20 Slot Machine Myths Debunked

Article by : Max Bet Jun 1, 2023

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Over the years, numerous myths about slot machines have been circulating around the gambling community. You can’t just expect to win when you believe in a load of slot myths. When it comes to playing slots, you have nothing in your hand to influence your winning chance.

This game of luck runs on RNG (Random Number Generator) to determine the winning combinations. Many players have lost interest in slots because they believed in every single slot myth they heard. In this article, we will discuss and debunk the top 20 myths about slot machines. This will help the gambling community get a more clear perception of slots.

So, let’s start.

1. Slot Machines Are Programmed To Pay Out At Specific Times.

Explanation of the Myth:

Somehow, gamblers believed that slot machines are programmed to pay out cyclically. They believe that the slots only pay out at specific times. They think so because they feel the slots are predictable with the help of some sort of mathematical computation.

Refutation of the Myth:

The truth is that slots are programmed to pay out randomly. So, it can pay out at specific times, but only randomly. Playing in tested and licensed online casinos will alleviate your worry about any slot following a cyclical payout pattern.

2. The More You Play, The Better Your Chances Of Winning.

Explanation of the Myth:

Many people believe that if they continue to play slots more, their winning chances will increase. People believe that ‘one more game’ can help them recover the past losses. This myth often makes players addicted to slots, and they keep playing until they win.

Refutation of the Myth:

This is a big misconception that no gambler should ever believe in. Often, believing in such a slot myth can turn you into a gambling addict. Slot machines leverage an ever-changing random number generator. So, you can never predict the slots’ outcome. You can keep playing for a year and still not win. However, someone who just stepped into gambling can take away a big win home by playing slots on the first day.

3. The Temperature Of A Coin Affects The Payout of the Slot Machine.

Explanation of the Myth:

For years, this misconception has been circulating that entering warm coins in land-based machines increases the payout. They think the coins’ temperature affects the payout rate of the slot machines.

Refutation of the Myth:

We know what you’re thinking. That this slot machine myth is utter nonsense, right? Well, some rational players around the community actually believe in such things. They must understand that modern, cutting-edge slot machines are sophisticated and fully computerized.

These machines aren’t capable of measuring the coins’ temperature in any way possible. Thus, no matter if someone warms up and enters the coin in the slot, it won’t affect the payout rate.

4. Slot Machines That Have Not Paid Out In A While Are “Due” To Hit.

Explanation of the Myth:

Some gamblers across the world believe in a baseless slot machine myth. It goes that the slots that haven’t paid out in a while are likely to hit.

Refutation of the Myth:

Although it may make sense to some gamblers and readers now, remember that slots don’t work this way. Yes, there’s no doubt that every slot machine will pay out big wins at some point. However, there’s no assurance that you’ll be the one to get that win.

Both traditional and online slot machines work on RNG and are totally random. They don’t keep track records of any players.

5. Slot Machines In Certain Locations Have Higher Payout Percentages.

Explanation of the Myth:

Another slot myth is that the slot machine’s payout percentage increases when the slots are placed in certain locations. They may have heard of deduced this notion from the book Break the One-Armed Bandits by Frank Scoblete.

The book says that the casinos always keep their high-paying slot machines in certain locations, like the dark corner of the room. However, Frank only wrote that based on a single interview with only one casino manager of that time (the 90s).

Refutation of the Myth:

This is an absolute myth. In an interview, a casino slot technician confirmed that no licensed and tested casino do such a thing. However, no proof or evidence has ever been recorded about such an action. In fact, every casino puts its best machines at the center to attract more players. That’s it. The location of the slot machine has nothing to do with its payout percentage.

6. You Can Increase Your Chances Of Winning By Using A Specific Betting Strategy.

Explanation of the Myth:

Numerous gamblers use the same strategy for slots that they use for other casino games like poker or roulette. They feel using strategies while playing slots will increase their chances of winning.

Refutation of the Myth:

Do not believe in such a slot myth. Remember that slots’ outcomes are always random. No matter your bet size, you won’t be able to control or influence the winning chances. No matter your strategy, your winning odds will always remain the same for slot machines. They run on RNGs, and only your luck can work magic, not anything else.

