It may look like a regular slot machine and play like one, but a video lottery terminal differs quite a bit in terms of how winners are determined.

1. Vlt Gaming Machines
2. Vlt Gambling Machine

VLT gaming machines are usually equated more with games like bingo, pull-tabs, scratch-offs, or lotto than they are with slot machines. This is because there are a pre-determined number of winners, and players are competing with each other for a prize rather than against the house. There is also not necessarily a winner in each game.

VLTs resemble “casino” slot machines. The fundamental difference is that the results of each play on a VLT are determined by a central computer located at a Lottery facility to which all VLTs are connected. A predetermined random formula is used for each play of the machine. Illegal slot machines, or video lottery terminals (VLTs), are digital gambling devices that allow players to bet on the outcome of randomized computer games. Sign Our Petition The Missouri Legislature is considering legalizing and expanding these illegal slot machines so that they can be placed just about anywhere – including malls, rest.

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There are many places across Oregon to buy and play Lottery games. Find where to play the games you love, discover your new favorite spot, get directions, store info and more. The Rules promulgated by the commission for the Video Lottery program are located in OAC 3770:2. For help, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-589-9966. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - The 'French Gaming Market (Lottery, VLT Machines, Sports Betting, Horse Race, Table Games & Poker): Insights & Forecast with Potential Impact of COVID-19.

Video Lottery Terminals (Class II machines)

VLTs are most often found in Indian gaming casinos or “racinos” (location with both a horse racetrack, as well as a casino). Each machine or terminal in a casino is linked together, forcing players to compete against one another for the prize, and with a set number of wins and losses, the group of machines is preprogrammed to payout at specific times.

The only catch for VLT machines is that players must announce their win in order to get the payout because the games are interactive. Although not every game has a winner, the game will be ongoing until a winner is determined.

As indicated by the name, video lottery winners are determined much like a lottery scratch card. Basically, when a game starts on a VLT, the system the machines are connected to randomly chooses a “scratch-off ticket” from those that remain. Once it receives the information regarding the winner, it sends the results to the VLT to reveal the winner, typically in some entertaining way.

Winning at VLT Machines

Obviously, the machine doesn’t have the ability to actually scratch off a ticket, but it does choose the winner from a pool, similar to a lottery ticket. Once all the outcomes in a pool are chosen, the central system receives a new pool.

The payouts can be slightly different on VLTs, as well. According to readybetgo.com, “The final results wouldn’t be noticeably different if the RNG simply picked one number from a group of numbers. Thus the mathematic methods of supplying the decisions in VLTs may be radically different than traditional RNG methods. But in the end, 1 in 10 is still 1 in 10, and 1 in 5,000 is still 1 in 5,000.” The artible goes on to explain that the reason VLTs can be slightly tighter is that they’re offered in areas where there is little competition. In fact, the typical payout is anywhere from 85% to 92%. So, if you’re playing in a casino that offers both VLTs and traditional slots machines, you’re probably better off with the latter.

Slot Machines (Class III)

Slot machines often referred to as “Vegas-style” or traditional slots are the machines you’re probably used to playing. Each traditional slot machine in a casino plays independently from other machines. The only way in which they are linked is usually in terms of the jackpot, but this is only for progressive networks.

Contrary to popular thought, there is no way to know if a certain machine is “hot.” The typical belief is that if a machine has just paid out, you shouldn’t play on it. This is simply not true. Because of the Random Number Generator, each machine has exactly the same likelihood of paying out. Unlike VLTs, slot machines are also not preprogrammed to pay out at any time, so you always have a chance at the jackpot!

When Do You Win?

To put players at ease who may have abandoned a machine in the past only to watch it pay out for the next player, you must understand that RNGs are programmed down to the millisecond, so the odds of winning if you had stayed are low. Because of this, the lever must be pulled at almost the exact time the winning number is generated.

Unlike VLTs, slot machine wins are immediate, and winners don’t have to announce their win to receive a prize. Although, I wouldn’t discourage any hooting and hollering if you’ve just landed a $10,000 jackpot. You earned it.

Vlt Gaming Machines

Slot Machines Vs Video Lottery Terminals

Slot Machines and Video Lottery Terminals look the same but don’t function or pay out the same way.

Slot Machines generally use a random number generator (RNG) , which is basically a “computer chip ” inside generating random numbers and telling the reels where to stop.

