Anyone here know how an one-armed bandit (slot machine) works?

On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 09:49:15 +0100, "Frithiof Andreas Jensen" Gave us:

A single element computerized random number generator isn't. Sure.

HOWEVER, when multiple elements are tied together it certainly can be. Such as spinning the wheel at a random speed and from a random start point, and stopping them at a random point. Those three nearly purely random elements seriesed together can easily be argued to be purely random as to the end result. Then, there are multiple wheels as well, adding still more elements to it, making it even closer to true randomness.

Another good one would be giving the customer a button to press for the stop point on each wheel.

I dont know where you are from, but it isn't done like that these days,

Not true at all. Track down you local legislation. Furthermore, track down approved machines. I know for a fact that the big players in the US are heavily restricted. That law spills over into australia.

Urban myth

Urban myth

Could be a mystery jackpot. Rare these days for the exact same reason. Problem is that you are contributing a percentage to the jackpot, a lot less than what you would win. More likely that they sit and watch, betting small whilst other gamblers bet, When the jackpot gets close to the maximum they bet big.

Most jackpots now are weighted so that there is a high probability of winning when the jackpot is at around 20%. However, it is possible for a jackpot win point to exceed the maximum, so you never know when it will be triggered. All contributions above the ceiling are overflowed into the next jackpot.

I know of one manufacturer that has a similar bug. Unless you work in the industry you would never pick it.

:)

Cite, please.

Be careful even here. Oscillators tend to lock to each other which degrades or kills randomness. Truely random numbers are very difficult to produce and verify.

Same issue.

I have seen lots of cable shows. All are true of course. I must correct you however, the result is actually determined when you push the button, not before.

Very smart. If I have a coin, and you pick heads, there is a 50% chance you will win. If i flip a coin with 2 heads, then you will always win. If i run a business, do you think i will chose the 2 headed coin?

You cannot trick a modern machine. The probability is fixed. If you win you are lucky. Beleive it or not, sometimes the machines loose. Were the casino wins is that the big better wins big then usually spends the winnings.

When a guy from Ballys gets on TV and says his machine is rigged I believe him

They admit the machine will watch the pattern of play and pay out in a way to encourage more play. At the end of the day they still pay out the statistical average they are required to by the state. It is always less "out" than "in" over time and the casino owner has plenty of time.

They have shows on cable about these machines from time to time. One thing they make clear is the result is already in the machine before you push the button. The random part is not knowing which machine is about to pay off. The gaming commission only verifies that these things pay off a statistical number of times, not whether there is a pattern to the payout. They want the player to know the machine is playing them and most players try to outsmart the machine. You may trick the machine now and then but at the end of the day there will always be more money in there than there was in the morning. It is a statistical enivitability and the casinos know it. They want big winners, that brings in big losers.

If you are referring to the pathetic attempt by manufacturers to implement 'near-miss' programming this has been outlawed by most regulators. This includes Nevada and here in Australia. I wouldn;t be surprised if this were the case in most american states. May not be true in other countries however.

Cite, please.

Cite, please.

Watch the History Channel or the Travel Channel. They have "Vegas Secrets" shows on all the time and slot machines are a common subject. The graphics under the interviews will identify the speakers. They are gaming officials and industry spokesmen. I suppose it could all be a big lie but then who would you believe?

That's a citation?

I have seen several Discovery and History Channel shows on slot machines and the ways people cheat them. None of them support your thesis.

Nevada was the first to outlaw near-miss programming.

How is "near miss programming" defined? BTW I put very little credibility in anyone "who worked on slots". They don't have a clue what is burned into that software. They swap boards, they don't write code.

A combination that looks close to a jackpot or a big win. Players tend to think that they are 'almost' a winner.

I dont "work on slots" as such :) I do however, have about 10 years software/hardware exp. in the gaming industry in case you have not picked it already.

Cool. So how do you rig the play to keep the suckers pumping in the money ;-)

I am not an expert on slots but my sister is a platinum lever player at the Sands. They send her free tickets and meet her at the airport with a welcome back bag full of goodies to get on the stool in front of a machine. I don't understand all I know about that either ;-) I do know they don't ever have to pay taxes on their huge 1099G windfalls. By the end of the year all of their hot weekends are cancelled out by the losing ones and I am sure the Sands is not losing a dime on all those suites and lobster dinners. The only good thing about being a registered player is they get all of their activity on the same 1099G so their winnings are offset by the bad days.

A slot machine is simply a funnel with two spouts. One spout is 94% of the area and pays back the marks. The other is 6% of the area and pays the rubes.

On Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:52:08 -0700, Don Lancaster wrote: ...

^^^^^

Pays back the house.

Marks are the same as rubes. :-)

Cheers! Rich

You dont rig it. Its like playing lotto. Your numbers could come up, but they probably wont. If they do, you are lucky. Its the opportunity to win money that draws people in. As you stated before, by the time the button is pressed (electronic machines) the result is decided. What is displayed is only part of the game. The game simulates the old mechanical machines.

Most people will play and win some. Nearly all will use the winnings to try win more. In the end they lose. This is how the casino makes money. The more you think you can win, the more you are probably going to play. The casino likes your sister because she spends money, and probably "re-invests" her winnings.

When it comes to the big players, most casino's are already informed of the visit by the player so the player will get the perks. Most casino's will also do a risk analysis before the player arrives. The casino knows how much they will win or loose. The casino does not always win.

At the end of the day, the machine has a theoretical return rate to player, called RTP. The RTP varies betwen casinos, but most regulated casinos have an RTP up around the 90% mark. If you look at a machine turnover over , say a 6 month period, they do return %90 of the turnover to players.