Slot machines have been thrilling people for more than 100 years. In the oldest casino in the world, in the Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi in Venice, the popular attractions moved in only a few hundred years after the opening of the historic halls, but today a casino without the typical sounds and light effects of the slot machines is hardly imaginable. Today slot machines are completely computer-controlled and thus offer a wide range of programming options. But how does the complex construct of spinning reels, colorful symbols, and jingling coins work? We take a closer look at the sophisticated technology and algorithm at the heart of modern slot machines.

FROM ELECTROMECHANICS TO COMPUTER-CONTROLLED SLOTS

Slot games have a long history and they have undergone tremendous technological development since their invention. The world’s first slot machine was built in 1889 by brothers Adolphe and Arthur Caille. It had the name “Black Cat”. Ten years later, Charles August Frey in San Francisco developed the famous slot machine “Liberty Bell”, which today is mistakenly called the prototype of modern slots. “Liberty Bell” with its three reels was already more sophisticated than the “Black Cat”, nevertheless it was the Caille brothers who set the course for a new future of slot machines. Therefore, after his invention, a rapidly growing and innovative market developed. 

Nowadays, there is a wide selection of providers, which is why you can check PlayAmo casino with PlayAmo login beforehand, for example, to find the right one. Thanks to computer-based software, modern slots can be constantly developed and refined, and also inspire with a wide range of themes, graphics, and sounds. This is largely due to game developers, who have good job opportunities in the gaming industry due to increasing digitalization – whether browser games or slots, the technology behind the games is constantly being optimized.

THE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR AT THE HEART OF THE SLOT MACHINE

The heart of every slot machine is the random number generator. It is linked to a complex algorithm that controls the points and can consider a wide variety of game options. In English, the random number generator is called “Random Number Generator”, or RNG.

The random number generator is constantly active in the background. It generates thousands of random numbers per minute, which in turn are used to generate random games. But not only the games are generated by the algorithm of the random number generator. The game results are also determined randomly. Thus, the programming of the random generator, which is based on the mathematical principle of probability, prevents the game results from following certain patterns and being influenced. 

The random generator in all slot games follows the same scheme. The majority of slots have a system of three to five reels arranged in three rows. On the reels, there are symbols whose frequency, arrangement, and winning value are adjusted depending on the selected game variant. With each rotation of the reels, called a “spin” in technical jargon, the algorithm of the random number generator determines which image appears on each reel. If the player triggers a game, the computer generates 100 random numbers, from which the generator determines a combination that is translated into the pictured symbols on the reels. Thus, the combination that appears on the reels at the end of each spin is subject to the programmed random principle. This also applies to special fields or combinations such as free spins, win doubling, or other bonuses.

HOW DO CHANCE AND MATHEMATICS GO TOGETHER?

The term gambling suggests that luck is the only thing that determines the outcome of a game. Games of chance are defined, among other things, by the fact that they cannot be influenced by the player’s physical ability or performance.

So, when we talk about luck or bad luck in most games of chance, it is rather chance at work, which as a phenomenon of natural science has little to do with luck, but rather is based on logical probabilities. That’s why everybody can increase his chances of winning in an online casino by using certain mathematical strategies. Good luck with the gambling!