The Random Number Generator in Online Casino Games

Playing online casino games is a fairly straight forward affair, right? Just decide upon a wager to place and proceed to spin, have cards dealt, set the roulette wheel off or wait for bingo balls to be drawn. Of course, those aren’t the only types of games you can play in a casino, but generally speaking, most of them make use of a random number generator (RNG). And you may have heard these words thrown around before, but what do they actually mean? What is a random number generator?

Well, we have all the information on such right here for you. We’ll explain to you the very meaning of a RNG, what it’s for and how it works. At least then, you’ll be fully informed as to how they affect your casino game play.

What is a Random Number Generator?

The name says it all really. A RNG basically provides a random selection of numbers. As far as online casino games are concerned, it is a computational device designed to generate a sequence of numbers or symbols that cannot be reasonably predicted better than by a random choice. It works in the same way as rolling a standard pair of dice works. You cannot predict what number the dice will land on when you roll them, and in the same way, you cannot predict the kind of numbers that a RNG will provide. If you live in a country with a national lottery, you’ll find that these also incorporate a computerised random number generator as well.

Most computer-generated random numbers use Pseudorandom number generations (PRNGs). These are basically algorithms that can automatically create long runs of numbers with good random properties. Of course, eventually, the sequence will repeat at some stage.

How Does a Random Number Generator Affect Casino Games?

In land-based casinos, the games available such as blackjack and roulette are already completely random. The ball is thrown into the roulette wheel, bets are placed at random and players can see it all unfold in front of them. Or players place a wager and have their blackjack cards dealt to them, again, all within plain view. However, when it comes to playing games in an online casino, things are a little different. You’re playing with a computer game, rather than with a physical person. This means that, theoretically, it is a lot harder to figure out if the games are fixed or not.

This is where a RNG comes in to play, and all casino games, whether a table game, slot machine, video poker or anything else, should have one of these incorporated into their design. It ensures that the result of a single spin on a slot game, for example, provides you with a completely random outcome. And while this is not something that you’re able to physically see working, the RNG does provide you with completely non-fixed spin outcomes. This means that you’ll also be playing the online games in a fair way as well, with no adjusted lean towards either yourself or to the house.

Is a RNG Actually Fair?

It’s hard to explain the underlying mechanisms of RNGs, but what can be said is that they’re as fair as the companies that operate them. Each number in the sequence is ultimately based on the seed number, and if you were informed of this, you could beat the entire system. Obviously, the gambling industry isn’t going to give this information away. However, the only way to guarantee that you’re playing in a fair new casino and in fair games is to play at those platforms that have integrated games which have passed third-party testing and auditing. You’ll need to locate the eCOGRA logo or writing related to such to verify this.

How Is This Able to Affect Your General Game Play?

The difference between knowing that the game you’re playing will have a completely random outcome and not knowing whether it will or won’t, is also the difference between being able to create a decent enough gaming strategy and one that fails. Obviously, some people just want to spin the reels or have a few cards dealt and play for entertainment, but there are those players who prefer to have a solid strategy behind their game play as well. Of course, if you know that your game is random, each of your bets is also random and independent of all other previous bets placed. Therefore, strategically, you can play to your own tactics – but avoid thinking that a jackpot is due to come along just because you haven’t seen one appear lately. You cannot predict what is going to happen based on any past results.