This Reddit user asked an interesting question how slots pay out. Frankly even seasoned slot players can’t answer it or even understand the basic concepts that deep to be able to precisely fathom it.
I’m no expert, but this thread had an expert slot coder, who laid down the basics. So, I just thought I’d use what he said to explain the whole thing:
Pure curiosity, and I play slots occasionally (online or at local casino), so I’ve always wondered something about how slots determine what to pay vs bet amount.
Do slot machines (RNG, algorithms etc) “decide” on line/winning combination OR the amount it wants to pay?
As in, if I’m betting a dollar a spin and get a line hit for 100, if I could magically go back in time and bet 5 instead would the machine pay 500 or it would display different combination so the payout is still 100?
Slot machines can work in two main ways, and it’s kind of like choosing between two different TV shows.
The first type is called “prize first.” Here, the machine picks the amount it’s going to pay you before showing you anything on the screen. Then, it puts on a little performance, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, to display a winning combination that matches that amount. Think of it like a game show where the prize is already decided, and the host just makes it fun to reveal. You see this in things like bingo slot machines or historical horse racing games. They do this to follow certain laws that say regular slot machines aren’t allowed, but bingo or horse racing games are okay. It’s like using a loophole to wear sneakers in a “no shoes” zone.
The second type is called “reels first,” and this is probably what you’re more used to. Here, the machine uses a random number generator – imagine it like a super fancy digital dice that’s rolling through thousands of numbers every second, like a hyperactive hamster on a wheel. When you hit the spin button, it stops on a number and picks the symbols that show up on the reels. The reels are mostly for show, like the fancy graphics in a video game, and the payout is figured out based on what symbols land. It’s like playing a board game where you roll the dice first, then move your piece based on what you rolled. The random number generator might be set to favor some outcomes over others, kind of like how some carnival games make it harder to win the giant stuffed bear, but it’s still random. The exact moment you press the button matters because that’s when the machine grabs the number, but there’s no way to time it perfectly – it’s like trying to catch a specific raindrop in a storm.
Now, let’s tackle your time-travel question about betting $1 versus $5. Picture this like rewinding a movie scene to replay it with a slight change. If you bet $1 and win $100, then magically go back and bet $5 instead, what happens? In both “prize first” and “reels first” machines, your payout usually scales with your bet. So, if you won $100 on a $1 bet, betting $5 would likely pay $500, because the machine multiplies your win based on your bet size. It’s like buying five scoops of ice cream instead of one – you get five times the treat. But here’s a twist with “reels first” machines: sometimes, when you change your bet size, the machine tweaks how it rolls that digital dice. It’s like if you’re playing a video game and switch from easy to hard mode—the game might not play out exactly the same. So, you might not get the same symbols or winning line with a $5 bet as you did with $1, but the machine is still designed to keep things fair and random, like shuffling a deck of cards before dealing.
A little heads-up about betting amounts: some slot experts, like John Grochowski, suggest that betting higher, like $5 or even $50 a spin, can lower the casino’s advantage – called the house edge – to maybe 3-5%, compared to 15-20% on a $1 bet. It’s like getting a better deal at a bulk store because you’re buying more. The casino makes more money from a small percentage of a big bet than a big percentage of a small one. This isn’t true for every slot machine, but it’s common, especially in video poker or older 9-line reel slots where you need to bet the max to unlock the biggest payouts, like needing a special key to open a treasure chest. One slot programmer, quoted in a Casino Player Magazine article, shared that betting the max and hoping for a quick, solid line hit – then walking away – is smarter than betting small and grinding for a bonus round. Bonus rounds can be fun, like a surprise party, but they’re hard to reach, and the payouts might not be great unless you get super lucky, like finding a four-leaf clover.
One thing to keep in mind: some folks who work with slots, as mentioned in posts on X, say modern machines need a network connection to run, kind of like how your phone needs Wi-Fi for certain apps. They also claim casinos tweak things so higher bets don’t always mean the same wins—like hitting a $6,000 jackpot on a $25 spin but losing that much or more on $5 spins. Casinos always seem to make a profit, like a lemonade stand that never runs out of customers, even on slow days. They might tighten the machines on quiet weekdays or busy weekends, or if you’re using a casino comp for dinner, it’s like they know you’re sticking around. The advice here, echoed by experts like those at Casino.org, is to avoid chasing losses by feeding more money into a machine that’s not paying out – it’s like trying to fix a bad haircut by cutting more. If you score a big win fast, like within five minutes, consider taking your ticket and trying another game. Also, betting big, like $10-$25 a spin, when everyone else around you is betting $1, might not be the best move – it’s like being the only one bringing a fancy cake to a potluck.
I hope that clears things up.