Slot Machines: Payout and Hold Percentages

Today's slot machines do still have similar reels and levers like that of the older ones, but these are all for show purposes. The truth is that the random number generator of each slot machine is the operating system of the machine.

The random number generator controls every spin of the slot machine and each spin has no influence in whatever ways from the previous spin or to the upcoming spin. Furthermore, every slot machine is already pre-programmed to observe a certain payout percentage.

The term payout in slot machines refers generally to the amount of money a player won for every game session. There is another factor that can determine your odds in slot machines and it is called hold. Payout and hold are totally opposite in meaning.

In technical terms, slot machine payout means that a specific percentage of the bet is returned back to the player over a game. The term hold means that a percentage of the bet is detained within the slot machine over the machine's life.

Normally, slot machines have a regular hold percentage that is between 2% and 10%. But take note that the hold of slot machines is controlled by the principle of large numbers. Similar to other game odds that are mathematical in nature, the estimated hold of a slot machine is logical over a broad scale and not on a per game basis. An example of this is that if a slot machine has a hold of 5%, it does not mean that the slot machine will give a payout of $95 for every $100 it takes.

On the other hand, payouts are pre-programmed in the slot machines and the average payout normally is between 80% and 99%, and that includes the jackpot prizes. You must take into notice that each slot machine has its own payout percentage whether the slot machines have similar reels, brand name, or paylines.

For reel types of slot machines, one way to determine their payout and hold percentage is through the number of the reels and the number of the numbers. As a general rule, the lesser number of symbols there are in a reel, the greater your chances of hitting the winning combination.

Either it's the payout or hold percentage that you want to know, or maybe other win-loss variables of slot machines, the main point is to examine the odds of the entire game. Most primarily, pay greater attention as to how many reels are there in a slot machine, for this determines how many symbols will be needed to complete a winning combination.