When you walk into a casino, neon colours, flashes of light and HD graphics often trump the sounds of chimes and dings from slot machines. But if you close your eyes and focus, this symphony of sound is carefully curated to keep you gambling and coming back for more. For this episode we spoke with Willie Wilcox, Chief Sound Designer at Scientific Games in Las Vegas, and Karen Collins, a professor who studies how sound affects us.
A lot of people believe that if you play a certain slot machine enough it will pay out eventually, but the truth is the odds of winning are random. The payout pattern of a slot machine is determined by the probability that a particular symbol will appear on a reel. This probability is based on the number of coins that are inserted into the machine and the amount of time that is spent playing it. The slot machine’s software also determines the probability that a specific line will be hit. This is why it is important to know how many lines you are betting on before you start playing.
It is common to hear celebratory jingles from slot machines when they make a win, but these sounds are “losses disguised as wins,” according to Dixon. These jubilant sound effects give players the impression that they are always winning, and can actually lead to gambling addiction.
In one study, researchers found that players of video slots reach the debilitating level of gambling three times more rapidly than those who play other casino games, even if they have previously enjoyed gambling without problems. In order to prevent this from happening, you can learn how to be in control of your gaming habits and stop before the losses get out of hand.
Another thing to remember is that when you lose, you aren’t alone. You might be sitting next to someone who is also losing, or perhaps you’re just on a bad streak and aren’t in the mood for more. This is why it’s important to have friends who can help you stay accountable and keep you in the right mindset when things aren’t going well.
Finally, some people believe that loose slot machines are positioned in the most visible areas of the casino because the house wants new customers to see other people’s winnings and be inspired to get in on the action. Others believe that if you play a slot near the buffet or cash redemption machines it is more likely to be loose, because the house wants players to stay and spend more money.