Slots have been around since the very beginning of gambling. They were originally used to simulate a machine that can pull in coins and dispense them from the bottom.  Casinos soon realized they had an opportunity to make money off this new invention. This is why slots are now found all over casinos today regardless of whether it’s a physical casino or a virtual casino, such as the ones reviewed by Casino Reviews, which also have the best bonuses. The only difference between those original machines and modern day ones is that the technology behind the slots has evolved tremendously over time. The old slot machines consisted of three reels with symbols on each reel, as well as one payline for players to bet on where they think symbols will land when spun round. If you want to understand the technology behind slots, then here are a few facts you should know:

• Random Number Generator

A random number generation is a mechanism that generates random numbers and can be used independently or within an application or site. You’ve definitely seen a random number generator being used at least once in your life. It has always been used in video games and online casinos, but most people were not aware of it until recently when casinos began opening up about the inner workings of how online casinos operate. Essentially, what it does is it prevents the casino from rigging the system to just dish out losses and it provides security by ensuring the fairness of the use of an online casino. In fact, with these strict regulations, you have a much higher chance of winning more at an online casino than you would by visiting a land-based casino. However, there are some fraud online casinos which do not use random number generators so make sure to check if the online casino you are using uses this technology.

• The design 

The design of slots used to be limited to symbols and numbers, but there are now relevant social icons which are being used with lots of bright colors that draw people in. There are lots of sounds that are made and sound engineers are trained to provide sounds that create different auditory experiences. This further aids in immersing the players into the game. A lot of programming and coding is done to ensure that each user has the best experience while playing.

• Who provides the software?

Game software providers, such as Microgaming and Playtech, provide the best software for slot games. They are the best developers because they have been around for years and have made tons of games. It is always best to play a slot game from trusted developers because it assures you that the slots aren’t rigged.

• Future of slots

The future for slots is expanding as they are even a lot more interactive than they were before and now they have even made an MMO slot game. What it essentially does is allow you to create avatars and weave storytelling into the slots game. The reason why this is happening is because gamification is on the rise in the online gaming industry and AR as well as VR systems are being introduced. AR is Augmented Reality is a system which overlays digital content and information onto the physical world and VR is Virtual Reality which is a virtual environment that immerses the user into a computer-generated scene. It was first used for gaming, but is now used by many online casinos as it provides a great adjustment for those used to land-based casinos who are intimidated by online casinos.

Today’s slot machines use video screens instead of mechanical reels and up to 20 paylines per spin! That’s a lot considering how limited it was in the past when casinos used mechanical reels with only numbers and symbols. Online casinos have always tried to push the boundaries for entertainment, and they definitely do this with slots. Now that you understand the technology behind why slots work, you can understand why they are so popular. Random Number Generators assure players that they are secured, the design draws people in, and the high-tech software is constantly updating which paves the way for the future of slots.

The franchise might not boast the most well stocked trophy cabinet but that doesn’t mean they haven’t had talent in their ranks over the years. 

Here we take a look at the best Charlotte Hornets of all time. 

Number 5. Muggsy Bogues

Kicking off our list of the best Charlotte Hornets’ of all time is Muggsy Bogues. To many, Bogues is just the shortest man to ever feature in the NBA. For the Hornets fan base though he is the man that represented them so well between 1988 and 1997. In fact, for many of those supporters, Bogues might rank slightly higher on this list. We, however, think his ranking of fifth is fair. 

The point guard had excellent court vision to go along with his phenomenal defensive instincts. During his ten years with the Hornets, he averaged 1.7 steals and 2.9 rebounds along with posting 8.8 points and the same number of assists per game.

Number 4. Dell Curry

Steph Curry might be on the brink of going down as the best three point shooters in NBA history but the player in focus here is his father, Dell. Dell was a fantastic shooter in his own right too. He was rarely a starter for the Hornets but was a constant force off the bench; the Sixth Man of the Year award he picked up in the 1994 is proof of that. It’s not all he can boast about though. 

Curry holds multiple franchise records across different categories whilst his statistical averages measure up alright as well. A decade long spell with game averages of 14 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals shows he deserves to be recognised as an all time Hornets great.

Number 3. Larry Johnson

Larry Johnson was selected by Charlotte with the first overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft. He would go on to play five full seasons with the Hornets before eventually switching teams. During that five year period, not only was the big man able to win the Rookie of the Year award but he was also named an All Star twice whilst making his way onto the All NBA Second Team as well. 

