Las Vegas Slot Machine Advice

• Las Vegas Slot Machine Advice Jackpots
• Las Vegas Slot Machine Secrets
• Las Vegas Slot Machine Advice Against
• Free Slot Machine Las Vegas

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Introduction

Playing tip: Slots have the worst odds in Las Vegas (house advantage is about 10%), so if you lose you have been warned. Table games, like blackjack, craps or baccarat will give you a much better chance of winning. The casinos fill the place with slot machines because they take in the most money from them.

When it comes to gambling, the easier a game is to understand the worse the odds usually are. This is certainly the case with slot machines. Playing them is as easy as pressing a button. However, between the high house edge and fast rate of play, there is no quicker way to lose your money in a casino.

How They Work

Whether you're playing a 3-reel single-line game or a 5-reel 25-line game, the outcome of every bet is ultimately determined by random numbers. The game will choose one random number for each reel, map that number onto a position on the reel, stop the reel in the appointed place, and score whatever the outcome is. In other words, the outcome is predestined the moment you press the button; the rest is just for show. There are no hot and cold cycles; your odds are the same for every spin on a given machine.

Slot machines are just about the only game in the casino where the odds are not quantifiable. In other words, the player doesn't know how the game was designed, so it is difficult to look at an actual game to use as an example. So, to help explain how they work, I created the Atkins Diet slot machine (link). It is a simple, five-reel game with a free spin bonus round, much like IGT's Cleopatra game.

For information on how it works and all the odds, please visit my Atkins Diet par sheet.

For a more complicated example, featuring sticky wilds in the bonus, please try my Vamos a Las Vegas slot machine.

For information on how it works and all the odds, please visit my Vamos a Las Vegas par sheet (PDF).

Odds

The following table shows the casino win for Clark County Nevada (where Las Vegas is) for all slots for calendar year 2012. They define 'slot' as any electronic game, including video poker and video keno. I've found video keno to be about equally as tight as reeled slots, but video poker has a much higher return. So, the return for reeled slots should be higher than these figures.

Clark County Slot Win 2012

Denomination	Casino Win (pct)
$0.01	10.77%
$0.05	5.96%
$0.25	5.74%
$1.00	5.64%
$5.00	5.51%
$25.00	3.97%
$100.00	4.73%
Megabucks	12.89%
Multi-denomination	5.32%
Total	6.58%

Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Gaming Revenue Report for December 2012 (PDF, see page 6).

Las Vegas Slot Machine Advice Jackpots

Most players play penny video slots. Based on past research, I find the house edge on those to usually be set from 6% to 15%. In general, the nicer the casino, the tighter the slots.

Advice

While there is no skill to playing slots, there is some skill in selecting which machine to play and ways you can maximize your return. What follows is my advice, if you must play slots at all.

• Always use a player card. Slots may be a lousy bet, but the casinos treat slot players very well. A $1 slot player will probably get comped better than a $100 blackjack player. Of course, don't play for the reason of getting comps. You'll give them a lot more than they'll give you.
• The simpler the game, the better the odds. The fancy games with big signs and video screens tend to not pay as well as the simple games. However, slot players always tell me the fancy games are more fun.
• The higher the denomination, the better the odds. For that reason, it is better to play one coin per line on a 5-cent game than five coins per line on a 1-cent game.
• Don't forget to cash out and take your ticket when you leave. It is easy to forget after hitting a jackpot.
• Try to play slowly and as little as possible to get your fix.
• In some games there is a skill feature, like Top Dollar. In such games, advice is usually offered, which you should take.

Myths and Facts

Just about everything that players believe about slots is untrue. Here are the most common myths and facts.

• Myth: Slot machines are programmed to go through a cycle of payoffs. Although the cycle can span thousands of spins, once it reaches the end the outcomes will repeat themselves in exactly the same order as the last cycle.

  Fact: This is not true at all. Every spin is random and independent of all past spins.

