Many players believe that slot reels "spin" and then stop on a result. In reality, the outcome of your spin is decided the very microsecond you press the button. The animation you see—the blurring reels and the dramatic slow-down—is simply a visual presentation of a result that already exists in the game's memory.
This is made possible by the Random Number Generator (RNG). The RNG is a sophisticated piece of software that generates thousands of numbers every second, even when no one is playing. When you click spin, the game pulls the current number from the sequence and maps it to a specific combination of symbols on the grid.
Crucially, every single spin is an independent event. The RNG has no memory; it does not know if you just won a massive prize or if you have had a series of quiet spins. Your previous results have zero impact on the probability of your next outcome, ensuring that every player has a fair and random experience.