When you play a game online, it probably runs on an RNG. The RNG or Random Number Generator is the math algorithm that works in the background to ensure a random outcome of the game. Applied in gaming, gambling, art, science, statistics, and other fields, the RNGs have different levels of randomization and strictness.
It is the thing that decides which sign the reels will land on when you play slots. Here, we delve deeper into the RNGs used in the gaming industry, more precisely, the RNGs that govern slot games, online table games, and virtual sports.
- RNGs have multiple applications in casinos, gaming, online security, encryption, science, and statistical analysis.
- The pseudo-RNGs provide random results based on an initial seed value.
- The true RNGs generate truly random outcomes; these are dice rolls, coin flips, card draws, etc.
- The RNG is a base for all online & digital casino table games, and it provides fair, unpredictable outcomes.
- Online casinos use pseudo RNGs that consistently produce random outcomes, and these are unaffected by bet size or number of bets.
RNG Basics: How RNG Works?
The RNG is a type of algorithm that produces a series of arbitrary random outcomes. It is used to produce unpredictable outcomes where random chance is required, for example, in gambling, gaming, science, security, encryption, and other applications.
Imagine when you play online slots and you click on the “Spin” button and watch the spinning reels; the RNG works in the background to provide a random outcome of the spin. It is the same when you play online roulette, and click on the spinning wheel; the RNG decides what number the ball lands on and what is the winning roulette number. The same goes for other online games, like bingo with the bingo number generator.
The RNG provides random outcomes through algorithms that produce sequences that don’t follow a discernable pattern. There are two types of RNGs based on the way they generate the outcomes, and these are the true RNGs and pseudo RNGs.
- True RNG –true RNGs are hardware-based devices that are used to produce random outcomes. The most famous examples are the dice that are used in plenty of games or the flip of a coin that produces a random outcome with every flip. Another example is the card drawn from a deck of shuffled cards or the roulette wheel at live roulette games. There are also advanced RNG models that use unpredictable physical phenomena or quantum effects, but these don’t have applications in modern online gambling and gaming.
- Pseudo RNG – the pseudo RNG is a mathematical algorithm that uses a preset base of initial values or seeds on which it generates seemingly random sequences. The outcome of the pseudo RNG is nearly impossible to foresee but is detectable in hindsight, which is why it provides seemingly random outcomes.
✅ Short History of RNGs
People have been interested in random outcomes since the dawn of civilization, and in some ways, random number generators were invented before the written word. All major civilizations used various ways of making random selections for different applications, ranging from the roll of dice, a flip of a coin, drawing balls from an urn, cracking turtle shells with hot pokers, and similar yet unexpected ways of creating random outcomes.
Scientific inventions required more advanced models to provide random outcomes, and the use of statistical RNGs became widespread in the 1920s, according to a study on the historical development of RNGs. In the 1930s, the first machine-driven random number generator was created, and in the 1940, when the first computers were developed, the automated RNGs became a reality.
But people were very inventive and applied the RNGs in games of chance, first in lottery and slot games, and later in all casino table games. The RNGs are also used in online video games where the gameplay depends on random outcomes.
In terms of fairness, most reputable online casinos now apply third-party audits that ensure their RNGs provide fair, random, unexpected results with every round. We are talking about organizations like eCOGRA, which is the leading global RNGs and software providers testing organization that provides certifications for reliable, trustworthy online casinos.
Truths & Myths About RNGs
Now that you know the key things about RNGs, we feel we should explain a few common misconceptions and share the truth about RNGs:
| Myth | Truth |
|---|---|
| RNGs Are Rigged | The truth is that RNGs are not rigged, and they are nearly impossible to rig. There is a built-in advantage regarding the house edge of a specific game, but the RNG-provided outcome is entirely random. |
| There Are Hot & Cold Tables | There is a common belief that there are hot and cold tables and that the RNG is responsible for this. The truth is the opposite, as the RNG always provides a random outcome based on the preset or seed criteria, and it does not affect the frequency when a table pays out. |
| Changing Bet Size Affects the RNG | No, the bet size does not have any effect on the outcome provided by the RNG. The amount you wager will only affect the possible payout if you are lucky to win, but it does not influence the result of the game. |
| Using a Betting Strategy Can Trick the RNG | No betting strategy can trick the RNG because the RNG is an independent system that works in the background. Some betting strategies, like positive and negative progressions, can help with better budget management and maximizing the winning streak. Still, these do not in any way trick the RNG, as the RNG will always provide a completely random outcome, irrelevant of your strategy. |
FAQs
What Is a Random Number Generator In Simple Words?
The Random Number Generator, or RNG for short, is the main mathematical formula that ensures that online casino games provide a random, fair outcome.
What Is a Seed For an RNG?
The seed for an RNG is the initial state or base criteria that the RNG uses to provide random outcomes. The seed can be weak in applications with looser criteria and can be strong in applications with strict criteria, like encryption applications.
What Is RNG Used For?
The RNG is used to generate random numbers based on an initial seed. In the world of online casino games, the RNG is used to provide the outcome of casino games like slots, table roulette, table blackjack, video poker, bingo, lottery, and similar casino games.
Is RNG Good or Bad?
The RNG is good, as it allows you to get an unpredictable outcome of the game. These are crucial parts of the modern casino experience, as they allow the players to experience pseudo-random outcomes that are nearly impossible to predict.
Is Any RNG Truly Random?
The modern RNGs that are used in online casino games are based on a pseudo-random outcome, which means that they operate on a set of initial criteria or seeds. Theoretically, one can predict the future outcome if they have the seed value and the RNG key, but this is nearly impossible with today’s highly developed RNG models.
Can You Trick an RNG?
In theory, if you have the seed value and know the key the RNG uses, you can trick the RNG. However, this is nearly impossible, as most reputable online casinos today use certified RNG software that is audited by independent organizations that ensure fair, unbiased, random results with every round.
Can an RNG Help You Win?
If you are fortunate and make the right choice at the right time, you will win at your chosen casino game. However, the RNG can’t help you win, as it provides unpredictable outcomes with every round. The best way forward is to accept that there is no way to know the result of the upcoming round, avoid chasing losses, and play for fun.
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