—I’m less sure. Are the casinos sincere when they want you to think you’re able to win money? I think so, but they know in the long run, anyone who plays slots long enough will lose all their money.
In the third and fourth contexts, I’d have to say that slot machines are NOT honest. Slot machines are closer to morally neutral than they are to sinful, but you might have a different belief system about such things. It’s hard to say that slots don’t appeal to one of the seven deadly sins, though (greed).
I’m not sure anyone could (or would) consider money won on a slot machine “earned” or to have anything to do with “hard work”. It’s a game of luck. If you win, then you got lucky—it has nothing to do with working hard or being smart.
I’ll explain more about that later in this post, too.
How a slot machine works mathematically
Answering the question “are slot machines honest?” begins with learning how the games work mathematically. The math behind the games is easier to understand than most people probably think.
The first concept to understand is basic probability. When someone says “probability”, they’re talking about the mathematical likelihood that something is going to happen. That “something” is called an event.
The probability of an event is always represented as a number between 0 and 1. An event that will always occur no matter what has a probability of 1. An event that will never occur has a probability of 0. An event that will occur half the time has a probability of 0.5.
For simplicity’s sake, and to make understanding the concept easier, I just used whole numbers and decimals in the previous paragraph. But probabilities are almost always expressed as percentages or fractions.
How to express probability as a percentage
You’re watching the evening news, and the meteorologist says there’s a 50% chance of rain tomorrow.
That means it’s just about as likely to rain as it is to not rain.
You flip a coin. You have a 50% chance of it landing on heads. You also have a 50% chance of it landing on tails.
If you add the probabilities of all possible events together, you always get a total of 1 (or 100%).
Probability is the mathematical engine that makes gambling games possible.
How to calculate a probability
Here’s how you calculate a probability:
You take the number of ways an event can happen. You divide that by all the total events possible (including what can happen and what happens if it doesn’t.)
You’re rolling a single six-sided die. You want to know the probability of getting a 6.
There are 6 possible outcomes. Only one of them is a 6.
The probability of getting a 6 is 1/6.
Another way to express that is using odds, which can be useful when calculating whether a bet is expected to be mathematically profitable or not.
Odds expresses the number of ways something can’t happen versus the number of ways it can happen.
In the six-sided die example, the odds of getting a 6 are 5 to 1. You have 5 ways of NOT rolling a 1, and only 1 way of rolling a 1.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word “or”, you add the probabilities of the events together.
If you want to calculate a probability that includes the word “and”, you multiply the probabilities by each other.
You want to know the probability of getting a 1 or a 2 on a roll of a six-sided die. The probability of each is 1/6.
You can reduce that to 1/3.
You roll 2 dice. You want to know the probability of getting a 6 on both dice. The probability of each is 1/6.
Applying probability to a simple hypothetical slot machine game
But how does all this apply to the honesty of slot machines?
I’ll use a super simple hypothetical slot machine game to explain how this probability affects the integrity of the game.
This super simple game has 3 symbols on each reel—an orange, a lemon, and a cherry.
The probability of getting a lemon on the first reel is 1/3.
The probability of getting a lemon on the second reel is also 1/3.
In fact, it’s the same on each reel.
But the game only pays off if you get 3 of the same symbol on each reel.
The probability of that is 1/3 X 1/3 X 1/3, or 1/9.
Let’s suppose the payoff for getting 3 lemons is 4 for 1.
And let’s suppose the payoff for getting 3 cherries is 3 for 1.
Finally, we’ll suppose the payoff for getting 3 oranges is even money.
- The probability of winning 4 coins is 1/9.
- The probability of winning 3 coins is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning 1 coin is also 1/9.
- The probability of winning nothing is 6/9, or 2/3.
Now let’s suppose you’re putting $1 in on every spin, and you play 9 spins, getting every possible result once.
You win 4 coins once. You win 3 coins once. You win 1 coin once. That’s a total of 8 coins you’ve won.
But you’ve inserted 9 coins into the game.
Where did the extra coin go?
In the pockets of the casino, that’s where.
By setting up the payoffs so that they’re lower than the odds of winning, the casino sets up a situation where it’s guaranteed a mathematical profit over the long run.
Of course, most modern slot machines aren’t quite this simple. They have more symbols on each reel, for one thing. For another, the probability of getting a particular symbol might be different from the probability of getting another symbol.
For example, you might have a 2/3 probability of getting a pear, and only a 1/24 probability of getting a cherry.
What happens in the long run vs. The short term?
By manipulating the payoffs and the probabilities of the symbols, the casino can guarantee that over a long period and many spins, they’ll profit.
But in the short run, a player might win a big jackpot or lose several times in a row.
That’s the nature of random events. In the short run, anything can happen. In the long run, the numbers get closer to the theoretical probability.
This is obvious when you look at it with an extreme example.
On an infinite number of spins, your average loss per spin will mirror the mathematical expectation.
The closer you get to an infinite number of spins, the closer you’ll get to the mathematical expectation.
Do slot machines cheat?
The casinos don’t need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
The slot machine designers and manufacturers don’t need to cheat to make a healthy profit.
In fact, in well-regulated jurisdictions (like nevada), games are thoroughly audited for fairness. When they’re auditing a game for fairness, one of the things they check is whether a game has a jackpot that’s impossible to win.
That’s the main concern many players have when they ask if slot machines cheat.
Does the game have jackpots that are impossible to win?
The short answer in almost every case is no, they don’t.
But you have no way of knowing what the probability of winning that jackpot is. Slot machine games have opaque odds and probabilities. The results are generated by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).
The only people who know the exact settings for that RNG are the designers and the casino managers.
In fact, you could be playing two identical slot machines located right next to each on the casino floor and have different odds of winning. Not only is this legal, it’s common.
Does that sound like cheating?
By the strict letter of the law, it’s not.
I’d say yes. Having two games next to each other offering different odds is intentionally misleading. It’s legal, but it’s not sincere in any way.
Online slot machines are no different, except that in some cases, these games HAVE been known to cheat. But not reputable casinos and not reputable software providers.
They set up games which are impossible to win.
The reasons baffle me. You stand to make far more money in the long run if you offer an honest game.
Even an idiot can tell after a while that he’s never going to win a rigged casino game on the internet.
But otherwise smart people will continue to deposit money and wager it at a breakneck pace if they’re winning something every now and then, even if they’re showing a net loss over time.
What about video poker games?
You need to understand immediately that video poker games are NOT the same thing as slot machine games. They look similar on the surface, but the math and the gameplay couldn’t be more different. And the philosophy behind these games is different, too.
A video poker machine uses a random number generator that duplicates the odds found in a 52-card deck of cards. You know the probability of getting a specific symbol. Any specific card has a 1/52 probability of appearing.
A card of a specific suit has a ¼ probability of appearing. A card of a specific rank has a 1/13 probability of appearing.
Payback percentages and the house edge
Knowing this enables mathematicians and computer programs to calculate the actual payback percentage for these games.
What’s a payback percentage?
It’s the percentage of each bet that’s paid back to the player on average in the long run. It’s the opposite of the house edge.
On a slot machine, you have no way of calculating a game’s payback percentage. It’s impossible, because you have no way of knowing the probability of getting a specific symbol.
But on a video poker game, you can calculate all the possibilities. And since you know how much the game pays out for various combinations, you can add the expected value of each to get an overall payback percentage for the game.
And you know what’s even better than this?
The payback percentages for video poker games are significantly higher than the payback percentages on slot machines in almost every case.
Even the worst video poker game usually has a payback percentage of 95% or so. But the better games offer payback percentages in the 98%+ range. Some (rare) games have pay tables which offer a slightly positive game for the player, like 100.2%. But those numbers assume perfect strategy on your part.
But even the best slot machine games usually have a payback percentage in the 95% range. The more common games slip down into the lower 92% or so range.
Expected hourly loss rates in slot machine games vs. Video poker games
What does this mean to your bankroll?
Let’s look at how much money you can mathematically expect to lose playing 2 different games:
We’ll start with an average slot machine game with a 94% payback percentage. You’re playing for $1 per spin, and you’re making 600 spins per hour. You expect to win 94% of each bet back, which means you expect to lose 6% of each bet.
6% of $600 is $36, which is the amount the casino expects you to lose on this game on average over time.
Then we’ll consider a 9/6 jacks or better game which you’re playing with perfect strategy. The payback percentage for this game is 99.54%, which means the house edge is 0.46%.
We’ll assume you’re playing a quarter machine and betting 5 coins per hand. You’re putting a little more money into action on each bet–$1.25. Most video poker players are as fast as slot machine players; they play 600 hands per hour. That’s $750/hour in action.
But with a house edge of 0.54%, your expected loss on that kind of action is only $3.77.
That’s right.
Playing slots costs you 10 times as much as playing video poker.
Video poker offers other advantages over slots, too. One of these is the skill element. You might not want to think about what you’re doing when you’re gambling.
But if you’re anything like me, you want to be able to at least exert a little bit of control over your destiny.
In video poker, you get to do that. The decisions you make playing each hand have a direct effect on your bottom line.
Play your hands well, and you’ll be playing one of the best gambling games in the house.
Should you play slot machines at all?
This is a legitimate question. Should you play slot machines at all?
Here are some pros and cons of playing slots:
- You can win bigger jackpots on slot machine games than any other gambling game except maybe keno. If you’re looking for a life-changing jackpot, like you’d see if you won a lotto drawing, slots are the way to go.
- They require little in the way of attention or effort on the part of the player. This suits some temperaments just fine. Relaxing in front of the spinning reels seems like a good deal for a lot of people.
- They’re available in an endless variety. You can find a slot machine game with any theme you can imagine. Love elvis presley? You’ll find a slot machine for it. Play dungeons & dragons when you were 12? There’s a slot for that, too. The themes and games are almost endless.
- They offer some of the worst odds in the house. The house edge for slot machines vary widely. Some of them might offer good odds, but most of them have a house edge of between 5% and 10%. This isn’t awful. After all, roulette has a house edge of 5.26%. The problem is that slots play so fast that you can easily put more money into an action than you thought you could.
- You can’t figure out what the odds are. I have a philosophical problem with slot machine games. No other casino game is opaque about your odds. You can calculate the house edge for any table game in the casino. You can calculate it for video poker, too. But you’re never given the information you need to figure out the house edge on a slot machine. This is unacceptable to me.
- They’re designed to be addictive. Slot machine manufacturers spend millions doing research into what kinds of stimuli are going to put most people into the “flow” state. Flow is great if you’re interested in personal productivity at work, but if you’re playing a gambling game, it’s awful. No other casino game is as addictive as a slot machine.
Conclusion
Yes, slot machines are honest—in a manner of speaking, anyway. Casinos don’t make claims about slot machines that are blatantly untrue. If a game has a maximum jackpot of $1 million, you do have a chance of winning that much money.
