How Pokies Work
Difference Between Online Pokies And Other Pokies
Online pokies work somewhat differently from the old electromechanical pokies and the current land casino based video pokies. The old electro mechanical pokies had physical moving parts like reels and levers. In video pokies everything is simulated on a computer screen using software. In land casino based video pokies the entire software is loaded on to a processor located in the same console as the screen. In online video pokies this is not so. In the download platform at online casinos the software is split. The part of the software that loads the online pokie is downloaded on your computer. The part of the software, including the random number generator, which operates the online pokie and delivers the outcome, is located on a remote server. In the instant play platform the entire software is located on a remote server. In either case you need to be connected to the remote server through the Internet in order to play the online pokie.
How Pokies At Online Casinos Work
When the online pokie loads you see the visual of a reel set on your screen. This virtual image is created by the software. Usually the video pokie will have five reels. Each real has hundreds, and may be thousands in some cases, of symbol spaces aligned just as in the electromechanical pokie. Each symbol space has one of the symbols on it. These are again created in the software and have no tangible existence. Each symbol space on each reel carries a unique identification so that it can be referred to by the software. When you click the Spin button the reels start spinning. The random number generator of the software delivers five outcomes, each of which is linked to one of the symbol spaces on corresponding reels. When the reels stop the first symbol space on each reel corresponds to the symbol space associated with the random number generated. It displays the symbol allotted to it. The subsequent symbols follow in sequence as they appear on the reel. The final pattern on the reels is determined in this manner. It is used to compute the line and scatter payouts. The identification of the symbols on the paylines and matching them with the pay table is all done instantaneously by the software.
The discerning online pokies player will realise that winning combinations with low paying symbols occur much more frequently. This is because there are many more of the lower paying symbols than the higher paying symbols on the virtual reels. The combination of symbols is so organized as to give an average payout percentage of about 95%. The remote server on which the random number generator and operational part of the software is stored usually is in the custody of the software provider. Also it is sealed in such a manner that any authorized access is prevented. Therefore it is impossible for anyone to tamper with the software and alter the payout percentage.
Online classic pokies function in a similar manner, except that they have three reels instead of five. The software also has provisions to trigger and operate bonus games and progressive jackpots.