Playing casino games could be both fun and dangerous as it poses great risks especially for new players who do not know what the game is really all about. Luckily, with the onset of today's technological advancements, the nearest casino house that was once a 5 mile-ride away from home is now at the tip of your fingertips. 

Web casinos like online casino Malaysia, and iGaming platforms in many other countries bring you closer to your wildest aspirations of betting in actual poker, and many other betting games that could only be done in casinos before. With the right background check and thorough research, you become one step closer to winning your first million in an online betting game- or is it so?

In a slow-paced down economy like today, it is completely normal to think of numerous income-generating alternatives to keep your heads above the water. However, you should think twice about risking your hard-earned money in a game of zero chances. 

How Do Online Slots Work?

Regardless of your skill level, it should be true that slot machines are quite prominent to everyone; but inviting as it may seem, outweighing the risk against the benefits of playing with these “one-armed bandits” would definitely leave you thinking twice.

For those of you who do not know, slot machines got their name from the need to put coins in a ‘slot’ to play the game. They are the most basic gambling machines in both physical and online casinos which are responsible for 70%-80% of the revenue a casino makes. These machines operate through spinning reels which sets them apart from other gambling machines like video blackjack and the video poker game. However, unlike the older versions that use mechanical levers, springs and metal reels, the modern slot machine uses a computer program to determine the outcome of the game. 

To give you an idea of how the slot machine works, we go beyond the user interface and through the individual machine’s system program. 

Slot games come up with a random set of results through the use of a Random Number Generator (RNG) that creates a random sequence every millisecond of the day. A new random series of numbers is produced by the RNG whenever the player spins the machine. It must be taken into account that the slot game does not have a memory of the players’ wins and losses, hence we omit the idea that it is based on how many games that the player has won. These instant games are won through an outcome that is determined at the moment based on mathematical algorithms generated from the Random Number Generator. Since RNG operates to produce random outcomes, a combination of symbols on your first spin would not affect the result of the succeeding spins. 

Although slot games are based solely on luck, you must not be blinded with it because statistics show that the odds of the slot machine are one of the worst; to give a scale, it ranges from 5000 to one in 34 million chances to win the top prize when using the maximum coin play. 

The Math Behind Return to Player Percentages (RTP) 

To begin with, it is the sole basis of players whether they play the game or not. It is a theoretical statistical calculation that is only an average estimation and does not tell how frequently a player is likely to win. In a nutshell, a game with a higher return to player percentage is what keeps the players playing the game. The higher the RTP, the more often a player can win over a longer period of time. To give a simple illustration, a player is given $90 for every $100 spent on it if the slot machine has an RTP of 90%.

To explain further, a machine’s return-to-player percentage is calculated by taking the total amount won by players divided by the total amount gambled by the players. For instance, a machine pays a player $8000 from every $10000 gambled; if we calculate the RTP, we will get 0.80 which corresponds to an RTP of 80%.

However, it should be noted that RTPs are solely based on theoretical calculations and do not guarantee a player’s win at regular intervals. 

Casinos Always Have a Statistical Advantage

You might be familiar with the term “house edge”. It is 100% minus the slot machine’s RTP. This “house edge'' dictates the mathematical advantage over a long period of time. A person drawn to a high Return-to-Player percentage will definitely have the urge to play the machine. However, it obscures the fact that the house always wins in the long run. To put it simply, if the game has a Return-to-Player Percentage of 90%, it has a house edge of 10%. These values imply that a specific machine is programmed to keep 10% of the total money gabled by the players. Hence, Casinos have a statistical advantage over their players leaving them losing money rather than having it doubled. 

The Bottom Line

Clearly, casino games are an ultimate losing proposition. Even though it is not guaranteed that you either win or lose each and every time you play, it is undeniably true that the most likely outcome of you, gambling in casinos, will definitely cost money in the long run.

Casino slot machines, or any casino games both online and in actuality for that matter, would clearly do you harm rather than give you what you desire-instant cash. There is a reason behind the fact that casinos or any gambling websites cannot be considered as an investment as it clearly shows that its facade is different from what this industry is all about. 

The only way to win against the casino, other than cheating, is when you hit the one-in-a-million chance of winning and walk away before you give them back.
So, next time you step into the casino house or click your way to the most trusted online casino website, you must think twice before wasting your hard-earned money on a game of zero chances.