What you don’t know is how likely or unlikely it is to win that amount.
Is this disingenuous on the part of the casinos?
I think it is, at least to some extent.
But all casino games have math behind them that puts the odds in the casino’s favor. That’s just the nature of the games. Slots are no different in that respect.
No matter which casino game you play, if you stick with it long enough, you’ll eventually lose all your money.
The only exceptions are certain games that can be played with advantage techniques, but that’s another subject entirely.
The only way for you to get an edge against a slot machine game is to cheat.
In most jurisdictions, cheating is blatantly illegal. You’re better off learning to play poker at an expert level, or learning how to count cards in blackjack.
Michael stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for gamblingsites.Org since early 2016. .
Michael stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry fo .
How to tell if a slot machine is honest
When people ask in gambling forums or general question and answer sites like quora if slot machine games are honest, someone with at least basic knowledge of slot machines usually answers.
Most of the answers I see boil down to yes because cheating would be pointless in a game that already favors the casino.
While I agree with the sentiment my experience has been different. And this is one of the reasons why I don’t like to play slot machine games very often.
Honesty is whatever you decide it should be
In a political campaign both sides accuse each other of committing awful acts of deceit such as lying to voters, possibly breaking obscure laws, or polishing their resumes.
If you play an arcade game like a western-style shooter, you expect the guns to sort of work like real guns. If you take clear aim at a bad guy you should hit him. But that doesn’t always happen.
I’ve played arcade games that were “crooked”. The gun sights were off. An arcade technician told me that despite what it seemed like the misalignment wasn’t intentional. The sights drift over time as people knock the toy guns around.
Either way, you don’t know if the arcade game is letting you aim properly. Once you realize the sights are off you can adjust how you aim the gun and make better shots.
In both situations someone told me what they claimed was the inside story. In both situations I learned that if I adjust my expectations I could play the games better. But that didn’t always mean I would win.
Experts explain slot machine games all the time
If you want to know how slot machines work you can buy a book, read a blog post, or ask a casino technician. It’s easy to get an explanation. I believe the majority of these explanations are accurate as far as they go.
Because so many people have explained how slot machines work almost anyone can now explain how they work. There are even wikipedia articles about slot machines and probability and everything else related to basic gambling science.
And if that’s the case I find myself still amazed every time I come across a new slot machine game secret. I don’t mean those “how to win” articles. I mean things about game tricks.
Yes, some experts say slot machine games play tricks on you. I suppose it’s all part of the experience. The harder the game is to beat the more you enjoy it.
But shouldn’t you know the game is hiding something from you?
Does the slot game tell you its theoretical return to player?
In my experience it’s been easier to learn these ratings for online games than for land-based casino games. I guess it depends on whose laws govern the games you’re playing.
If you click on the “help” or “info” button for a slot game and bring up the pay table screens, you should be able to find everything you need to now about playing the game. Sometimes the last screen tells you how much of a chance you have to win.
That’s the RTP or theoretical return to player. This percentage, subtracted from 100, tells you what the house edge is. The house edge, as many people know, is the average – over a long period of game play – that the casino expects to keep from all player wagers.
The house edge and the RTP assume that players win some of their money back and that every now and then a really big prize is paid out. It’s all math and the games make no guarantees.
What few gambling experts who talk about the house edge and theoretical return to player tell you is that a really bad player increases the house edge. I call this the “hidden edge” in every game.
Slot games have other hidden edges.
You’re paying for someone else’s jackpot. The game doesn’t tel you that. It’s not exactly dishonest but it’s an omission of an honest fact.
As one of my older friends once said, who wants to spoil a good game with honest facts?
Does the game tell you the chances of winning a prize?
Since I don’t spend much time playing slot machine games I can’t promise this is always true. But I have never found a game that told me both the RTP and the “this game has a 1:4 chance of winning”.
That “1:4” chance ratio is used in a lot of games. You’ll find it in every lottery game. The ratio represents a theoretical average of how often a prize of any amount is awarded.
Slot machine games are silent on how likely it is you’ll win their biggest prize. Do slot machine games pay better than lottery games?
No self-respecting card player should care but slot machine games and lotteries are more poplar than baccarat, blackjack, and poker combined.
If you play online slot games, do you know who is running the game?
I’ve read that for about $25,000 or $50,000 you can start up an online casino of your own. All you have to do is set up an account on a licensed gaming server.
These servers are run from data centers in countries like canada and malta. They certify their games’ integrity with independent testing bodies. If you check your casino’s website and game credits you should see their licensing and certification information.
Turns out it’s not always good enough. I’ve seen a few discussions in gambling forums about illegal online casinos stealing software from the gaming servers.
They know when someone is running an unauthorized copy of a casino.
If the online casino stole its software then can you still trust the certifications?
I’d say that’s a dishonest casino to begin with. And that means their games are dishonest. Even if the software says it is licensed and certified you don’t know how good that hacker is.
If you find a slot machine game that your instincts say shouldn’t be where you found it, dig a little deeper. At least trust your instincts enough to take a closer look and find yourself some trustworthy online casinos.
Conclusion
There may be other ways a slot machine game deceives you. I hate the older slot games that offered the “double or nothing” bonus. Once a friend explained the odds on those games to me I decided never to play them.
Slot machine games are supposed to be fun. But even though I know the games are favoring the house I’d still like to know what to expect from a game. I think that’s only fair.
If the game is not being completely honest with you then is it being honest with you at all?
And that’s a good question to ask of any gambling game. You can be satisfied with any answer you get. Just ask the question and get the answer.
Otherwise, you’re not gambling so much as you’re paying someone else to take advantage of you.
Honest reviews on casino slots in 2019
Online casinos are one of the fastest improving parts of the online gaming industry in recent years. Gamblers tend to ignore land-based casinos and prefer online gambling. The main reason is that gamers want to bet while sitting at their sofas or fishing in the lake. Although almost all types of online casino games are popular, players are interested in casino slots more. Therefore, its ranking exceeds other online slot games. As the casino slot becomes well-known, new players look for useful reviews about them. It will help them to identify whether mobile slots fit their interests or not. There are thousands of reviews on websites. However, very few of them are reliable. In this blog, you will have the chance to get familiar with the most recent and honest reviews related to casino slots.
Reasons to play casino slots.
Simplicity
One of the most crucial factors that grab gamblers’ attention while selecting the game is simplicity. According to experienced players, playing so complicated games are not fun even if you win some money at the end. Casino slots have straightforward rules and guidelines, which gamers easily understand and implement. So, players claim that this feature is the first one that differentiates this online slot machine from other games. Moreover, the configuration process of these games is also so comfortable. In most cases, you can click install and download the casino slot during a short period. It is tough to install some casino games, which makes the player lose interest before starting. So, if you try slot games , you will not encounter any problem like this. If you also do not want to think a lot before making moves while betting, mobile slots are for you.
Lower costs of casino slots
As mentioned in the above paragraph, slots are gamblers’ favorite games in land-based casinos. However, playing slots in real places costs a lot to gamers. For instance, let’s imagine that you go to vegas to play slot games. You will have travel, accommodation, meal and many other costs which will affect your budget negatively. And if you can’t win the game, your loss will be even more. However, if you are playing casino slots , you directly remove any additional expenses related to travel, etc. It is another reason why the online slot is so popular among gamblers. Because their only costs are betting amount, and it gives them a chance to play bigger. In short, players recommend playing mobile video slots rather than going to real casinos because of cost issues.
Variety of choices
Another crucial point that attracts gamers to play video slots is a variety of options. Developers created thousands of slot games till now. The exciting element is that every game has some specifications which differentiate it from others. Some gamblers prefer casino slots because of high-quality design. Everyone wants to play elegant, bright, and well-designed backgrounds. Moreover, some slots offer extraordinary music effects. Having very relaxed songs while betting is also a great feeling. Therefore, this feature also grabs the gamblers’ attention. So, various backgrounds, music, and other effects make the casino slot more exciting and catchier. Having such a variety of games does not let you get bored. If you do not like anything in-game A, you can easily install other substitutes and continue enjoying them.
Flexible betting amount
Deciding how much amount of money to bet is one of the most challenging issues that players encounter. Because there is always a risk of losing money, which makes gamblers fear. In lots of online or land-based casinos, there is a minimum betting amount, which is quite high. However, casino slots have very flexible in terms of betting size. In some online slot games , you can even start playing by paying a few cents. It is an excellent opportunity for players who do not want to risk more money. So, if you are also risk-averse, you can quickly try video slot games, which will not charge you a lot.
Many additional bonuses
It is a fact that all online gamblers would like to hit the highest prizes while playing online casino games . However, reaching this point is not so easy. In some cases, players need some additional help to unlock different modes or to pass stages. So, casino slots are also very generous in terms of offering additional bonuses. Gamblers always state that you can get free spins, gifts, prizes, bonus rounds in most of the best slot games. Getting such promotions will help you to advance in slot games. According to experienced players, bonuses increase the probability of earning more at least twice. So, if you start playing slots, the possibility of being rich will be possible for you.
Higher RTP rate
If you are an active player, you know that the chance of winning is not the same in all games. There are several factors, which have a direct impact on winning. However, one of them is a critical point, which shows the overall picture. This dimension returns to player ratio, which is quite a popular term in the online gambling industry. This rate demonstrates the possibility of earning in short. In most casino slots, the RTP rate is between ninety and ninety-six percent, which is quite a considerable number.
In comparison, the rate is below eighty percent in most land-based casinos. If we compare this rate with the other casino games, it is still the highest one. So, after showing these numbers, the conclusion is that the chance of winning is more in the casino slot. Therefore, playing video slots is the safest way of spending time in online casinos . So, you can consider RTP before starting to bet in any case. This consideration will impact the earning amount directly, and it is what the gamblers want.
Less stress, more fun
There are two critical points that gamblers need while playing video slots: winning prizes and spending high-quality time. You can reach the first point in many types of mobile casino games. However, sometimes, it is not easy to feel relaxed and enjoyed while betting. Some online casino games are challenging and stressful. So, you need to focus on the game intensely, think about further moves, etc. This kind of stuff may make you feel bored after a few rounds. On the other hand, mobile slots are stress-free gambling games. The reason for this is that the rules are so straightforward. Therefore, you do not need to think a lot to decide what to play. You can even select the most straightforward modes to minimize the complexity of video slot games. So, in short, if you want to avoid any stress while playing online gambling, slots are for you.
No interaction with others
Another specific factor that differentiates slot games is to have zero interaction with others while playing. Let us look at the example of other casino games. In most cases, you will need some other parties to play the game online. It is a waste of time because you need to wait for them to join. If the table is not full, the game will not start. Moreover, sometimes, you will also wait for others to make moves. This kind of issue will destroy your interests in games. However, in the case of casino slots, you will not face any problems like this. You will select the casino slot and insert the amount you want to bet. Afterward, the real game will start, and you will have a good time while playing slots.