With his time in Charlotte much shorter than many of his teammates, his overall stats don’t scream out as top notch; his game averages, however, are evidence of a man who is unquestionably one of the best Charlotte Hornets of all time. Johnson averaged 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Number 2. Gerald Wallace

The penultimate name on our list of the best Charlotte Hornets of all time is Gerald Wallace. He just looked at home when he was on the court. Wallace’s near superhuman athleticism allowed him to sink points without any trouble at all whilst his nimble footedness made him a real force to be reckoned with on the defensive end. He was with the Hornets for seven years between 2004 and 2011. 

During that time, he was an All Star, an NBA All Defensive First Team player and was able to lead the entire league in total steals in 2006. His career averages whilst in Charlotte were 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He was capable of getting it done all over the floor.

Number 1. Kemba Walker

A drum roll won’t be necessary; deciding number one of this list barely needed any thinking about. Kemba Walker is the best player to ever suit up in the Charlotte Hornets colours. 

The justification for claiming so is easy to find too. He was with the team for eight seasons until he left for the Boston Celtics in 2019. In that time Walker was excellent offensively with his ability to dribble through defences to create his own shooting positions a particularly strong trait of his. 

He was selected to the All-Star team three times and made the NBA Third Team in prior to his exit from the Hornets. He averaged 19.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the Hornets. Walker was the star man throughout his time in Charlotte and although the team were never close to achieving anything, they did at least have the ability to hurt teams and win games with him as their driving force.

There you have it, the best Charlotte Hornets of all time. Who did we miss?

The countdown for the 2021 Kentucky Derby is getting closer, as the first of the Triple Crown races takes place on May 1st. 

You can check the Kentucky Derby Handicapping & Picks in the TwinSpires website and get ready for the main event.

The most talented three-year-olds in training will be in action at the race, but this past weekend, one of the leading chances was handed a defeat. 

Still, is there still enough confidence that Concert Tour can reverse his form and claim yet another Kentucky Derby success for trainer Bob Baffert?

Concert Tour Beaten

There was a sense of inevitability this past weekend, that Concert Tour would do enough to get the win in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, and move to the head of the betting. 

However, horse racing is never as simple as following the form book. The horses involved aren’t machines, and like athletes, they can be prone to off days. That is exactly what happened with Concert Tour at Oaklawn Park, as he struggled to third of the six in the Arkansas Derby. 

It has looked like the three-year-old would be able to clinch second, but his tiring run towards the line allowed Caddo River to take the runner-up spot.

The tired nature of Concert Tour in the final couple of furlongs looked the most worry from a gambler’s perspective, as there wasn’t the final pace that we have seen from the Baffert-trained horse before the run at Oaklawn Park. 

Super Stock was the easy winner in the race, as he finished two and a half lengths clear, and there are now fears that Baffert could opt against running Concert Tour at all in the Kentucky Derby, and he could instead be focused on the two following Triple Crown events.

Still A High-Quality Option

Should Baffert continue to plan ahead for Concert Tour in the Kentucky Derby, he could get a lot of support in the market. One defeat does take the gleam off the success that he had achieved previously, but it doesn’t undo what we have seen in the past. 

The run in the Arkansas Derby was his fourth start of the season to this point, which means that one of the reasons for the poor run could be down to him overworking. However, a bit of break away from the track before the Kentucky Derby could see him return to his best.

When the three-year-old is at his very best, it is extremely hard to see past him regardless of who he comes up against. Before his run in the Arkansas Derby, he had won back-to-back Grade 2s. 

The most recent of those was the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. On that day, he had far too much class for the field, with Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock finishing back in fourth. 

Nonetheless, the defeat last time out does mean that the expectation will rise on Essential Quality, who is the clear favourite in the betting.

Essential Quality Is The Standout

Essential Quality made it five wins from five a couple of weeks ago, with a victory in the Grade 2 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. 

There is no denying the class that the Brad Cox-trained horse has, as he has already recorded Grade 1 success in the form of the TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Essential Quality also returned to the track in February with success in the Grade 2 Southwest Stakes.

It would still be fascinating to see Concert Tour and Essential Quality go head to head in the Kentucky Derby, but the recent defeat for the Baffert-trained horse does create a chance that he may instead sidestep the first of the Triple Crown events.