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iGaming Glossary / Near Miss

What is Near Miss?

When reels stop just short of a big win. It is a visual effect and never a sign a win is coming.

A near miss is when the reels stop in a way that looks painfully close to a big win, such as two jackpot symbols landing and the third just above or below the line. It feels like you almost made it, and that feeling can push you to keep spinning.

It is important to understand that a near miss means nothing about your next spin. Every result is set by a random number generator, and the game has no memory. A near miss is not a sign that a win is building up or due to arrive.

Some designs lean into near misses to keep play exciting, but the maths underneath does not change. Treat them as pure presentation, not a clue. If chasing that feeling starts to feel like a problem, visit our responsible gambling page.

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