Which letter hides which prize amount is randomly generated each time the bonus is played, and which you win depends on your choice. Each time the bonus is played, you could win 10, 20, 50, 75 or 500 credits. To make up a simple example, imagine a bonus round in which you’re presented with five choices. The amount of any one bonus is unknown, but the odds of the game will drive it toward a known average. Programmers can deal in expected averages to solve that problem. One recently asked, “There’s a programmed payback percentage, right? How can they do that if they don’t know how much the bonus is going to pay?” As long as all potential prizes are displayed at the end of the round, you can be confident your win is not pre-determined. The machine doesn’t decide you should get a lower award and change the hidden value. If you choose an icon hiding a big prize, you’ll get the big prize. I’ve often told slot machine players that when they play pick’em bonus rounds, their choices make a real difference.

Slot machine bonus rounds