Slot Machine Myths and Misconceptions

Gambling, online or otherwise, is rife with fallacies, myths, and false assumptions. Gamers tend to be a superstitious bunch, after all. If you also consider the fact real money is at stake, things tend to get heated.

Online slot myths are especially prone to propagating in the community. The beloved one-armed bandit works in mysterious ways as far as most players are concerned. For instance, games like roulette and blackjack are decided by fairly obvious, physical cards and wheels. Slots are not that easily understood, making them fertile grounds for misconceptions.

Today, we’ll take a look at some of these myths about online slots and explain what makes them inaccurate.

1.     Slots Are Rigged

Understandably, accusations of foul play are the first to come up in any discussion about slots. Let’s get this assumption out of the way first. It’s one of the most common slot myths out there, and it’s not that surprising. No one likes to lose, and it’s sometimes easier to throw accusations, which gives rise to various slot myths.

Slots are not rigged simply because they are legally obliged to perform exactly as advertised. Online slots pay back a large part of what is put into them, as signified by the game’s RTP value. However, every game ever makes one thing very, very clear: the house always wins. No gambling game will ever have a 100% RTP, which would technically make it completely “fair.” Casinos are businesses that exist to make money, not give it out to anyone with a few quid and some time on their hands.

Slots are rigged only in the sense that players will, in total, lose money more than they will win. Of course, this only cares about the overall average. Some players will still earn more than they lose. More will end up in the red, though, which is just the way online gambling works.

If you play slots at safe online casinos, you can rest assured that the RTP is accurate and the games fair. Properly licensed games are tested for fairness, after all.

2.     Strategies to Beat Slots Exist

This myth is closely related to the previous one. The internet is rife with plans and strategies that are supposed to make you somehow outwit the system. This is simply not true. A methodical approach to playing slots can help mitigate some of the risks of gambling. In the long run, though, no slots strategy is going to give you an actual edge. It’s quite simple, really – just ask yourself how slot games work.

All you are doing is pressing a single button, rolling the dice over and over again. Players have absolutely no control over how it will turn out. It comes down to pure luck, and anything that claims otherwise is simply a slot machine myth. In fact, it’s one of the most popular slot myths around.

Again, some players will win while others will lose. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to lose – especially if we’re talking about the long haul. You can’t beat statistics, and you can’t beat online slots. You can only hope that you’ll have some luck.

3.     Slots That Haven’t Paid Out for a While Are “Due” a Win

This is easily the most widespread mistake with playing slots. It’s a well-recorded notion called the Gambler’s Fallacy and it is present in all forms of gambling. However, because people can’t witness the inner workings of slot machines, they assume that they’re programmed to pay out at certain intervals.

This is simply not true. Every single slot spin has an identical shot at a certain outcome. You could end up winning nothing for a hundred times in a row – that doesn’t mean that the hundred and first has a bigger shot at winning. Conversely, a slot is just as likely to hit a jackpot as ever even if it just paid one. Two consecutive jackpots are astronomically improbable, of course, but that’s not the point. The point is that you should treat every spin as completely independent from any previous or subsequent attempts.

4.     Bigger Stakes Are More Likely to Win Jackpots

The size of your stake does not influence your chances of winning. Obviously, payouts are tied directly to the size of the stake. However, the probability of any possible outcome is always the same.

Unlike these other online slot myths, this one is somewhat grounded in reality. In the past, progressive online slots sometimes only allowed maximum stakes a shot at the pot. Thankfully, such mechanics are a thing of the past. Some games may have a minimum needed for a chance to win progressive features, though. Be sure to carefully read the info window before playing if you want to be sure.

As far as non-progressive fruit machines are concerned, we can safely say that the size of the stake is absolutely irrelevant. All payouts are usually a multiplier of your stake.

5.     Autoplay on Online Slots Pays Less

We’re not sure how this urban legend came to be, but you’ll sometimes come across it in online gambling communities. The argument is that players who hit autoplay are paying less attention, so the operators can get away with paying less.

If there’s a feature out there that somehow decreases the RTP when you hit autoplay, we’ve never seen it. A slot spin is a slot spin, and how you tell the game to perform one is largely irrelevant.

6.     Slot Free Spins Pay Less

Free spins are a common type of casino bonus that allows players to play slots without risking real money. Of course, any payouts are still very much real. In theory, this means that online casinos with free spins are operating at a loss. That much is true – but free spins are offered as a casino promotion. The idea is for a casino to take a loss in hopes of future profits.

Casino software has no way to know whether you’re playing with real money or freeplay funds. Keeping that in mind is a great way to avoid mistakes when playing online slots.

Conclusion

That covers the most common mistakes players make when gambling with online slots. Most of these myths come from two preconceptions that you should avoid:

1. Slots are a way to make money. Online gambling is a form of entertainment, not a financial investment. You should expect losses and treat them as a fee you’re paying to have some fun.
2. Outcomes of slots are somehow controlled or directed. Casino software is completely self-contained. Not even the developers who made them can control the outcome, let alone casinos or players. It’s a matter of chance, plain and simple.

Keep these things in mind, and you’ll ensure you’re gambling safely. Good luck!