Online casinos are well aware of this desire. They use various tricks to attract players and create the impression that certain games bring big wins. For example, banners or marks may appear in the online lobby next to poker slots or online poker tables with the words “Hot Table!” or “This slot is hot right now!” Such messages appear if there have been several big wins or jackpots in the game recently. Players often look for platforms offering such exciting experiences, like those featured at https://casinosanalyzer.ca/casino-bonuses/casinoadrenaline.com, where promotions and highlighted games entice users to join in the action.
On the other hand, if a game has not paid out large sums for a long time, casinos may “highlight” it with the words “Due to Hit!” or “Wins coming soon!” This works on players who believe that a losing streak cannot last forever and will soon turn into a winning streak.
Two categories of players
These indicators operate because there are two kinds of players. There are those who, upon seeing a game that is currently popular, hurry to seat down at the "lucky" table or choose the “hot” slot machine in the hopes of riding the wave of good fortune.Others are convinced that if the game has been “silent” for a long time, it is about to “shoot”, and they want to be the first to catch this win.
Online poker and poker slots create a special atmosphere. In online poker, people play against each other, while in poker slots, everything depends on a computer algorithm that decides which cards will appear on the screen.
Random number generation in online poker and poker slots
Whether it’s poker slots or online poker at a virtual table, one thing remains the same: the results are random. Poker slots, like all slot games, use a random number generator (RNG). This is a special program that instantly generates long series of numbers that determine which cards or symbols will appear on the reels.
Although these numbers are generated by a computer, they are so unpredictable that gambling regulators recognize them as sufficiently random for fair play. In online poker, the cards are also shuffled virtually, but according to the principles of fairness to avoid cheating or pattern repetition.
Here are some important facts about RNGs:
- RNGs provide a unique outcome for each spin or deal.
- To meet fair play rules, the apps are put through a lot of tests.
- Although the algorithms are created by humans, their operation appears random to the player.
What does randomness mean?
Randomness implies that no trend can be determined. Just because a player lost five hands together in online poker or fifteen spins in a poker slot machine does not mean that the sixth hand or the sixteenth spin should be a winning one. And when there is a winning streak by the player, then it does not necessarily mean that it should go on.
Randomness is always unknown. Every hand or spin is a different chance, and what happened in the past has no effect on what will happen in the future.
Hot, cold, and “mixed” games
Players often see a series of wins and losses. Sometimes there are moments when poker slots give out wins one after another — this is called a hot streak. There are periods when a player constantly loses hand after hand — this is a cold streak. And sometimes wins and losses alternate without any apparent pattern — these are mixed streaks.
When a person loses for a long time, they begin to believe that the game “owes” them a win. The player thinks that they “should get lucky” because they can’t keep losing for so long. Therefore, some change tables in online poker or switch between different poker slots, hoping to find “the one” game that is about to explode with a win.
Why players are wrong
Many people believe they have found a system that will help them beat the casino. For example, some are convinced that if a certain card or combination in a slot machine has not appeared for a long time, it is bound to appear in the near future.
One player once thought he had a surefire strategy for playing craps. He waited until the number 12 had not come up in 36 rolls, believing that this number was “due” to come up because, statistically, it occurs once every 36 rolls. Then he started betting and increased the amount each time. At first, he was lucky. But eventually, the strategy failed — he lost his entire bankroll because 12 did not come up even after 75 rolls.
His error was that he overlooked one simple thing, chance can not remember. The fact that the same combination has long not appeared, does not mean that it will appear now. Occasionally a cold streak can extend much longer than the players can ever wish to think.
Here’s what to remember:
- Past results do not affect future results.
- The duration of a cold streak may be longer than anticipated.
- There are no guarantees when a win will come.
- There are no certainties when it comes to winning.
The truth about “hot” and “cold” games
The word "hot" is exclusively used to refer to a poker table or slot machine that has recently paid out prizes.This doesn’t imply that it will keep paying out in the future. Whether a slot or table has made some people win in the past is immaterial; every spin or hand is an independent event that is not related to the previous one.
Similarly, the claim that a game is “due” is based solely on speculation. Even if a particular slot or poker table has not paid out in a long time, this does not mean that it will necessarily start paying out right now. The game may remain cold for quite a long time, despite players’ expectations. And even if the situation does change, it does not always turn into a hot streak of wins — sometimes, after a long series of losses, there is simply a period where wins and losses alternate without any clear pattern.
To avoid falling into the trap of illusions, it is important to remember that the game should be perceived as entertainment, not as a way to make money. You should not believe in “due” wins, because the results are truly random and unpredictable. Chasing ’hot’ games is also futile, because their “hotness” exists only in the past, not in the future. Each hand or spin is a new chance, independent of what happened before.
Hot games exist only in the past or present, but no one can predict how long a winning streak will last. A slot or online poker table that seems hot now may become cold in a few minutes. And no one can guarantee when exactly a “hot” game will pay off.
Although streaks do exist in gambling, they can only be seen in hindsight. It is impossible to predict when a game will become hot or cold, and all attempts to guess this moment usually only lead to the player risking spending more money than planned. So, when choosing online poker or poker slots, it is always important to remember the main thing: the game should be fun and entertaining, not a means of getting rich quick. And may luck be just a pleasant bonus to your leisure time.