What Makes a Game 'Feel' Fair – Even When the Odds Aren’t

We all know that the house always wins when it comes to casino games. So, what makes a game feel fair to players even when we know the odds aren’t in our favor?

It all comes down to cognitive behavioral psychology.

Our brains are wired to chase wins and avoid losses. When we win, we want to believe we had some control over it; when we lose, we believe we should have “known better.”

Let’s break down how the results of casino games are determined and what makes a game feel fair, even if it has unlucky odds.

How Are the Results of Casino Games Determined?

Casino game results are determined by algorithms programmed into each computer-based game, including random number generators (RNGs), return-to-player percentages (RTPs), and volatility.

Random Number Generators

All computer-based casino games use random number generators to determine the results of games (wins or losses).

When you win or lose a slot machine spin, those results have already been predetermined long before you even hit the spin button.

Return-to-Player Percentages

All slot machines have a return-to-player percentage that determines how much money a game will pay out over time.

If a slot machine has a 98% RTP, it will pay out $0.98 on the dollar over time. This means that the house always wins on this game because, over time, it will rake in $0.02 for every spin made.

The higher the RTP, the better your chances of winning. But because RTP is the amount of money the machine awards over time, it doesn’t mean you’ll only lose $0.02 for every $1 you play; you could be the lucky winner or unlucky loser.

Game Volatility

A game’s volatility refers to the size and frequency of wins. A game with a low volatility will award low wins more often, while a game with high volatility will award big ones less often.

All of these factors contribute to the odds of winning.

What Makes Casino Games Feel Fair?

We all know that casino game results are determined by algorithms, and we know that the house always wins, right?

Technically, yes, on a logical level. Yet, many of us believe that wins and losses are often driven by other factors, including luck and superstition.

Here are a few reasons why we believe a casino game feels fair – even if it’s not.

Special Features

A lot of players gravitate toward games with special features (particularly slot games), including cascading reels, bonus rounds, free spins, transforming symbols, wild symbols, and more.

These games make you feel as though you’re winning more because they offer more chances to win. They especially add to the illusion of more frequent wins because players think about how they could have lost a spin without these features.

Previous Wins

When someone wins a lot on a game (even on a game with a low RTP), they remember those wins more than the losses.

Our brains may want to remember past events more favorably than they actually happened, leading to cognitive bias.

High-Risk, High-Reward Mentality

A lot of gamblers have a high-risk, high-reward mentality. Essentially, this is when we believe that nothing good ever happens without an equal risk that precedes it.

When we win big, we think to ourselves, I’m being rewarded for taking a big risk! Of course, we also blame ourselves (not the game’s algorithm) when we lose.

Casino Bonuses

When we accept casino bonuses, we think of those bonus funds as “free money.” But of course, nothing is truly “free.”

Losing casino bonus funds doesn’t hurt as much as losing our own funds.

Yet, depending on what type of casino bonus you accept, you could end up losing some of your own funds when trying to clear playthrough requirements or other terms and conditions.