Auto-play functionality
Online slots have a very distinctive feature, which is hard to find in other casino games. The thing we are talking about is the auto-play function. Developers considered that sometimes, people are to busy to deal with casino games. But they still want to bet while not focusing on the game at all. Therefore, they created a unique auto-play feature. With the help of this function, you can make bets several times without touching the screen. It is so comfortable for gamers because they can bet while spending less time in video slot games. Some players argue that this functionality reduces the excitement that they feel after pushing spin each time. But it is an optional characteristic. If you do not want to use it, you can ignore it very quickly.
What are the best slot games to play in 2019?
Deciding which game to play is quite a hard decision. Players should consider many factors before selecting mobile slots. Therefore, to help the newcomers, I will talk about the best video slots. I will discuss the factors mentioned above while defining which game is better. The suggestions will be quite helpful for the new players who have no clue about slots. So, you can continue focusing on the next passages carefully not to miss any crucial points.
Cleopatra
If you are thinking out of the box and want to get the biggest prize during a short period, this game is for you. Cleopatra has various characteristics, which make it one of the best slot games in this industry. Firstly, the design of the game is beautiful. If you are interested in historical architecture, it will be a great match. Because when you play this casino game, you will feel like to visit egypt virtually. The game is not so easy because you will have five reels, which is somehow complicated. Moreover, having twenty paylines makes the game more excited. Furthermore, the game offers lots of free spins and other promotions which directly help you to win more. Another critical point for gamers is returning to player rate. And the ratio is above ninety-five percent in this game, which is more than most video slots .
Gold rush
It is another most famous game among gamblers because of several characteristics. Firstly, the background design and sound effects of gold rush are fantastic. Even if you are not lucky to win, you will still have a perfect time playing it. Moreover, if you are a risk-taker, you do not need to think twice about starting the game. Gold rush is one of the casino slots which offer you to get double amount of your earning. The rule of getting it is straightforward. You will select a card within the game. If your selection is right, you will enjoy winning double prizes. However, in case of the wrong answer, you may lose all the winning amount. Furthermore, the return to player rate is more than ninety-six percent. It means that you will have many possibilities to win something at the end of the game.
Vegas vacation
As you know, vegas is one of the favorite places for the gambler from all over the world. However, visiting vegas to play in a land-based casino is so costly. Therefore, not everyone can afford to pay a lot to go there. But you can feel the same atmosphere by playing vegas vacation . The game has retro style design, that will remind you of the old but gold times. So, design and music are so unique, which will touch your emotions. Moreover, in the standard version, you will have twenty paylines. But this number can go up after playing free rounds. You will also have many spins, promotions, bonus modes, which will make your winning chances go up. If you believe in that this game is for you, you can find it in riversweep platinium very easily.
Magic 81
Developers designed this game for the people who want to feel the traditional casino games. Do not expect some new and extraordinary things from this game. Magic 81 has different types of fruits as symbols, which is so classic. Your total winning amount will change depending on the types of nuts. For example, if you can pair four big red, the overall betting size will be multiplied by one hundred sixty. It is the most significant amount of prize in the game. You will also enjoy some promotions within the game. This type of additions will help you to pass the stages rapidly. If you prefer traditional games to win more prizes, but do not expect fancy designs or music, magic 81 is an excellent choice for you.
Mega joker
This slot game is the one that offers the highest return to player ratio among all mobile slots. The rate is approximately ninety-nine percent, which is quite a considerable number. However, the design of the game is quite essential. So, if you like having fun rather than winning big prizes, this game is not for you. The general structure of mega joker is also simple. There are three reels and five paylines that make the game much easier for the gamblers. Unfortunately, you will not have any free spins or additional bonuses in this casino game because of a higher RTP rate. The betting size is also so flexible. You can start having fun by just paying one euro. It is quite a good deal for the players who do not want to risk more money. In short, you can earn a lot by playing this simple slot game.
Monopoly big event
Monopoly is one of the most famous table games that all of us used to play in the past. Therefore, monopoly big event is the game that will remind us of the same past feelings. It is one of the best slot games, which contains five reels and twenty paylines. So, it is quite easy to understand the structure of the game. As mentioned in the above sentences, the background design of the game is like a monopoly. There are several special symbols in this game, such as locked wilds, dancing wild, etc. If you can find them, you will have more opportunities to go up quickly. The minimum bet size is only one point five euro that is quite affordable for many players.
Moreover, another feature that differentiates this slot from others is high RTP. The rate is between ninety-six and ninety-nine, which gives stimulus to players. Furthermore, the game is one of the casino slots, which offers free spins, promotions, etc. Besides higher RTP. So, all these factors prove that monopoly big event is an excellent opportunity to win a more significant amount of money.
Are slot machines honest?
By steve bourie learn more about the author read more »
All of the stories in this book relating to slot machines and video poker are based on the assumption that those machines act in a random manner. This means we’re assuming that those games aren’t programmed to avoid giving a player a winning slot combination or poker hand and the opportunity exists on each pull of the handle, or push of a button, for any possible winning combination to occur.
We know that there are gaming regulatory agencies that are supposed to provide the public with protection from playing on a rigged machine but how is it done? And how effective is it?
Being the nosy guy that I am, these were a couple of questions I was curious to get answered and it ended up taking me on a little bit of an adventure. Not only did it result in this story about the regulatory process for electronic gaming machines but it also led me to question the motives of a national news organization.
In the united states there are only four states that have their own facilities for testing electronic gaming machines: montana, mississippi, new jersey and nevada. For the other states that offer legalized casino gambling but don’t have their own labs almost all rely on the services of gaming labs international - an independent testing firm based in toms river, new jersey.
It only made sense to start with the biggest state first, so in february 1997. I called the nevada gaming control board to ask for permission to visit their testing lab in las vegas. They told me I needed to get permission for that from bill bible, the control board’s chairman, so I wrote him a brief letter explaining that I wanted to write a story about the lab for my book. Twelve days later I received a reply from him stating that I was welcome to visit the lab but that some parts of it were confidential and would not be accessible to me. He only requested that I call that department in advance to make an appointment. A few days later I called and made arrangements for a visit on march 18 at 3:00 p.M.
Not being a computer expert - just a curious casino gambler - I wasn’t exactly sure what I should ask and about 10 days before my trip I started to ponder questions I thought might be appropriate. Then, on march 12, just six days before the scheduled visit, I was watching television when I switched channels and caught a story on the ABC news show primetime live about slot machines. The segment was titled "against all odds" and featured their chief investigative reporter brian ross.
The story focused on the computer chips in slot machines and began with parts of an interview with frank romano who, ross said, was banned from the industry because a company he owned with two partners was charged with rigging its video poker machines to avoid giving out royal flush jackpots.
Ross went on to say that the public knows little about the inner workings of machines and that primetime conducted a four-month investigation into the industry that included numerous interviews with industry officials, the reading of confidential documents and the viewing of secret video tapes of an interview with a former state gaming official who was involved in a slot cheating scandal.
Ross said that romano claimed he didn’t know anything about the cheating at his company and that he had persuaded a federal judge of that fact. Also, romano had no qualms with talking about the "secrets" of the gambling industry even though larry volk the person at his company who programmed the chips to avoid giving the winning hands had been murdered: volk was shot to death at his house in las vegas shortly before he was scheduled to begin giving testimony about how he programmed the chips to cheat.
Ross said romano claimed the computer chips made cheating possible and that the true "secret" of the industry was that the chips of many machines were programmed with a "near-miss" feature which didn’t directly affect the odds of the game but did lure players into playing longer.
Romano then gave an example where a slot machine would line up two 7s on the payline and have the third 7 settle below the payline making people think they were close to winning. He said those kind of results were programmed into the machines on purpose.
Ross said the casinos pay out up to 98% on these machines and that romano claimed the industry came up with this idea as a way to get the dollar volume up by keeping the players at the machines for a longer period. Romano claimed it was "cheating" and that the industry was "teasing" the player by making them think they were close to winning.
The next scene shifted to an interview with gambling addiction authority valerie lorenz who, ross said, wasn’t surprised that the industry would do such a thing.
Next was an interview with bill bible, chairman of the nevada gaming control board who said that cheaters would be caught and prosecuted. Ross commented that most of the board’s cases involved players cheating casinos and asked bible if it also applied to casinos that cheat customers. Bible replied that it did and that his department inspects computer chips both before they’re put in the machines and also after they’re out in actual play.
Ross then questioned how good a job the state did in examining the chips because of allegations raised in a six-hour series of supposedly "secret" videotapes with ronald harris, a former gaming control board employee who was involved in a slot cheating scandal. Harris was a computer expert in the gaming lab where the machines were tested and the videos were made by the attorney general’s office while questioning him about his cheating activities. Harris was eventually convicted of felony cheating charges.
Parts of the "secret" tape are then shown with harris claiming that the state’s gaming regulations weren’t being enforced and that the machines were "deceptive."
Harris: I remember reviewing one, and it was a thousand times more likely that the three 7s would line up directly above the payline than on the payline. I mean, doesn’t that seem deceptive to anyone here?
Questioner: to make the customer feel as though they came very close to getting a jackpot and that perhaps the next one or the next one, to paraphrase the ad, the baby would be ready to deliver?
Harris: yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, it’s out there. It’s being done. It’s condoned by the board.
Ross commented that the attorney general’s office told primetime it couldn’t prove any criminal wrongdoing based on harris’ allegations and that they never looked at all into the alleged "deceptive" features on slots.
The interview with bible then continued with him confirming that harris was a former employee who had a great deal of knowledge about the industry and that his allegations were still under review. Bible denied that any cheating was allowed by him or the board and he pointed out that harris just didn’t have much credibility.
In the next scene ross said that two other former employees of the lab, without any criminal backgrounds, also believed that the machines were "deceptive." he interviewed gordon hickman a retired employee who said that the machines were very prevalent. Ross said that in a confidential memo to the attorney general’s office hickman claimed that he was ordered to okay machines that "display near-misses in 7s a third of the time just above the payout line." ross said hickman thought the machines were "deceptive" but he was ordered to approve them anyway. The machines in question were manufactured by international game technology (IGT), the world’s largest manufacturer of electronic gaming machines and a company which controls about 75% of the market.
Next was an interview with tom baker, president of IGT, in which he’s shown a copy of the harris video. Baker denied that his company’s machines were "deceptive" in the way harris described them on the tape. Ross challenged baker by asking if his machines were "deceptive" and again questioned whether or not IGT was teasing customers into thinking they were close to winning when they played those machines. Baker replied that harris said a lot of things, however, harris was a convicted felon but baker and his company were not. Ross responded by showing baker a copy of gordon hickman’s confidential memo to the attorney general’s office about the same subject. Baker then denied there was any favoritism given to his company that he knew about.
