When people ask if slot machine games are honest on general Q&A sites like gambling forums, usually people with at least the basics of jiliplay slot machines will answer. Most of the answers I’ve seen boil down to yes, because there’s no point in cheating in a game that already benefits the casino. While I agree with this sentiment, my experience is different. This is one of the reasons why I don’t like to play slot games too often.
Honesty is everything you decide
In a political campaign, both sides accuse the other of horrific deceptions, such as lying to voters, potentially breaking obscure laws or polishing a resume. Many voters were savvy enough to be skeptical of the allegations. Some hardcore party supporters believe everything their candidate tells them. If you play arcade games like a western style shooter, you would expect these guns to work like real guns. If you clearly target a bad guy, you should hit him. But this doesn’t always happen. I’ve played “distorted” arcade games. Gun sights are turned off. An arcade tech told me though that the misplacement wasn’t intentional. The sights drifted over time as people hammered toy guns. Either way, you don’t know if the arcade game lets you aim correctly. Once you realize the sights are off, you can adjust how you aim the gun and shoot better.
Question mark next to slot game
When I was a teenager, I met some people who worked for Carnival. They call themselves Carnies, and they speak a language that sounds a lot like Harry Potter Snake. My Carny friends tell me that their games are often rigged because they are so simple that anyone can eventually learn to beat them. In both cases, I was told that they claimed to be insider. In both cases, I knew I could play better if I adjusted my expectations. But that doesn’t always mean I’m going to win.
Experts have been explaining slot machine games
If you want to understand how slot machines work, you can buy a book, read a blog post, or ask a casino technician. It’s easy to explain. I believe most of these explanations are accurate. Because so many people have explained how slot machines work, almost anyone can now explain how they work. There are even Wikipedia articles on slot machines and probability and everything else related to basic gambling science. If so, I find myself amazed every time I come across a new slot game secret. I’m not referring to those “how to win” articles. I mean the thing about game skills. Yes, some experts say slot games can trick you. I guess it’s all part of the experience. The harder the game is to beat, the more you enjoy it. But shouldn’t you know what the game is hiding from you?
Does the slot machine game tell you that its theory pays off to the player?
In my experience, learning these ratings for online games is easier than learning about brick and mortar casino games. I guess it depends on whose laws govern the game you’re playing. If you click on the “Help” or “Info” button for a slot machine game and bring up the paytable screen, you should be able to find all the information you need to play the game right now. Sometimes the last screen will tell you how many chances you have to win.
This is the player’s RTP or theoretical return. This percentage, subtracted from 100, tells you what the house edge is. As many people know, the house edge is the average that a casino expects to avoid betting by all players over a long game. The house edge and RTP assume that the player wins some money back and pays out very large prizes from time to time. It’s all math, the game doesn’t guarantee it. What few gambling experts who talk about house edge and theoretical payoffs to players tell you is that really bad players increase the house edge. I call this a “hidden advantage” in every game.
There are other hidden advantages to slot games. Even if a slot game tells you its RTP, that doesn’t mean you’ll keep 85%, 90%, or 95%. This is the projected average over time. It assumes that someone—probably not you—will win the jackpot. You are paying for someone else’s jackpot. The game won’t tell you. It’s not totally dishonest, but it leaves out an honest truth. As an old friend of mine once said, who wants to spoil a good game with honest facts?
Does the game tell you your chances of winning?
Since I don’t spend much time playing slot games, I can’t guarantee this will always be true. But I’ve never found a game that tells me both RTP and “this game has a 1:4 chance of winning”. Many games use a “1:4” chance ratio. You will find it in every lottery game. This ratio represents the theoretical average of how often any amount of bonuses will be earned.
Jackpot text on money pile
I think this is another grey area of honesty. I want to know my chances of winning big. If you play Euro Millions, Mega Millions or Powerball, every piece of news about the next jackpot tells you the odds of winning that huge jackpot. Slot games are silent about your odds of winning the biggest prize.
Do slot machine games pay more than lottery games?
No self-respecting poker player should care, but slot games and lotteries are more popular than baccarat, blackjack and poker combined.
If you play an online slot game, do you know who is running the game?
I’ve read about $25,000 or $50,000 and you can start your own online casino. All you have to do is set up an account on a licensed game server. The servers are run from data centers in countries like Canada and Malta. They certify the integrity of their games through independent testing agencies. If you look at the casino’s website and game credits, you should see their licensing and certification information.
But is this good enough? It turns out it’s not always good enough. I’ve seen some discussions on gambling forums about illegal online casinos stealing software from game servers. They know when someone is running an unauthorized copy of a casino. If an online casino stole its software, can you still trust certification? I would say that’s a dishonest casino. This means their game is dishonest. Even if the software says it’s licensed and certified, you have no idea how good this hack is. If you find a slot machine game that your gut thinks shouldn’t be where you found it, dig deeper. At least trust your gut enough to take a closer look and find some trustworthy online casinos.
In conclusion
Slot games can trick you in other ways. I hate old slot games that offer “double or nothing” bonuses. Once a friend explained the odds of these games to me, I decided to never play them. Slot games should be fun. But even though I know the game is good for the house, I’m still wondering what to expect from the game. I think it’s just fair.
If the game isn’t being totally honest with you, is it being totally honest with you? This is a good question for any gambling game. You can be happy with any answer you get. Just ask questions and get answers. Otherwise, you’re not gambling, you’re paying someone to take advantage of you.