Know All About The Random Number Generator

by Ritwik Sharman Professional Poker Player

The role of random numbers in online gaming is vital to the integrity of the game and at the same time is poorly understood by most players. In this article, we will look at the role of randomness, what qualification can and cannot tell you about it, and what kind of conclusions can be backed by an online game's RNG certification.

Chance plays a part in most of the games online. Whether it is a lottery, bingo, poker, slot machine, or other online casino game, there is a certain element of chance. We intuitively understand that if the game's chance factor were not completely random — and if certain players were aware of the non-randomness — then informed players would have an unfair advantage over unaware players. Hence, understanding the terminologies such as poker rankings, hands, etc. becomes imperative to master the strategy.

What is a Random Number Generator?

In live poker, an individual-the dealer-shuffles the deck of cards and deals it to the players. This is to ensure all cards have equal chances to be dealt and the game is fair. The cards are virtual in online poker, and so shuffling is performed by a computer system known as the Random Number Generator (RNG), which conducts the dealer's job of shuffling and dealing the cards.

The way this is achieved is that the Poker RNG algorithm produces a series of randomised (unrelated) numbers that are translated to a series in a 52-card deck that corresponds to a shuffled card contract. This makes it difficult to foresee any combination of cards, giving the cards dealt in the game total randomness.

Apart from shuffling a deck of cards, an RNG can also be used for virtual dice rolling, virtual coin flipping, or any similar purpose.

Why is a Random Number Generator required?

Poker RNG preserves the random essence of dealt cards. Thus, the RNG's primary function is to keep the distribution of cards fair as it is almost impossible to speculate.

This means both players are given the same chance of winning as in a real card game. The online poker website and the players are therefore completely assured of fairness. Your odds of winning are then more dependent on your ability than anything else, excluding of course a dose of good old-fashioned luck.

How does it work?

It needs a 'seed' to get the initial point of randomly spawned numbers to start. Even the seed is determined using the maximum number of random figures available.

A robust system built around an encrypted feature is used by the Poker RNG applications. When a virtual card-deck gets shuffled and dealt with, strictly random events determine the results.

RNG in online poker

Generating random sequences of cards along with transferring them from the server to the client is one of the fundamentals of poker room security, so much attention is necessary for them. Use a pseudo-random number generator is impractical for such a significant method, as it can be hacked to get a series of numbers, and then decode player cards and unopened table cards.

Random number generator is a complex program that ensures casino games are as random as programs can be.