7. Slot Machines Have “Hot” And “Cold” Cycles.

Explanation of the Myth:

Some slot enthusiasts believe that machines can follow cold cycles when they hardly give any payout. They also believe the slots follow hot cycles when they pay out constantly for a stipulated period. However, slots aren’t programmed to run on cycles.

Refutation of the Myth:

The above statement is completely false as the slot machine’s outcomes are totally random. Game providers design slots with RNGs to ensure all spins are random and unique. Thus, it indicates that online slots cannot have ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ cycles.

Whether you play on land-based machines, the outcomes will still be random, like with online slots. Even if some gambler manages to figure out the outcome, it can only be a coincidence.

8. Playing With A Player’s Club Card Decreases Your Chances Of Winning.

Explanation of the Myth:

One of the most common slot machine myths is that using a player’s club card while playing slots can decrease your winning chances. They don’t realize that players’ club cards are only meant to reward players.

Refutation of the Myth:

Playing slots with a player’s club card won’t affect your winning odds in any way whatsoever. This card basically enables the casino house to track your performance. It has nothing to do with the game odds or payback percentage.

In fact, the slot outcome and your winning chances are only influenced by the slot’s RNG. The RNG only generates random outcomes in every situation.

9. Pulling The Lever Instead Of Pushing The Button Improves Your Chances Of Winning.

Explanation of the Myth:

Several land-based slot machines give you two options to spin the reels. It allows you to either push a button or pull a lever (handle). Don’t know why, but there’s a common slot myth around this. It goes that pulling the lever instead of pushing the button improves your chances of winning.

Refutation of the Myth:

No matter which way you choose to spin the reels, your winning chances won’t be affected and will remain the same. It is the random number generator (RNG) that decides what the spin’s outcome will be. And get this straight: the way you spin the reels won’t affect the RNG either.

10. Slots Near The Entrance Of A Casino Have Better Payout Rates.

Explanation of the Myth:

Another common slot machine myth is that slots near the entrance or entry point of the casino have better payout rates. Some believe that casinos place machines on the entrance to lure in more customers by grabbing their attention on the players winning on those machines.

Refutation of the Myth:

This is a completely illogical myth. Casinos have the complete authority to decide where to place their slot machines on the gaming floor. Typically, casinos only place the high payout machines at the center (busiest part of the casino) to attract as many players as possible.

Even if they place such machines at the entrance, they may only do so to attract more players. However, there’s no assurance that every machine at the entrance of a casino has better payout rates.

11. You Can Beat A Slot Machine With A Magnet Or Other Cheating Device.

Explanation of the Myth:

Don’t know why but many sensible players end up believing that they can beat a slot machine with unfair means. They think using a magnet or other cheating device can help them beat a slot.

Refutation of the Myth:

In today’s modern era, slot machines are highly advanced, computerized, and fully programmed. They don’t run on magnets anymore. Gone are the days when casino players used to beat a slot machine using a magnet. Today’s slot machines aren’t made of metal or magnets anymore. So, using magnets would be completely useless, and it can do nothing.

12. Slot Machines With Higher Jackpots Have Lower Odds Of Winning.

Explanation of the Myth:

Slot machines have lower winning odds when they come with huge jackpots is among the most typical slot machine myths.

Refutation of the Myth:

Truth be told, this myth is not completely false. If you risk a higher amount for every spin in a few online slot machines, you get a higher chance of winning the progressive jackpot. While in other slots, you can increase the winning chances by playing the maximum number of coins for every spin.

It indicates that online casino platforms cannot influence the winner of progressive jackpots. However, the chances of someone winning progressive jackpots increases when they play for higher stakes.

13. Psychic Powers Can Influence Slot Machines.

Explanation of the Myth:

A completely absurd slot myth, rather a superstition, is that psychic powers can influence slot machines.

Refutation of the Myth:

Have you ever seen a psychic do something like this? If they could manipulate a slot machine using psychic powers, why would they use such power on a slot machine? They can use such power to earn money from anything they can.

Can you imagine the amount of absurdity in this myth? It will be a shame for some responsible, sensible, and wise slot players to even believe in such myths for a second.

14. The Outcome Of A Slot Machine Is Determined By The Last Player’s Win Or Loss.

Explanation of the Myth:

You may have heard players saying that the last player’s win or loss on the slot machine determines its outcome. This gave birth to the myth that playing in a slot where the last player won can help you win and vice versa.

