"Jackpot Thermometer" - pay no attention?

**H1_Roller** · 17th March 2011, 03:14 PM

As much as I love playing at MG casinos (32Red, Ladbrokes etc), I really despise that bloody awful Jackpot Thermometer they usually have listed within each game's information bar.

It puts me off playing some games when it's really low (apparently signifying that the game has very recently paid the jackpot), but does it matter? My husband says that a game could quite literally 'drop in' (what is the correct terminology?) 2 jackpots in a row, and so I should just play what I want and ignore the thermometer. I try to but it plays on my mind and I find myself continually playing games whose thermometers are almost at boiling point.

**Perc** · 17th March 2011, 04:16 PM

It doesn't really mean a whole lot, but if you look at the description with the math they use, it does make sense that a slot with a high "temperature" could hit the jackpot soon.

That doesn't mean that it won't hit a jackpot when the temp. is at 80 either. The fact is it can go at any time.

It uses the average amount of time between the last 5 jackpot wins. If it used a much bigger number than 5, it would obviously become more accurate.

It's important note that it uses time rather than number of spins, and I assume the RTP is calculated on spins rather than time. If the popularity of a slot changes, that would throw the accuracy off. The only way time would be accurate, is if the slot is played the exact same amount every day for the last 5 jackpot wins. Even then, the slot could pay 5 jackpots quickly and then go cold and not pay one in the same amount of time.

You could also say no measure would be accurate because you're taking the average of something that's supposed to be random. It's not totally random due to RTP, so you would see a trend over time, but not with only 5 data points.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't pay any attention to it and just enjoy the games... lol

**doomed4ever** · 17th March 2011, 05:04 PM

My 10 cents. Gimmick. Start and End of it. Many times I have seen the Thermo all the way up to the top on T2 and the next moment it has dropped back to 80. It made no difference in my play. The thermostat seems to move fastest for me on 32red which is no doubt down to the large amount of players. And somtimes as is Center court it was stuck at the top level for weeks. Dont know about now as aint played in a week or 2.

Some games the thermo meter either gets stuck or is "stuck" on purpose maybe to entice players to play that particual game. You are warned it should not be taken at face value and is only a guide. I just ignore it no matter what slot game or MG casino im playing at. My only gripe is some lesser informed punters might be tempted to chase a game with a high thermostat reading. It should either reflect a true state of a slot (which if I am correct) is impossible as all games are random so a JP could be hit 30 times in a row ? or it should be a feature that players on an indivudal basis can switch on or off.

For me I just press the ignore button in my own brain which is small so it takes only milliseconds for the "ignore" command to register

**H1_Roller** · 17th March 2011, 07:09 PM

Thanks for the reassuring replies. I have to admit I do feel a bit silly, because I would be one of the "lesser informed punters" who would be drawn in by a thermo at boiling point; I have been for quite some time.

Can I just ask - what do you mean by RTP?

**KasinoKing** · 17th March 2011, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by H1_Roller

Thanks for the reassuring replies. I have to admit I do feel a bit silly, because I would be one of the "lesser informed punters" who would be drawn in by a thermo at boiling point; I have been for quite some time.

Can I just ask - what do you mean by RTP?

RTP = Return To Player - the pay-back % of the machine.
E.G. Most Microgaming slots have an RTP of around 95% - over an infinite number of spins you would win £95 back for every £100 you wagered.

Originally Posted by Perc

You could also say no measure would be accurate because you're taking the average of something that's supposed to be random. It's not totally random due to RTP, so you would see a trend over time, but not with only 5 data points.

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say there... ?

The RTP on MGs video slots does not make them "not random" - it's a calculation of the pay-back over an infinite number of random spins.

KK

**Perc** · 18th March 2011, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by KasinoKing

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say there... ?

The RTP on MGs video slots does not make them "not random" - it's a calculation of the pay-back over an infinite number of random spins.

KK

I know reels are weighted, but there must be something else controlling the RTP. I remember one rep (I think from an RTG casino) telling us their slots have three different RTP settings. Of course he also said they can't change that, and it's done by RTG, but when they set a slot to a different RTP, are they actually changing the reels, or is there something else controlling it?

That's basically where my thought process comes from. I just always figured that if they can change the RTP, then there is something on top of the RNG controlling the outcomes. If they actually change the weighting of the reels when they change the RTP, then I guess I'm wrong.

Actually now that I think about it more, the fact that there are 3 RTP settings (rather than a range) would make it probable that the reels are actually changed when the RTP is changed.

**Nifty29** · 18th March 2011, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by Perc

I know reels are weighted, but there must be something else controlling the RTP. I remember one rep (I think from an RTG casino) telling us their slots have three different RTP settings. Of course he also said they can't change that, and it's done by RTG, but when they set a slot to a different RTP, are they actually changing the reels, or is there something else controlling it?

That's basically where my thought process comes from. I just always figured that if they can change the RTP, then there is something on top of the RNG controlling the outcomes. If they actually change the weighting of the reels when they change the RTP, then I guess I'm wrong.

Actually now that I think about it more, the fact that there are 3 RTP settings (rather than a range) would make it probable that the reels are actually changed when the RTP is changed.

Yup.

The RTP is controlled by adding or subtracting symbols from the reels. The RNG remains constant.

However the conspiracy theorists will.tell you that the casino employs people to watch every spin from every player to change their personal reel configurations on the fly to prevent them from winning.

**bryand** · 18th March 2011, 06:04 PM

The term RTP is a little misleading because it includes random jackpots, cashback, bonuses and some comps.

**Nifty29** · 18th March 2011, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by bryand

The term RTP is a little misleading because it includes random jackpots, cashback, bonuses and some comps.

Your personal RTP from the CASINO involves such things as bonuses, comps etc.

The RTP of a GAME has nothing to do with any of that except for jackpots I.e the game doesn't know what comps etc you get so they are irrelevant.