Slot Machines “Rigged” by Casinos?

It’s very common for people to state that slot machines are “rigged”. If your definition of “rigged” is that the casino is guaranteed to make money off of slot machines over a long period of time then you’re right. However, slot machines from reputable casinos that use random number generators (RNG) are not “rigged” so that you will lose.

Many times when we are losing at a slot we envision someone at the controls making us loose. We get angry and imagine that the casino has flipped a switch that makes it impossible to win. This is where the misconceptions take place. Slot machines are completely random and if you are having a string of bad luck it has nothing to do with anybody “rigging” the machine.

The slot machine has a computer program that dictates the overall payback percentage of that machine. That means if the machine is set to payback 95% then the casino will receive 5% of every dollar that is played in a particular machine. This is when some people become confused. In no way does that mean you will lose 5% of each dollar you play in a machine. In fact, a slot machine may payback more than it takes in over a day, a week, or even a month. The preset percentages don’t come about until the long term.

What is the long term? There is a bit of ambiguity as to what constitutes the long term, but usually it means there must be thousands if not millions of spins. What does this mean to the average player? Basically, it means that you are not being cheated. Unless you play everyday day, year after year, on one slot machine, you will probably not receive the same rate of payback that the machine is set at. Granted, there will be more losers than winners at slots, but there are winners and you have the same chance to win as anyone else.

Players have two major things that they can control when playing slots. What machines they play and how long they play. Those two powers can’t be taken very lightly because they may be the difference between whether you win or lose.

The first power you have as a slot player is choosing what games you will play and at what casinos. Slot machines can range from a payback of 70%-99.5%. Does that mean if you play the 70% payback you are going to lose? No, but statistically speaking you have a much greater chance of winning on a slot with a payback of 95%+. That means you should only play slots that have a higher payback percentage. Again, this doesn’t guarantee success but it can improve your chances of success dramatically.

You are more likely to find higher payback slot machines online than you are in land-based casinos. Online casinos have a huge advantage over land-based casinos because the cost of over-head is so much lower. This enables them to offer higher payback machines because they can achieve a profit much easier. There are some high payback slots in land-based casinos, but in general online casinos offer better paybacks. If you’d like to learn more about payback percentages, you may want to read the article on how online casinos offer better paybacks written by my friend Jared Bates who runs the website casinobonusandfreechip.com

As a slot player, it is your job to research and find out which online casinos offer the best payback machines. All reputable online casinos are independently audited and tested to verify the payback percentages that they advertise. Only play slots that offer high paybacks to insure you are giving yourself the best chance to win.

The second power slot players have is the ability to dictate how long they play and how much they are betting. It is very important for slot players to use a money management system that will enable them to walk away when they win and limit their losses. Do not let emotions dictate your rate of play. Utilize preset limits to let you know when to walk away.

If you play slots at a reputable casino you can be sure that the machines are not “rigged” to make you lose. Yes, they are programmed to take in more than they payout over the long term, but that in no way means you are being cheated. You have exactly the same chance of winning as anyone else, and yes there are people that win playing slot machines. Find high payback slots and utilize a strict money management system and you may just walk away a winner. Most importantly enjoy yourself while you play because if you’re not having a good time then there is no sense in playing.

5 responses, Add Yours

  1. john
    john
    February 20, 2016
    10:25 am

    Thats very good article. I have seen owners change there chip in machines all the time. I am guessing those chips are Programmed for the take legally allowed by the regulators. Which can be varied. I used to play everyday. I saw a bad streak for 7 months. I manged my money. I never bet more than a set price per day. Which at the time was 20$.^600 a month.and the same max bet . When a 2 months passed I never got a hit. People stopped coming in the place LOL. I went to other places and won some but not much. Anyway I found out they couldn't tell you if a machine had not been hit for awhile. The girl is sitting there all day and knows which machines are hot. That to me is a sign of rigging. A hot machine may have a take less than the others. Employees know that and can let customers know that. Or they may say the chips were changed today. Either way I have seen machines put out more than others at different lengths of time. Of course you don't sit there all day and watch a machine.
    But you can get my point. I have sat at Machines that pay regularly at intervals. and others nothing for days. It makes you wonder. You got an answer?

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    2. Jaz
      Jaz
      March 4, 2016
      12:23 pm

      @john That's how any game of luck works, this is normal variance you are seeing. Just toss a coin and you'll be surprised how many times you get head (or tails) in a row.

      Also slot games are different. Some are programmed to pay out smaller amounts frequently. Others pay out big, but do so less often.

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    3. Ken
      Ken
      January 3, 2021
      19:13 pm

      @john I overheard a staff member call a friend and tell her a machine was ready to hit because someone had played for hours with only minor wins. She then went over and placed a hold card on the machine, the one that allows the player to take a 5 or 10 minute break. Sure enough within 5 or so minutes the friend showed up and after 15 minutes of play with the staff member standing by her side the gal won big. This was in Oregon where we have up to 7 slot machines allowed in restaurants/bars etc. So these machines are very easy so track when you have dishonest staff.

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  2. Jojo
    Jojo
    March 13, 2017
    03:54 am

    I say money management is very key. Most regular slot machines not the high roller ones offer winnings ranging from at least $300 to $20,000 with bets from $1.00 to $5.00 as max. In this case a slot player should at least invests $300.00 to play the entire time to target the highest winnings possible and manage bets depending on the stroke of loss or win. I mean I'd max bet $5.00 not as much as I would if I lost four straight betting max bets, shift gear at this point to betting just a buck or two just to shake off the bad spell, and then by using instinct if your instinct tells you that now is the time to max out the bet to $5.00 then give it try after all it's a game, and part of it is to have a good time. Yet on the contrary, after winning at a max bet, it's almost 80 percent of the time winning consecutively doesn't happen. So slow play at this point and once again use instinct when to try back into betting at max. $300.00 is a good amount to invest since the odds of breaking even after at least an hour of playing is more likely to happen.

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  3. Steve
    Steve
    January 4, 2021
    03:05 am

    Hate to break it to anyone that thinks the machines are " rigged". They aren't. They are regulated heavily.
    The " chips" being changed is do to enforcement of outdated software. I.E operating system or game software. Again heavily regulated.
    Just so you know I am not talking out of my butt. 34 years in the industry. Most of which was slot performance.

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