Slot Machine Myths

There’s no end to the stream of information flowing on the internet regarding Springbok casino slot machines. Online casino slots are such a popular gaming activity that everyone who has played a game or two thinks that they’re an expert. This results in a tremendous amount of disinformation being published and many new gamers fall victim to fallacies by basing their gameplay on myths.

It’s impossible to record all of the myths that are spread about slots gaming but some of the most common myths include:

Levers Vs. Spin Buttons

One of the most common myths involves the belief that pulling a lever is more likely to generate a win that pushing a spin button. This myth comes from a deep-seated fear that “modern contraptions” aren’t as reliable as old-fashioned classics. In actuality, using a lever-machine might slow you down a bit but it won’t increase your chances of winning.

For example, if you press the button you could, theoretically, play 400 spins per hour, Using a lever reduces that to approximately 350 spins per hour. So you’ll lose less on a lever machine, just because you’ve made fewer bets during that hour, not because you’ve actually changed the odds of winning.

Casino Employees

Some people believe that casino employees can and will help you find the “loose slots” – if you just ask. In fact, there have been stories about players who offered employees a share of their winnings in return for information about which machines offer the best odds.

Not only do the employees have no idea about the payout percentages of the various machines, in point of fact, the payout percentages are almost identical from one machine to the next. That’s because the machines are programmed to deliver a uniform win percentage. 

So, by all means, treat the employees to a Coke or a piece of pie, but don’t rely on them to give you inside information. Some might give you some “tips” to make you happy but they won’t be accurate.

Your Efforts

If the myth about casino employees gives you the idea that there’s nothing that you can do to improve your chances of winning, you’re wrong. There’s plenty that you can do, starting with your choice of which types of slots to play.

Some types of slot machines offer better odds than others. Games with progressive jackpots don’t give you as good a chance of winning as do slot machines with fixed jackpots. Machines that feature video bonuses and other extras tend to pay out less than straightforward games. That’s because the video slots’ bonus games take more time than a simple reel spin so the gamer puts less money into action per hour. The casino sets the payback percentage lower on such machines to make up for that lower bet rate.

Airports

Avoid the airport slot machines. Airport slots deliver the lowest payout percentages.

Coins

Could the temperature of the coin influence whether the spin will succeed or not? Believe it or not, some people think that a warm coin will give you a warm, positive spin result. Most machines these days aren’t operated with coins but for those that are…..big myth! (as is the myth that it’s better to use coins rather than bills or vice versa)

Warm or Cold

The myth of a warm or cold machine is one that never goes away. Some people think that a machine can get “hot” – meaning that it goes on winning streaks. However, the reality is that each spin of the reels is an independent event.

You won’t find that a slot machine has become “due” for a win when it hasn’t paid out for a long time. The law of averages doesn’t work here -- every spin is like a single roll of the dice or a single coin toss with the outcome being independent of all the outcomes that came before it.

Times of Day

At any casino, you’ll find people who come in at a specific time of the day, or log on at their favorite time, because they believe that some times of the day are better than others. From the casino’s point of view, that’s great, because those people have established a pattern of playing on a regular basis. But as a slots strategy, it doesn’t work. Casino’s don’t program the payout percentages on the games so they can’t manage such a daily schedule. Time of day, day of the week, holidays and other time-based events are all irrelevant to the chances of winning.

Slots Card

A slots card may give you a discount on your deposits but it won’t decrease your chances of winning. This myth involves the belief that casinos want you to win less so that they can recoup the amenities that you receive from playing with the slot machine club.

In reality, the casinos benefit from players who buy slots cards or other types of long-term playing program because it just means that the player plays more. That in itself makes the slots card economically viable for the casino.

Anyway, the slot machine software doesn’t have the means to change its random number generator program based on whether or not the player inserts a card.

Location

It’s not unusual to find players who prefer to play at machines that are located in specific spots in the casino – in the corner, near the aisles, etc. This stems from the myth that the belief that that’s where the loosest machines are located.

Some old-time players swear that that’s how the casino was designed 70 and 80 years ago but that’s not true today. Modern machines are ruled by random number generators and set payout percentages that don’t change, regardless of the machine’s location.

If you want to approach slots in an organized, intelligent and reasoned manner, forget the myths and find out how the machines work. Then pick your machine carefully and, most importantly...have fun!