Are Poker Machines Rigged
See the destruction caused by Australia's Pokie Plague...
Video poker games in main gaming jurisdictions are definitely not rigged. Inside video poker machines software is a random number generator or what we know as RNG. This basically keeps the simulated deck of cards used in the casino game constantly shuffled. The Deck Gets Shuffled Only When You Hit Deal. A rigged machine has been tampered with 'from the inside.' For this to happen, the programmer or manufacturer of the slot machine must be in on it. They may program the machine so that it pays out after you play in a certain way, or make certain options. With video poker, you may have to hold on to certain cards and discard others. Everyone is convinced that gaming machines are rigged, and video poker machines are probably the most common target. Many players who visit Las Vegas are especially convinced that the games are rigged. But the truth is that video poker machines at licensed casinos will never be unfairly tilted and are tested regularly. I Deal poker in Vegas and we use the shuffle master shuffle machines and i can tell you that there is no way that they are rigged in any way at all. Why would a casino that make millions of dollars a day in profit set up any game. All casino games have a house edge, except for poker, they get there money from the rake on the game.
See the destruction caused by Australia's Pokie Plague
A sneaky trick is robbing Australia of its wealth.Source:istock
IT’S the mechanism that’s hoovering up our money, and now it’s under the spotlight as the screws turn on an industry accused of destroying Australia.
People whose lives have been ruined by pokies say they have been reeled in by “outrageous” features of these electronic gaming machines — and one is particularly shocking.
A landmark case against Australia’s “powerful” and “exploitative” gambling industry, which has been compared to guns in the US, began on Tuesday and will run for two weeks. News.com.au looked at its most alarming claims for part three of our special series on our pokies obsession (read part one and part two here).
REELED IN: THE FIFTH DIMENSION
The case against Crown Melbourne and Aristocrat Technologies in the Federal Court centres on one particular machine, Dolphin Treasure, which Monash University public health lecturer Charles Livingstone bought and took apart to see how the “game” worked. This is what he claims to have discovered:
• The machines have five “reels” covered in symbols. While the reels look identical on screen, the fifth reel is actually significantly bigger, with 44 symbols instead of just 30, meaning that getting a row of identical symbols is far harder than you think. “No matter how many ‘jackpot’ symbols you get on the first four reels, the big fifth reel keeps the odds stacked in favour of the house,” says Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jacob Varghese.
• The symbols are not evenly distributed between the reels — so the first, second and third reel could have seven kings and the fourth reel only two. Consequently, even though you might regularly see a line of kings the first three positions, getting a king in the fourth spot would be close to impossible.
“It’s like playing a game of cards without knowing that the deck has four aces of spades, three queen of hearts and 7 tens of diamonds. It’s rigged,” says Mr Varghese. “And the effect on players is that they see these symbols coming up constantly, but they don’t know that their real odds are determined by the reel with the lowest number of the given symbol.”
If you did this in a game of cards, it would be illegal, say supporters of the case.
Former addict Shonica Guy claims the game is rigged and is taking the powerful industry through the courts. Picture: AAP Image/Joe CastroSource:AAP
‘IT IS WRONG, AND IT HAS TO STOP’
Not only are the reels “deceptive and misleading”, there are a number of other features built into the machines that cause untold harm, claims lead applicant and former addict Shonica Guy.
One of these is “losses disguised as wins” — an idea her lawyer Jennifer Kanis calls “outrageous”.
• Here’s how it works: The gambler can spend as much as $10 on one line, or spin. Say they do that. Then they press the button and get a few matching symbols on the screen. Lights flash, music blares and they are told they have won $4. In fact, they have lost $6.
It’s a simple trick, but the sounds and visuals have been found to activate pleasure centres in our brains. We feel good. “The idea of losses disguised as wins is outrageous,” said Ms Kanis. “A win should be a win.
“These features act to draw a player in and make them feel they have a better chance of winning than they do. The machines cause addiction.”
• The final part of the case looks at warnings: By law, pokies have to state the risk taken by players. States and territories set a minimum “return to player” of between 85 and 90 per cent.