At that point ross pointedly asked if IGT programs its machines with a “near-miss" feature. Baker answered by saying his company’s machines were programmed in accordance with the law. Ross then asked if the law allowed the “near-miss" feature. Baker said he personally didn’t know, but if his company was doing it then the law allowed it.
A voice-over from ross then commented that gambling industry critics have concerns about the regulations that are in place and the scene shifted back to gambling addiction expert valerie lorenz who said the casino industry makes the laws in nevada and she questioned if any other business would be allowed to get away with deceiving the public in such a manner.
The next scene shifted back to bill bible with ross questioning him as to whether or not he thought the public was treated fairly when playing gaming machines in las vegas. Bible replied that he had no doubt the public was indeed treated fairly.
The final scene went back to romano who said that the machines were designed to entertain the public as well as to take their money. Ross then asked if a casino customer is better off going to the machines or to one of the table games. Romano replied that they’d be better off going home and that ended the report.
It didn’t take long for the effects of primetime live’s broadcast to be felt. The very next day U.S. Representative frank wolf (R-va.), a longtime opponent of legalized gambling, requested an immediate investigation by two federal agencies. "I have asked the FBI to investigate claims of illegality and the federal trade commission to investigate illegal trade practices," wolf said.
The segment also became a subject of discussion that same day in the manitoba parliament when gary doer, an opposition party leader, called for a government investigation into the matter because a winnipeg casino used slot machines manufactured by IGT. "if the computer machines are programmed in the united states to have this kind of near-miss operation to entice people, particularly addicted people, to keep going, I want that stopped here in manitoba," said doer.
The show also sparked a call in the nevada legislature for its own investigation, but with a slightly different twist: they wanted to know who leaked the attorney general’s confidential ronald harris videotapes to ABC news. "that entire piece is hinging on the unsubstantiated allegations of a convicted felon, “said nevada assembly minority leader peter ernaut. "what is said on those tapes is secondary to how they got public."
The nevada legislature didn’t seemed too concerned about the allegations raised in the broadcast because they believed they weren’t valid. “our programs do not create a near-miss scenario and every symbol is randomly selected," said brian mckay, general counsel for IGT. "we don’t make deceptive machines. We never have," he added.
Well, this certainly was an interesting can of worms that had been opened. It surely gave me some additional direction for the questions I wanted to ask but, actually, I was already familiar with the subjects raised in this report.
I knew that american coin was the company that frank romano had been associated with and that it was involved in the biggest cheating scandal in nevada gaming history. In july 1989 the nevada gaming control board seized about 1,000 of the company’s gaming machines in 93 southern nevada locations (mostly bars and taverns)after it discovered that they contained unapproved computer chips. The company’s video poker machines had been altered to avoid giving a royal flush and their keno machines had also been programmed to avoid giving out the top jackpots.
Eventually, the company surrendered its license and paid $1 million in fines. Authorities also pursued a criminal case against the company but were later forced to drop those proceedings when their star witness larry volk, the american coin programmer who said he had been ordered to program the rigged chips, was shot in the back of the head and killed outside his las vegas mobile home in october 1990. A suspect was later arrested and tried in the case but a jury didn’t convict him.
Romano, who was a one-third partner in the company along with his brother-in-law and father-in-law, claimed he never knew of the cheating scheme. In a later bankruptcy proceeding against his partners a federal judge agreed with romano’s claim of innocence and ruled in his favor.
As for the "near-miss" scenario I knew that this issue had been raised before with universal distributing, a japanese slot manufacturer, that had specifically developed a "near-miss" program for its slot machines. When showing a non-winning combination on their slot machines universal’s program would put two symbols on the payline and then place the third symbol just above or below the payline to make players think they were close to winning. When the universal machines were originally approved for use in nevada the state’s regulators weren’t aware of the problem. In 1988, however, the nevada gaming control board discovered the "near-miss “scenario and filed a complaint against universal. The board then held a series of hearings to discuss the "near-miss" issue and officially ruled it illegal. This resulted in universal having to reprogram about 15,000 of its machines throughout the state.
Well, if the "near-miss" had been ruled illegal in 1988 then why would primetime live broadcast a report that would purposely lead its viewers to believe that it was in use today? Maybe what I had heard about the illegality of the” near-miss" was wrong? I knew this was an issue that I had to bring up during my visit to the testing lab.
The five-story state of nevada office building at 555 east washington avenue is about 10 blocks north of the hustle and bustle of las vegas’ downtown casino district. I went to the second floor to meet greg gale, chief of the audit division for the gaming control board, who brought me to meet mark robinson, the lab manager for the board’s electronic services division. They explained that gale was temporarily supervising robinson’s area because the department’s chief recently retired and that electronic services would be on its own again once a new chief was in place. All of my questioning was directed to robinson, but occasionally gale would supply an answer to help clarify an issue.
What are your department’s duties?
We test machines before they’re approved for use in nevada and then we also have a field inspection group that goes out every day and checks the chips that are in the machines to be sure that what’s out there is actually what we’ve approved.
How did your department come about?
Back in the early ’80s the board had the lab and it was under the enforcement division. We also had a group of computer programmers, who did in-house computer programming, and that was in the administration division. The board decided to form a separate division that had all the technical resources in one division and that became electronic services.
So you had a lab back in the early ’80s. Do you know when it first started?
I don’t know the exact date. Somewhere in the late ’70s, like about ’75 or ’78. They started looking at the mechanical machines and developed sort of an expertise in the enforcement division first. Then, as the electronics grew in the machines, they realized they needed an electronics group to handle it.
How many people are in the department?
There are a total of 18 in electronics and computer services. We’ve got 10 in the lab part.
What is the background of all the people that check the machines?
Primarily electrical engineers.
How long have you been here?
I’ve been with the board 12-and-a-half years and I’ve been in the lab about a year-and-a-half now.
And you’re in charge of the whole lab?
The lab inspectors, the whole thing.
And the lab part tests the machines?
Yes, out in the field and prior to approval. We have a group that does both. We have six people that go out and do it in the field and we’ve got three herein the office.
This is for the entire state?
So, some of you would go to reno?
Right. We do have agents who are permanently stationed in the carson city office: four of them. Three of them go out and one is their supervisor who also does some in-house work with the electronic equipment.
What’s the normal procedure when a manufacturer comes in with a new slot machine?
We have about a six-month process to get it approved. We start by testing the machine to make sure it’s random. We look at the source code. We look at the principles behind how the random generation occurs and we look through the source code for any possible problems.
The source code is the programming that makes the machine run. All of the slot machines we’re approving today are computer-based machines; there are no mechanicals anymore.
Do you get a written printout of the programming?
Generally, we get it on a floppy disk so that we can use our computer tools to review it faster. Reading it page after page isn’t practical anymore.
Most of it’s written in a way that’s fairly understandable. There’s some modules that make up each of the functions that go on in the machinelike maybe handling the hopper or handling the coin acceptor so you need to look at those specific functions in greater depth and read through them to see how they work.
The main thing that we’re looking at though is its random generation. How does it pick the stops that it’s going to show you? Or, how does it pick the cards it’s going to show you? And we’ve developed over the years a pretty good understanding of the various ways you can generate numbers randomly using a computer.
When you approve a particular model of machine. Do you just approve the initial program or every program the machine can use?
We do approve each program. The first program that is approved is the first model of that machine. It goes through the entire process and it gets presented to the board and the commission for their approval or denial. If the machine is approved then the manufacturer may modify it under the regulations and they can make all kinds of variations to that machine.
They primarily get a platform approved, like a spinning-reel slot machine or a video poker machine. Then all of the minor variations, like changes in paytables, or in the case of poker you go from regular poker to deuces wild, to jokers wild, to any possible combinations you can think of.
Gale: we should probably say that before you can actually submit a device to the lab for its inspection approval you need to have a license in the state of nevada. That’s really the initial step. You have to apply to us and you have to submit to a background and financial investigation. Once you have that license in hand you can then submit your device for approval.
Robinson: once we’ve reviewed it and we find that it meets all of the regulations and technical standards then we recommend it for field trial and the chairman administratively approves a field trial at a location that the manufacturer has selected. They go out and install one or more machines at that location and we administer a field trial where we observe the machine for problems on the floor. We also have the location tell us about any problems they may have with it.
What can happen in the field test to disrupt the approval process?
The primary thing is meter problems where the machine doesn’t have a good accounting of everything that is going on. A lot of times in the field you’ll have people playing them and they’re hitting buttons all over the place and doing all kinds of crazy things to them that you might not do in a lab environment.
Gale: like pouring a soft drink down the coin acceptor to see if it will trip the coin hopper!
Just having the machine on for hours and hours and hours - you know -days continuously, sometimes generates different problems than you’ll see in a lab environment. Some of the mechanical problems will also show up a lot more in the field than they will in the lab.
Because they’re taxed, I guess you need to have an accounting of each machine’s revenue?
That’s correct. Every machine has to have the capability to count the coin in and the coin out. That’s what our audit division is looking at when they’re out doing their audits.
Once you’ve approved a particular machine is that manufacturer then free to re-set the machine paybacks to whatever they want within the 75% minimum payback limits of nevada law?
Correct. They can make all the variations to that machine that they want to within the technical standards.
How do you know that the chips in the machines are within the limits of the law? Is every machine tested?
Every machine is tested to a degree, yes. When a manufacturer submits changes he gives a summary list of his changes in the chips. We review those and we also, on a sample basis, review the modules themselves in a greater depth to make sure that what they’re telling us on the surface is also true in the chips.
Initially, are you approving the chip or the whole machine?
Initially, we’re approving the whole machine including the chip. After that it’s just chips that need to be changed to different percentages.
If a casino wants to change a chip inside a machine to make it payback less do they have to let you know?
No. They can go ahead and change the chips on their own, but they need to have a system internally to be sure that they’re putting in only approved chips. That’s what our field inspection is going out and verifying daily: that they are all approved chips.
So, if they have a machine that’s returning 90% and they want to change it to 80%?
That’s okay as long as it’s an approved chip.
Who puts the chip in? The casino or the manufacturer?
It depends on their relationship with the manufacturer. Sometimes the manufacturer will come out and do it or sometimes the larger casinos have an in-house staff that can do it and they can probably do it cheaper that way but you need some experience in doing that. The manufacturers will do it but they’ll charge extra fordoing it.
And each chip is set to pay back a certain amount?
How many approved chips are there?
We have a total of about 45,000 chips approved for all machines.
How many are approved for any particular brand of machine?
It would depend on the particular brand. It could be anywhere from two or three all the way up to several thousand.
But the probabilities of the randomness would be the same in all of that one machine’s chips and just the payback percentage would change?
That’s correct. Different manufacturers do it different ways. Some put the part that is the random number generator in one chip and then put the attributes about the payout percentage in a separate chip and that makes it easier to sort of mix and match. Other manufacturers don’t design that way, but they will have the same random number generator in all their chips.
