Online slot myths how and why they first appeared

Everyone who plays free online slots wants to win, and if they are truly serious about it, they might well have searched online about how to do it. This is where the problems start. Although there are some useful tips online about how to play slot games (although not necessarily how to win since they are a game of chance) there is even more information that is simply not true – myths easily grow up around online slots, and it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. 

Here are some of the biggest online myths, where they came from, and what the truth is – if there is any truth at all. 

The More You Bet The More Chance You Have Of Winning

On most online slot games there will be a button that says ‘max bet’ or something similar to this. It can be tempting to press that button and have one big roll of the virtual dice because, after all, isn’t it true that the more you bet the more chance you have of winning? So if you bet the maximum you can on each spin you’re sure to come away with a profit? 

Unfortunately, this is not true. It would be wonderful if it was because everyone would win a lot of money every time they hit the button, but the truth is that the only thing pressing max bet is sure to do is reduce your bank balance. It won’t give you an extra edge, and you won’t be able to play as long as you’ll run out of money much more quickly. 

Avoid Slots That Have Recently Paid Out

One of the myths that have been circulating for decades now, not just relating to online slots but to all slots in general, is the one that states that if a machine or game has just paid out it should be avoided for a while because it’s not going to pay out again. 

It makes sense that this myth has prevailed. After all, in logical terms when you think about how likely a game is to pay out, those that haven’t given out any winnings for a while look like the best bet (literally); they must be due a payout any time now. 

That’s not how slots work, though, so it makes no difference whether a game has paid out recently or not – they all have the same chance of giving you a win. Each spin is entirely random, so there’s no way the machine can ‘know’ that it’s time to give a win or take a loss. So go ahead and play your favourite games even if someone has just won big on it; you could too. 

You Can’t Improve Your Chances Of Winning

At the opposite end of things from the previous myths, some believe that there is nothing at all you can do to improve your chances of winning when you’re playing online slots. That’s because, as mentioned above, all online slot games (and physical slot machines, come to that) are completely randomized. So how can you have a better chance of winning? 

The truth is you can improve your chances, although you can never guarantee a win at any time. Take a look at the RTP (return to player) percentage of each game and you’ll see that some have higher RTPs than others. If you want to improve your chances of winning, playing a slot that has a high RTP compared to others will help you. 

Often, the slots with the highest RTPs are the ones with the lowest jackpots, but don’t let that put you off. A win is a win, even if it’s not up there in the tens or hundreds of thousands like some games can offer. 

The Time Of Day Makes A Difference

Some players will categorically state that it is better to play slots at night time, in the morning, at lunchtime, on Wednesdays, at the start of the month, at the end of the month, and so on… they will believe this to be true, and they’ll play at those times. They’ll think that the casinos have created machines that work better at this time rather than that time, or maybe they’ll simply be superstitious about which games they’ve always been more successful on at specific times. 

In reality, there is no ‘good time’ to play a slot game, nor is there a ‘bad time’ to play. There is just any time you want – online slots are available 24/7, so if you fancy a game you can go online and play, and it won’t make any difference to your ability to win or your chances of losing if you play first thing in the morning, the last thing at night, or on a day that ends in a Y. The games cannot be programmed to change their RTPs at specific times or on certain days; they just won’t work like that. 

There Are Tight and Loose Slots

A story has been making the rounds for a good long time now, and it tells players that some machines are ‘loose’ and some are ‘tight’. That is, some pay out more than others, even if the games are exactly the same. This started with the physical slots, where the myth would spring up that one machine, in particular, was looser or tighter than the others in the room or row. 

When online slots came about, the myth kept going, suggesting that some games were easier to win than others. The truth is that there are so many restrictions and watchdogs involved in the gambling industry that it would be impossible to deliberately make it harder to win on some games than others. If it was true, the gambling industry would be in serious trouble, and many casinos would lose a lot of business. In the end, the RTPs are all published so you can check them out and make your determination yourself.