Dolphin Treasure states that it returns 87.83 per cent. However, this “return to player” is just an average on any given spin, Ms Guy points out. A return of 87.83 per cent means you lose an average of 12.17 per cent each spin. If you play multiple games — as the machines encourage — you most likely will be left with nothing.
“These machines took over my life for 14 years, and I do not want that to happen to another family,” said Ms Guy. “People deserve to know what is going on with the design of these machines, which deliberately give people false hope that they have a chance of winning to keep them playing.
“It is wrong, and it has to stop.”
Dolphin Treasure poker machine is under the microscope for features described as ‘deceptive’ and ‘feeding addiction’.Source:News Limited
GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA LIKE ‘GUNS IN AMERICA’
Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello claims the industry is the most powerful in Australia, criticising state governments for being enslaved to its donations and revenue. “The gambling industry in Australia is equivalent to guns in America,” he told reporters. “They are the equivalent of the National Rifle Association in Australia. That’s why we have the greatest number of problem gamblers bar no country in the world, because of the power of this industry.
“Australia is facing a gambling crisis and the sooner we can get more attention on the unfair drivers behind this and clean up the industry, the better.”
He said pokies were “dangerously addictive” and the trial gave “hope to everyone campaigning to wind back Australia’s tragic record of being the biggest gamblers in the world.”
His colleague at the Alliance of Gambling Reform, Allison Keogh, said the trial “should have happened years ago to mitigate the enormous harm which is imposed on communities year after year by a rich, powerful and well-connected industry.”
Ms Guy’s lawyer Ron Merkel QC told the court the case was “about looking at the design features of the machines and the way they are presented and the way they exploit vulnerable people.”
A public inquiry in 2010 found there were 115,000 severe “problem gamblers” in Australia, with a further 280,000 categorised as at “moderate risk” — but campaigners believe the figures may be far higher. News.com.au has been contacted by scores of people confessing to a problem with pokies since the start of this series on Tuesday. It would appear almost everyone knows someone affected by gambling.
‘GAMBLERS’ HIGH’ CRITICAL TO POKIES SUCCESS
Aristocrat patents are available to read. Read them & get educated to never touch the pokies again. 🎰🎰🎰🎰🔥🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/HB4CR7A5dNpic.twitter.com/pg16goELqc
— Zer0%_RTP🎰💳🔥 (@andygosling2) September 13, 2017Ms Guy is fighting for a ban on the supply and operation of the Dolphin Treasure machine or anything similar, which could have far-reaching consequences for the pokies industry.
Crown’s lawyer Neil Young QC said the machines were tested and approved by Victoria’s independent statutory authority regulating the gambling industry — there is one for every state. Mr Young said Crown was “entirely reliant” on the approval and had no access to the machine software, nor was it in a position to change its configuration.
Poker machines have to comply with the Australia/New Zealand Gaming Machine National Standard, which include “responsible gambling measures”.
Gaming Technologies Association CEO Ross Ferrar told news.com.au there is clear legislation (usually state-determined), regulation and national standards on pokies. “The national standard says you can’t give a player a false expectation of odds, you’ve got to accurately represent them, and ensure the result is not misleading, illusory or deceptive so players can make an informed choice.”
He said there was help available for problem gamblers including statewide self-exclusion in NSW — in other states, you must visit every venue separately to get yourself banned. Mr Ferrar believes “problem gambling is on the decline” in Australia thanks to measures introduced over the years, including:
• showing the amount won/lost in dollars as well as points
• having a clock on the screen
• slowing the game down by not allowing players to interrupt the spin.
Crown and Aristocrat strongly deny the allegations against them. A spokeswoman for Crown — which houses 38 of the machines — said it was “vigorously defending the claim” but could not comment further with the matter before the court.
Aristocrat added that it “emphatically rejects any suggestion that its games are designed to encourage problem gambling, or in any way fail to comply with all relevant regulations and laws.”
If the case succeeds, the ramifications could be huge, forcing Crown and Aristocrat to remove or redesign Dolphin Treasure and opening the door for further action against the industry.
The trial continues.
If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, contact Gamblers Anonymous for help.