Is there some sort of coding on the chip that let’s you know it’s an approved chip?
There is a code number which we have on file that contains all of the attributes on that chip including its percentage. We would look at either the manufacturer’s code number or our own approval number which also has to be on the chip and then from that we go back to our computer and it tells us what percentage it has to be.
Are the chips in the machines sealed or taped? Is there any way you can see if they’ve been tampered with?
Gale: now, with megabucks and some of the larger slot machine payoffs, many times the manufacturers will actually seal the EPROMS into the boards themselves where people can’t take them out, or they’ll put them behind a locked door where only they have the key. But, we’re talking about megabucks which is 6,7,8 million dollars a jackpot and it’s installed at 135 casinos in the state so they’re very concerned about security over their programs. But we detect modification through the inspection process. That’s how you know something’s been tampered with: you pull it out and you read it.
Robinson: also, the tape could be missing but the chip could be just fine. So, if you do go after a machine that had been taped and the tape was gone maybe somebody just took the chip out and put it back in again.
Are all of the machines taped?
No. Only the megabucks machines, the wide-area progressives and some of the casinos voluntarily tape their larger denomination machines
How do you know that a chip hasn’t been tampered with internally?
When we go out to the field we have a laptop computer that has a database with all of the signatures of all of the chips so it knows what all of the chips should look like. We take the machine apart and we take the chips out of the machine. We put them into our laptop and press the button and it will read the chip and all of the contents in there. It will do the same calculations on those chips that we did here in the office. It will compare what the values should be and look it up in a database and if it finds that it’s an approved value then it will go ahead and say "that was an okay chip." otherwise, it will alert the operator to make sure that they’ve actually put the chip in right and then, assuming that was done right, it will log that as a chip it’s never seen before and we’ll follow up on those.
You only do this on a spot basis?
On a random basis we will show up at a location one day and say “we’re going to do your location today and we want access to the machines right now."
Do you check all of the machines in that location?
No. If it’s a restricted location (this means it’s licensed for 15 or fewer machines) that has 15 machines we’ll do all 15. Generally, we can do about 100 machines in a day so we’ll only do a sample at a large location because, otherwise, at a really large location, we could be there potentially 20 days.
How long does it take you to visit every casino and do you visit every casino?
We do try to visit every casino and our cycle is about every two years.
What if you get a complaint from a player that they think there’s something wrong with a machine?
We’ll go and do the same kind of chip inspection and we will see if it’s an approved chip or not. If it’s not an approved chip we’ll take the chip out and bring it back to the lab and analyze it there.
Then, on a case-by-case basis, depending on what we see is wrong with it. If it’s labeled with an approved label number we’ll start by comparing that chip with the approved chip and see how different it is. Is it completely different or just a couple of bytes different? Then we’ll actually go in and analyze what the effect of the difference is. We will also talk to the manufacturer and say "how did this get out without going through the approval process?" and we try to work it through there until we eventually determine what the problem is with the chip.
What’s the penalty if it’s not an approved chip?
It could be anywhere from a simple violation letter all the way up to loss of license. It depends on exactly what we’re looking at: was it maliciously done? Is it actually a gaffe where the house or player is cheated?
We had the case of american coin back in 1989 where they were specifically putting in gaffed chips that produced no poker royal flushes. They lost their license on it as opposed to an administrative error on their part where it’s a good chip, but somehow it got through the cracks and it didn’t get submitted to the board properly but there doesn’t seem to be any malicious capability in the chip - somebody was just sloppy with the paperwork.
I saw the recent primetime live show about slot machines and it implied that many of your machines have a "near-miss" feature. I thought that the “near-miss" was outlawed. Is that correct?
That’s correct. There was a case that involved an attribute that was labeled "near-miss" and that relates back to universal distributing company in 1988. The process that they were using, which was deemed at that time to be a” near-miss" feature, was not in accordance with the regulations. What they would do was after they selected the reels, if you had a losing combination they would present a different losing combination that was more like 7, 7 and 7 just below the line. It was outlawed because it didn’t just independently select the reels and then display the results to the player. It independently selected the reels and if it didn’t like the results that it came up with it went to another table and randomly selected a different set of results to show to the player.
Gale: after it determined that a losing combination was selected then it went out and got different symbols to display to make it look like you just barely missed a jackpot.
Robinson: more frequently than it should.
Gale: but you’re right (about it being outlawed) since regulation14 was amended back in 1989 to prevent that type of activity.
What gale was referring to here was the section of nevada’s gaming laws that was completely updated in 1989 and applies to "manufacturers, distributors, gaming devices, new games and associated equipment."
Regulation 14.040 pertains to minimum standards for gaming devices and parts of it specifically state "all gaming devices submitted for approval: must use a random selections process to determine the game outcome of each play of a game. Each possible combination of game elements which produce winning or losing game outcomes must be available for random selection at the initiation of each play. The selection process must not produce detectable patterns of game elements. After selection of the game outcome, the gaming device must not make a variable secondary decision which affects the result shown to the player." the wording in those regulations seemed to adequately sum up the state’s position on the "near-miss" scenario: it’s illegal.
After the interview we took a brief tour of the lab. I guess I had visions of a sprawling lab with technicians in white coats scurrying about in a high-tech environment. Instead, it was just a rather small room - about the size of your average mcdonald’s dining area - with nobody there and work benches strewn with electronic equipment plus a few slot machines. The highlight was seeing the area where the approved chips were kept. It consisted of a series of storage cabinets that were covered with a heavy-gauge metal screen and padlocks.
My visit left me with the impression that these guys were obviously very good at what they did and there seemed to be a lot of safeguards in place to prevent cheating on a machine. It just seemed that the department was kind of small for the massive amount of work it needed to do.
A check of nevada’s gaming records for the fiscal year ending june30, 1996 showed there were 185,610 slot machines throughout the state. Hmm, let’s see, if there are six people that go out and check on the machines and they can do a maximum of 100 machines a day - it would take them 1,856 days, or five years, of working seven days a week, to inspect every single machine!
Of course, nevada’s gaming industry really hasn’t had much in the way of scandals so maybe their system works just fine. But what about the other states? Do they do it differently?
On may 15, 1997 I went to 1601 atlantic avenue in atlantic city, new jersey to meet with richard williamson, supervisor of the technical services bureau at the state’s division of gaming enforcement. We were joined by keith furlong, public information officer for the division and we spoke in williamson’s office located in a state building just a few blocks west of the boardwalk’s casinos.
What does your department do?
We do the pro-active review of the games.
How many people are in the department?
How many actually go out in the field to test the machines?
Eleven. We’re not that big of a unit for the job we’ve got. A little bit of a historical perspective on this: we’re the same size that we were 10years ago and in the past four years we’ve gone from just four slot manufacturers to11, plus three keno systems.
How many machines are there?
33,000 but that goes to 35,000 right before the end of the summer with the opening of bally’s wild wild west casino, plus trump is putting in another 600games in a new area which will be open by the memorial day weekend.
Do you test every single machine in the city?
Yes. Every game that goes up in the casinos, we go out and we inspect every game. We actually seal the chip onto the circuit board. We come back. We have a database where we put in the information that "machine 1234 was put on bally’s park place floor on this date, with this denomination and this program in it." and if it’s a progressive, it was set at this rate of progression. We have documentation that supports all that information so that we’ve got an audit trail.
How long does it take you to inspect all of the games in the city?
Well, we don’t go out and inspect every game every year. What we do is I have an audit program set up where we use a random selections process. We’re at a 95% assurance level with a 2% deviation. We go out and we take from the population of slot machines. We have a random start and we pick every nth one. We go out and we just inspect all those games from top to bottom. We come back and record it.
Are you selecting by kind of game or by casino?
By casino. We’ll do a random selection of all the games in a casino. But that’s our audit program. That’s the only time that we go into a casino and don’t tell them what games we’re going to look at.
All of the other times we go and do inspections is when the casino is calling us to change the payoff percentage, do denomination changes, put bill acceptors on, or do some kind of a modification to the game. We go in and the casino creates the on-site inspection paperwork which spells out what’s happening. Then we go in, we inspect the games and sign off on the paperwork. We give a copy to the principal that’s on-site for the casino control commission so they have our signature that the games are working as approved. The games goes up and we come back and document it in our database.
So you don’t continually inspect every machine?
We pre-inspect every machine before it goes up. It has to have the approved EPROM (computer chip). We don’t do 100% verification because I don’t think it’s cost effective. What I do keep track of on a database is the last time we looked at a game so at any point in time I can query for any game that has been looked at any variety of times.
Can a casino go in and change an EPROM on their own?
No. Not in this jurisdiction.
What do the casinos do when they want to make a change? Call the manufacturer?
No. They contact us and we schedule one of our gaming equipment specialists to go out to the casino and, generally, when they’re doing an EPROM change they’re doing a bank of games or they’re doing a model change where you change the chip, you change the glass, you change the reel strips and you’ve got anew slot machine.
So, the casinos are not allowed to go inside the machines to change any of those things unless you’re there to supervise it?
How does your approval process work for a new machine?
Well, naturally, the company would have to be licensed, or at least be in the licensing process, before they could submit a product.
Assuming they’ve met that requirement, what do they have to submit?
They send in a full slot machine. They send in documentation on. Let’s say an operator’s manual. They also send in more detailed documentation on the random number generator used within the game. I’d have to say that’s one of the most important features. We do that first because if the random number generator doesn’t pass then that’s the end of the game.
What kind of testing do you do?
The first thing we check is the random number generator to make sure that there are no discernible patterns within that program. Then we do a physical review of the game. Review it for security to see that it can’t be compromised in very simple ways, like easily opening up the door, or having easy access to the inside of the machine. Then we do a review of the circuitry of the board to see that they don’t have switches or ways of manipulating the game that would not be detectable by the casino management or the regulators.
A lot of times the tendency by a manufacturer is to make these machines real user friendly and sometimes they can go to excess and give them (the casino) the ability to change payout percentages without any notification to management or the regulators. So we would have them remove anything that could compromise the integrity of the game.
The next thing we’ll do is a mathematical review of the particular program that operates the pays and plays of the game. When we do that review we’re doing it to make sure that it’s in compliance with the minimum payout percentages mandated in this jurisdiction.
The final step is to do an emulation of the game. We take it into the lab and then with our electronic equipment, rather than just playing the game, we force pays and we force losers.
For instance, we require that all machines lock up on the top award. So, if you receive the top award, say a royal flush, then you should not be able to throw those cards away. Then we check that the meters are working properly; that the pays occur and record properly; and that the machines will lock up on single awards over $1,200because that’s an I.R.S. Rule.
About how long does it take for your approval process?
