Playing it Safe with Online Casino Slots
Whether or not land-based slot machines function according to fair-gaming standards has been the subject of much discussion for many years and continues until today, especially in light (or darkness) of the arrival of online casino slot machine games.
How actual land-based casino slot machines function allows for any number of "variations" (putting it politely) which can mislead a gambler. And though these machines and the overall practice is totally illegal, it's safe to say some unsuspecting luck-seekers shall fall victim to more one-armed bandits today, tomorrow, and sadly forever after, unless - of course - they switch to playing online casino slots where gambling folk are often more safe than sorry.
Counting on Random Number Generators
Online casino slots games utilize an electronic "random number generator" (RNG), operating within a very large computer program which controls the game graphics, the accounts of players joining a game, the statistics of each hand played, and loads more.
A random number generator comprises hard-coded software instructions which are consistent and do not change. There is no such thing as a "magic button" that can be switched on or off in order to change a player's odds... for better or worse. With regard to control parameters, each use of the RNG is programmed to be the same as the previous, and shall be the same with every subsequent use. The reels will spin randomly, however, the pattern of arbitrariness never changes. In this respect software-based online casino slots certainly enjoy an extra advantage.
Land-based casino slot machines vary from venue to venue in terms of their payout percentages. These can be as little as 83%. With online casino slots, on the other hand, each machine is programmed with an equal winning percentage as the other slot machines.
More and more online casinos are posting their average payout rates on their Web sites so that potential players can get an idea of just how well a particular gaming site pays its patrons. Of course, these are just ballpark figures, and we say ‘average' because different games feature different payouts. When checking out the payout rates at different online casinos, you'll notice they're typically above 96%. In other words, in the long-run, the casino - or "House"- makes an average profit of around 4%.
The truth of the matter is, most online casinos generously provide payout percentages ranging anywhere between 97% and 98%. Being Internet-based affords these companies a definite advantage over their "brick & mortar" cousins in terms of overhead expenses. These lower costs are passed on to the players in the form of more winnings.
To illustrate this point even better, let's suppose you're playing online casino slots with a $100 bankroll and the average payout percentage is 97%. Theoretically, after a couple of hours of play, on average you would lose $3.
So, to answer the original question of whether online casino slots are actually fair or not, you bet they are; perhaps even more so than those traditional and aptly named ‘one-armed bandits' found in land casinos.
Additionally, a growing number of online casinos (those with the business acumen to serve gamblers better than others) insist that their games undergo regular testing by independent, third-party auditors and laboratories like Technical System Testing (TST). Again, any gaming sites truly on the up and up will not hesitate to post a testing firm's logo on their website (usually at the bottom of their homepage) in order to instill confidence in their prospective patrons.
Obviously, no casino, online or off, will guarantee players that they'll win. That's simply the nature of gambling and a big part of the excitement. But players opting to play slots online - or any other game over the Internet - can bet on receiving two vitally important advantages: better odds and absolute consistency.
So, next time you need an online casino slots fix, even if there is a land-based casino right beside your house, if you're gambling to win as much cash as you can, you'd be better off staying home (with the family) and logging on to your favorite online casino. Your chances of coming out a much bigger winner are just plain better.
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