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How Do Mechanical Slot Machines Work?

While most modern slot machines in online and land-based casinos are played on video screens, some mechanical slot machines remain. Mechanical slot machines are very popular due to their retro feel. 

How Do Mechanical Slot Machines Work? 

To play a mechanical slot, you must first place your bet. Once you have placed your bet, you pull the handle, causing the reels to spin. Most mechanical slot machines have 3 reels and typically have a fruit machine theme.

The reels will then stop. Whether you win or lose is determined by whether the symbols match on a payline. If the symbols on a line match, that’s a win! Subsequently, you will receive your payout. If you want to spin again, you can place your bet and pull the handle. You can keep repeating this until you no longer wish to play!

There are a few mechanical things that make the slots work. These include a metal shaft that supports the reels, a braking system that stops the reels from spinning and sensors that work with the payout system. There’s also a coin detector in the machine that registers when you place a bet and allows you to pull the lever.

Another thing that makes a slot machine work is the random number generator. The random number generator lets the slot machine know what symbols to display on the reels.

How Do Mechanical Slot Machines Allow For Randomness? 

The computer in a mechanical slot machine tells the reels when to stop. All slot machines have a random number generator to ensure the randomness of outcomes. The random number generator ensures that every time a player pulls the handle, there is a random and unpredictable outcome.

The random number generator is a chip inside a mechanical slot machine. The random number generator always generates random number sequences, even when no one is playing! As long as the mechanical slot is on, millions of number sequences are generated every second.

When you pull the lever, the random number generator stops on the random number sequence generated at that instant. This then presents itself as a combination of symbols when the reels stop spinning. You are then able to see if you have got a win or not.

Are Mechanical Slots More Random Than Digital Slots? 

Both online slots and mechanical slots are random. They both generate random outcomes every time a player hits spin as they use a random number generator.

They have the same level of randomness, which makes playing mechanical slot machines and online slots enjoyable and fair for everyone. Mechanical and online slots use a random number generator to generate all outcomes. The random number generator is a small chip in the machine that creates millions of different number sequences per second. So whatever slot machine you play on, the outcome is always going to be random.

Could You Trick a Mechanical Slot To Win? 

You may have heard many rumours about how people claim to have cheated on a slot machine. Below are some of the ways gamblers have tried to cheat. Cheating does not work, and it is impossible to cheat due to the random number generator, which generates all outcomes when you play slot machines.

Cheating a Slot Machine With a Mobile Phone 

Hacking a slot with a mobile phone is very unlikely. There are some cheating methods that have been attempted, including using specific apps, using Bluetooth devices to manipulate the results of a spin and using a mobile phone jammer to disrupt wireless signals. However, these techniques have yet to be proven to work.

Cheating a Slot Machine With a Magnet 

On older slot machines, people could cheat using a magnet (it’s no longer possible with modern slots). To use this method, cheaters would spin the reels and then place a strong magnet on the machine to manipulate the reels to sway a win.

Do Fruit Machines Have Cheat Codes? 

No, fruit machines do not have cheat codes. It is impossible to cheat on a slot machine.

EMP Slot Machine Jammer Apps & Devices 

Mobile phone jammers are devices that some people attempt to use when cheating on slots. They work by disrupting wireless signals. By disrupting wireless signals, it is believed that it interferes with the slot machine’s signals which could give you an advantage. We do not advise using these apps and devices as cheating goes against a casino’s terms and conditions, and if caught, you could be thrown out and banned from the casino.

Mechanical vs Digital Slots - Which Is Better? 

At the end of the day, it’s all down to personal preference. If you love the feel of old-school slots and enjoy going to the casino to socialise and soak in the atmosphere, you may prefer mechanical slot machines. If you like the idea of playing your favourite slots when and where it suits you whilst having an abundant selection of slot games to choose from, you may prefer online slots.