We all love to spin slots. And almost everyone has pressed the button at least once "Stop", to stop the drum at the right moment. Seems, that if you press at the right time, you can “catch” a winning combination.
But here's a fact, which many people don't know about: the “Stop” button does not affect the spin result at all. Yes, this sounds unexpected, but in reality it was created for a completely different purpose.
How slots actually work
In modern slots the result is determined random number generator. Simply put, the combination is already known to the system at the moment, when you press the spin button.
Drums, which we see on the screen, - it's just an animation. Stop button only makes the drums stop faster, but it doesn't change that, what the system has already determined.
Experiment with players
Interesting, what scientists decided to test, Does this button at least affect the behavior of players?.
The study involved 134 person. Each of them played casino with bonus two sessions of 250 spinov:
- in one game the "Stop" button was available
- in the other - she was not there
At the same time, technically the button did not affect the result in any way..
During the experiment, the researchers monitored the players' reactions - for example, for the level of excitement and even for that, how hard did they press the mouse?.
What the results showed
It turned out, that even such a simple button changes people's behavior:
- the level of emotional arousal increased approximately on 12%
- players clicked on the mouse on 25% stronger
- the more a person believed, what can affect the result, the stronger his reaction was
- about 14% participants admitted, what they really thought, that the button helps you win
Why does this happen
It's all about psychology. Button creates feeling of control.
It seems to the player, that he is involved in the process and can at least slightly influence the result. Because of this:
- loss is perceived more strongly
- “almost winning” evokes more emotions
- the game itself seems more exciting
Moreover, this effect works even for those people, who understand, that the slot is pure chance.
Conclusion
The “Stop” button in slots is not a tool for winning. This part of game design, which makes the process more dynamic and emotional.
It doesn't change the math of the game, but helps the player feel, that he is involved in what is happening, rather than just watching the reels spin.
And sometimes it's these little details that make the game so much more fun..
