With that out of the way, let’s discuss the signs of a pre-determined bonus versus a random (RNG-driven) one. As you can imagine, not a lot of information needs to be recorded – the game can replay the same RNGs for random bonuses as it could a predetermined one. Beyond this, some slot manufacturers have a way to replay the bonus, so for handpays or other scenarios of importance they can show off what happened for marketing purposes. One reason for this is pretty simple: If players knew they could start a bonus over and get better results by causing a machine to reset via a power issue or some other means, it would be a way to manipulate a machine. In fact, by design, slots keep track of a bonus’s progress so it can restore to the exact point of a failure if a machine get reset.

Some see that as a sign of it being a predetermined bonus. One thing you may notice if your slot machine resets, or if there’s a power interruption or other issue that may force your bonus to recover and restart is that you’ll get the same choices and spin results up to the point of the interruption.

And before we do, let’s rule one trait out that has nothing to do with the nature of the bonus you’re playing. Since that’s a very unhelpful answer, let’s take a look of traits that can help you determine if a slot is predetermined or using the RNG to decide the outcomes in real time. If it’s predetermined, any picking or spinning is just visual eye candy for an outcome that’s already been decided, and some aren’t the biggest fans of it.

One of the more common questions about slot machines that comes up is if a bonus is predetermined or not.

Slot machine bonus wins