In actual fact, the core idea makes sense. Surely if a machine pays off 1 out of every 10 spins, and it hasn't paid out in over 20 spins, it must be due to pay out any minute. The corollary that it is beneficial to look for the machines that haven't paid out recently is logical but not true. So, Ross is wrong. Slot payouts are random events.
Slot machines use a computer that creates an erratic sequence of numbers generated continuously.
When the player presses the spin button, these numbers determine the positions of the reels. A microsecond difference in pressing the button would result in a different outcome. Whether a machine has or hasn't paid out is irrelevant. Considerable research suggests that gambling behaviour is associated with a wide variety of erroneous beliefs or cognitive distortions about gambling. These include mistaken myths about ways to beat the odds, superstitions and the personification of gambling machines.