Leave a comment below, share your story with emma.reynolds@news.com.au or tweet @emmareyn. News.com.au’s series on Australia’s pokies obsession continues tomorrow.
Today, I’m going to answer another reader question which I received recently by email. It comes from Sarah in Scotland who wants to know “Are slot machines rigged?” I’ve copied the email directly below with her permission.
Dear GamblingSites.org team,
I’m Sarah McKeown, and I’ve been a long-time reader of your blog. I’ve found lots of interesting content over the years. I even won a healthy jackpot after playing one of your recommended jackpot slots.
However, I’ve been keeping a record of my bets versus my wins, and I’ve noticed that no matter how many big wins I have, I always end up losing it all again over the long term. Can you tell me if slot machines are rigged? Can casinos fix slot machines to make sure players lose?
Any insights you can share with me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sarah McKeown
Sarah, I’m going to answer your questions directly. Yes, slot machines are rigged. However, they’re not rigged in the way you think they are
In this post, I’ll explain how slot machines work, why you lose in the long-term, and I’ll give you some useful tips for beating slot machines more often. Let’s begin!
Are Casino Slot Machines Rigged?
I guarantee you that if you walk through any Vegas casino, or any casino in the world for that matter, and ask every slots player if they won, the vast majority of them will tell you no.
It’s difficult to understand how this could be the case unless slot machines are rigged. And if they are, how in the heck is that legal? Are casinos actively keeping slot machines rigged so that you can’t win? If so, what about all those stories of players who won huge jackpots?
This can all seem rather confusing, but it’s not. The simple answer is that the vast majority of players lose, and a few lucky players win. Each machine is programmed to pay out less than what’s put into it, ensuring that the casino makes a continuous profit over the long run. This could be anything from a 2% advantage on the best slot machines, to a 10% or greater advantage on some of the big-money jackpot slots.
So, in a nutshell, casino slots are rigged to make sure the casino makes a profit, but that does not mean you can’t win on any given gaming session.
Gaming commissions would never allow casinos to run games you can’t win, nor would it be good for business. Players would soon figure out that the games were unwinnable and would stop playing.
Let’s take a closer look at how slot machines work. This will help you understand that while the house always wins, you can win, too.
How Slot Machines Are Rigged
Understanding how slot machines are rigged requires you to understand how they work. Each slot has its game odds, but they all use a similar method of paying out jackpots. Here are some important things to know about slot machines.
Understand Slot Machine RTP
RTP is an acronym for “return to player.” If you read slot machine reviews, you’ll usually find each game has a specific RTP published by the developer. For example, on NetEnt.com, you can find the RTP of Starburst and other games.
RTP is a percentage.
For Example:Based on Starburst from above, the RTP is 96.09%. What does this mean in terms of money, jackpots, and wins and losses? It means that, for every £100 bet on these games, players win back £96.09.
It’s important to remember that this does not mean you’ll make back £96.09 for every £100 you bet on Starburst. It means that the casino returns £96.09 to all players spinning the reels at every casino which offers Starburst. This includes all of the small wins and losses each player wins on every spin. In the long run, the casino will make £3.91 on every £100 bet on that game, regardless of what happens in the short term.
Hopefully, this concept of RTP helps you understand how slot machines are rigged in favor of the game developers and casinos but are not rigged in absolute terms. You can win when playing slots, but you can’t win in the long run.
Understand Random Number Generators
Even though the house has a built-in advantage on slot machines, it’s clear that some players do win massive jackpots. Just take a look at this story about a British soldier winning a record-breaking jackpot from a £0.25 spin.
Lots of players wonder when the best time to play slot machines is, which slots are “loose,” and all sorts of other questions. They hope that figuring out the answers will help them win slots more often, but the truth is that this is all a waste of time.
Slot machines decide when to pay out in accordance with a Random Number Generator (RNG). Believe it or not, it’s possible for a slot machine to pay out a jackpot on two spins in a row, although it is unlikely. A Random Number Generator is a piece of software which spits out billions of numbers per second, and if it happens to spit out a number associated with a jackpot, you’ll see the high-value symbols line up across a payline and you win.
