Loose Slots: Fact or Myth?

Slot games are arguably the most popular of online casino games, which is why platforms like PokerStars have such a wide variety of them. What makes them so interesting to play is that they have colourful graphics and are pretty easy to play, with the potential to win a jackpot always looming on the horizon.

However, some misconceptions and myths exist about them, even though we all know that if the games were rigged, players would soon catch on and stop playing them. That doesn’t stop casino conspiracy theorists from sticking to their belief, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

This article is going to show how the notion of tight and loose slots is a complete myth and why.

The Inner Workings of Slot Machines

Physical slot machines were invented as early as 1891 and were comprised of mechanics that people would soon refer to as “levers” and “reels (which still exist today.) Technology progressed and so did the inner workings of slot machines, which became more complex in terms of how they worked.

These days, you would be hard-pressed to find a mechanical slot machine. All are electronic, meaning they have software specifically designed to calculate each spin. The calculations are done with something called Random Number Generator (RNG), which decides what symbols are displayed and what features are triggered.

The payout rate is what the volatility of a game is based on as well. If a slot has high volatility, a player can expect less frequent but much bigger wins. A low volatility slot means a player can expect more frequent but smaller wins.

How Fair is Fair?

The use of RNGs in online slots means every game is completely fair, as the result is always a random one (the answer is in the name, you see.) This means that neither the player nor the casino can control how the slot machines are run. Furthermore, all reputable online casinos have regulatory bodies that frequently test the games to ensure a fair outcome.

Tight and Loose Slots

So we now know that there’s no way an online slot game can be rigged in the online casino’s favour. But people are people, and we all do love superstition. Slots are referred to as “tight” if they pay out infrequently, with the belief that the casino has programmed them to do so (insert picture of a tiny digital man wearing a balaclava, hopping between reels to ensure they don’t land on a win).

Loose slots, on the other hand, are those fabled games that pay out often and pay out well (insert unicorn, jumping over the reels to make sure they land on a winning combo). In a land-based casino, conspiracy theorists are convinced that the companies place these machines strategically, so when players see other players win, they sit down and start playing too.

We really hope, though, that this article has convincingly convinced you that tight and loose slot games are a complete myth. No casino, online or otherwise, would be able to operate if they had rigged games. Even if they did, all casinos that are licensed are subject to third-party testing and audits, so the jig would soon be up.

The same applies to any of these other myths as well. We have included them so you can be aware next time you hear whispers:

• The streaks are built into slot machines.
• RTP rates change depending on the day of the week.
• With slots, the house always wins.
• There’s a formula to winning at slots (Do you think if there was, we would be writing articles every day and not on a beach working on our tan while our assistant plays slot games?)