Video slots have built-in random number generators that ensure their fairness. This all ties into a game's hit frequency. The hit frequency is the percentage of time a slot will stop on a winning combination. The higher the percentage, the more likely you are to win some kind of prize. Even with a higher hit frequency, games are still designed to have losing spins more often than winning ones.
What is Hit Frequency?
Hit frequency is all about how often a machine pays a prize. That prize could be big or small. If a slot machine has a hit frequency of 10 percent, it means that 10 percent of the time, you'll get a winning combination.
Slots can have a hit frequency as low as 3 percent or as much as 45 percent. What you need to remember is that this isn't just big payouts, hit frequency covers any prize. This includes spins where you simply win back the amount you bet or wins where you win less money than your bet.
Return-to-Player Calculations Are Equally Important
You should look at a game's hit frequency, but there's also the return-to-player percentage that's important to consider. RTP is the percentage of money taken in through player bets that's returned to players over days or weeks. If a casino keeps 15 percent of the bets it gets on a game, the RTP is 85 percent. RTP is always based on long-term calculations. It doesn't mean out of your 10 spins, 8 will lead to a prize. Think more in terms of hundreds of thousands or millions of spins.
How Random Number Generators Work
Random number generators come into play by creating a completely unpredictable pattern of when a machine will hit on a win. The slot machine's program gives every possible combination of symbols a series of numbers going up into the billions. Machines opt which combination to stop on by running the program. A random number is picked, and the slots stop with that number's pattern on the next turn.
Eventually, the number for a winning combination comes up. The next player to spin the reels will get the symbols for that number that leads to a win. Because the numbers are chosen in advance of a player's turn, it's hard for players to find any patterns in how many spins it takes to hit a jackpot. It's all random.
Look for High Percentages on Both RTP and Hit Frequency
For the best luck winning on slot machines, look for games that have an RTP of at least 95 percent, some experts recommend 97 percent. Also look for a higher hit frequency. You'll end up with a higher percentage of winning spins this way. The prizes may not be huge, but something is better than nothing.
If the casino you frequent doesn't list RTP or hit frequency, see if customer support has the information. If not, you may need to do some digging on your own to find that information. Hopefully, this helps you find the best slots to play online for real money.
