It’s a simple concept – put in your money, spin the reels and hope for the best. But what happens behind the scenes to determine whether you win or lose? In this article, we’ll take a look at how online slots work and why they remain among the most popular casino games.
Every time you click ‘spin’, the RNG produces a series of numbers and uses these to determine where the symbols land on the reels. The outcome of each spin does not depend on the result of the previous ones, so even if you’ve had ten consecutive wins or lost a lot of money in one go, your next session is unlikely to be similar. This is because the RNG generates a completely new random sequence each millisecond, making it impossible to predict how often you will win or lose.
The RNG does not only determine where the symbols will land, but also the number of pay lines in a slot machine. These can range from five to multiple hundred ways of winning a prize, but it’s important to remember that a payout cannot be guaranteed no matter how many pay lines you activate. The reason is that there are still operational costs associated with operating a casino, such as electricity and maintenance, so some of the profits must be used to cover these expenses.
Aside from this, you’ll also find that different online slots offer varying payout rates, which is a function of how often they hit. Low-volatility slots tend to pay out small amounts more frequently, while high-volatility slots may not pay out for some time but when they do, it can be a big sum.
Another factor to consider is the number of features that a slot game has, including free spins rounds, pick-and-click games and other extras that can be triggered in-game. These extras can increase your winnings significantly, but you should be aware of the fact that they will lower your chances of triggering a payout in the main game.
Where do online slot games come from?
The majority of the slot games you’ll find on a casino site are created by different software providers. Some of these companies specialise in a specific area, others have a huge variety of titles under their belts, and some develop both online slot games and other types of casino games. The best-known companies include Microgaming, NetEnt, and NextGen.
The vast majority of online slot games have a theme, and you’ll find titles with everything from Ancient Egypt to the Wild West, treasure hunting to disco dancing. Some are even inspired by television shows, movies, or books. You can usually find a demo mode for most of these games, so you can try them out for free before you decide to invest your hard-earned cash. But before you begin playing, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the rules and controls of the game.
