The Psychology of Slot Machines and Why We Keep Playing Them
Slot machines are an extremely popular form of casino gambling. Representing over 70% of gambling revenues at land-based casinos and an essential source of income at online casinos alike, slots represent an enormous source of entertainment and profit potential for both businesses.
However, these games can be extremely addictive; thus it is crucial that we gain an understanding of why people continue playing slot machines.
Symbols
Slot machine symbols have an intriguing past spanning back from their early days in bars to today’s sophisticated video slot games in casinos. Their role is crucial and ultimately responsible for why so many continue playing them.
Not only can traditional reel symbols increase payouts, but there are other symbols available to increase them further such as Wilds, Scatters and Multipliers.
These symbols can help create winning combinations on the reels and may even activate bonus rounds or free spins. Furthermore, they come in both stacked and expanded forms for greater coverage on multiple positions on the reels.
Sticky Symbols are another type of special symbol, which remain in their places for a set amount of spins and may sometimes trigger respins to increase your odds of success. They’re usually multiplied by your wager amount to boost payouts significantly.
Payouts
Payouts from slot machines are an essential factor when considering whether or not to play them. Ideally, machines should return more money than you put in; otherwise, move on.
To do so, referring to the slot’s pay table is key – this comprehensive document details everything about its gameplay from how much money can be won through to what symbols should be on alert.
Your instruction booklet should provide instructions for special features and paylines, and provide details on how to activate jackpots.
Some slot manufacturers also provide bonus games that offer multiple returns of your bet, to encourage continued playing and help break losing streaks. It is important to remember, though, that bonuses may also be deceptive.
Odds of hitting a jackpot
Hitting a jackpot on a slot machine gives you the potential for a very large payout; however, these opportunities don’t present themselves very often for slot players.
It’s essential that players understand these variations before beginning play on slot machines. Understanding RTP and volatility rates are crucial elements in hitting jackpots successfully, and understanding their relevance to a particular game.
As a general rule, the more volatile a game is, the lower are its odds of winning a jackpot. Progressive slots that are tied to machines in specific regions or states usually offer greater odds than fixed jackpots.
Behavioral patterns
Slot machines are designed to capture our attention. Their colorful displays of characters, music, places and themes evoke feelings of winning money and create images in our mind of winning big.
Flashing lights and loud sounds also use to stimulate our senses and increase our desire to play, leading to problem gambling.
Casinos often alter their slot machines in order to encourage longer play; Harrah’s in Las Vegas took one such measure by spraying an appealing scent around certain slots – which resulted in increased revenue of 45% versus those without fragrance.
However, most literature on slot machine behavior has focused on factors related to casino atmospheres and general personality traits; there has been very limited research conducted into what motivates people to keep playing slot machines, according to Chen.
