17 Slot Machine Facts You Don’t Know but Should

Anyone who is a slot fan ought to know some facts about these games. It may be the case that you already know some of them. Then again, you may not. Whatever the case, this list of 17 facts about offline and online casino slots will inform you.

Slot Machines Can Be Addictive

We all know that gambling in general can be addictive to some. Yet it's the nature of slots that contributes to this. Slots provide solitary games and offer constant action. The rapid events stimulate and de-stimulate the brain at a fast pace. Thus, players can actually fall into a trance-like state.

They Are a Huge Part of Casino Revenue

A little-known fact is that slots make up around 85% of the average casino's revenue. This has been the case since the early 2000s. Despite fluctuations from year to year, the general average remains the same. That's a lot of money to be making from slot games!

The Biggest Games Base Themselves on Popular Culture

So many slots exist today that utilise pop culture as their base theme. This includes games based on television series, films, music, books, and so on. They stand out more because such themes are already popular via other media. The best online gambling sites love adding these to their lobbies as a result.

Slots Are More Popular in Japan

You would be mistaken for thinking that the U.S. is top for slot machine popularity. Yet it actually sits in the number two spot. Japan is the number one country in the world for slot machines. Around 5 million of them are playable across the country. This means that for every 27th Japanese person, there is a slot machine!

Casinos and Manufacturers Look at the “Time on Device”

How is a slot game considered profitable? By the average amount of time a player spends playing it. Designing new games sees developers focus on features to increase this figure. Manufacturers want to get players "hooked" so to speak.

Slots Players Become Addicted Much Quicker

Someone playing a slot machine is likely to become addicted 3 to 4 times quicker than a blackjack player. This is because of the design and nature of the games. The rapid-fire rate at which you can spin the reels of slots is detrimental to vulnerable players.

There Is Little Similarity Between Today’s Slots and Classic Ones

Original physical slot machines only had a few mechanical parts built into them. This included coin slots, hoppers, levers, and reels. Modern slot machines feature over 1,200 individual parts. Some of these would be unrecognisable to the original creators of slots. As for online slot games, these are completely software-based.

Jackpots Can Be Exceptionally Large Today

Today's slot games can include exciting progressive jackpots in them. Three types of these exist - standalone, local area and wide area progressive jackpots. The payouts from all these can be massive. Yet it is the wide-area progressive that can reach exceptional heights. These are available at the biggest online casino sites.

The Majority of Gamblers Anonymous Attendees Are Slot Addicts

If you look back in time to the mid-90s, there is a big difference for Gamblers Anonymous attendees. In the decades prior, the majority of attendees had addictions to sports betting or card games. Today, the biggest number of people attending have slot game addictions.

Similarities to “Skinner Boxes”

This relates to a behavioural scientist in B.F. Skinner. He studied animals, and how motivated they were when they got rewards from a box. His experiments provided insights into the motivation of animals by these rewards. This applies to humans and slot machines. There is a motivation to continue getting periodic payouts from the games.

Slots Are the Only Casino Games With No Obvious Odds

You can calculate the odds of all casino games if you know the payoffs for each bet and the odds of winning each. This is usually simple in card games like blackjack, for example. Because you cannot see the random number generators of slot machines, it's difficult. There is no way of determining the odds of getting a particular symbol on any spin. So, there is no way of telling what the house edge on a slot is. Thus, the house edge for slots is often higher than for other casino games.

Slots Don’t Get “Hot” or “Cold”

You may have seen some casinos highlight "hot" and "cold" slot machines. These determine those paying out a lot and those that aren't in the moment. Yet the truth is, slots don't go through such phases. Payouts from the games are random all the time. There is no effect on future results from one round to the next.

Online Slots Operate the Same as Land-Based Ones

You may think that land-based slots differ from online slots. Many people do. Yet playing slots at an online casino in Europe is the same as visiting a venue to play them. They feature the same sort of random number generators. The results just display on your computer instead of on a machine.

Slots Are Legal in Most U.S. States

The USA has a tumultuous relationship with gambling. Back in 2000, only 31 states provided legal slot machine gaming. Today, 10 extra states have legalised them, too. Other states are considering doing the same thing. This has not stopped underground slot gaming from occurring, though.

Gambling Strategies for Slots Don’t Tend to Work

So many people claim to know how to beat slots with betting systems and strategies. Yet the truth is they're all as worthless as each other. The outcome of every round on a slot is random. All the time. So, you can't beat these results with any strategy. Be sure to place responsible bets instead.

Slots Continue Growing in Popularity

There is a reason that so many international casinos continue providing slot games. It’s because they keep growing in popularity. Many factors have contributed to this being the case. Those factors depend upon where you live. The legalisation of all gambling activity in the UK in 2005 is one reason. If you look at the U.S., other reasons stand out. They remain popular with gamblers today, too.

Locals Play Slots More Than Tourists

Despite many places only offering casino gaming to tourists, locals play them more. This is the case in the United States of America and the UK. Gambling tourism remains in place to bring some extra income, without a doubt. Yet it is the locals who maintain their gameplay, providing the biggest revenue for casinos.