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Ask the Slot Expert: Going beyond just seeing the future on a slot machine

1 April 2026

Last week I described a parlor trick in which, under certain circumstances, you could see into the future on a slot machine and know whether you were going to get a bonus on a spin before the machine has revealed that result.

Let's take it one step further this week.

I'll begin by describing an experiment.

Scientists showed test subjects randomly chosen images. Images fell into one of three categories: violent, calm, or explicitly sexual.

Each type of image triggers different sections of the brain. The subjects wore brain monitor caps so the scientists could record the brain waves triggered by each image.

The experiment generated the expected results. Each image triggered the expected section of the brain.

A closer examination of the results showed something unexpected. Some test subject's brains reacted before the image was shown.

These subjects' brains knew what kind of image was going to be shown and reacted to the image before the subject saw the image.

An even closer examination of the results revealed something no one expected to see. Some subjects' brains reacted not only before the image was displayed, but also before the random number generator had chosen which image to show. Their brains had the appropriate reaction to an image that hadn't been chosen yet.

What was happening? Is it possible that their brains were not predicting the future but creating it?

Buddha said, "With our thoughts, we create the world."

The next time I play the Diamond Quick Hit Link machine I wrote about last week, I'm going to imagine myself getting spins that have many Quick Hit symbols landing on the screen and I'm going to imagine spins with the bonus-triggering symbols appearing on the screen and triggering the bonus.

I'm going to try to use my thoughts to make the machine give me more high-paying spins.

Note: Today is April Fool's Day. But only half of this column is a prank. The experimental results I described are real. Dan Brown writes about the experiments in his latest book, The Secret of Secrets.

The test subjects who reacted after an image was chosen and before it was shown could somehow have been sensing the kind of image that was selected. What about the test subjects who reacted before the image was selected? Were they seeing into the future or creating it?

I don't really think I can influence the RNG with my thoughts. I'll probably have no effect.

I'll give it a try anyway. I have nothing to lose.


If you would like to see more non-smoking areas on slot floors in Las Vegas, please sign my petition on change.org.


John Robison

John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots
John Robison
John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots