Multi-denomination games are increasing in popularity, and their prevalence on casino floors is growing. We’re getting more questions accordingly about them from players. Here’s one:
Does the RNG (Random Number Generator) change when the denomination is changed on a slot machine?
Nancy
We’ve been told that when you see a change in lines on multi-denomination games, you’re basically playing a different version of the same game. What that means is probably not that the random number generator itself is changing, but that the range of outcomes from which the RNG is working is changing.
Effectively this means that the same number of outcomes exist, so the RNG’s number generation doesn’t need to change. But what a player can achieve will be different.
This makes a lot of sense – when the number of lines change, the payouts and such shift around a bit, and so the game is likely recalibrated to reflect that change in line count.
This answer is also the same as if two different casinos chose two different payback options for the same denomination. Say Casino A sets a game at 90 percent for 1 cent denomination, while Casino B sets it at 88 percent for 1 cent denomination.
The RNG, again, is working with the same number of outcomes, but the outcomes themselves are different, because they have to be to ensure the game over time reaches the expected payout selected by each casino.
So specific to your question, no, the RNG itself wouldn’t be changing, but the game is changing – just in a different way. And it’s probably not changing much, if at all, when you’re selecting between two denominations with the same line count (say 1 cent and 2 cent on many link games) vs. different line counts (1 cent vs. 10 cent on many link games).
Have a question? Submit yours here!
In the RNG comment you mentioned examples of 90% payback one 88% payback that the machine meets. is this audited by third party to validate this is happening? Or does each casino audit themselves? Just wondered about this.
Hey Jamie! Thanks for your patience on a response – we answered your question in a post here:
https://fliptheswitch.com/how-are-slot-machine-paybacks-verified/