How
Slots Work
The
modern token operated slots machine or its
electronic cousins, the multigame machine
or video poker, is a fairly simple, robust
electronic machine. All functions of the
slots machine are governed by a motherboard
resident in the machine, just like the computer
you are sitting at. All functions of the
slots machine, including the payout percentage,
are controlled by this plug-in board. This
board is installed at the factory, according
to specifications ordered by the customer.
Every aspect of design, manufacture, installation,
and maintenance of slots and electronic machines
is regulated and monitored by state gaming
boards. The gaming boards only allow boards
to be swapped out under their supervision.
In other words, the machine on the floor
is the same one that passed their inspection
upon design, assembly, and installation.
Any subsequent alteration, by the casino,
must also pass muster. Generally, Indian
casinos are not regulated by these state
boards.
The
central processing unit (chip), and the
board it is attached to, tell the machine
what to do. According to the program installed
at the factory, it dictates: when to spin
the reels, when to stop the reels, whether
to credit or debit the player from the credits
already fed into the machine and how much
and when to pay on a jackpot. If the player
is using a slots club card, another line
of communication runs to the slots club computer,
detailing how much is being played, how
much is lost, and how much is won. This
slots club record has no affect on the outcome
of the slots pull.
As
stated, the slots machine functions according
to the set of instructions issued by the
motherboard. Contained on this motherboard
is a random number generator (RNG). This
program is installed at the factory and
determines when jackpots occur according
to the payout percentage on that particular
machine that was installed at the factory.
For example, a machine programmed to return
85% will return very close to $85,000 for
every $100,000 bet. Casinos expect machines
to return their theoretical payback only
over a very large (hundreds of thousands)
number of pulls. The function of the RNG
is to "seed" the program with
a "random" pull when you push
the "play" button. This is a game
of chance, after all, and the RNG assures
all concerned that it remains so.
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