Q. During several recent visits to casinos, I have observed a behavior in
video slot machines that makes me wonder whether there is a random number
generator override mechanism that periodically alters the machine's take in
order to maximize its profit.
What I have observed is that the machine will occasionally lock up for about
two seconds, after which it will appear to keep a greater or lesser fraction
of the money bet. This happens on the machines produced by one manufacturer,
WMS Gaming. The machines include Leprechaun's Gold, Cash Crop and Yukon
Gold, among others.
Are you aware of this behavior? Everything I have read or heard says that
the take of any machine is fixed by its payout ratios and a random number
generator. It seems to me, however, that a casino would want to keep the
maximum legal percentage of the money played in every machine and would love
to have a control such as I have observed (or imagined).
R.W., via e-mail
A. I know the delay you're talking about, but it has nothing to do with game
play, results or percentages. It's strictly an internal accounting measure.
On WMS video games currently in casinos, the computer chip on the machine
stores the results of the last 100 plays. After 100 plays, the information
must be transferred from the machine to the casino's central data system.
That's what's happening during the timeout.
The delay seems more pronounced on WMS, but it happens with other
manufacturers, too. It will be happening less with some of the new advanced
game platforms that companies are introducing. WMS is just starting to roll
out its new CPU-NXT system, with sharp graphics and animation. The more
advanced computer system will lessen the accounting delays.
As for casinos wanting machines to hold up to the legal maximum, that's not
usually the case, at least not in competitive markets. The need to attract
players and keep them from crossing over to competing casinos overrides any
desire to short the players on payback percentages. In Illinois, the legal
minimum payback percentage is 80 percent, and no casino in the state is
anywhere near that low in its actual return. The average payback percentage
in Illinois in September was 93.5 percent, ranging from the 91.4 percent at
Harrah's in Downstate Metropolis to the 94.8 percent at the Casino Queen in
East St. Louis.
Q. My feeling as an advantage player (card counter) is that in your report
to the general gaming community the discussion regarding penetration was not
necessary. (You reported that the game is good for card counters because
Grand Victoria deals out all but one of the six decks, that's the best
penetration in the area.)
Card counters in the area have a great underground network and know where
the best games are, and the basic strategy player couldn't care less about
penetration.
Advantage player, via e-mail
A. I heard from several people who said card counters were upset when I
mentioned the Grand Victoria penetration, and were even more upset when
Grand Victoria shortly thereafter moved to cut two decks out of play instead
of just one.
I told all who asked that my job is to share information, not to conceal it.
And I'm certainly not going to decide that one class of players - those with
a private network - should have information while my readers are denied
access to it.
I also doubt the Grand Victoria changes were directly related to my column.
There were other blackjack changes afoot. Grand Vic also has recently added
some eight-deck games, and goodness knows I've written plenty of times that
their six-deckers with the dealer hitting soft 17 is one of the toughest
games in the area on average players.
I have written about specific advantage plays in the past, and mostly the
casinos ignore me. In some cases, they don't believe they have a beatable
game, and in some cases they figure any publicity is good publicity. An
example of the former is a video blackjack game several years ago that gave
a mathematical edge to players who knew basic strategy for single-deck
blackjack with early surrender. The game stayed on floors for months after I
wrote about it, until pros tying up machines on triple-point days ate up too
much of the bottom line.
At times over the years, advantage players have offered me information about
opportunities in the Chicago area on the condition that I not put it in
print. I have always honored that condition but put a statute of limitations
on it. In the case of the appearance of a favorable video poker game about
six years ago, I promised the tipster 30 days before I wrote about it. Given
my deadlines, I usually can't get something into print until two weeks after
I learn about it, anyway. The extra couple of weeks I considered the price
of the information.
That is the most I would do as far as holding back data. I get paid to share
information with the public, not to withhold it.
