Strategies for Playing Slot Machines

You may think that all slot machines are made equal, that you have as much chance of winning on one type of machine, as you do on another. However, in reality, the type of machine, the positioning of the machine, and the time elapsed since its last major payout are all contributing factors in determining whether or not a certain slot machine will be "loose", or whether or not it will live up to its reputation as being a "one armed bandit".

Rules to follow:

1) Do not just plunk yourself down at the first slot machine you see when you walk in the casino. Go on a "jackpot search" before you decide on a machine. The best machines to play are the ones where there is a "primary" jackpot as well as a "secondary" jackpot. The "secondary" jackpot is the information that you need to look for. The secondary jackpot will always have a "minimum" that grows as people play and do not win. Therefore, if you manage to find a machine with a secondary jackpot that is WAY over its pre-set minimum, that machine is more likely to pay out sooner rather than later. This is the machine that you want plunk yourself down in front of. Oh yeah, and ALWAYS play maximum coins at progressives.

2) The slots that are in higher traffic areas are generally a little "looser" than those that are hidden deeper in the casino. Casino managers want to create an aura of excitement in their casino -- and what better way is there to create a sense of excitement than to have "big winners" where everybody can see them?

3) However, casino managers ALSO know that certain machines in the casino are going to be played NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE or how often they are seen to pay out, so they make these machines a little stingier than others. The machines that are the stingiest are the ones where solitary people tend to mill around (usually because they are waiting for somebody else). The machines outside restrooms, near ATMs, near lounges and bars, and at the front entrance tend to be a little stingier than others. Casino managers know that people will play these machines to kill time while they wait (or on a whim as they pass by) so they purposefully lower the payouts on these machines. While machines in high traffic areas are good -- machines that are generally played by passersby and people killing time are almost always bad.

4) One of the worst sins you can make when playing the slots is to play two machines side by side. Casino managers know that a small percentage of "hard-core" gamblers like to do this, so they purposefully don't place two loose machines side by side. Playing two machines does not improve your odds, it actually makes them much worse. By the same token, if you tend to go to the casino with a friend or your significant other, DO NOT PLAY SIDE BY SIDE. One of you will inevitably be getting the stingy machine. Casino managers know that people who go to the casino with a companion are likely to stick together (even if one of their machines doesn't pay out) for the duration of their gambling excursion. This is another reason why casino managers will never place loose machines side by side. Furthermore, if you are playing a machine that is next to one that seems to be paying out pretty well for the person who is playing it, MOVE. The person sitting next to you got the loose machine -- the one you're sitting in front of is almost certainly a true "one armed bandit".

5) Unless you like losing, NEVER play slots at bars, airports, and supermarkets. The owners of these machines are out to snag the unwitting "passerby", somebody who is not likely to spend a large amount of time in front of the machine. These machines don't get as much play, so the owners of these machines purposefully set the payoffs really low in order to maximize their profits. If a casino were to lower its payoffs as low as these machines, the casino in question would develop a poor reputation among slots players fairly quickly and would start to lose business. However, owners of slot machines in non-casino settings know that the same person will probably not play his/her machine twice anyway, so he/she isn't concerned about getting a reputation as having "the loosest slots".

6) The best time to play is in the wee hours of the morning after the tourists have finished priming up the machines with their losses. 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday morning (right after the tourists have gone home) should see the highest number of slot machines that are "due" to pay out.

7) Ask around. Many times the lower ranking casino employees will be willing to volunteer the locations of the "loosest" slots in the house. Please be kind enough to tip them for their information, though, or they may not be so forthcoming next time.