As any programmer knows, the ‘secrets’ of what lies within a web page can be unravelled by viewing its HTML source code. And for gamers, there is the opportunity – in some cases – to spot clues that may reveal the answer to puzzles and questions posed on screen.
Following that logic, it is easy to assume the same approach might work in online casinos. If you can inspect the code of a slot game page, could it give you an edge?
Players already use various ways to improve their overall play. Some extend their session through incentives, such as depositing and receiving a percentage back as a bonus, which increases the available bankroll. There are also less common offers like free spins on card registration, where confirming a debit card on a gambling site gives you a chance to spin the reels without staking your own money.
Another common approach is researching games in advance. Players look up RTP figures and other technical details through reviews and data sites. But what if you take a different route? If you press Ctrl + U on a slot page and open the HTML source, does anything inside that code actually give you an advantage?
Can Gamers Gain an Advantage from a Slot Page’s HTML Code?
As alluded to already, there’s no edge to be gained from studying the HTML source code of a slot game page.
None of the crucial information that drives the game is included in the code. Sure, you can find out about the web page’s meta data, its design elements and how the page was built.
But the mechanics of the game and any ‘predictive’ elements? Forget about it. There’s simply no data contained within the HTML code that would be advantageous for a player to know.
You won’t be surprised to learn that online slot developers are very protective of the integrity of their games. They cannot afford a situation in which the player is able to gain an advantage on the casino simply by inspecting its code – they would cost the casino a lot of money, and the games of the development firm would be dropped like a stone by other sites too.
For extra context, think of when an online casino shows which numbers have been spun on the roulette wheel recently. There’s a misconception that there’s such a thing as a ‘hot’ number on an online roulette wheel, but the reality is that any patterns in winning numbers occur by pure happenstance.
So, in reality, there’s no advantage to knowing which numbers have landed in recent spins, as these have no bearing on what will happen next.
And that’s because every spin – be it slots, roulette or any other online casino game – is determined by its random number generator (RNG).
RNG: The Most Important Slot Game Code
Inspect the HTML code of a slot game page and details of its random number generator will not be available to you.
Each RNG sequence is generated and managed within the game system operated by the software provider, not the casino itself. The results of spins are logged as part of the game’s normal operation, allowing outcomes to be verified for technical checks, audits and regulatory compliance. This ensures the game functions as intended and that each result can be reliably accounted for if any questions arise.
A random number generator is a complex mathematical algorithm that is initially hard coded. It has the capability of churning out millions of unique number strings – thousands per second, in fact, with each of these digits relating to the symbols that can appear on the reels of a slot game.
So, some of these strings will result in a loss for the player and some in a win. But each is designated completely at random, with no way for players – or coders – to know what’s coming next.
An RNG cannot be manipulated by human hand nor by the casino housing the game, with the algorithm monitored and certified by independent third-party organisations like eCOGRA.
