The slot machines They are easily found in bars, tobacconists and betting shops, often with strobe lights, music and frequent winnings, but in reality the mechanism of this game is always to lose. In Italy in the 2022 we have played 33 and a half billionof which only 25 were won again. The overall balance is 8.5 billion lost from who played.
The mechanism behind slot machines, in fact, is a so-called game not fairthat is, a game that – by construction – gives back less than it receives. In fact, by law, slot machines are required to return 65% of what is played.
But then, how do they keep us hooked on the game even when we’re losing?
Let’s see in this article how are they programmed, how much do you win and he gets lost mechanisms which are used to keep us playing.
How Slot Machines Work: They Are Only Required to Return 65% of Bets
To understand how slot machines work, let’s start with an example: if there was a machine that gave you 65 cents back for every euro you put in, would you play it? Put like that, probably not. it’s not convenient. And yet slot machines think like this, but they do it in clever way.
The machine is programmed to give back only a percentage of what it receives.
But it’s not a secret. It’s like this By law.
For Ministerial directive Slot machines must return at least The 65% of the amounts played each cycle of matchesthat is, any set of games played by anyone on the same machine or connected machines. Cycles usually go from 14,000 to 140,000 games. Overall, therefore, in a cycle you lose up to 35% of what you have played. Such a game is said to be unfair, because it essentially gives back less than it receives.
This means that if, for example, €100,000 is bet in 140,000 games, €65,000 will be won, but distributed along the 140,000 games according to a prize table.
That said, slots must return at least 65% of the bets, but they can return more if they want. Higher percentages could still be “disadvantageous”: they increase the small continuous prizes of the slot, which as we will see are a fundamental characteristic to keep us glued to the machine.
Calculating the prize table
As we said, the prizes are distributed along the game cycle according to a so-called prize table.
This table is established depending on the probabilities of each combination. Each slot has a certain number of repeating symbols. Some appear multiple times on each reel, others only once per reel, so they are very rare, that is, they have a low probability of coming out. Here, combinations with medium-low probability of coming out are chosen and depending on their probability, a prize is awarded when they come out. The combination with chance lower of all, it’s the one with the greater victory, a combination instead more likely will have a minor prize. All possible awards assigned to the chosen combinations, are set so that if added togetherresult in the 65% of total bets (in case clearly the payout be the mandatory minimum, i.e. 65%; if it were higher, the added premiums should still result in the percentage of payout).
The concept of trying your luck, in this case, means intercept one of those moments of the cyclewhere part of that 65% is paid out.
Why, if they are not advantageous, do people gamble so much?
The mechanisms used by slot machines to keep us playing
There are several factors that make them so popular. Some reasons are simply practical, that is, the ease of use of these games. Others, however, are linked to psychological mechanisms. Let’s see the main ones
Slots are everywhere
The slot machines I am literally everywhere: not only in casinos or gaming halls like other gambling games, but also in bars, tobacconists, restaurants, trattorias, beach resorts, hotels. There are some 400 thousand in Italy. Not to mention the possibility of playing online.
It’s a simple game
The mechanism The basics of slots are extremely simple it is comprensible: 3 or 5 spinning reels with different figures, a coin to insert, a button to activate the reels and a Payment table with different winning combinations, some that pay out a lot – the rarest ones – others more likely but with smaller prizes.
In truth the spin of the reels is fictitious, It’s for show: the combination that will come out is established when we press the button via a random number generator: each number corresponds to a combination.
You can bet on multiple lines
Let’s get into the strategies here psychological that are behind the slot machine mechanism.
For example, you can also bet on more than one line. If we bet on 10 lines at the same time, we increase the probability of winning tenfold, but we also spend 10 times more. Even if we win, we earn less: we win the same amount, but having spent more. In essence we can win but still, in the balance, lose money.
Intermittent positive reinforcement
As we said, thanks to the prize table we win ofteneven if they are small amounts. They are precisely the continuous small wins to push us to play again. If I lose too much, I give up. So the mechanism makes me win little, but often and this makes me want to play again, it’s called intermittent positive reinforcement. Almost no one quits when they are winning, the more I win the more I want to win. So I keep playing until, basically, I lose.
The frenetic pace and the near-wins
Sometimes I win less than I bet, but I have won something: I have the feeling of winning, which however is false, apparent. And so I continue to play with the frantic pace typical of slots.
Other times I think I have almost wonthat is, I just miss a winning combination. But apart from that there is no skill in slot machinesit’s just “luck”, they are numbers generated randomly by an algorithm. Besides that, two bells and an orange is not nearly three bells, it’s simply a losing combination that has the same probability as other losing combinations. And this feeling of almost-vicinity It keeps us hooked, also because the machines often make it known with sounds or messages that say things like “you were almost there”.
The eye-catching graphics, lights and sounds
Here is perhaps the most interesting part: the graphics, the lights and the sounds.
There are millions of different types of slots, with different graphics: the most classic ones have fruit, but there are also themed ones based on films, TV series, video games, so as to be appealing to everyone depending on your tastes.
But the most captivating thing is the sounds: when a winning combination comes out, the slot emits some victory sound effectswith graphics and lights. And this does it for any winwhether it’s €100 or €2. So I bet 10, I won 2 – that is, I lost 8 in the end – but the machine tells me I won. The sounds galvanize us and give us the impression of winning more than what is actually happening.
When we play instead without musicwithout the sound of reels and coins, we have a more truthful perception of how much we are losing.
The anthropomorphism attributed to the slot machines
Another factor is theanthropomorphism which is often attributed to slot machines. There is a tendency to become attached to the slot machine, to think that is rewarding us and that he loves us. But clearly this is not the case, it is a very cold algorithm that doesn’t look anyone in the face.
The problem of pathological gambling
In short, as we said, slot machines are a losing game, but they hide it well. Sometimes, however, they are seen as entertainment, a few euros, what the hell. The truth is that gambling, even if practiced as a pastime can be addictive and flow into the gambling addictionGambling disorder is in all respects a pathology, it produces seriously disabling effects on social relationships and mental health. So if you are reading this article and you think you have a problem, the advice is to talk to the experts about it or you can contact the national toll-free telephone number for gambling-related problems at the number you see 800 558822.
