Phrases like “guaranteed to work” or “guaranteed to win” immediately set off our bullshit detector in connection with Book of Ra tricks. It sounds so tempting to believe that a slot machine can be tricked. But since there are now hundreds of sites that promise tricks and tips, especially for the Novoline classic Book of Ra, we took a closer look.
Can you influence the payout of a slot with Book of Ra tricks and tips?
Most recently, the case surrounding the Russian casino mafia has made waves. Thanks to the decryption of the random generators, gangsters were actually able to rob many casinos of millions. But this requires not only a high degree of criminal energy, but also expert knowledge, computer scientists and lots of expensive equipment. All things that a normal gambler does not have. With enormous effort, the fraudsters were able to predict when certain machines would pay out.
In another case, circuit boards in slot machines were changed in such a way that winnings were indeed guaranteed after certain key combinations. Particularly explosive: no one less than the Gauselmann Group (Merkur) is said to have been responsible for this. The victim in the form of Novomatic is no less prominent. But here, too, the software of the slot machines had to be manipulated first. However, the accused “Ali T.”, who previously worked as a security consultant for Gauselmann and Novomatic, naturally had completely different prerequisites.
If manipulated software is actually still being used on any slot machines, you will hardly find out about it on the internet. In general, all slot machines are monitored and checked immediately in case of conspicuous payouts.
Another well-known case is from the USA. Here, players got by without any manipulation at all. The video poker machines of a manufacturer offered the possibility to increase the bet in certain situations. While the two previous examples are clearly fraud, here two clever players only exploited a bug. The whole story can be found – but in English – at our colleagues from wired.
Book of Ra tricks and tips – what works, what doesn’t?
Now various sites boast of abstruse strategies that anyone can use – including you. The most frequently used example in the German-speaking world is Novoline’s slot machine Book of Ra. The fact alone that this machine has been on the market for many years and that Novomatic is a billion-dollar corporation that would certainly notice if something was wrong with its most successful slot should make you wonder.
Would-be trick no. 1: Changing bets
If you allegedly perform a certain number of spins on Book of Ra with a certain bet, you will reach the free spins feature faster with three or more scatter symbols. In addition, some authors write that this ensures that further free spins (extension) are definitely triggered during the free spins. However, you have to transfer an exact amount into the slot beforehand.
Fact check: Sounds stupid? It is. The games are tested by technical institutes. The random generator cannot be influenced by the bet amount or the number of spins. It also definitely has no influence on the number of free spins. Each video slot has a theoretical payout amount to the player. This is called RTP (Return To Player) and is calculated by complicated algorithms. Whether you play with small stakes or higher stakes doesn’t matter.
With the state authorities, this must be stated exactly to the second decimal place. The idea that such algorithms, created by experienced teams of game designers and mathematicians, could be altered by changing the stakes is naive. Novomatic alone employs 23,000 people.
It may be tempting to believe that one can have an advantage with such Book of Ra tricks. Perhaps someone still remembers Joachim Löw’s lucky jumper at the 2010 World Cup. Out of pure superstition, the German national coach did not have the jumper washed. As is well known, they didn’t become world champions in 2010 – but they did in 2014, and without a lucky jumper.
Would-be trick no. 2: Loss strategy
After a certain loss, the machine is programmed so that you win for a short time. The aim of the strategy is to gamble away a certain amount with a small stake until you only have a certain percentage of your deposit left. Most often, 50 % is specified for this.
To achieve this goal, you should always gamble away any winnings with the gamble function. Then increase the stake to the maximum and you are guaranteed to win. Now quickly move the winnings from the money store over and pay out and continue the same on another slot machine.
Fact check: This Book of Ra trick is also, in a nutshell, bullshit. It would be a violation of the legal requirements if automatic winnings followed certain losses in order to keep the player in the game and motivate him. Besides, this would also not work in a slot due to the functions of the algorithms.
Would-be trick no. 3: manual spins instead of autoplay
Supposedly, slot machines pay out better if you press the start button yourself. However, the way every slot works is completely detached from autoplay or manual spins. Therefore, this tip is also false information. The win cycle of Book of Ra does not change with this “trick”.
Would-be trick no. 4: Influencing machines with multiple games
Novoline has many slot games with different video slots on offer. You can easily switch between them in the main menu. According to this strategy, it plays an important role for winning how you now select Book of Ra in the main menu.
Fact check: The rumour persists that you can switch traffic lights to green immediately if you just press the button correctly. As nice as this may sound, this story is an urban legend and not true. The same applies to the tip on Book of Ra. It has no influence on how you select the slot. The scatter symbols to trigger the free spins are ALWAYS random!
Book of Ra Trick No. 5: The tip from the clerk in the gambling house
Without question, slot machines used to be completely mechanical. As soon as any amount of coins had been swallowed, the payout was only a matter of time. Well-intentioned tips such as “Play the machine in the corner, it’s full to bursting and hasn’t spit out anything yet” or “Better not play that slot, it’s just paid out a jackpot” were therefore not completely out of thin air.
Nowadays, the random generators are completely electronic and slot machines are networked. Which machine you win on and which you don’t is therefore simply a matter of chance.
Wannabe trick no. 6: Magnets, wire, EMP jammers and hacks via Bluetooth
At least with magnets, you used to be able to bring the wheel to a standstill at the desired time in roulette. But this alleged trick is useless for Book of Ra. Even with a wire you are at a loss. Since it is not uncommon to see rather tall guys with a grim look running around in the gambling houses, you should rather refrain from betting.
EMP jammers, which emit electro-magnetic impulses and thus disrupt the slot in your favour, are also a legend. And you should also keep your hands off the alleged apps for hacking Book of Ra for up to 250 $ on the internet. Either the app is completely useless, or it’s malware that steals personal data or makes your mobile phone unusable.
Would-be trick no. 7 – Full screen with mummies
According to the explorer, the mummy pays best. And if a full screen with mummies appears in the free spins, there is every reason to rejoice. The deluxe version pays out 2000 times as much per payline. With one dollar stake (10 cents per line), we would be at $2,000 in winnings. But you simply cannot predict when this picture will appear. It is and remains coincidence.
If all the alleged strategies do not work, one question naturally arises: Why do people knowingly publish nonsense?
Let’s take a look at the sites that supposedly offer you unbeatable tips and tricks for Book of Ra and other slots. Here you will mainly see ads for online casinos. The operators of such sites do not want to provide you with good information, but to motivate you to register directly with a casino. And they make good money in the process. If you later lose at the online casino, the site operators get up to 50% of your net losses as a bonus. The whole thing is called an affiliate or partner programme and brings in enormous sums.
Another scam are so-called trick books. Here, you are promised secret casino tricks and tips to manipulate the machines in the gambling halls with a few simple moves. For 20 $ to 50 $ you only get a small e-book without real added value. So don’t be taken for a fool, use your brain and don’t believe everything you read on the internet.