FALSE: Online Casinos Change Payouts on a Whim

There’s a best time to play online casinos (and other stupid myths).

I’ve heard some pretty strange myths about gambling over the years. Superstitions mostly, but not all. Today I came across an article that literally had me laughing, it was so inane.

This page—which I won’t name to avoid giving it any potential credibility—states that there are better and worse times to play RNG-based casino games; that is, games that operate electronically, with wins/losses determined by a random number generator (i.e. slot machines, video poker, electronic blackjack, etc.)

Not only are they spreading false information, they’re boasting it as a “well known fact”. The fact is, that couldn’t be farther from the truth…

FALSE: There’s a Best Time to Play Online Casinos

According to this erroneous information, weekends are the worst time to play. The author bases this on the simple fact (yes, this one is fact) that more people lose money on weekends than any other time. That’s absolutely true. But not because the games are intentionally rigged to pay out less.

All RNG games are set to a specific payout percentage. In the online casino industry, slot machines pay an average return to player (RTP) of 96-97%. They pay the same on weekends as they do any other day, but more people do play online casino games on the weekends, simply because they have more time, and they just got paid.

The casino is going to make its average 3-4% profit, and because more people are playing—more money is being wagered—those profits will be higher on a weekend.

But apparently, that’s not what some people want you to believe. They would rather you gamble under the false impression that online casino management is actually decreasing the RTP on weekends, scraping in as much money as possible from players while action is at its peak.

But RTPs are Certified – How Can This Be?

That’s correct. Every reputable online casino software system is regularly tested and certified for fairness. The games undergo rigorous testing, playing through no less than one million hands or reel spins to ensure that the actual RTP meets the advertised RTP.

The article points this out, but then goes on to detail how online casinos pull off their duplicitous scheme, without risking their certification. They say that on weekdays—particularly every Tuesday and Wednesday—the RTPs are reversed, paying out at a phenomenal 180-200% on these days!

Boy oh boy, that sure sounds inspiring! Shouldn’t we all go find a new job that doesn’t require work on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so we can all spend 48 hours winning butt-loads of money? Or should we get back down to earth for a moment?

The author says casinos get their averages “back on track” during these days, but what would be the point? If their making the same average amount of money over the full course of the week, why should they go to so much trouble? The truth is, they wouldn’t. Not only would it be stupid, it would get them shut down.

Online Casinos Change Payouts? That’s Illegal!

Every responsible gambling regulator in the world has strict policies that prevent any casino—online or on land—from altering its RTPs. They cannot advertise one RTP, and present another, not even for a single minute, much less a whole weekend.

Gambling operators make more than enough money with static 96-97% slots RTPs not to risk losing their operating license over something that wouldn’t make them any more money than they already make. So if you ever hear someone say there’s a best time to play online casinos, go ahead and smack them in the forehead. They’re an idiot, and they deserve it.