A study on the sound of slot machines

Scientists regularly show an interest in gambling, as you can see by reading this article or this post.
A new study on the subject has been recently published.
Conducted by the University of Waterloo, Canada, the study suggests that the sounds of slot machines in casinos have a real impact on players.
Not only noisy slots attract more players compared to those with no sounds, but they also lead players to misjudge the size of their winnings.
Indeed, many slots flash and emit different sounds every time a player wins some money.
Sometimes you win less money than the amount you initially bet.
Because of the lights and the sounds made by the machines, the player thinks he has made a profit.
According to Mike Dixon, the man who led the study, these sounds and flashes are just a way of mixing up wins and losses.
This suggestion was tested with an experiment, during which two groups of people had to play slot machines – the first group used noisy slots, whereas the second used slots with no sounds.
People in the first group tended to overestimate their winnings – they had an increased sense of confidence compared to volunteers in the second group, even though the overall profits were similar.