[Archived] Fixed Odds Betting Terminals

[Plastic Head]

I have now satisfied myself as to the truth about these machines in bookies.

I have seen people lose their house and the business playing these "gambling" machines. I myself have lost a good few quid but nothing I couldn't manage without.

Make no mistake, these are fixed to be even more in the bookies favour in the 1 in 37 that a casino would win.

They are only random in so much as one of the numbers produced that you lose on (or maybe win if selected) will be random.

The "favourite" in any spin will have around a 20% less chance of winning that a straight 36/1 on the machines I have "insider" knowledge of.

Thats the equivalent of a 4/1 fav in a horse race having a 5/1 chance of winning, the outcome being determined by software.

For example, if you bet red, the black number selected that you lose on will be random. The number the machine returns for any spin is certainly NOT RANDOM in the true sense of the word.

In the short term you may win on these but in the meduim term you will certainly not. You will of course lose long-term in a casino but at least you get a fair crack of the whip.

I hope anyone who plays these machines will take my well intentioned advice and stop playing them. Have a bet on the horses or the greyhounds. Or even the football god forbid.

Don't waste your "well earned" trying to win on these coz you will not. If you wish to play them for "entertainment" then fine.

If you want the boring detail on how these machines are rigged to work send me a message, but I warn you it's dull and complicated.

There is a conspiracy of silence as to how these machines work and the government seems loathed to grasp the issue. Bookies will always casually dismiss any suggestion of fixing on FOBT's...yeah course they would.

It's Cheltenham next week gets your bets on there, !!!!!

[bellamy11]

Having worked at one, it amazes me that people will willingly put money into a computer at a bookmakers. Honestly, what do they think is going to happen? I've seen people bet on CashQuest dog races. When there are real dog races going on. I know both are bent, but at least the outcome of the real race isn't determined by a computer program. It's absolute lunacy.

[Cocker]

The same can be said about any gambling machine though.

The mental thing is that if you are in the bookies you might as well stick £5 on Man U/Chelski/Liverpool and Arsenal to win than put your money in that machine - you are more likley to get more back over a season if you did that every weekend

[cn174]

The machines now tell you your odds of winning for example 97% roulette. However people misinterpret this as meaning you have a 97% of winning, which they are not. It means for (on average) every £100 you put in the machine you will win £97, thus making a 3% loss. Bookies wouldn't have the things if they didn't make money!

The other thing where most people fall down is by getting greedy. I've seen so many people build their pot up say £500, only to keep going and going and eventually lose it about 20 minutes later. Or when people win a decent amount of cash, and put it all straight back into the machines and then win nothing. And it is this behaviour that the bookies rely on

[Hasta]

It's the same as fruit machines and quiz machines in pubs. On a night out it's OK to chuck a quid in to see if your lucky but I do shake my head at these people that stand there for 30 minutes pumping money in them.

Quiz machines are a great example. On the vast majority of them, regardless of how may questions you answer, there's always a bit where you need to be lucky in order to win the prizes.

[Plastic Head]

The machines now tell you your odds of winning for example 97% roulette. However people misinterpret this as meaning you have a 97% of winning, which they are not. It means for (on average) every £100 you put in the machine you will win £97, thus making a 3% loss. Bookies wouldn't have the things if they didn't make money!

The other thing where most people fall down is by getting greedy. I've seen so many people build their pot up say £500, only to keep going and going and eventually lose it about 20 minutes later. Or when people win a decent amount of cash, and put it all straight back into the machines and then win nothing. And it is this behaviour that the bookies rely on

In a casino you get a 97% payout but these machines will not pay to that level.