The time is really subjective to the experience of the company and the familiarity of the company with our regulations. So, for a seasoned manufacturer - someone who’s been submitting products for years - the approval process is generally quicker. Also, location has a big difference. If they’re close we can pick up the phone and talk to them. Time zones make a difference, language barriers - if it’s somebody from europe or japan - it’s more difficult. So those are factors that extend the time of the prototype approval. Say, if the company was in new jersey, and they submit the product and they’re very familiar with the rules and they’ve done all their homework on the game we could probably knock out a prototype in 60 days.
It’s my understanding that your department was also involved in the discovery of the "near-miss" slot machine programs. Is that correct?
Yes. It was discovered while it was in here for approval but the facts are that it was discovered at the same time in nevada and that company withdrew it from the approval process here. So, actually, we never did issue a letter on it.
But, the "near-miss" machine is illegal? Is that correct?
Well, it would be illegal in this jurisdiction if someone were to send one in.
Do you consider a video poker machine to be different than a slot machine?
It was determined by the casino control commission back in the first couple years of the ’80s that it is a slot machine.
So you don’t make any difference in your laws between skill and non-skill machines?
Only to the fact that we require the payout percentage to be 2% higher on a game that is affected by skill.
You require it to be 2% higher? That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I haven’t completely read your laws, but.
It won’t say that in the law. It was a policy adopted by the commission about the time that video pokers were approved because of a field test. They went out and they watched people play and it was determined that someone who was very unskilled at playing poker could lower the payout percentage of the game below the minimum standard just by continually making poor selections. So they thought they should raise it2% so that even a poor player would have a better chance with the added 2% payout.
The minimum return on slots is 83% so the video poker machines would have to return a minimum of 85%?
I’ve read some articles where the writers claim that because new jersey law treats video poker machines the same as slots that the video poker machines might be programmed to avoid giving players better hands by dip switches or other means. Are the machines allowed to do that?
No. As part of our proactive approach to the game inspection we do no tallow dip switches. We do not allow a casino to arbitrarily change the payout percentages. We do keep a record on what program is in there at all times for investigative and auditing purposes. The casinos are required, when they do their count of the games, to calculate the payout percentage of the game and compare it to the theoretical payout and investigate the differences. They have to report that to us for every slot machine.
They have to tell you the theoretical payout?
We require them to compare the actual with the theoretical and we tell them what the theoretical is.
What are the sanctions you can take against a casino if you find them in violation of your policies?
Well, that’s all licensing and it comes down to individuals. We have licensing requirements with internal controls where an entity would have to report this and someone in a certain department is required to report those things. So, if they don’t report it, you go to the person whose job it is.
Generally, most of these things can be worked out by going to the individual. If that doesn’t work you go to their boss. If that doesn’t work you go to corporate counsel. If that doesn’t work then you resort to legal measures, but it’s really all one-on-one. It’s not that big of an industry here, we’ve just got 12 entities and we know all of them. So, if you’ve got a problem you just walk in, or make an appointment, and sit in their office or have them come over and talk it out.
What would you say is the most common problem you’ve seen in the machines?
Most common? Lights out. The game’s got to operate as prototype approved. It’s like your car: if your turn signals aren’t on who’s going to know you’re turning? If the coin-in light is off how are you going to know that the coin was accepted?
My point is that when a game hits that floor it should be in a working condition so that the patron understands how the game works because there’s no place else they can go for the rules other than what’s right in front of them. And, if they do have a question, someone within the casino, be it a slot attendant or whoever, should be able to come over and explain it to the patron so that there’s no complaint that goes beyond that game.
After our interview I took a tour of the testing facilities and I noticed it contained many of the same electronic testing machines that I had seen in the nevada lab. The only difference here was that the facilities were spread out in three smaller rooms as opposed to being in one room. Also, I guess my timing was better here because I did see a few people working on some projects.
My impression, once again, was that many safeguards were in place for the player. Actually, there seemed to be more safeguards in new jersey because of their restrictions on the ability of the casinos to go in and make changes to the machines on their own.
Also, it was interesting to discover that although nevada has almost six times as many machines as new jersey, they only have about half as many inspectors: just six compared to new jersey’s 11.
Even with their more aggressive rules, however, new jersey officials still don’t test every machine on a continuing basis and, just like in nevada, a random testing program is used. Williamson noted that "it’s not cost-effective" to test every machine and I guess I could see his point. Also, when questioned on the "near-miss" slot machines, williamson said they were not allowed in new jersey which is the same situation as in nevada.
After leaving the state facility my next stop was at gaming labs international in toms river, about 75 miles north of atlantic city. GLI is a private testing facility that is contracted by gaming regulatory agencies throughout the world to do testing of gaming machines as well as lottery and keno systems.
The company’s president, james maida, previously worked as a testing engineer at new jersey’s gaming enforcement division in the mid 1980s. In1989 GLI was the first independent testing lab to open in the U.S. And it has been responsible for servicing more than 160 gaming jurisdictions throughout the world. The company is hired by regulatory agencies for consulting on gaming issues as well as for auditing programs but its primary function is the testing and monitoring of electronic gaming equipment. GLI is the largest company of its kind in the world and in 1996 maida was named one of the top 25 most influential people in gaming by international gaming and wagering business magazine. Besides its toms river headquarters GLI also has offices in colorado, africa and australia.
I wrote a few months ahead to ask about visiting the lab and made arrangements with todd elsasser, director of operations, to meet for an interview and a tour of the facility.
Downtown toms river looks like a typical "quaint" mid-american small town and GLI’s offices were located in a rather large single-story storefront office at 26 main street. Elsasser and I spoke in his office for about 45minutes and then went on a tour of the facility which had a much larger area devoted to testing than either of the state facilities. There also seemed to be about a dozen or so people directly working in those areas, but still - no white lab coats!
Elsasser and I covered a lot of subjects and when I sat down to write this story I called him back to ask him a few more questions. Unfortunately, he never returned my calls and then, after sending him an e-mail to inquire about us getting together, I received a message on my answering machine from james maida saying “regretfully, we cannot give interviews. We’re a regulatory agency and not allowed to give interviews to the general press. We would not be able to make any statements, nor should we be quoted in your publication." he also suggested that for information on the "near-miss" controversy I should consult the article he wrote for the summer 1997 issue of slot manager" magazine.
I’m not sure what happened to make the folks at GLI change their mind but, due to maida’s request, I can’t go into the exact details of what was said at elsasser’s office. The truth is, however, that it was pretty similar to what was said in both nevada and at the state facility in new jersey: there are safeguards in place to regulate gaming machines in all of the states with legalized casino gambling. The regulations may differ slightly from state-to-state, but there are programs in place to protect the public when playing in a regulated jurisdiction.
Now, what about that "near-miss"? Well, in his article maida wrote that after the primetime live story was broadcast he received lots of calls from his clients concerning the "near-miss" feature and he assured them that those kind of games do not exist in north america.
I guess that pretty much summed up the situation: two state regulatory agencies said that "near-miss" machines were illegal and then the president of the world’s largest independent testing laboratory also said those kind of machines were illegal and just didn’t exist. So that’s the end of that controversy, isn’t it? Well, not exactly.
In the august 1997 issue of casino journal, a respected trade publication that follows the casino industry, writer jeff burbank reported that while a “near-miss" on the payline is outlawed in nevada, a "near-miss" above or below the payline is perfectly legal in that state.
Burbank interviewed ellen whittemore, the former deputy attorney general for gaming in 1988 and 1989 who was responsible for writing nevada’s regulation 14 which pertains to the "near-miss" situation. She said that a “near-miss" above or below the payline was legal and that actually it was better for the players because it meant that players could more easily win jackpots.
What whittemore was referring to here was the "virtual reel “technology used in today’s slot machines. At one time slot machine jackpots were limited by the number of stops on each reel but that isn't the case anymore.
Previously, if a machine had three reels and each reel had 22 stops, then the maximum number of combinations that particular machine could show was 10,648 (22x 22 x 22). Therefore, a $1 machine couldn’t offer a jackpot of more than $10,648 or it would lose money. Someone then came up with the idea of a "virtual reel" that could offer many more combinations by using a computer chip to create a make believe reel with as many stops as were needed. This way a $1 machine with, for instance, three 50-stopvirtual reels, would have a maximum number of 125,000 (50 x 50 x 50) combinations. The only problem is that the actual reels in the machines still only have 22 physical stops, so the computer must tell the reels where they should stop. This is known as “mapping" and since there are more "computer" stops than “physical" stops it necessitated that many of the winning symbols appear more than once. Whittemore said that because of the virtual reel technology and the random number selection process it is just natural that "near-miss" combinations would appear more frequently above or below the payline. The nevada gaming commission held extensive hearings on this subject and on september 22, 1988 it filed a stipulation declaring it legal.
Pretty confusing, isn’t it? Well, the important thing to remember here is that although a "near-miss" is acceptable above or below the payline, it can’t be programmed into the machine. It is only allowed when it’s the result of a random number generation process that just happens to put those particular results on the reel. If a "near-miss" is purposely programmed to appear either above, below, or directly on the payline, then that would be illegal in any regulated gaming jurisdiction.
One of the major problems when discussing the "near-miss “issue is that different people may have different interpretations of what it means. In this instance whittemore used it to refer to combinations appearing above and below the payline. Traditionally, however, the "near-miss" got its name from the universal distributing incident and only applied to a "near-miss" directly on the payline which was purposely programmed into the machine. Which brings us back to the primetimelive report.
Did primetime live mislead its viewers to think that any kind of “near-miss" was legal on nevada’s slot machines? I believe they did. At no point in the show did they ever actually define what a "near-miss" was and they also implied at the beginning of the program that the "near-misses" were occurring directly on the payline. Additionally, they never mentioned the fact that a “near-miss" on the payline is illegal in nevada. This was a simple fact they could have easily looked up in the state’s gaming regulations and it’s hard to believe that they didn’t know about it.
It seemed that the ABC news show had its mind made up going into the story and set out to find any source of information that could help lead to their preconceived conclusions. After all, their two prime sources were a convicted slot cheat and a former gaming industry official with a bias against nevada gaming regulators. Although the news show portrayed romano as one of a select few willing to talk about the gambling industry’s "secrets," the fact is he wasn’t exactly pleased with the state’s regulators. This became much more apparent on april 16, 1997, just five weeks after the show aired, when romano filed a $6 million lawsuit against the state gaming control board, the state gaming commission and state attorney general frankie sue del papa for violating his civil rights in the handling of his american coin case.
I realize that television is a competitive business that often relies on sensationalism to sell itself, but I’m sure we would all like to think that a major news organization would try to present a balanced presentation of a situation and let the viewers decide for themselves who’s right and who’s wrong. That just didn’t seem to be the case here. If they wanted to be fair they should have at least hired an independent lab to check the claims of their sources and report those results in their broadcast.
Eventually, the initial controversy over the "near-miss" issue died out and no hearings of any kind were ever held. Chances are pretty good, however, that this issue will continue to linger and the industry will one day have to come up with a way to permanently resolve it.
