Can a computer/roulette machine create a true random number?
stickyfingeredurchin asked:
I think I understand the basics, but could someone tell me if a computer,specifically a roulette slot machine terminal could work by producing a true random number, not a pseudo-random-number.Thanks.
Answer
In theory, a computer or a roulette machine cannot generate a truly random number due to the deterministic nature of computer algorithms. Computers use pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) to produce numbers that appear random but are generated using a specific algorithm and an initial seed value.
However, it’s important to note that modern PRNGs used in casinos and online gambling platforms are highly sophisticated and produce results that are extremely difficult to predict or reproduce. These algorithms are subject to rigorous testing and certification to ensure fairness and unpredictability.
While a computer or roulette machine cannot generate a truly random number in the strictest sense, high-quality PRNGs can produce outcomes that are practically indistinguishable from true randomness for the purposes of gambling and gaming.
For a truly random number, one would need to rely on physical processes that are fundamentally random, such as radioactive decay or quantum phenomena. However, in practice, the pseudo-random numbers generated by modern algorithms are sufficient for most purposes, including roulette machines.
Not in software only. The only way to generate true random numbers is in hardware. And there is debate over whether that can generate true random numbers either. One way it is done is to let an input to a gate “float” without tying it to either ground or +Vcc. Natural noise then causes it to randomly oscillate between 0 and 1.
Computers can produce true random numbers, if equipped with special hardware. For example, you can count the number of particles emitted by a radioactive substance. See the “Physical Methods” section of the wikipedia entry on random number generators, link below.