Sometimes, in various formats, such as industry articles or even conversions we here at Flip The Switch have with game makers, we learn things. For example, the Quick Spin series by Ainsworth delivers a wheel spin on average every 55-60 spins. But how are these stats calculated?
Who does the research determining the average spins until hitting a bonus? I hear things such as this slot hits on average around 60 spins or this one takes around 120 spins.
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Oftentimes these come straight from the company that made it, as a data point in helping to explain what to expect on a particular slot. Data points like hit frequency and bonus frequency can help casinos and players alike know what sort of ride a given slot offers.
Games where bonuses are harder to reach tend to have more generous bonuses, but that can also mean a more difficult time getting there when you’re in a drought. A game like Big Hot Flaming Pots, where most of the line hits are tiny, are saving a good chunk of money for those bonuses – and they can be sometimes hard to achieve.
Ultimately these frequencies are by design, and are part of how a particular slot feels, so it’s an intentional choice by the game developers to determine how often a bonus should occur, what percentage of a slot’s payback is in the line hits vs. a bonus or feature, and so on.
These stats and paybacks are lab tested by a third party to make sure in the long run they do achieve what they’re expected to, and meet the various regulations of casino markets along the way to ensure they can be certified for sale in those locations.
Key information can show up for the casinos in the form of a PAR sheet, which has the basic data around a slot to help casinos know if it’s the sort of game they want on their casino floor.
Slots with big top payouts may not always be a great fit for smaller casinos, for example, and some casinos may want to manage their liability by not having too many moonshot style games with massive potential payouts.
If you’re hoping to see some of these data points, there are publications like Global Gaming Business that review slots and share some of that data as part of their articles.
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