The Best Time to Play Online Pokies: The Secrets Casinos Don’t Want You to Know
Online slot machines, or as you most likely know them, Pokies, are a favourite pastime of many of us in New Zealand. The allure of the jackpot, the electrifying music and the exciting gameplay are incredibly fun – but can be frustrating when you know you are going on a losing streak. This is exactly why some gamers are desperate to know if there are any secrets to unlocking the best odds for winning.
In today’s article, we’re going to dive into the secrets of online casinos and understand if there really is a best time to play pokies.
The Myth of Hot and Cold Cycles of Online Pokies
The first widespread belief among pokie players is the concept that timing plays a huge role in your odds. According to this theory, playing at certain times of the day, such as late at night or early in the morning, can increase your odds of winning. The rationale is that fewer players are online during these times, so the games are more likely to pay out.
Upon investigation, however, the truth is a bit different. Online pokies use Random Number Generators (RNGs), which ensure each spin is independent and unaffected by previous or subsequent spins. This means that no matter the time of day you play, your chances of winning remain the same, as the number of players online should, in theory, have no effect on the RNGs.
So, the timing theory is, unfortunately, a myth. Our investigation into this belief showed no evidence of any hot or cold cycles bringing higher chances of winning at certain times. At regulated casinos that are licensed by credited and verified third-party organisations, there’s no evidence.
The Impact of Time on Progressive Jackpots
While we have debunked the belief that the time of day influences your chances of winning regular online pokies, it can actually have an impact when it comes to progressive jackpots.
Progressive jackpots are not used by every game and are unique as they grow over time based on the collective wagers of all players. Simply meaning, the more people play, the larger the jackpot grows.
Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee of a higher chance of winning at a certain time. However, what time does influence is the potential size of the jackpot? The winning of a progressive jackpot is still determined by the RNG, but by playing a pokie with a progressive jackpot at the end of the day you’re ensuring the best odds of winning the biggest jackpots.
To summarise our findings on progressive jackpots, playing at peak times (when more players are online) could mean a heftier jackpot if you happen to hit the lucky combination. Whereas playing at off-peak times might mean a smaller jackpot, but your overall odds of winning remain the same.
So while the time of day might affect the size of your potential win on progressive jackpots, it does not increase or decrease your actual odds of winning.
Does Player Traffic Influence Your Chances and odds?
Our next topic of investigation is player traffic. What we found is that player traffic does not directly influence your chances of winning at online pokies, due to all spins being controlled by a Random Number Generator (RNG). This ensures each spin is an independent event with the same odds of a win regardless of how many players are online.
However, what player traffic can influence is the speed at which progressive jackpots grow. More players mean more spins, which in turn means progressive jackpots can increase at a faster rate during peak traffic times. Although this doesn’t give you higher odds of winning the jackpot, it does influence the potential size of the jackpot you can win.
Making the timing of when you play directly impact the amount you could win.
The Effect of Time on Bonus Offers
So, we have deduced that time does play a role in the amount you win, but what else can it affect? Our answer – bonus offers.
Bonus offers, like free spins and deposit matches, are often used by online casinos to attract players. The availability of these offers can vary with time, as certain promotions may be on offer during specific times of the day, days of the week, or even particular seasons of the year. For example, some casinos may offer extra bonuses on weekends or during holiday seasons.
Due to this, statistically playing during these times when online casinos offer the most bonus offers, you can have a better chance of winning due to more opportunities to bet. However, it’s important to note that while these time-based bonuses can provide additional opportunities to play and potentially win, they do not influence the odds of winning on any particular spin.
As we have gone over, spins themselves are always governed by RNG, ensuring fairness and unpredictability.
What Do Game Developers Say?
Our last avenue of investigation is into what game developers say about online casino secrets.
Game developers play a critical role in shaping the gaming experience of online pokies. They are responsible for designing the algorithms that govern the odds, including the RNG system that ensures all outcomes are completely random.
Reputable game developers adhere to strict standards of fairness, ensuring that the chances of winning are not influenced by factors such as the time of day, number of players, or size of the jackpot. This is due to the risk of losing credibility from making unfair games, if a developer was known to be unfair they would struggle to find any contracts.
Game developers are also the ones who design the awesome bonus features and other cool stuff that add an extra dose of excitement to the gameplay. They might update these features from time to time or even introduce new ones to keep the games fresh and super fun. But hey, they always make sure to maintain the core principle of randomness and fairness.
Conclusion
While playing online pokies it may feel like there are certain times or aspects that can increase your chances of winning. However, after our dive into the claims we have found that although timing does not affect your chances of winning a spin, it can affect your overall winnings through bigger jackpots and more chances to play.
The results of each spin are determined by RNG, showing how game developers are dedicated to offering a fair and thrilling gaming experience. Whether it’s day or night, big jackpot or small, and no matter how many players are involved, the odds stay the same.
