People really love to try to convince us that we’re wrong about how the random number generator, or RNG, in a slot works. Today’s assertion comes from someone who claims to have worked in the industry:
RNG comes in two forms. One that is truly random mathematically. The one used in slot machines is actually patterns which appear random. This is why sometimes the pattern makes the machine hot or cold. Ever notice the sixth fireball follows a screen of five fireballs or the third icon you needed follows two icons. Or sometimes you think it’s like Deja vu when you play sometimes. Or when you have one more spin you get the five fireballs or two symbols. This encourages you to keep playing because you were so close. That doesn’t have anything to do with RNG but probably programming that looks for that pattern where you are at your last spin.
Slot Geek
Patterns don’t make the machines hot or cold, because each outcome of the slot is independent and not related to the previous wins or losses. What makes a slot hot or cold is what has happened, not what will happen. Otherwise, if a slot is hot, why wouldn’t it stay hot if it’s supposedly in that pattern?
What is true is it’s not technically random like randomness would happen in the environment, because it’s made by a human being, so it’s more specifically pseudo-random, but for the purposes of what it needs to do to make any outcome equally as likely to happen, it does its job.
There aren’t patterns – it’s just complicated math. But as human beings we want to believe there’s patterns because we spot something, like the five balls or two bonus symbols, and when it aligns with our beliefs, we retain that and throw out all the times it doesn’t happen.
Slots don’t purposefully look at your credit balance and show an outcome where you’re one away because you’re low on case. It also doesn’t give you a bonus when you’re low on cash, as a previous letter writer asserted either.
Similarly, the missing ball or bonus symbol on the next spin isn’t done on purpose, because each spin is an independent outcome. But the frequency of bonus bonus symbol is high enough that you’ll see it with some frequency regardless of what came before it.
What you’re proposing is happening would run afoul of various regulations on how a slot works, and as such wouldn’t happen. Gaming companies wouldn’t risk lucrative licenses to do things that aren’t allowed, and, for example, having a scenario other than the wager and the RNG outcome decide whether to show a near miss or not, like specifically on the last spin, is against regulations.
So if you do find yourself going back into the gaming industry in the future, we encourage you to read up on the regulations that would impact your job, because unfortunately it does seem you have a misunderstanding of how a slot works, and what is allowed.
