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"There are many misconceptions about slot machines, not only among players but also among some authors who write about them. Many people mistakenly believe that the chances of each symbol on each reel appearing on the payline are equal. They assume that, for example, in a slot machine with three reels, each containing 22 symbols, and only one payline, the chances of hitting the jackpot (where the jackpot symbol is just one of the 22) would be 1 in 22 cubed, which equals 1 in 10,648. This is a valid assumption for earlier slot machines or multi-line slot machines. However, it's not applicable to single payline slot machines. In fact, the likelihood of each symbol appearing is weighted differently, so if there are two different symbols among the 22, let's say a red 7 and a blue 7, each with only one instance, the odds of getting three red 7s would be vastly different from getting three blue 7s.
Here's a detailed explanation:
1. When a player pulls the lever or presses the ""spin"" button, the machine selects three random numbers. At the moment the player presses the button, the outcome has already been determined, and these three numbers are used to generate the game's result.
2. The selected three random numbers are typically very large or very small, and they are then converted into a specific range, such as integers between 0 and 63. This is often done by taking a large number and dividing it by another number, then taking the remainder.
3. The small random numbers are mapped to specify where symbols appear on each reel. In this mapping, higher-paying symbols have fewer mappings.
4. When the player presses the button, the machine has already decided where to stop, and what you see as the colorful spinning of the reels is just for entertainment.
While symbols on non-weighted reels, whether mechanical or electronic, may be numerous, reaching up to 60 symbols or more on each reel, the process is still the same. The odds are weighted differently for each symbol, so the probability of landing certain combinations varies.
Whether it's card counting or just luck, players often rely on intuition when gambling. Many gamblers have a sort of sixth sense that tells them when to place bets. They find that when they wait for the right feeling before betting, they have a much better chance of winning. This intuition varies from person to person.
Psychologist Klein once shared a story about a group of firefighters who entered a burning kitchen. They quickly extinguished the fire, but the fire captain heard himself shouting, ""Everyone get out now!"" He didn't know why he said that, but as soon as the firefighters left, the floor collapsed. Later, the fire captain realized that because this fire was quieter than usual, without the loud crackling and roaring flames, his ears felt unusually warm, triggering his ""sixth sense of danger."" He didn't know exactly what was wrong, but he knew something was off. Eventually, they discovered that the source of the fire wasn't in the kitchen but in the basement, and the firefighters had been standing right above it. We've all heard stories of this kind of expert intuition, whether it's a chess grandmaster passing by a street chess game, barely stopping, and saying, ""Three more moves, and white wins.""
Doctors can diagnose complex conditions with just a glance at a patient. Expert intuition may seem like magic to us, but it's not. Every one of us uses expert intuition every day. Most people can sense when the other person on the phone is angry just from the first word. We can walk into a room and immediately know that people were just talking about us. When driving, we can instinctively take evasive action to avoid an accident.
A manager in an investment department of a securities firm once sold a million dollars' worth of casino stocks. Why? He had recently been to a casino and was impressed by the calm environment. He explained, ""Ah, I really sensed that the betting environment was unusually quiet."" He was clear in saying that he trusted his intuition, and he was quite satisfied with his decision." |
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Post time 11-9-2023 20:47:23