There are many things in life that we take for granted. From the wonders of how an internal combustion engine operates our cars to the magic of how data crosses the internet and arrives on our screen, many things are much more complex than we imagine.
One such process that is heavily underestimated is what happens when you spin the reels of an online casino slot game. Although many of us spend considerable time exploring casinos.com and then more time searching for the game that best suits our needs, we rarely think of the process that happens behind the scenes and allows us to play.
To help understand this process, we’ve broken down the logistics behind every casino slot spin from when you instruct the game to spin to when you (hopefully) begin celebrating a win. This process, which takes place across nine unique stages, entertains millions of players daily in a seamless manner.
1. Initiation
As anyone who has experienced the excitement of online gambling knows, the first step is spinning the slot you’ve chosen to play. This is done by clicking (or tapping) the spin button on the game after ensuring that the right bet amount is set.
Activating the spin button initiates the spin sequence and immediately sends the request to the casino’s server. This is the same for online and physical slot machines, both of which require a connection to the casino’s CMS (casino management system) to operate.
When you send your spin request to the CMS, it relays information about your wager, including the number of lines (if applicable), your line bet, and the total wager amount.
2. Connection Verification
At the same time that your spin initiation is sent to the CMS, a connection verification occurs between your chosen game/machine and the central server. This check verifies that the connection to the CMS is still valid and authorized and that all transmitted data is correctly encrypted.
Once confirmed, the information about your spin initiation is encrypted and delivered. This step is crucial in keeping casino games safe and fair, ensuring that the only communication occurs between the game and CMS and that this information is properly authorized and encrypted.
3. Bet Verification
Once the CMS receives your spin initiation and has verified the connection to your game, it then confirms the validity of your bet. This includes checking your wager amount and ensuring you have enough available credit in your player account to place the bet.
At the same time, further details about your gaming session are logged and verified, including your name, player account information, and anything else the casino deems necessary to record when you place a bet.
4. Trigger Of Random Number Generator
After all the necessary information has been verified and confirmed, the CMS sends a final verification back to the game to tell it that it can proceed with the spin. This, in turn, triggers the RNG (random number generator) embedded in the game’s core.
This mechanism, which randomly selects the outcome of each spin, is crucial to any spin and determines its results. When this trigger is received, the RNG springs into action to calculate how many numbers or unique values the game requires to complete a spin.
5. Outcome
Upon generating unique values, the RNG feeds them back to the game, resulting in the spin’s outcome. The numbers generated by the random number generator are matched to the various symbols that they represent to generate and determine the spin’s final results.
At this stage, whether you have won or lost is already decided. However, because the background of a slot doesn’t function in fancy graphics and relies more on code, this information would appear as nothing more than garbled text if displayed. As such, completion of the outcome triggers the next stage.
6. Animation Trigger
Taking the raw outcome of the spin, the slot game then uses this information to trigger the reel spin animation. This animation forms the basis of the slot’s visuals and adds to the excitement—alongside the many other innovative features offered by modern slots.
Based on the spin outcome, the game ensures that each reel lands with symbols matching the RNG outcome. Once the reels stop spinning, the next stage begins.
7. Communication Of Results
After the animation of spinning reels ends, the game immediately displays your spin results. Should you be a winner, the results are often accompanied by several additional animations that help highlight your achievement and bring extra excitement and joy.
If your wager loses, a simple message stating that the results are unfavorable appears and encourages you to try again with another spin.
Whether you win or lose, at this point, the game relays the results of your spin back to the CMS.
8. Payment Processing
Should you be lucky enough to win, the CMS will calculate your exact winnings once the spin outcome is received from the game. These winnings are credited to your player account, and your new balance is sent to the game to be displayed on-screen.
9. History
Upon completion of recalculating your account balance (if required), the final stage involves the casino management software recording all details about your spin on your player account and on the casino’s central database.
These details include your initial wager amount, the spin’s outcome, and your new balance after the spin. This information allows the casino to perform analytics and, in many cases, must be kept due to legal regulation and audit requirements.
Wrapping Up
Although the above process may seem extensive, it takes mere seconds to complete, with almost no lag or waiting period on the player’s side. This is a testament to the wonder of technology and how well systems can function if programmed efficiently.
