Pay Tables and Pay back

[Rayser]

Hi,  New to the Forum.  Probably an old question but I am not good at searching through the forum. I realize that payback percentage is calculated by what the paytable on a machine is.  For example JOB 9/6 machine shows a payback of 99.54% if played correctly. Can a machine be programmed to never deal a royal flush or have other high payout hands hit less frequently than the statistical norm?  Would a casino programmer be able to do this? Thanks Rayser

[Lucky Larry]

Welcome the forum.
The software program would violate no telling how many state gaming laws putting a casino at risk for losing their license. I also understand the machine would not be certified. But, others will probably explain in more detail.

[shadowman]

A little known fact is that the casinos do not program the machines. All slot machines (including VP) are provided by separate companies that have nothing to do with casinos. IGT provides about 90% of all VP machines. For casinos to alter the programming they would have to "hack" the machine code of the game chips. This is illegal and would bring felony charges against whatever executive ordered the action. It would also likely lead to revocation of their gaming license.
What high paid executive would risk their job when all they have to do is lower pay tables to increase the casino edge?

[Rayser]

Thank you Lucky Larry and Shadowman.  I did find an extensive post on this topic when i was persusing through old topics on the forum. Great Forum, glad I found it.  Kudos go to whom? Rayser

[Tedlark]

Me, thank you. Thank you very much...

[Lucky Larry]

A little known fact is that the casinos do not program the machines. All slot machines (including VP) are provided by separate companies that have nothing to do with casinos. IGT provides about 90% of all VP machines. For casinos to alter the programming they would have to "hack" the machine code of the game chips. This is illegal and would bring felony charges against whatever executive ordered the action. It would also likely lead to revocation of their gaming license.
What high paid executive would risk their job when all they have to do is lower pay tables to increase the casino edge?

Shadowman,
Common scenario at IOC VP machines. "Machine Tech" has UBS cord connected from a laptop to IGT machine.

Based on conversations with several CT whom I've gotten to know they are downloading the "load set" - program for the machine and/or using the laptop to check configurations/reset programs.

I assume there must be some variables because during the last "reconfiguring of pay tables" JOB was giving the standard JOB 9/5 pay table for two machines while the tech loading the next two in the row ended up with Bonus Deluxe pay table with JOB icon? Been that way for over a year now.

[shadowman]

Yes, they can configure the machines with many options. This does not change the programming of the machine. It just sets variables that the programming uses while it's running.

[Lucky Larry]

Yes, they can configure the machines with many options. This does not change the programming of the machine. It just sets variables that the programming uses while it's running.

Shadowman,
Thanks for the response. I always appreciate your knowledge in helping some of us better understand.

If pay tables are programmed from IGT then wouldn't the pay table match the game?

So how does a machine show JOB (icon) but have a Bonus Deluxe pay table? Is this an option of the reconfiguration?

[BillyJoe]

[QUOTE=shadowman] Yes, they can configure the machines with many options. This does not change the programming of the machine. It just sets variables that the programming uses while it's running.

ShadowMan,
Thanks for the response. I always appreciate your knowledge in helping some of us better understand.

If pay tables are programmed from IGT then wouldn't the pay table match the game?

So how does a machine show JOB (icon) but have a Bonus Deluxe pay table? Is this an option of the reconfiguration?[/QUOTE]
If I am not mistaken, Larry, pay tables are one of the configuration options available to the casino. They may be restricted to a certain range, but I believe that the casino can change pay tables on a specific game, even on a specific denomination of a specific game,  without altering the integrity of the RNG chip

[shadowman]

Billyjoe has it right. Casinos can select pre-selected complete pay tables with published expected returns. I'm not positive about newer machines, but on older machines they can also configure individual pay lines. I don't know if there is any error checking on these values or not (I would if I were the programmer) to make sure they stay within the common definition of the game.