And how does this story affect you? Well, at least when you walk into a casino and play a slot machine in a regulated jurisdiction you can be assured that measures have been taken to assure you of a fair game. You can also be assured that a "near-miss" won’t be programmed to appear on the payline, but I suggest that you don’t look above or below that payline to see what else is showing!
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Honest casino reviews – stick with legitimate & safe online casinos
Honest casino reviews are very important to the player that wants to improve their chances of winning money in an online casino. With online blackjack, craps, roulette, and slots becoming more popular each day, many players are giving online casinos a try. They are convenient because you don’t have to leave home. In many cases they are cheaper because the minimum bets are lower and you don’t have the costs associated with visiting a live casino. You can read more about what is so great about online casinos . These advantages are great, but if you don’t which online casinos are reputable you can get burned.
An honest review should include some basic information that is important to players. How long has the casino been in business? Do they have a reputation for quick payouts? Is it easy to make a deposit? What deposit methods does the casino accept ? What games do they offer? Are there any bonuses available for new players ? Do they offer instant play casino games ? Our reviews make a dedicated effort to answer these questions and many more in order to help you pick the best online casino.
We’ve picked the most popular casinos and grouped them by the playing platforms they use: RTG, microgaming, and playtech.
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RTG powered online casinos
RTG stands for real time gaming and they are one of the leaders in online casino software. The presence of frequent upgrades to their software platform make their casinos a good choice. RTG has developed numerous slot games as well as blackjack, keno, roulette, and craps. Most of RTG’s games come in a flash version, too, for players that don’t want to download software to their computer.
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Microgaming powered online casinos
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Playtech powered online casinos
Playtech is one of the newer companies to develop online gaming software. Started in 1999, the playtech software rapidly grew in popularity and has since gone on to become a publicly traded company. That alone raises the trust level of this provider.
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Online slots
Ever seen old gambling films? A hotshot gambler giving his (under aged) wife a few dollars to play the slot machines, so he can have a quiet game of serious gambling? Well this scene is not as old as you may think. Up to the late as the mid – seventies slots were not thought of serious games of chance. In those days a “respectable” table player wouldn’t be caught playing the slots.
Slot machines have made a long way. The traditional historic name for slots was “the one armed bandit“, for clear reasons. But they have grown out of those early western times, gaining more friendly names, such as “slots” or slot machine.
The first generations were mechanical devices. People used to try all kinds of ways (quite creative sometimes) to beat the house. Using magnets, drilling a hole through the side of the machines and much more!
Classic slot machines
There was even a legal method discovered by a few that involved a style of pulling the handle that controlled the drop of one or more of the reels. This increased odds greatly, and caused the casino operators some concern until a technique was developed to eliminate this advantage.
Video killed the radio star, but video games brought slot machines back to life, changing their status forever. The casino operators developed a new line of electronic slot machines, ones that offered brilliant graphics and thrilling sound effects.
They also added further improvements such as connecting several machines together and taking a small percentage of every play and adding it to a jackpot total. If no one hits the jackpot for some time it can grow into an enormous amount, and although the odds are small, one lucky player will win big one day. These “jackpots” also helped to increase slot popularity to where it is today.
Outside manipulating of the machines by cheaters became just a part of slot machine history, since almost all slot machines are electronic and computer controlled.
Today slots are the most popular form of both land and web based gambling, with up to 40% of casino income.
Online slot machines – how to play
The players aim is to get a winning line on the slot machine as stated in the winnings diagram. The most basic slot machines require you to bet one coin (a fixed amount such as a dollar), they have only three reels, only one payout line, and pay a multiple of the bet coins value (e.G. The out come of three apples on the payout line will be a payout 300 times the bet coins value).
After inserting the coin and pulling a handle (or presses a button on the front panel) the player waits for the wheels to stop on the payout line to see if, and how much he has won (the payout symbols and payoff values are posted on the front of the machine).
The machines of the new generation, accept up to five coins, can have up to five wheels, and in some cases have up to five payout lines (three across and two diagonal).
Slots at casinos online
The simplicity of slot machines remains also when gambling at best online casinos in UK.
The first thing to do once you’ve decided on the amount you want to gamble is depositing it into the slot machine by clicking on the appropriate chip.
Next, select the value of the coin you want to bet in each spin: $0.25, $1, or $5.
Last, choose the number of these coins that you wish to bet in the next spin by clicking on the BET ONE button once, twice, or three times. If you choose to bet the maximum amount of coins (3), you can also do it by clicking the BET MAX button.
If you do so, the slot machine will spin automatically. If you bet one or two coins, you start the machine by clicking the SPIN button or clicking on the arm.
Cashing out is possible whenever you wish to do so. Just click on CASH OUT and receive your credit in the machine.
Here is an example of a winnings diagram:
Coins bet
1 2 3
3 sevens – 1000 – 2000 – 5000
3 triple bars – 250 – 500 – 750
3 double bars – 50 – 75 – 150
3 single bars 25 – 50 – 75
3 plums 10 – 20 – 30
3 cherries 10 – 20 – 30
any triple bar 4 – 8 – 12
any 2 cherries 4 – 8 – 12
any single cherry 2 – 4 – 6
Slot machines winning strategies
Preface
Hot slots, a giving machine, a machine that didn’t give for a long time, these are only a small selection of believes that people have about slot machines that have better chances of winning.
Don’t waste your time trying to find a “due” to payoff machine it’s a myth. The slot machines are programmed at the manufacturing site to be random; each play on each machine has the same odds no matter how often or how long ago it paid off.
One of the true facts about slot machines is that mostly, higher value machine payoff a little more often the smaller value machines. The nickel and quarter machines usually pay the least, while the $100.00 machines pay off the most often.
It is also true that if you are a consistent player, and play a lot the casino may regard you as a preferred customer. The casino may give these preferred customers a prize in an attempt to keep them coming and playing in their casino.
Simple slots
There is no strategy in simple slot machines. All you do is insert money, pull the handle (click the key) and let luck take its course. Just remember to gamble with what you can afford to lose. Take your wins when you get them, and play for fun.
Multiple-coin slots
Multiple-coin slots are slot machines that can be played with multiple coins. There are two different kinds:
The first kind is machines that by increasing the number of payout lines, it is possible to increase the odds of winning. There is a maximum of five lines three horizontal and two diagonal. Each coin played adds one more. The machine will pay out on winning sequences on all lines you’ve bet on.
The second kind, are slot- machines that their payout depends on your bet.
For instance, if one coin is played the payout might be 200 coins, 500 coins for two coins played and if a third coin is played – 1000 coins. In these machines the best strategy is to play the maximum number of coins, because assuming you win the same number of times the additional payout percentage makes you more money.
It is smarter to play a quarter machine using maximum coins than to play a dollar machine using one coin.
Winning attitude
There are a few points you should keep in mind when you want to win some real money at an online casino slot machine.
The casinos know well and not from a book that greed is the greatest motivator, so know yourself and play according to your style.
Limit your play to 3 to 5 pulls on any one machine. On quarter machines you can allow yourself a little more pulls.
If you enjoy playing the slots randomly, that’s fine, it’s your money. We played that way for many years and thinking we’re enjoying ourselves and loosing money, but we can tell you we have a lot more fun now using specific techniques.
To avoid disappointment make sure you understand the winnings diagram on any slot you play.
Don’t chase the jackpot, particularly on the high-end slots. If you want to play for fun then play the nickel machines. $5.00 will take you too far too soon.
It is best to play the maximum number of coins, depending on you and your funds. This will increase your odds for a bigger win. If you get a good hit…play another couple of pulls and run.
Don’t forget yourself. Make sure you notice when you cannot afford more losses and stop. Don’t count on the casino to tell you you’re exaggerating.
Take a chance on high-end machines such as the 5.00 slots only when you can afford it. If you get lucky, grab the money and run (or in our case – click out immediately).
Honest reviews on casino slots in 2019
Online casinos are one of the fastest improving parts of the online gaming industry in recent years. Gamblers tend to ignore land-based casinos and prefer online gambling. The main reason is that gamers want to bet while sitting at their sofas or fishing in the lake. Although almost all types of online casino games are popular, players are interested in casino slots more. Therefore, its ranking exceeds other online slot games. As the casino slot becomes well-known, new players look for useful reviews about them. It will help them to identify whether mobile slots fit their interests or not. There are thousands of reviews on websites. However, very few of them are reliable. In this blog, you will have the chance to get familiar with the most recent and honest reviews related to casino slots.
Reasons to play casino slots.
Simplicity
One of the most crucial factors that grab gamblers’ attention while selecting the game is simplicity. According to experienced players, playing so complicated games are not fun even if you win some money at the end. Casino slots have straightforward rules and guidelines, which gamers easily understand and implement. So, players claim that this feature is the first one that differentiates this online slot machine from other games. Moreover, the configuration process of these games is also so comfortable. In most cases, you can click install and download the casino slot during a short period. It is tough to install some casino games, which makes the player lose interest before starting. So, if you try slot games , you will not encounter any problem like this. If you also do not want to think a lot before making moves while betting, mobile slots are for you.
Lower costs of casino slots
As mentioned in the above paragraph, slots are gamblers’ favorite games in land-based casinos. However, playing slots in real places costs a lot to gamers. For instance, let’s imagine that you go to vegas to play slot games. You will have travel, accommodation, meal and many other costs which will affect your budget negatively. And if you can’t win the game, your loss will be even more. However, if you are playing casino slots , you directly remove any additional expenses related to travel, etc. It is another reason why the online slot is so popular among gamblers. Because their only costs are betting amount, and it gives them a chance to play bigger. In short, players recommend playing mobile video slots rather than going to real casinos because of cost issues.
Variety of choices
Another crucial point that attracts gamers to play video slots is a variety of options. Developers created thousands of slot games till now. The exciting element is that every game has some specifications which differentiate it from others. Some gamblers prefer casino slots because of high-quality design. Everyone wants to play elegant, bright, and well-designed backgrounds. Moreover, some slots offer extraordinary music effects. Having very relaxed songs while betting is also a great feeling. Therefore, this feature also grabs the gamblers’ attention. So, various backgrounds, music, and other effects make the casino slot more exciting and catchier. Having such a variety of games does not let you get bored. If you do not like anything in-game A, you can easily install other substitutes and continue enjoying them.
Flexible betting amount
Deciding how much amount of money to bet is one of the most challenging issues that players encounter. Because there is always a risk of losing money, which makes gamblers fear. In lots of online or land-based casinos, there is a minimum betting amount, which is quite high. However, casino slots have very flexible in terms of betting size. In some online slot games , you can even start playing by paying a few cents. It is an excellent opportunity for players who do not want to risk more money. So, if you are also risk-averse, you can quickly try video slot games, which will not charge you a lot.