• Myth: Slot machines are programmed to pay off a particular percentage of money bet. Thus, after a jackpot is hit the machine will tighten up to get back in balance. On the other hand, when a jackpot has not been hit for a long time it is overdue and more likely to hit.

  Fact: As just mentioned, each spin is independent of all past spins. That means that for a given machine game, the odds are always the same. It makes no difference when the last jackpot was hit or how much the game paid out in the last hour, day, week, or any period of time.

• Myth: Machines pay more if a player card is not used.

  Fact: The mechanism that determines the outcome of each play does not consider whether a card is used or not. The odds are the same with or without one.

• Myth: Using a player card enables the casino to report my winnings to the IRS.

  Fact: That makes no difference. If you win $1,200 or more they will report it either way. If you have a net losing year, which you probably will, at least the casino will have evidence of it. Such annual win/loss statements may be used as evidence to declare offsetting loses to jackpot wins.

• Myth: The slot department can tighten my game with the press of a button remotely. Thus, you better be nice to the staff and tip them well, or they will use a remote control to have the machine take you down in a hurry.

  Fact: There is now some truth to the myth that the odds of a machine can be changed remotely. Such 'server-based slots' are still experimental and in a minority. Even with server-based slots, there are regulations in place to protect the player from the perceived abuses that could accompany them. For example, in Nevada a machine can not be altered remotely unless it has been idle for at least four minutes. Even then, the game will display a notice that it is being serviced during such changes. (source) Meanwhile, for the vast majority of slots, somebody would physically need to open the machine and change a computer chip, known as an EPROM chip, to make any changes.

• Myth: The machines by the doors and heavy traffic flow areas tend to be loose while those hidden in quiet corners tend to be tight.

  Fact: I've studied the relationship between slot placement and return and found no correlation. Every slot director I've asked about this laughs it off as just another player myth.

• Myth: Slots tend to be looser during slow hours on slow days of the week. However, when the casino is busy they tighten them up.

  Fact: Nobody would take the trouble to do this, even if he could. The fact of the matter is the casinos are trying to find a good balance between winning some money while letting the player leave happy. That is best achieved by slots loose enough to give the player a sufficiently long 'time on device,' as they call it in the industry, with a reasonable chance of winning so he will return to the same casino next time. If the slots are too tight, the players will sense it and be unlikely to return.

  The kind of place you're likely to find tight slots are those with a captive audience, like the Las Vegas airport. So, if the slot manager feels that 92% is the right return for a penny game, for example, he is likely to set every penny game all that way, and keep them that way for years.

Play

Atkins Diet

Analysis

Vamos a Las Vegas

Analysis (PDF).

Australian Reels — One Line

Analysis (PDF)

Australian Reels — Five Line

Analysis

21 Bell

Analysis

Fruit Machine

Analysis

Reviews

• Dazzle Me (NetEnt)
• Mr. Vegas (Betsoft)
• Sparks (NetEnt)

Internal Links

• Appendix 1 shows the details and analysis of almost 4000 actual spins on a Reno slot machine.
• Appendix 2 shows an example of the virtual reels behind a hypothetical slot machine and how the average return is calculated.
• Appendix 3A: 2003 Las Vegas slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3B: 2002 Jean/Primm slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3C: 2002 Tunica slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3D: 2002 Henderson/Lake Mead slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3E: 2002 Quarter and dollar returns for Las Vegas slots
• Appendix 4 shows how the return is calculated for my Wizard's Fruit Slot Machine.
• Appendix 5 analysis of the 21 Bell Slot Machine.
• Appendix 6 Analysis of Red, White, & Blue Slot Machine.
• Lock and Roll analysis of the skill-based slot machine found in North Carolina.
• Deconstructing Jackpot Party analysis of the video slot machine.
• Deconstructing Lion's Share analysis of the classic MGM progressive game.
• Deconstructing Megabucks.
• Deconstructing the Atkins Diet slot machine.
• Analysis of Lucky Larry's Lobstermania.
• Deconstructing Hexbreaker.
• Deconstructing Blazing Sevens.
• Deconstructing Lionfish.
• Deconstructing Hot Roll.
• Mystery progressives on Ainsworth slots.
• Mystery progressives on WMS slots.
• Baltimore Sun article, in which I am quoted.
• 100% Rebate on Slot Losses Promotions: When to quit playing when all losses are refunded.

