Slots played online are currently among the most favored games in the realm of casinos. Their convenience, wide variety, and potential for big payouts make them an attractive option for many players.
All legit online slots use a random number generator to determine the outcome of each spin. This is a computer program that generates long strings of completely random numbers, at a rate of hundreds or thousands per second. Each number generated corresponds to a symbol on the reels. The precise moment a player clicks the spin button, the RNG stops on a number and the corresponding symbols make up the outcome. The RNG has no memory of past spins. It does not get “hot” or “cold”, but rather produces completely random results every single time. Each spin is an independent event with the same odds as the last spin. It is critical to understand when looking at the question of streaks.
Psychology of streaks
If online slots do not get “hot” or “cold”, then why do many players feel that they experience streaks? It comes down to the psychology of the human brain. Our minds try to identify patterns, even when no patterns exist. When a situs slot pays out big on a few spins, our brains start to think it is “hot”. When we experience a run of spins without big payouts, we view the slot as “cold”. In reality, the slot is not hot or cold. The RNG continues churning out random outcomes. It’s just that sometimes a cluster of wins or losses will occur together, simply by chance. Psychologists call this the “clustering illusion”. Our brains place meaning on these clusters even though they are statistically normal patterns within a random sequence.
Role of variance
Some slots have high volatility, meaning they pay out less frequently but offer bigger wins when they do. Others have lower volatility and pay out smaller amounts more regularly. Higher variance slots by nature will have longer dry spells between wins. It falsely appears like a “cold” streak. But in the end, the RNG keeps producing random results regardless of what happened previously. Those who feel a slot has gone cold are tempted to change machines or increase their bet size to “heat it up” again. But this is a risky strategy that usually just leads to bigger losses. There is no guarantee a slot will pay out anything in any span of spins. Again, the outcomes are random, so a slot is just as likely to keep producing misses as it is to pay out a jackpot. Chasing losses only makes the swings more volatile.
Does time of day matter?
Some players believe slots pay out better at certain times of day or days of the week. They think the slots are more “hot” in the evenings or on weekends when more players are logged in. But this is another myth. The RNG keeps producing random results regardless of when play is occurring. The time of day has no influence whatsoever on the outcomes. Any patterns players feel they observe are coincidental or psychological.