Refutation of the Myth:

Do not ever believe that playing in a slot machine where some player recently won will boost your winning chance. No matter if the previous player loses or wins, it won’t affect your winning chances on that machine at all.

Slot’s RNG generates hundreds of combinations every second, making it impossible to predict the outcome. To get the same outcome as the previous player, you’ll have to spin the reels within milliseconds. And that’s something next to impossible!

15. Online Slots Are Rigged.

Explanation of the Myth:

Many slot players accuse online slots of being rigged. Most of these players are the ones on a losing streak. However, online slots can never be rigged as long as you play slots from trusted and licensed game providers.

Refutation of the Myth:

Several gamblers get skeptical of this myth. But they must know that developers and providers work dedicatedly towards building trustworthy and fair slots. They use the only viable solution to develop fair games: Random Number Generators (RNGs).

Thanks to RNG, all the spins in a slot machine are random and fair. Also, these providers perform audits and testing on their RNGs via third parties like eCOGRA as a step of their certification process. This third-party audit ensures all their slots generate random outcomes and give fair winning chances to all players. So, playing slots tested by third parties and developed by licensed providers can never be rigged.

16. The Odds Of Winning Are Better On A Machine With Fewer Reels.

Explanation of the Myth:

Another slot myth circulating across the community is that the slot machines with fewer reels offer better odds of winning. They feel spinning reels on machines with minimum reels can boost their winning chances.

Refutation of the Myth:

The number of reels in a slot machine has nothing to do with the winning odds of a player. This myth is baseless and makes no sense at all. This slot machine myth is quite similar to the land-based slot myth, where players believe that pulling a handle increases winning odds more than the button press option.

17. Casino Employees Can Manipulate Slot Machines.

Explanation of the Myth:

Some casino players don’t feel trusting the casino employees. This distrust within the players led to the myth that casino employees could manipulate slot machines.

Refutation of the Myth:

The iGaming industry has thousands of employees, including specialists who look after the casinos’ slot machines. An employee can’t conspire and manipulate the machines without the other staff knowing. Besides being barely possible, doing such manipulation is a severe criminal offense. With the RTP factor, there is no need for any licensed casino to involve in any such malpractice.

18. You Can Tell If A Slot Machine Is Going To Pay Out Based On Its Sound Or Other Cues.

Explanation of the Myth:

At times, the slot machine makes sounds or cues that players consider as an indicator of payout. This eventually led to the misconception that slot machines payout when they make certain sounds or cues. Perhaps, it may have been a coincidence, which someone believed to be true.

Refutation of the Myth:

No, slot machines don’t give a payout when they make certain sounds. And they definitely don’t make any cues. What may happen is some operational fault when the machine gets loose or tight. However, this doesn’t impact the payout percentage in any manner.

19. Slot Machines With A Higher Denomination Have Better Odds.

Explanation of the Myth:

Many people believe that slot machines with higher denominations yield higher odds. However, payout percentage and denomination have only a single correlation. Higher the denomination, the better the gameplay experience.

Refutation of the Myth:

Higher denominations of slots have nothing to do with the odds. Every slot outcome is always random. If the denomination is high, it only means the slot wants to elevate your gameplay experience. Nothing else!

20. The Timing Of When You Play A Slot Machine Affects Your Chances Of Winning.

Explanation of the Myth:

Players think that the time when they play the slot machine influences their winning chances. This is more of a superstition than a myth. They fail to comprehend that RNGs–the governing factor of the slots–do not run on clocks.

Refutation of the Myth:

Slot machines run on RNG, which ensures 100% randomness in all slot outcomes. The RNG generates hundreds of combinations within seconds, making it impossible for someone to predict the right time to play on that machine.

Conclusion

With this comprehensive guide, you now know that most slot machine myths are based on these notions:

• Slot machines programmed to run in specific ways
• Manipulation of slot machines
• Slots getting rigged
• Superstitious beliefs on winning chances.

Lucky for players, they won’t have to worry about any of these myths as today’s modern gambling industry is highly regulated. Online casinos only source slots from licensed developers who offer tested and fair games. With RNG in every other slot, there isn’t anything to fear about.