External Links

• For a simplified explanation of slots, please see my companion site Wizard of Vegas
• German translation of this page is available at richtigspielen.com
• Another decent overview of how slots work and some practical advice for playing them is How Slot Machines Work at VegasClick.com.
• PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play: Implications for problem and non-problem gambling by Kevin A. Harrigan and Mike Dixon, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This is an outstanding academic paper that details how some popular slot machines were designed.
• PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play: Implications for problem and non-problem gambling - Academic paper based on the par sheets for some modern slot machines

Written by:Michael Shackleford

Ten Tips On How To Win At Slot Machines

Everyone is aware that Las Vegas is known for its casinos. So it should come as no surprise to see many people trying to win large sums of money. Slot machines are amongst the most popular choices amongst players at online casinos and Vegas casinos alike, especially since they’re easier than many of the other games available. However, many have yet to figure out how to win. Here are ten tips which will help you win at slot machines.

Photo Credit: Las Vegas - slot machines by p_a_h, on Flickr

Las Vegas Slot Machine Secrets

Photo Credit: Slot machines, Las Vegas by brian.gratwicke, on Flick

Las Vegas Slot Machine Advice Against

1. There are many slot machines in casinos, which is why owners are very careful when placing them. The slot machines closest to the entrance have a higher chance of letting you win. Casinos want to attract as many customers as possible, so if they see people winning, they will most likely get in and try their luck as well. Slot machines near coffee shops and snack bars are recommended for the same reasons.

2. If you’re inside the casino already, try the slot machines at the edge of a slot section to win. These are placed so people can have easy access and encourage others to pick the slots in the middle, which are tighter and have lower chances of winning. Just because you’re playing in an isolated area of the casino, doesn’t mean you will automatically win.

3. Play slot machines with the best payouts, usually between 95 and 99 percent. Those machines are $1 and higher and are a good choice, with those higher than $5 getting the best payouts. The less expensive the machine, the less chance you have at winning.

4. Play the maximum number of bets if you want to hit the jackpot. This is the only way you can really win big with slot machines.

5. Test the machine you pick before playing to see how it responds. If you are not breaking even, try the machine next to you. Casinos never place two loose machines next to each other so your second choice might help you win the jackpot!

6. Never play only one machine! Picking a favourite is not recommended, especially if you’ve won by playing it before. If you’re not as lucky with the same slot machine on another day, you might find it hard to switch and you’ll end up losing all your money.

7. Be disciplined! You need to know when to stop playing. Manage your winnings and losses carefully, and set your winnings aside from the money you’ve planned on using for the slot machine initially.

8. Don’t be too confident! It’s easy to let winning get to your head if you’ve been lucky. Many people make the mistake of gambling more when they are on a winning spree, sometimes even double the amount. Losing money can be just as easy as winning it.

9. Setting a bankroll limit is essential. However, it is even more important to stick to your limit. Put aside the money you plan on gambling beforehand, and make sure you divide the sum properly, so that it will last you a long time. Never use the money you’ve set aside for personal use to gamble! A daily budget is always a safe bet in cities like Las Vegas.

10. Keep an eye out for slot games with bonus features. Most slot games offer bonus features such as free spins, progressive jackpots, and various bonuses. Some slot machines might offer ten free spins, while others give you double to amount. The higher the number of free spins, the more your chances of winning increase. If you are aiming to win the progressive jackpot, take note that you will always have to bet the maximum amount of money on each spin.

Free Slot Machine Las Vegas

There are numerous tricks when it comes to winning, and you can certainly find them out when you gain more experience. If you’re careful with your money and you know where to go when in the casino, you might come out a millionaire!