When it comes to slots, logic tells us that all wins will make players happy and all losses will bring down their euphoria. But the reality is much different, with many players valuing near misses almost, or even just as much, as actual wins. In fact, this is actually one of the casino’s dirty little secrets in that they know close calls will keep players on the reels. That said, let’s discuss why this is the case along with how you can keep this trick from affecting you.
Slots Players believe Near Misses indicate they’ll win Big Soon
Studies have proven that slots players highly value near misses – but why is this the case? Well, this stems from the false optimism that these almost wins and partial wins create. For example, let’s say you bet $5 on a individual spin while covering 50 paylines, then hit one prize worth $2. However, it could have been worth $200 if just one more symbol had panned out, and you might find this encouraging.
Here’s the Reality on Near Misses
The key thing to understand about slots games is that everything is random. Sure, it’s exciting if you were one symbol away from a really big payout, but there’s no guarantee that you won’t lose your next 50 spins instead of winning a huge payout in the future. Furthermore, you have no idea how many times a certain machine displays near misses, meaning you could almost hit a specific prize 100-1,000 times for every time that you do win it.
How to approach Near Misses
Rather than thinking of these as close calls, the best way to look at near misses is to separate them from any future results. For instance, if you almost got $200 but received $2 instead, then that’s it – you only won $2. There’s no indication that this $2 win will lead to anything bigger. So rather than extending your slots session and bankroll longer than you originally planned, stop playing when you feel like it and don’t let near wins influence you.