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In a modern slot machine,
the odds of hitting a particular symbol or combination of symbols
depends on how the virtual reel is set up. As we saw in the last
section, each stop on the actual reel may correspond to more than one
stop on the virtual reel. Simply put, the odds of hitting a particular
image on the actual reel depend on how many virtual stops correspond to
the actual stop.
In a typical weighted slot machine, the top jackpot stop (the one with
the highest-paying jackpot image) for each reel corresponds to only one
virtual stop. This means that the chance of hitting the jackpot image on
one reel is 1 in 64. If all of the reels are set up the same way, the
chances of hitting the jackpot image on all three reels is 1 in 643, or
262,144. For machines with a bigger jackpot, the virtual reel may have
many more stops. This decreases the odds of winning that jackpot
considerably.
The losing blank stops above
and below the jackpot image may correspond to more virtual stops than
other images. Consequently, a player is most likely to hit the blank
stops right next to the winning stop. This creates the impression that
they "just missed" the jackpot, which encourages them to keep gambling,
even though the proximity of the actual stops is inconsequential.
A machine's program is
carefully designed and tested to achieve a certain payback percentage.
The payback percentage is the percentage of the money that is put in
that is eventually paid out to the player. With a payback percentage of
90, for example, the casino would take about 10 percent of all money put
into the slot machine and give away the other 90 percent. With any
payback percentage under a 100 (and they're all under 100), the casino
wins over time.
In most gambling
jurisdictions, the law requires that payback percentages be above a
certain level (usually somewhere around 75 percent). The payback
percentage in most casino machines is much higher than the minimum --
often in the 90- to 97-percent range. Casinos don't want their machines
to be a lot tighter than their competitors' machines or the players will
take their business elsewhere.
The odds for a particular
slot machine are built into the program on the machine's computer chip.
In most cases, the casino cannot change the odds on a machine without
replacing this chip. Despite popular opinion, there is no way for the
casino to instantly "tighten up" a machine.
Machines don't loosen up on
their own either. That is, they aren't more likely to pay the longer you
play. Since the computer always pulls up new random numbers, you have
exactly the same chance of hitting the jackpot every single time you
pull the handle. The idea that a machine can be "ready to pay" is all in
the player's head, at least in the standard system.
The Big Kahuna
Slot is a five reel, nine pay line, and forty-five coin slot
machine that is available in all microgaming Bonus Cash. This
fun new video slot machine has scatters, wild symbols, 2 bonus
rounds and bets as low as 1¢ per line in some casinos (most
casinos start at 5¢ per line.) The Big Kahuna slot machine
offers two Bonus Round Features; the Pick a Mask bonus round
game and the Volcano bonus round game. To qualify for the bonus
games you must have 3, 4 or 5 Mask or 3, 4 or 5 Volcano symbols
on an enabled pay line, at least one of the symbols must be displayed
on the first slot reel. The Big Kahuna symbol is a wild symbol,
but it is only wild for fruit symbols. The Big Kahuna symbol
does not substitute for a Chief or Lizard symbol to complete
winning combinations, or the Mask and Volcano symbols to activate
the Bonus Round Features. One or more Big Kahuna symbols on the
payline creates winning combinations as shown in the Payout Table.
5 Big Kahuna symbols on an enabled payline pays 8,000 times your
bet. The Monkey symbol is a scatter symbol. This means that it
does not need to appear in a line on an enabled payline to win.
The Monkey symbols can appear in any position on the reels provided
two or more Monkey symbols appear. You are paid out for winning
combinations on enabled paylines only, except for scatter wins.
A single Blue Star symbol on the payline completes
the winning combination of a single Cherry symbol.
With 2 coins bet, a single Cherry symbol combination
pays out 4 coins. However, a Blue Star symbol is displayed,
so the payout is 4 x 2 = 8 coins.
Two Blue Star symbols and a 3-Bar symbol on the
payline, combine to produce a three 3-Bar symbols
combination. With 2 coins bet, a three 3-Bar symbols
combination pays out 100 coins. However, two Blue
Star symbols are showing, so the payout is 100 x 4
= 400 coins.
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