Slots have always been among the most popular casino games on the planet. Not only are they incredibly fun to play but they also offer huge payouts for lucky players. Naturally, everyone wants to win at these games. Some people are even willing to go the extra mile in a bid to better their chances. This makes you wonder: can the slot machines be manipulated?
You will not find any definitive guide on how to manipulate a slot machine. However, there are scores of articles and videos that speak about special tips or tricks that players can use to win while playing slots. Some of these do count as manipulation but they are not as easy to pull off as they may seem. It is important to note that these are meant to be informational or educational. Influencing the results of an otherwise fair game would amount to fraud. We are not advocating for any of that.
Slots Are Not Foolproof
Yes, that is right. Slot machines, including modern ones, are not exactly perfect machines. It is possible for these machines to be manipulated and this has happened many times and is still happening in some places. The machines always need to evolve for this reason. This ensures that the operators are not getting defrauded. It also means that players have access to fair games.
When it comes to some of the ways that the machines were getting manipulated, it was dependent on the kind of slot machines in question. Older mechanical slot machines are quite different from new software-based slot games. Their inner workings are what determine how they operate. That also determines how they were manipulated. Go ahead and give online slots free spins a try to see how you it works and also if you like to play.
Manipulation of Mechanical Slot Machines
To manipulate the mechanical slot machines, the parties involved had to use mechanical techniques. A common one involved the use of a manipulated coin. This coin would be inserted into the slot machine to interfere with the registered balance. Usually, a string would be attached to the coin allowing the player to use it multiple times. Essentially, this form of manipulation lets them play and win without paying anything. This loophole was patched with the arrival of electro-machines. These were better at detecting valid coins.
Some people have also had some success by manipulating the course of the slot game or the results. For instance, instead of using a manipulated coin, they would compromise the cash dispenser. The parts of a slot machine are usually a trade secret among the manufacturers but some people have had access to the inner workings.
Manipulators eventually found ways of stopping reels in the electromechanical slot games. The most skillful ones could then beat winning combinations and make a profit. Later, the machines were redesigned to make it only possible to stop one reel. That also only proved to be a temporary fix.
A while after the entry of electronically-controlled slot games, someone figured that it would be possible to trigger the reels to stop using an electromagnetic pulse. Unsurprisingly, this worked, and once again the manufacturers had to return to the drawing board.
The Manipulation of Virtual/Online Slots
Today, lots of people gamble online and online slots are among the most popular. Online casino operators often promise a lot in terms of safety, security, and fairness. However, this was not always the case. Software manipulation also proved to be a huge problem for online slots operators.
This especially applied to software that wasn’t updated frequently. In the beginning, hackers exploited weaknesses within the circuit boards. That made it easy for them to obtain money unfairly. Companies had to act very quickly to ensure that this was no longer an issue.
Exploiting slot machines or games is no longer as big of an issue as it used to be. Still, does that not mean that it does not occur anymore? Since perfection is almost impossible, most forms of manipulations nowadays rely on errors or mistakes. Bugs in software code are very common. A few people figured out ways of replicating these bugs and applying them to critical parts of the game. As a result, they could improve their odds of winning.
The Future of Fairness in Slot Games
We have come a long way since the early slot machines. They are not perfect as it is but progress is still being made across the board. Safety and security features are always being added to these platforms. Operators are now also investing in technologies that will ensure fairness. Blockchain, for instance, has been very useful in the development of the next generation of provably fair games.
All in all, it is important to note that fairly winning at slots is still possible. Players just need to stick to tested practices such as bankroll management to stay on the safe side. Casinos also offer other incentives such as demo modes and amazing bonuses to make the gaming experience better.
