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How Slot Machines Work: Then & Now

Slots are the most popular games in the casino, mainly because it is easy to play. However, the fact is that the way the machines operate is now very different from the way they used to years ago. With a little understanding of the facts, you will gain insights into how technology has changed the way slots function.

During the early days, slot machines operated, with slight variations, in the following way. You put in the coins, pull the lever and the apparatus springs to action. The lever, attached to springs at the base of the machine, are connected to the reels and symbols that appear are the result of the interaction of these mechanical parts.

Today's machines look the same; they have a lever or handle and reels too. However the outward appearance is only that, just to appeal to the player, to make them feel more comfortable. However, the fact is that slots today work differently.

At the heart of every slot machine is the random number generator (RNG). Whether you push the handle or not, the RNG never stops producing numbers. When you press the lever, the number that the random number generator produced at the time will be sent to a mechanism that will send it to the reels, which will produce the appropriate symbols.

There are slight variations in the procedure with different casinos of course, but in general, that is how they operate. The RNG computer chips themselves are fitted in the machine in the factory and are regularly inspected.

The difference between slot machines today and those of yesteryear is clear; when you play the game today, the results have already been calculated, and secondly the random number generator inside the machine makes certain that the outcome cannot be the result of fraud.

This will dispel any belief that these machines are somehow rigged. A lot of players who make the accusation that slot machines are somehow rigged by casinos are not even aware of how the machines function.

Most people have no idea how slot machines work, and you do not really need to know to enjoy playing them.

However, the advantage of having knowledge about how they operate is that you will no longer have to worry about the machine being rigged, whether you play live or online. You will also have a greater appreciation for the complexity and intricacy of the mechanisms at work.

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