Have you ever wondered how online slot games work? After all, players only get to see what’s on the screen itself and not what’s going on behind all those graphics and visual effects.
Well, if you have then you’re in luck today, as we’re going to be walking through exactly how online Slots work. Whether you play a game like Eye of Horus slot or a classic fruit machine online, here’s what’s really going on whenever the digital reels are spun.
Determining outcomes with the random number generator
The one piece of technology that’s at the heart of any online slot game is the random number generator (RNG). This is a computer algorithm that makes sure that each and every spin of the reels is both completely random and independent of any others.
The RNG works by generating strings of hundreds to thousands of random numbers every single second, making it impossible to guess what numbers are being produced at any given moment.
Each number will correspond to one of the symbols on the reels, so when a player initiates a spin, the software will lock in the current set of generated numbers to determine the outcome.
Before any RNG can go into use in a game it has to pass rigorous testing by an independent authority, who will verify that it is producing numbers without any clear pattern or bias. This means that players can rest assured that the outcome of any spin is entirely unpredictable and fair, with everyone having the same odds of landing a matching combination.
And that’s really it as far as the technology behind the screen goes, everything in a game of online Slots is based on the RNG.
Return to player percentage
There are some other important things to be aware of with the workings of online Slots. Return to player (RTP) is one of the most key pieces of data about a game, as it shows the theoretical percentage of all wagers that the game will return to players over time.
This isn’t a guarantee of anything in the short term, as RTP is worked out over an incredibly long period of time and potentially millions of future spins. But it’s still an important figure as it offers a guide relative to other slot games.
An online slot with an RTP of 97% will generally return more to players over time than one with an RTP of 95%.
Volatility or variance
Another thing to consider when looking at how online Slots work is something known as the volatility (or variance). This is a term that describes the relative level of risk associated with particular Slots.
If a slot game has low volatility this means that it tends to pay out lower amounts on a more frequent basis. A high volatility slot will instead tend towards larger payouts with a lower frequency, so basically the opposite.
Players will generally consider volatility when choosing a slot game to play, as some will prefer one type over the other depending on their own playstyle.
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The random number generator is what does the heavy lifting behind the screens of every online slot game, determining outcomes with randomness and fairness. But it’s also worth understanding the impact of RTP and volatility when it comes to Slots gameplay and the differences between various games.