Many additional bonuses
It is a fact that all online gamblers would like to hit the highest prizes while playing online casino games . However, reaching this point is not so easy. In some cases, players need some additional help to unlock different modes or to pass stages. So, casino slots are also very generous in terms of offering additional bonuses. Gamblers always state that you can get free spins, gifts, prizes, bonus rounds in most of the best slot games. Getting such promotions will help you to advance in slot games. According to experienced players, bonuses increase the probability of earning more at least twice. So, if you start playing slots, the possibility of being rich will be possible for you.
Higher RTP rate
If you are an active player, you know that the chance of winning is not the same in all games. There are several factors, which have a direct impact on winning. However, one of them is a critical point, which shows the overall picture. This dimension returns to player ratio, which is quite a popular term in the online gambling industry. This rate demonstrates the possibility of earning in short. In most casino slots, the RTP rate is between ninety and ninety-six percent, which is quite a considerable number.
In comparison, the rate is below eighty percent in most land-based casinos. If we compare this rate with the other casino games, it is still the highest one. So, after showing these numbers, the conclusion is that the chance of winning is more in the casino slot. Therefore, playing video slots is the safest way of spending time in online casinos . So, you can consider RTP before starting to bet in any case. This consideration will impact the earning amount directly, and it is what the gamblers want.
Less stress, more fun
There are two critical points that gamblers need while playing video slots: winning prizes and spending high-quality time. You can reach the first point in many types of mobile casino games. However, sometimes, it is not easy to feel relaxed and enjoyed while betting. Some online casino games are challenging and stressful. So, you need to focus on the game intensely, think about further moves, etc. This kind of stuff may make you feel bored after a few rounds. On the other hand, mobile slots are stress-free gambling games. The reason for this is that the rules are so straightforward. Therefore, you do not need to think a lot to decide what to play. You can even select the most straightforward modes to minimize the complexity of video slot games. So, in short, if you want to avoid any stress while playing online gambling, slots are for you.
No interaction with others
Another specific factor that differentiates slot games is to have zero interaction with others while playing. Let us look at the example of other casino games. In most cases, you will need some other parties to play the game online. It is a waste of time because you need to wait for them to join. If the table is not full, the game will not start. Moreover, sometimes, you will also wait for others to make moves. This kind of issue will destroy your interests in games. However, in the case of casino slots, you will not face any problems like this. You will select the casino slot and insert the amount you want to bet. Afterward, the real game will start, and you will have a good time while playing slots.
Auto-play functionality
Online slots have a very distinctive feature, which is hard to find in other casino games. The thing we are talking about is the auto-play function. Developers considered that sometimes, people are to busy to deal with casino games. But they still want to bet while not focusing on the game at all. Therefore, they created a unique auto-play feature. With the help of this function, you can make bets several times without touching the screen. It is so comfortable for gamers because they can bet while spending less time in video slot games. Some players argue that this functionality reduces the excitement that they feel after pushing spin each time. But it is an optional characteristic. If you do not want to use it, you can ignore it very quickly.
What are the best slot games to play in 2019?
Deciding which game to play is quite a hard decision. Players should consider many factors before selecting mobile slots. Therefore, to help the newcomers, I will talk about the best video slots. I will discuss the factors mentioned above while defining which game is better. The suggestions will be quite helpful for the new players who have no clue about slots. So, you can continue focusing on the next passages carefully not to miss any crucial points.
Cleopatra
If you are thinking out of the box and want to get the biggest prize during a short period, this game is for you. Cleopatra has various characteristics, which make it one of the best slot games in this industry. Firstly, the design of the game is beautiful. If you are interested in historical architecture, it will be a great match. Because when you play this casino game, you will feel like to visit egypt virtually. The game is not so easy because you will have five reels, which is somehow complicated. Moreover, having twenty paylines makes the game more excited. Furthermore, the game offers lots of free spins and other promotions which directly help you to win more. Another critical point for gamers is returning to player rate. And the ratio is above ninety-five percent in this game, which is more than most video slots .
Gold rush
It is another most famous game among gamblers because of several characteristics. Firstly, the background design and sound effects of gold rush are fantastic. Even if you are not lucky to win, you will still have a perfect time playing it. Moreover, if you are a risk-taker, you do not need to think twice about starting the game. Gold rush is one of the casino slots which offer you to get double amount of your earning. The rule of getting it is straightforward. You will select a card within the game. If your selection is right, you will enjoy winning double prizes. However, in case of the wrong answer, you may lose all the winning amount. Furthermore, the return to player rate is more than ninety-six percent. It means that you will have many possibilities to win something at the end of the game.
Vegas vacation
As you know, vegas is one of the favorite places for the gambler from all over the world. However, visiting vegas to play in a land-based casino is so costly. Therefore, not everyone can afford to pay a lot to go there. But you can feel the same atmosphere by playing vegas vacation . The game has retro style design, that will remind you of the old but gold times. So, design and music are so unique, which will touch your emotions. Moreover, in the standard version, you will have twenty paylines. But this number can go up after playing free rounds. You will also have many spins, promotions, bonus modes, which will make your winning chances go up. If you believe in that this game is for you, you can find it in riversweep platinium very easily.
Magic 81
Developers designed this game for the people who want to feel the traditional casino games. Do not expect some new and extraordinary things from this game. Magic 81 has different types of fruits as symbols, which is so classic. Your total winning amount will change depending on the types of nuts. For example, if you can pair four big red, the overall betting size will be multiplied by one hundred sixty. It is the most significant amount of prize in the game. You will also enjoy some promotions within the game. This type of additions will help you to pass the stages rapidly. If you prefer traditional games to win more prizes, but do not expect fancy designs or music, magic 81 is an excellent choice for you.
Mega joker
This slot game is the one that offers the highest return to player ratio among all mobile slots. The rate is approximately ninety-nine percent, which is quite a considerable number. However, the design of the game is quite essential. So, if you like having fun rather than winning big prizes, this game is not for you. The general structure of mega joker is also simple. There are three reels and five paylines that make the game much easier for the gamblers. Unfortunately, you will not have any free spins or additional bonuses in this casino game because of a higher RTP rate. The betting size is also so flexible. You can start having fun by just paying one euro. It is quite a good deal for the players who do not want to risk more money. In short, you can earn a lot by playing this simple slot game.
Monopoly big event
Monopoly is one of the most famous table games that all of us used to play in the past. Therefore, monopoly big event is the game that will remind us of the same past feelings. It is one of the best slot games, which contains five reels and twenty paylines. So, it is quite easy to understand the structure of the game. As mentioned in the above sentences, the background design of the game is like a monopoly. There are several special symbols in this game, such as locked wilds, dancing wild, etc. If you can find them, you will have more opportunities to go up quickly. The minimum bet size is only one point five euro that is quite affordable for many players.
Moreover, another feature that differentiates this slot from others is high RTP. The rate is between ninety-six and ninety-nine, which gives stimulus to players. Furthermore, the game is one of the casino slots, which offers free spins, promotions, etc. Besides higher RTP. So, all these factors prove that monopoly big event is an excellent opportunity to win a more significant amount of money.
Online casino reviews and ratings
Finding the best casino out there is not an easy job, especially for beginners. Every casino claims to be the best – how will you understand they are telling the truth? For example, which one is the best casino to play slots? The one that offers thousands of games or the one that has less but fair games?
Even professional gamblers cannot evaluate an online casino, this requires a different kind of expertise. Well, we have that experience and more:
On our website, you can find the best online casino reviews out there and easily find the top rated casinos that will satisfy your gambling needs.
So, how are we doing this? How do we review online casino sites and what do we offer to our visitors? Grab a drink, sit back, and relax: we will explain to you how we are doing our job and what to look for while evaluating a casino.
How we identify the best online casinos: the casinova.Org algorithm
You probably wonder how we rate the various gambling providers exactly and how we are able to determine a best online casino from over 250 providers. Unlike many other online casino test sites that subjectively evaluate the providers, we use an algorithm that helps us separate the good providers from the bad ones and determine the top casinos. We evaluate the different virtual casinos in seven different categories, each category having a different weighting depending on what the majority of players value. Then our casino algorithm automatically calculates the overall rating of each casino:
Even though we denote the eight categories with a specific generic term, each of these categories has certain subtotals that are fed into our algorithm. In this way, more than 20 partial evaluations are incorporated into the calculations and ensure that we can present you with an accurate result.
We are players
Is an independent platform for online casino reviews. We provide general information, trusted users reviews and ratings on safety, diversity and support. Our goal is to help players achieve the best online casino experience. Aside from supporting reviews, our team searches for online casinos with the best bonus offers, diverse game selections and promising features. We kindly invite you to have a look at our casino listings to find out which casinos best suit your preferences.
We play to provide our gambling experience to you
We enjoy playing casino games a lot, so we are testing all the casinos ourselves. We test new games, as well as the new payment systems. That’s why we have a good understanding of what a good and comfortable internet casino is and why it is different from those which don’t care about it.
We are investing real money in testing internet casinos, we read the complicated rules of bonuses, challenge their support and evaluate how they solve our problems.
That’s why we understand the expectations of our visitors, and we want to help them choose best gambling websites that can meet their expectations.
Criteria we use in our online casino reviews
- Brand reputation – if the casino has a good reputation throughout the industry and more importantly with players, then this gives the casino a boost.
- Variety of games – the casino has to hold your attention, therefore the variety and number of games available to play is of paramount importance
- Licensing jurisdiction – if the casino is licensed in a dubious jurisdiction, this will have an adverse effect on the rating of the casino. Likewise, if licensed by the UKGC for example, this will, in turn, provide a positive marker.
- Customer support – what is it like? Is it the equivalent of being served by an uninterested member of staff at currys, or do the casino support agent inspire confidence and treat you as a valued member of their casino?
- Casino banking – does casino payout winnings fast, or do they try and trip you up at each and every turn, including putting the reverse withdrawal in the way of your cashout?
- Responsible gambling – the casino needs to have in place an easily accessible facility, whereby players are able to set deposit limits and also take a break as and when required.
- Player promotions – everyone likes to be chucked a bone from time to time and this is no different when playing at an online casino.
The above list is not exhaustive but provides you with a very good idea as to why and how we have come to our top online casinos. Each of which is listed here, so as you can check out their own dedicated reviews.
A good selection of games should be a feature at any online casino
For many gamblers this will be the most important feature,while many will only be worried about a small selection of games, because these are all they want to play. If that’s the case, you’ll be better off looking for a specialist casino reviewer site rather than one with a more general offering. On the whole, at most online casinos the biggest section of games will feature slots. These are the big money earners for casinos, whether land-based or online, and are nearly always a big feature.
We like our top casino websites to have a varied selection of games, from a variety of software houses.
So, let's see, what we have: on honestcasinos.Com we will help you to distinguish the good casino operators from the bad ones. Honest online casinos only! At are casino slots honest
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