How are progressive jackpots kept random?

Question

If all slot/video poker machines are truly random, how does a machine stay random when it guarantees a jackpot to hit by a certain amount. If a jackpot is supposed to hit by lets say $1000.00 and has not by $990.00, it will obviously hit very soon. How can that be random?

Answer 1

There are no guaranteed payouts. A random number generator is constantly working inside the machine. These RNGs are checked by the gaming board to ensure they are fair. When you press the start button a random number is returned by the RNG and that random number relates to a win table inside the machine. This win table has millions of combinations on it, most of which win nothing, and one of which wins the jackpot. If you happen to press the start button at the exact millisecond the RNG is 'thinking' of the right number, you win the jackpot.

But with millions of possible combinations, the odds are you won't. It all depends on the machine as to how likely it is that you'll win. Clearly the big progressive jackpots are really unlikely to hit, whereas some machines have much smaller jackpots that are likely to hit more often. The generosity of the machine is determined by the win table. The more prizes on the internal win table, the more likely it is that the RNG will hit a winning combination.

In terms of how a machine will pay out, this is governed by the laws of probability. For example if a win table contained only 100 results, one of which was the jackpot, chances are one in 100 that you would hit. Of course it is not guaranteed. But if you played 10,000 times, the odds are more likely that you would hit the jackpot 100 times. Now you may end up with 95 or 105, but it is going to be close to 100. The longer you take an average the closer it is going to be to the expected average.

It is this concept that most people misunderstand with a slot machine. If it guarantees a 98% payout, this doesn't mean that if you put $100 in, you will always win $98 back. The 98% payout may only be true over the course of a million dollars being placed in the machine.

Answer 2

The truth is that they aren't random. If it's a video poker, It runs off a computer program that uses what is called a random number generator.It's an algorithm that uses certain parameters in a complex algebraic equation;
such as: the # of spins X the time of day Divided by some other value= a randomly generated #.
Sometimes the # may be blocked from appearing again.
By limiting the values in such a way, only a certain amount of possible #s can be generated, a Percentage of how often a certain # will come up can be calculated.

Answer 3

For a good explanation of the random number generator used in slots, read the article at the source site below. I think one of the most interesting facts is that the RNG is playing even when the machine is not being played.