Slot machine(slot, gambling machine, casino slot, fruit machine, puggy, pokies, fruities) — special equipment installed in the gambling establishment and used for gambling games with cash winnings without participation in the said games representatives of the gambling establishment.
History
The first prototype of a slot machine was invented in 1887 in England. In 1905, the famous Liberty Bell was created in the United States, and since then, the game's availability has increased, which has had an immediate impact on the number of players around the world. Slot machines started to be installed not only in casinos, but also in saloons and bars. From then on the world gambling industry started a new life.
How it works
Slot machines are one of the most lucrative methods of doing business. The owner earns money on the so-called "kickback percentage", that is, the administrator of the system sets in advance the percentage of money invested in the slot machine by the player, which is returned to the players in the form of winnings.
Such percentage varies between 80 and 95, but on average it is 85-92. Most machines do not allow the percentage to be less than 80 (but not less than the legal limit) because the manufacturer believes that in this case it would not be profitable to keep the machine. It is a fallacy to believe that if the machine with a percentage of return of 80, "eats" 100 rubles, it should immediately give due to the player 80 rubles.
A winning combination also appears by chance as well as a losing one, so the machine can "eat" both 1 and 10 thousand rubles, and give nothing, but in the next instant, give 80% (of an arbitrary amount) due to the player. In any case, if you take the statistics of the machine for a more or less long period (1 week/1 month), it will still turn out that the machine gives the player no more than 80% of the money invested in it.
The player can only win if he hits a random payout of 80 per cent of the random amount. When the player starts the game the symbols appear at random on the screen by means of a pseudo-random number generator naturally respecting the conditions of the established "payout percentage" - if the conditions are met the combination on the screen will be a winning combination.
Thus, all pictures on the screen or doubling the winnings (red/black, big/small) by and large do not matter. The reels and player can't influence the game and what button the player would press after starting. Even before the reels stop the machine "knows" beforehand whether the winning combination will appear or not. In this sense a modern slot machine is not different from a so-called street machine, a common primitive slot machine without even a screen. The screen is unnecessary; the screen merely displays a sequence of pseudo-random numbers graphically. The screen is designed to keep the player interested in the game and stay with the machine longer.
Colourful pictures of game characters, opportunity to choose any symbols, doubling of winnings, sound track, design of the machine itself. All that is needed only for a psychological aspect of the game - a player is as if playing a quest. He feels his involvement with the game characters and gets an idea that he controls them, but all this is false! The processor of the machine before the first second already "knows" how to act and only then gives command to the graphic board to light up this or that picture on the screen.
There are several ways of operating the generator:
- Virtual shift: another random number (in range 0-1) is added to random number (in range 0-1) which defines reel sector, if needed, 1 is subtracted and new position is shown accordingly
- Infinite displacement: the co-processor counts all the time, giving only the result generated when betting
- From winnings: A random number determines the winnings and the type (credits and extra games) and then the machine "draws" the combination for it.
Types of machines
Mechanical slots
Before the adoption of the law regulating the minimum payout percentage of 90%, after which single models were withdrawn from circulation. However, in some halls they remained blocked as exhibits.
The earliest models had a lever for starting, later models were started by a button (the lever remained a tradition).
Advantages of
- Ease of customisation - you just have to re-stick the right symbols and make a table of winnings
- More complete demo mode - can (unlike video) run in random and endless rotation mode
- Buttons/lever are made with resistance, limiting minimum player age
Disadvantages
- Increased vulnerability, making it necessary to install a shock sensor (which locks mechanisms when triggered)
- On some machines, only half of the cells contain the prize symbols, which caused doubts among the players
- Large size (due to the presence of a hopper - a device for handling coins/tokens)
Video Slot machine
The current level of electronics development allows for an almost unlimited number of new slot machine variations. They typically feature five parallel discs, with various images printed on the rim of the disc. These are virtual reels spinning on a video monitor screen. These machines have from 1 to 40 or more (rarely up to 100) winning lines, the payout is based on combinations on all lines.
Certain combinations of numbers bring the player a win. Slot machines differ from each other both in terms of playing conditions - the ability to further increase the amount won; bonus systems, jackpots - and in the design of casings and game programs - the number of symbols and pictures that have replaced the traditional "cherry" is incalculable.
The following games were widely used: SupeJump (KSI), SwampLand (KSI), LuckyDrink (Belatra), CrazyMonkey(Igrosoft) and many others. Of foreign machines: machines from Atronic, Bally, IGT, WMS, Novomatic ... Today, numerous online slot machines are available in demo versions for review.
Video poker
A slot machine with a processor unit, note and coin acceptor, and video monitor. Unlike slot machines, it contains a program that simulates a poker game. As a rule, are equipped with touch screens. Models: IGT Game King, Bally GameMaker, etc.
Pillars
First generation: A slot machine with a coin grip that functions as a button and is equipped with a seven-segment display that shows the winning combinations. The retail price was initially 100000 roubles, with fixed stakes of 5 roubles which at 75% return gave the owner 1 rouble 25 kopecks from each game) which together with low business opening costs even led to expulsion of other tenants from small gambling premises.
The KCI firm used a PC to run the "poles". SIGMAS used a microcontroller-based board. There was many variants of both circuitry and design of columns. A special case of "pole" was the so-called "daisy" - an outdoor structure made of metal frame and wall panels, on the sides of which were installed units - modules of posts and sometimes - video slots.
Later versions were actually a variation of the usual video slot with reduced number of buttons (no more "Payout Table", "Payout" buttons, each selection (line / bet) was made by one button only) and a CRT monitor. The operator inside the structure could not see the player before demanding a payout on a coin-operated machine (or change on a coin-operated machine), but observation by the nonplayer was effectively free, which created a negative public perception. Some hex-like and rounded structures were later repurposed as kiosks.
Other
Includes horse racing simulators, electronic roulette and roulette machines with a real wheel and pneumatic ball-throwing machines, as well as machines of mixed construction.