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A few months back l was in a local small town bar on a Saturday afternoon. People were coming in and sitting down to play the VLT machines and none of them were cashing any winning tickets. I counted 26 people that came in and sat down,put money in and then won nothing and left. Some came back and tried again. No winners. I saw a few bonuses hit and the payouts were not even $10. I thought this was an anomaly so I came back the next weekend and same thing. No winners. I know their story is no one gets rich from gambling but no one won a single dollar. So if that is the case in one small town, then what is it like across the province or the country. When I asked a few seasoned players they told me this is how it is. The bars wouldn't be open if they didn't make profit off of the VLT players because no one goes to bars to drink anymore. Is this true? I would like to hear a few opinions on this touchy subject please.

These machines are in fact programmed to pay out predetermined amounts at predetermined times. There is no randomness and thus no luck involved.  
 
For example:  
 
Pay out X amount after Y of time  
 
Pay out X amount after Y amount of cash input  
 
Payout value will always be lower than input value.  
 
I am oversimplifying but this is the general basis for their operation.  
 
You will not profit from playing VLT's. The only ones who profit from them are the owners of the establishment.

Thanks but if you read the actual post then that wasn't the answer I was asking for. Oversimplified or not.

The core of the slot machine works on a Random Number Generator (RNG). This hi-tech computer software determines the random outcome of the spin. The RNG never stops working and is not influenced by any outside or underlying factors. A game of slots does not work on a cyclical basis: they are not pre-programmed to pay out at a certain time and there is no pattern that can be broken. It’s truly a game of luck. This means every spin has the same chance of winning. Any system or book that claims to be able to beat a slot machine is a gimmick. There is absolutely no way to beat a randomly generated outcome. This anticipation of not knowing what will happen is one of the primary reasons why slots can be so much fun.  
Anytime you spin the reels on a slot game, the outcome is not related or affected by the previous spin. It is possible, but not likely, to hit the same spin twice in a row. For this very reason, you can understand that it makes no difference playing at a machine that has just paid out a huge prize or at a game that hasn’t paid out in over a week.  
You are not more likely to win the longer you play. Since the software is always generating random numbers, you always have the same chance of hitting the jackpot with each and every spin.

Are you asking about VLTs never paying out?  
 
Or are you asking about the viability of small-town drinking establishments without VLT sales to attract patrons and bolster income?  
 
I think you're asking the second question, but you've gotten 2 answers to the first. Can you maybe clarify?  
 
Edited by Abbysmum, 2024-08-14 23:23:55

Yes abbysmum... That is what I would like to know what others think. I know the whole back story of the machines and the 7per cent payout.... not interested in a lecture on the machines payout statistics but thank you for your input. I want to know if that is a reality. Where are these establishments generating income other than their VLT's. Off sales in this province are set prices and the frequency of patronage is almost non existent. That is the question. How are they still managing to stay open.

A lot of the small town bars also sell cases of beer…I’d imagine this helps them stay in business?