How Random Number Generators Work On The Video Slots

The slot machine has come a long way since its inception at the close of the nineteenth century, what some call the fin du siècle.  Charles Fey, widely credited as the inventor of the first fully functional slot, would be proud. His humble device has traversed a timeline of three different centuries and remains as popular today as ever. When Fey invented the Liberty Bell, the name he affectionately gave his creation, he was decades away from the kinds of technology that are applied to the slots today.

With the aid of microprocessors, high-tech visual displays, and computing technology, slots manufacturers have taken the design and operation of the slots to the next level. Video slots now have no moving parts at all. Instead of using mechanical motions, these modern-generation machines use pseudo-random number generators that constantly generate thousands of random numbers each and every second. Although the random number generating sequence will eventually repeat itself (hence, the “pseudo” label), it is impossible to predict any discernible pattern since most modern machines will generate random numbers internally even when not in use, making a payout pattern predictable at any one moment in time practically impossible.

The fact that there are no mechanical parts to a video slot machine allows for an enormous number of payouts based on the number of reels and symbols. Those symbols that appear more frequently will tend to give lower payouts, while higher-paying symbols will appear far less often. An important facet of the way video slot machines work is via multiple lines of play. This means that the player can bet on vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and even zigzagged patterns according to manufacturer specifications. The advantage for the player is that playing multiple lines means a higher probability of a payout, though obviously this requires a higher wager in the first place. But that’s a principle common to all casino games: higher risk, higher reward, but also higher potential loss.

Manufacturers can specify predetermined payout percentages on their machines – percentages that will accumulate over the lifetime of the slot’s use. Perhaps the most exciting element for players is that video slots are highly customizable on the front end. The essential operation may be identical across a number of machines, but designers are able to craft exciting thematic ideations and variations that add to the sense of escape and wonder while at the casino. These machines can invoke themes as diverse as Nordic mythology, Arthurian legends, Asian beauties and figures of popular culture. The purpose of this diversity is both aesthetic and functional: the visual uniqueness creates greater sensory enjoyment and this, potentially, leads functionally to more and higher bets. Larger casinos will still house machines that use the traditional fruity payout lines (cherries, bananas, melons and bars) as kind of honoring of the slot’s history and heritage, but these selfsame casinos also recognize that their patrons enjoy the value of novelty and innovation. Next time you’re at the casino, take a look at the immersive and impressive array of slot machines – they may be a “simple” conglomeration of wires and displays, but it’s still an enormous step forward from the slot’s clunky but classic origins.