There’s no way to manipulate RNGs. You can’t cheat online slot machines no matter how hard you try. Some smart players note that RNGs can’t be truly random since humans create them, but for all reasonable and practical purposes, you can’t manipulate them.
Perhaps, someone will someday spot a pattern in the apparent randomness by using a quantum computer to crunch numbers. But until then, just assume they’re random.
While the slots developer can control the RTP via programming, it can’t control the RNG. There are third-party games testing organizations such as eCogra which test RNGs and verify that they are fair. This doesn’t mean all slots developers play fair, but big names like Microgaming and NetEnt do.
How to Win at Slots — Tips and Tricks
Now that you understand how slot machines work, and how they are rigged without being unfair, it’s time to turn the tables on the casinos. I’ve learned a lot about slot machines throughout my career as a player, and I’m going to share my best tips on how to win slots more often.
Pick Slot Machines With a High RTP
One of the first and most obvious tips is to select high RTP slot machines. These games pay back the most to players in the long run, so you’re better off playing them even if the jackpots are smaller.
Very often, the jackpots are smaller. Since the casinos have less risk to deal with when a smaller jackpot is involved, they can afford a higher payback percentage to players. It makes sense, doesn’t it?
So, which slot machines have the highest RTP? Here are five to get you started.
- Blood Suckers by NetEnt – 98%
- Rags to Riches by Cryptologic – 98%
- Good Girl, Bad Girl by Betsoft – 97.8%
- Kings of Chicago by NetEnt – 97.8%
- Wolfpack Pays by NextGen – 97.8%
Are All Slot Machines Rigged
Those slots have a variety of excellent bonus features, decent jackpots, and higher than average RTPs. If you want to get the most bang for your buck as a long-term player, it’s wise to play them.
Pick the Right Volatility for Your Bankroll
There’s a top-notch article on slot machine variance and volatility here. If you want a more detailed breakdown of what they are, check that out.
Slot machine volatility is important to understand because it will tell you which slots are suitable for your bankroll. Volatility indicates both how often a slot should pay and the average size of the payouts.
- Low volatility slots pay smaller amounts more often.
- Medium volatility slots pay decent amounts fairly often.
- High volatility slots pay less frequently, but wins are more explosive.
If I had a smaller bankroll, say £20, I’d start by playing a low volatility slot such as Starburst. I find that it’s a good slot to build your bankroll with. Once I double up, I usually switch to a higher volatility slot with bigger payouts which occur less frequently.
Are Video Poker Machines Rigged
Managing your bankroll effectively is about the only slot machine strategy which works. Therefore, knowing the volatility of a game is useful information.
Use Free Spins With Low Wagering Requirements
Most online casinos offer free spins bonuses for new players. Lots of them also offer free spins to loyal players who spin slots daily or weekly.
Are Blackjack Machines Rigged
I’ve learned the hard way that not all free spins bonuses give me an advantage. Sometimes, the wagering requirements are so high that the bonus is a liability. This is especially true if it comes with predatory terms such as that I can’t withdraw my deposit until I meet the wagering requirements. Yes, such bonuses exist, I’ve seen it all over the years I’ve been playing!
There are other free spins bonuses you will want to take. They’ll give you a chance to beat the house with its own money and have these characteristics.
Are Slot Machines Rigged Reddit
- They won’t require excessive minimum deposits.
- The wagering requirements will be low, around 20x or less.
- You’ll be able to keep all of what you win when you wager the bonus.
Free spins with low wagering requirements are available at lots of top UK casinos. There are even casinos with no wagering requirements, and they’re especially popular in the UK market.
Final Words
Thanks for writing to me with this question, Sarah. It’s given me a chance to cover lots of ground with regards to slot machines, and I hope that it answers your question. Are slot machines rigged? Yes, the house has a mathematical advantage which you can’t alter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t win.
Beating slot machines is a case of picking the right games, managing your bankroll effectively, and getting lucky. Don’t forget the last part! Luck is essential. There’s no effective way to beat the slots every time. Happy spinning, and don’t forget to pick up a casino bonus before you begin!