Question of the Day - 22 April 2025

It used to be 'conventional wisdom', similar to the OP's aunt's theory, that prime time for a slot jackpot was in the days immediately following a casino's first opening.

Candy

When a casino first opens, weekends, holidays.  Those are times when the casinos are crowded with customers hammering the machines.  So of course the more play that happens, the more likely someone will hit that random jackpot.

the problem with all the conspiracy theories is the same, no reason to do it.  

Deke... PLEASE go look at the Professor Slots website and do a QOD on this guy. His whole premise is based on casinos being able to regularly adjust the payout percentage etc. with computers and he says there are better days and times than others and the casinos regularly do this. Don't just make the statement that this guy is nuts and casinos can't do it. Pretty please explain WHY they can't do it and explain if there is ANY merit to this guy's claims. When you listen to this guy's explanation and stats he shows it really seems like it may be legit. I'm pretty sure it's not but I would really love an expert to explain why it isn't. THANKS!

Aren’t all modern slot machines manufactured to allow an owner/casino to set the desired RTP (return to player %) for the machine?  If so, can’t the RTP of the machine be set differently at different times?  I know the RNG will determine the actual chance of hitting a jackpot, but wouldn’t adjusting the RTP affect the size of the payout and frequency of the RNG providing a jackpot result?  

I know for a fact when the jackpots will be hit.  When I am not there!!!!  I always thought that the program controlled what the outcome of each of the RNG's solutions would do, mostly nothing.  The math is extensive, and having many small hits and fewer large hits would make the machine have the same RTP.  Its how they order the machine.  I think, and may be wrong, but the casino cannot touch the RNG, but can change what the outcomes would be, based upon the reels, number of theoretical stops on each reel, how many large jackpot symbols and how many small payout symbols are, theoretically, on each reel determine the payback amount, etc.  As long as there is at least one large jackpot symbol on each reel there is a very slim possibility you can hit it.  They cannot change the RNG by programming it not to come up with that combination, or telling when it can.  As it was said, not worth it.  They make lots of money without cheating.

Just went to Professor Slots website to see what he is peddling.  He promises to make you a better slots player in 30 days for the bargain price of $ 97.00.  Maybe if I put the $ 97.00 in a slot machine I would have hit!  A lot of his teaching appears to cause you to think about what y ou are doing--and don't lose you winnings (if any).  I think the important point, as discussed in other Q of the Day Questions is that the operators can change the RNG payout percentages but they have to inform the regulators that they are going to do so and change out the RNG units under supervision.  (Of course if you are playing in an unregulated Indian casino--some were found to have fixed the units not to deal Royal Flushes, etc...). But, the machines still are not programed to pay out more on certain days of the week.  Since more players show up on weekends and holidays, you would imagine that there would be more jackpots hit at peak times!

I don't remember it being called RTP, but I do recall the words of somebody who should know, that the casino can 'order', say, 30 Dragon Link machines, a certain percentage of which will RTP more (in whatever time span) than the percentage in which the "RTP" is programmed (PRIOR to leaving the factory) to return less. Not the same as what the RNG does.  Does somebody at the casino know which is which?  Where to place the high RTP ones for best effect? Dunno.

Not that the lower RTP will never RTP a jackpot, but in significantly less frequency than the other ones.  Something like that.  Just sayin', I did read about it somewhere sometime.  Blaghhhh......

When a vp machine is tested for accuracy is a computer connected to the machine with test software? Who makes the test software? 

My understanding is the RTP is baked into a chip when the machine is ordered, but can't be changed unless that chip is replaced.  It really doesn't make any sense to "twiddle" with the machine payback on an a la carte basis.  If this were possible, why did Mirage do what they did to dispose of all of their progressive jackpots?  They could have just "set" the machines to 'cough up mode' and dump the progressives that way.  They didn't do that, because it's really not possible.  Sometimes old wives tales can also be old aunts tales.