24Bingo
24Bingo
  • Threads: 23
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Joined: Jul 4, 2012
August 17th, 2014 at 10:59:50 AM permalink
I keep seeing reference all around to "high variance," "low variance" slots, but the one thing I almost never see are actual numbers to go along with these descriptors. I was wondering what a "high variance" or "low variance" slot's actual variance might be. Would it differ for a three-reel slot and a five-reel multi-line? Now, I'm aware that slots are black boxes (and watch as 4 or 5 replies patiently explain that slots are black boxes), but still, there must be a rough range that can be expected from machines of a given type. The only actual number I can find, anywhere, is σ = 8.74 from the House Edge page for "just one machine," which my guess would be was a three-reel game, because the "confidence intervals" bit from the Australian Reels par sheet suggests σ ~= 9.2. My guess would be most three-reel machines are somewhere in that "80 or so" range, but what about five-reel machines, or nine-line three reel machines? What would be "high" or "low" variance for them, just roughly?
The trick to poker is learning not to beat yourself up for your mistakes too much, and certainly not too little, but just the right amount.
tringlomane
tringlomane
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Joined: Aug 25, 2012
August 17th, 2014 at 10:45:16 PM permalink
A while back, I tried to deconstruct slot games I could play for free as a "hobby"...feel free to laugh...or hire me...especially the latter.

I would also calculate the single line variance as well for some games.

"Texas Tina" - Payback: 95.67%...SD 9.71
"Texas Tea" - Payback: 98.41%...SD 8.15

Unfortunately these are the only two I did the SD for. I would think both of these are "low" variance.
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