If you are a regular online slots player then, you must understand that winning a jackpot is the toughest thing to do. You may have thought that the online slot is a fixed one. Also, while playing with your friends, you may have discussed how an online slot is a rigged one. But are online slots rigged? Well, it is certainly natural to question – are online slots rigged – especially when the whole game mechanism works online and there is no rigid source of accountability. But, if you think that online slot games are completely rigged, then you must give it a second thought because they are not! Provided the online slot is a certified and licensed game. The fact that these online slots have a house advantage, i.e., the profit they make out of the players’ bets may make you feel otherwise, but the fact remains the same. Any certified and licensed online slot cannot be rigged. To have a better understanding of why and how online slots are rigged or not, we will have to take a ride down the evolution, functioning and components of an online slot.
Evolution of online slots
It all started with the typical mechanical slots which were developed in the late 19th century. In the mechanical machine, there were the reels, the pay line, and a handle. You had to insert a coin and pull the handle to spin the reels. The mechanical slot machines were very difficult to rig as it would take more financial and other resources to make a customized slot machine. It would become very difficult to make sure that the betters do not win any combinations.These mechanical slots were digitized and soon with the inception of the internet, the electronic slots transformed into an online one. In these, the motors were swapped by the mouse and keys of your personal computer. Now, online slots have even reached our cellphones where we can play live slots online on or mobile screens!
How does an online slot work?
Online slots work on algorithms. This means that the whole game is based on several codes giving instructions to carry out a move on your computer/ mobile/ laptop screen. There are certain numbers based on these algorithms that have a very heavy influence on your chances of winning. And this also helps in explaining how games can or cannot be a rigged one. Let us take a look at these numbers –
- Return to Player or RTP Rate: RTP, in simpler terms, is the percentage of the sum put in an online slot game that will be returned to you if you win. The most common RTP rate today is 90-95 per cent which is basically to lure players into playing the game. There are even some online slots with an RTP of 75 %. You will be surprised to know that there is a legal bar of setting your RTP. If lower than the RTP prescribed by law is set, the game is supposed to be an illegal one. Earlier, this information was inaccessible to the public, but today the gambling authorities in the casino world have been player-friendly in this regard.
- The relationship between RTP and Variance: Variance, also known as volatility, is a payout term used in slots describing the frequency in which you can win and how much you can win. Understanding your budget and variance can help you in choosing the right slot game. A slot with high variance pays out a huge sum of amounts but the payout is not very frequent. On the other hand, a slot with low variance requires a low budget to start the game but the payout is not very huge. It may be frequent but hitting a monster jackpot is tough in a low variance game.
- Random Number Generators (RNG): A Random Number Generator works at the core of an online slot machine. It helps in generating random numbers which are reflected on the screen whenever you spin your reels. So, the combinations that you see on the display of your online slot machine are randomly generated. This means that each player playing the online game has an equal chance of winning. It might seem that the RNG and RTP can be developed in such a way that they yield the desired combinations only. But, you should know that even the developers cannot dictate the jackpots.
Now that you know your fate in an online slot game lies on a set of numbers and algorithms, you cannot call it rigged. But if the game lacks the legal certification and licensing, then, you may think otherwise about its authenticity.