Here is an excerpt from an American Gaming Association White Paper in 2010 regarding slots:

HOW DOES A SLOT MACHINE WORK?
Although a single play of a slot machine takes but a few seconds, it involves many steps inside the machine. The player selects the amount he wishes to bet on each play. Once play begins, the machine’s random number generator identifies a number for
each field of the machine’s screen. Through a two-step process, the computer processor within the machine (the “gameprocessor”) translates each number into the symbol that will display in each field.First, based on a program developed for the game by its designer, the game processor assigns each randomly-generatednumber to a “reel stop.” (In a mechanical slot machine, a reel stop is a location on the spinning reel; in a video slot machine, a
reel stop is a location on a virtual reel.) Each reel stop is designed to produce a specific symbol for display on the screen.Whenthe game’s audio and visual effects are completed, the symbols are displayed.At the same time, the game processor evaluates those symbols that will display on the “paylines” of the game’s screen. Ifany symbol or group of symbols matches a winning combination, that payline or field is marked as a win. The processor
calculates the amount won based on the odds incorporated into the game and the amount the customer bet. The screen notifiesthe player of the win, and also if a bonus is awarded. Every win is added to the player’s credit meter. The machine’s accounting
meters record the result of the play, which also is transmitted to the casino’s accounting and player reward system.After each game, a player can decide to play again — using the same wager configuration or a different one — or completethe gaming session by cashing out the credit meter for a redeemable ticket or currency. If the player makes another wager, this
process repeats in the same manner, independent of the results of any prior games.

Video Lottery Terminals are more akin to a computer generated “scratch off” ticket.They are connected to a central computer system run by the lottery. Every time you pull the lever or press the button you are “scratching off ” another lottery ticket with a predetermined win or loss.. This includes the video poker VLT’s.
If you have ever played the video poker games you’ll know that there is a “genie” or some other gimmick that occasionally switches a card or cards at the end of your second spin to give you a winning hand or a better winning hand. This is because the outcome is already known to the terminal and it will pay out the predetermined win no matter what you do; assuming this hand was a predetermined winning hand and not a predetermined losing hand according to the information sent from the lottery central system.
So , one example is, if your poker machine is sent a signal for a winning hand and you have three Ace’s and you discard all three aces and end up with a losing hand the “genie” will change your cards after the second spin to show a hand of at least three Ace’s or a similar hand that will pay out the same as three Ace’s.

This is from a NYS Government Accounting audit report concerning VLT’s :

VLTs resemble “casino” slot machines. The fundamental difference is that the results of each play on a VLT are determined by a central computer located at a Lottery facility to which all VLTs are connected. A predetermined random formula is used for each play of the machine………

……..The VLTs are required to pay bettors a minimum return of 90 percent of credits played, theactual monies bet by patrons. The remaining VLT funds (“net win”) are distributed to education;the respective VLT Facility operators and NYRA for purses, marketing, and capital projects; and the Lottery, to cover its costs of administering the VLT program. The VLT operators also retain a percentage of net win as a commission for administering the VLTs.

From NYS Gaming Commission:Video Lottery Terminals and Electronic Table Games: Similar in appearance to classic slot machines or as simulated classic table games, these terminals are linked to a centralized system maintained by the Gaming Commission that tracks the game play and earnings for each game.

Video lottery gaming operations began in 2004 at Saratoga Gaming & Raceway in Saratoga Springs and have since expanded to eight additional facilities. As of January 1, 2013, there were 17,213 such machines operating in New York State.

casino payout

Payout:
As noted in the NYS Government Accounting white paper, Video
Lottery Terminals (VLT’s) , in NY are required to payout a minimum of 90% return on credits played. Looking at recent statistics the nine racinos have been paying just under 91% to as high as 94% at times. Slot machines in NY are only found in the Indian Casinos at this time (Three new commercial casinos are due to be operational in NY in 2016) and I don’t see any slot machine payout information for them and they are not required to post it , as far as i know.

Here is a clip from the Empire Raceway fiscal year 2014/2015 report (click to enlarge):

Vlt Gambling Machine

You will see that the payout percentage (credits won) is over 92% for this time period. This clip of the report also shows the “net win” for Empire City Casino.

Looking at other slot payout information throughout the country it appears that slot payout can run from 89% up to a high of 97% in some Las Vegas casinos. A bad or tight pay out for slots only hurts the casino in the long run as it appears that slots make up a large portion of their earnings and if there is a lot of competition , I would assume that, players will move towards the casinos with better payouts.