If you have ever play slot machine I'm sure you are wondering what goes on behind the scenes and here is a quick overview on how nearly all slot machines work.

Video slot machines look like they have reels in them, or at least almost all of them look this way, but are controlled by computer chips using random number generators (RNG) within the computer software. How video slot machines work is the random number generator constantly generates numbers, some RNG's do thousands of numbers per second, and each number is assigned a place for the virtual reel to stop. When you pull the slot machine handle or push the button, the computer reads the current number on the RNG and tells the reels where to stop. Actually, since there are no actual reels in video slot machines, it tells the graphics program where to stop the picture of a spinning reel.

This can be accomplished one of two ways. Either each virtual reel can be stopped by a separate random number or each possible combination of the reels can be assigned a number. It does not make any difference whatsoever which way a video slot machine operates, as the programmed payout will be the same over the long run either way.

So , the Random Number Generator (RNG) is the brains of the slot machine. While most player know that there is a computer chip picking the numbers, they do not fully understand how it works and this can lead to some of the many myths and misconceptions about a slot machine. One of the most common myths is that a machine has a cycle that can let a player know when it is due to hit. Many “Snake Oil Salesmen” will try to sell you a system for doing just that. Save your money it Simply can’t be done.

Inside the slot machine is a microprocessor similar to the one in your home computer. Instead of running Word or Excel, it runs a special program, the RNG, that generates numbers to correspond to the symbols on the reel of the slot machine.

As long as there is power to the machine it is constantly selecting random numbers every millisecond. The RNG generates a value between 0 and 4 billion (approx number) which is then translated into s specific set of numbers to correspond to the symbols on the reels. The outcome of each spin is determined by the number selected by the RNG. This number is chosen when you hit the spin button or deposit a coin.

The RNG uses a formula known as an algorithm which is a series of instructions for generating the numbers. The scope of this is beyond most of our mathematical knowledge but can be checked for accuracy. This is done by the Casino Control Board and other testing laboratories to make sure that the program performs as it should so the player will not be cheated.

RNG’s are impossible to tamper with. They cannot be interrupted or predicted. In fact, most modern slot machines have a “Tilt” function, much like arcade pinball games used to have. This tilt function disables the machine in the event of any kind of error, thus eliminating the possibility of a malfunctioning machine that pays out far more than it is programmed to, or a machine that has developed a predictable pattern.