Random Vs Compensated Vs RPT/Profit.

[Ian Hislop]

Darren, can you explain what you make of the difference please ?
Anyone ?

How random or compensated can a slot machine be if it has a fixed percentage and is ONLY there to generate profit ?

Where is that fixed RTP throttling the random/compensated action ? How random is it really and what does compensated actually mean ? 

I have never heard of a slot being both random and compensated.

[BlindHaze]

Back in my 90s heyday, no slots were random, they were simply compensated. When they’d taken enough money, they were going to pay out. If a machine had just paid out, there was next to no chance of you winning if you played it.

Nowadays, they’re pretty much all random. The long term RTP is over thousands maybe millions of spins, and they’re designed to have a house edge. It also doesn’t need to take money to pay out, and if it has taken money then there’s still no guarantee it’ll pay out. They work in a similar way to a roulette wheel, it’s completely random and past performance is no indication of the future outcomes. If you back number 4 and it comes in, it’s just as likely to come in on the next spin. But the green zero is still there for the house edge.

[Ian Hislop]

Ask in your local arcade about the time scale on RTP balancing.

I remember from the old days when a noob playing a bar x had no idea what he was doing and nudged the jackpot wrongly. It spun right back in again, the exact same spin and nudges. 

It is possible to self deny wins today and test the process. Even by pushing the gamble at the right time, it will keep coming in until enough credit is played to cave in and pay the jackpot. That's on "random" slots. 

[StopandStep]

Random slots are 100% random, just the way a roulette wheel is random but on a percentage. The percentage is made up from the 37 positions, but paying 36/1. A slot is similar but on a more complex scale. 
Bar X is compensated, so some versions might force you to take a win. 

Occasionally you might get a mixture of random / compensated to help keep the game balanced, but they are pretty rare. 

[Ian Hislop]

6 hours ago, StopandStep said:

Random slots are 100% random, just the way a roulette wheel is random but on a percentage. The percentage is made up from the 37 positions, but paying 36/1. A slot is similar but on a more complex scale. 
Bar X is compensated, so some versions might force you to take a win. 

Occasionally you might get a mixture of random / compensated to help keep the game balanced, but they are pretty rare. 

Darren, when you are next in and can speak to a manager, ask about RTP timelines. We know RTP can be stretched over X spins but there is a time factor too. I believe this is where "random" is forced out the window.