Psychological factors affect all areas of our lives – from personal relations to our chosen careers and even our entertainment selections. Psychology also plays a part in how successful we are at our hobbies and pastimes, and online slots is a great example of this.
Despite slots being a game and a leisure activity, when real money is being wagered, there’s a very real element of risk involved and this where an optimal mindset can be the difference between winning and losing.
Different Types of Slots
Slots have exploded in popularity in the last few years with titles available in themes and styles to suit every palate. Many of the modern modifications found in slots titles are more than purely visual.
For example, each game relies on code and a random number generator that dictates the likelihood of a player winning. This win rate is often presented as the RTP (Return To Player). The RTP declares what percentage of money wagered will be returned to a player if they were to play for an infinite period of time.
A game with an RTP of 98% will lose 2% of their wager if they were to continue playing indefinitely. Since this is only a mathematical probability and game sessions are likely to be less than an hour, the other factor to take into account is the volatility of the game.
In the short term, anything can happen in a game of chance for the same reason that someone buying a lottery ticket for the first time has just as much chance of winning as a player that buys ten tickets every week. Because of this, each slot machine can be described as having low or high volatility.
High volatility games pay out much less frequently but in larger amounts – an example of the highest volatility would be the giant novelty jackpot slots that reside in the center of the casino floor creating very few but immensely rich winners in the process. Low volatility games, on the other hand, will pay out much more often but each win will be of a more modest sum.
When approaching your chosen slot title, it’s important to know this information as it should inform the way you play. You may also want to choose a game that suits your psychological tendencies from the outset.
High volatile games require steely focus and a calmness under pressure since there are likely to be many spins without any wins. There might even be entire sessions that don’t result in a big win and the player needs to have the fortitude to be able to walk away and not chase their money by increasing their wagers on subsequent spins.
Modern Slots
Traditional fruit machines consisting of three to five independent reels and one, two or three pay lines are still well liked and common at any casino or online operator. As the industry has continued to search for new and exciting twists on the slot mechanic, some games have become significantly more complex.
A host of titles focus on bonus minigames that are activated during regular play and there are no restrictions to how these operate. The Megaways mechanic developed by Australian software developers Big Time Gaming has been adopted by a library of titles.
Megaways slots work by multiplying the number of visible icons on each reel by the number of visible icons on each following reel. The number of icons are variable up to a max of seven across the six reels resulting in a maximum of 117,649 pay lines!
Psychologically, to keep on top of all these additional features and functions requires an increased capacity for concentration as well as competent multitasking abilities. Those with a history of playing video games oftenexcel at the more complicated slot machine titles.
How to Stay Cool Under Pressure
It has been proven that stress levels increase proportionately to the stakes and whenever real money is involved it can be hard to maintain focus. Thankfully, there are a series of tested methods to cope with the additional pressure of money being on the line.
All good slots providers offer a free play option on their titles to allow players to test drive the software and see if it is right for them. It’s imperative to take advantage of this feature regardless of how experienced a gamer you are.
Not only does the free play option enable you to learn the quirks, characteristics and rules of the individual game, it also acts as a way to calm your nerves and establish a rhythm to your play. Only when you feel comfortable should you begin wagering money from your balance.
It’s also important to not only set gaming limits but to also stick to them. Calculate a figure you’re comfortable with spending and stop once you arrive at that threshold. Think about setting an upper limit for your winnings too because foregoing a win can be more painful than a loss.
Many professional athletes, gamblers and people at the top of their field swear by the practice of mindfulness. There’s a diverse body of work that shows mindfulness can aid in positive adaptations in the brain itself and the behaviors exhibited – benefits that can be put to good use at the slot machines.
Slots have maintained their popularity over the decades due in part to how easy they are to pick up. Most require very little prior knowledge in order to enjoy them. Despite this, the psychological factors and a player’s mental state can have a marked impact on how successful their session is.
