Ask the Slot Expert: Number of coins played can affect long-term payback

Hi John.

Here's a question that I would like answered in your fine column.

I believe that slots are programmed for their various payouts. I know you say that the RNG is the determining factor, but could you explain to me -- if a slot's payout is, let's say, 85 percent, is that based on max coins in or min coins in? It's got to make a difference, in which case the machine has to know the total it takes in.

Help me understand this.

I've played slots from Conn. to Cal. for about 30 years. The penny slots now are by far the most fun.

KY slot player.

Dear KY slot player:

Thanks for the kind words about my column.

I don't think I've ever said that the RNG is the determining factor in a slot's long-term payback. The slot's pay table and virtual reel layout determine its long-term payback. The RNG doesn't affect payback.

The long-term payback is affected by the number of coins played. Let's take a simple example. A three-coin Bonus Multiplier pays a 200-coin bonus on the jackpot combination with full coin. That bonus raises the long-term payback from, say, 92.3 percent (when playing one or two coins) to 93 percent (when playing three coins).

We would refer to this machine as a 93 percent payback machine, but if everyone who played it played only one or two coins per spin, the players would get back only 92.3 percent.

The long-term payback given for a machine is usually the max-coin long-term payback. If players play less than full coin, they may be playing at a lower long-term payback.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@comcast.net. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.