Does a Slot Machine Ever Go Cold?


The car might have been cool while you were watching or playing with it, but you do not know whether yesterday was warm or cool, or whether it is going to be warm tomorrow.

Slot machines go cold. Slot machines pay out on variable schedules, so it is likely that a slot machine that happens to have paid well will eventually turn cold. If the machine is player or long enough, then coldness is guaranteed. A machine that has proven itself hot is likely to exhibit normal behavior shortly afterward.

The programming for the slot machine is based on the Random Number Generator (RNG) and is not programmed to be hot or cold to continue delivering the same winning percentages over a short period – and that is what all the players of a slot machine are playing for over a short period.

Slot machines are not programmed to get hot or cold – all that matters is that they hit their programmed winning percentage for the duration of their life (many millions of spins, far more than any single individual can ever play).

Slot Machines Do Not Have a Due Time

Slot machines are not due to a payout when they have not paid in a while, nor are they going hot and starting to pay more. Slot machines are not programmed to get caught up in the wake of a big win, nor are they programmed to start having winning results after a long, cold run.

In my experience, it seems pretty clear that the slot machines must have a kind of computer-coded system in place that makes sure that you cannot just keep winning again — which is why, when you do win big, there is always a long cold losing streak that follows.

Have you also noticed that after a moderate win, or payoff, say you continue playing the same slot machine, it seems almost like the game needs a moderate payoff back to hand you another, smaller payoff, for no reason? If the slot machine gives you a payoff of over double the amount you deposited with double the amount of coins, for instance, then you should max out rather than playing with only one coin, as you are increasing the odds of winning the larger pot, with the higher expected value.

When you are deciding how many coins you should be playing each time, remember that more is sometimes better.

Tips for Playing Longer On Slots

When you are low on balance, play smaller bets because you need to build up the balance slowly, and then once you are at about 200, I would say that you are ready to start playing the jackpot games, betting larger amounts each spin on regular slots, and so on. Never gamble with any money that you cannot afford to lose, make sure that you are playing games that are right for your bankroll.

If you are walking into a live casino or logging onto an online casino, with $200, you cannot afford to play the Dollar Slot. If you are betting $3 on a triple-coin dollar slot machine, which pays 95%, you are going to lose money more in the mean than you would be if you were betting 40 cents on a one-cent game 40 lines long, which pays 86%.

After putting all $100 in a slot, pulling after 100, you would finish up $90 on average, since you lost 10 percent of your $100. If you pass the $ 90 back through the machine, you will get back 90 percent, that is 0.90 x 90 = $81.

If your hot machine goes through 40-50 rotations without any decent payoffs, rest assured that it has been cooling down on you. When you pull a lever or press a spin button, the machine displays symbols and pays out according to whichever number it stops at.

Machines Encourage Excessive Wagering

The machines encourage you to wager far more than one cent at a time; in fact, some machines allow you to wager over 1000 coins per rotation (called lines). That is $10 per spin, folks. Yes, machines are programmed to pay out a percentage of the money played on them in winnings for players.

The games are by no means random, the thing that stands out the most to me is that 100% of the time, you will get free spins or bonuses in one game, you win a little bit of money, and then after, it is guaranteed if you continue playing this game, you are not going to get another free spin or bonus for an extended time.

Slot machines will often show several spins in which players seem only a single symbol away from winning, thus leading to a false belief they are nearly winning. Some players think casinos keep a track of players who are hot/cold to try and figure out who might win or lose, including possible ones that are winning too much or losing too often. With online platforms such as TwinSpires Casino, it is impossible to view the way that other online players are winning or losing at any of the slots games.

Slot Machine Tactics Trickle Into Arcades

Slot players are not concerned with being drawn to a casino; in fact, slot players run down to the arcades today to gamble. The theory is that machines in end-rows are seen by bystanders, and casinos want these other customers to see the slots players winning. Put a group of arcade fans together in one room, and they would never agree on whether they would rather play a hot or a cold arcade.

The problem is, that many slot players will announce that their machines are in hot or cold cycles (based on what they are doing) and then make the decision on whether or not to keep playing, based on this belief. Some players feel you should not walk away from a slot when there are lots of bonuses recently awarded, or large wins; likewise, they feel that you should walk away if a machine is paying nothing. What they do not understand is that if you get one particular win from one slot and then switch to several others, all will die.

Keep in mind this strategy works better during wee hours when there are more slots open, and there is no guarantee that you will find a hot game, but the more you move around from one game to another, the better chance you will get to find one that is running hot and paying off. Let us say that you are playing on a machine that has the slot’s probabilities programmed for a 30% chance of hitting.

Blaine Fuji

Blaine Fuji is the avatar of Gambler's Grace. He studied math and physics in graduate school and figured out how to leverage his knowledge of statistics to game more effectively. In his free time, he enjoys playing card games of all sorts.

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