Best Tips For Winning On Slot Machines
Casinos have more slot machines than all of the other games combined. But unlike many casino games, the slots still have some secrets.
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Here’s a list of 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don’t want you to know about.
1. Slot placement isn’t random
Slot Machines Tips The RTP is calculated on a scale from 1 to 100. Most slots have an RTP between 92-97%. Always choose an online slot machine game with an RTP of 96% or above. Elements like the slot themes, graphics, and jackpots are the least important to consider when you want to pick a slot machine. The most important tip to win at slots is to pick the games with the highest RTP. These are the slots with the best odds. What is the RTP? Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don’t go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you’re looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
Although casinos would like you to think that everything on the floor is placed in a completely random way for ease of access and aesthetics, this certainly isn’t the case.
Every square foot of the casino is analyzed, measured, and reported on by the casino gaming department. Traffic patterns are monitored and value is placed on certain areas of the casino to determine which slots or games to place in that area.
Usually, the highest yield slots are placed in the most popular locations in the casino. On top of this, the most popular slots are also placed in these areas to attract players into the casino to play.
So now you know that those slots that are most prominent and visible are the ones that make the most money for the casino, which means they’re also the most disadvantageous for the player. Head towards the back of the casino next time you want to play slot machines to find a better value.
2. Some slots pay out more than others
Not all slot machines are created equal, and this means they all don’t pay out at the same rate.
Generally speaking, video slots pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because reel slots are cheaper to run and maintain, and aren’t as appealing to the player as the video slot.
Video slots are now extravagant and have pop-culture themes, which attracts more players. Because of this, the casinos can dial down the payout rate.
Alternatively, the classic slots aren’t as popular or appealing anymore so the casinos will dial up the payout rate to attract more players, and subsequently keep you at the slot longer. I suggest you do a bit of searching on the internet about slot payout rates as this information is widely available, particularly for popular gaming locations.
3. The slots club doesn’t exist to reward you
This is one of the biggest cons in the gambling industry. You know how the casinos promote themselves as giving back to the player and rewarding you for your play? This is all a lie.
Now, I’m not saying you won’t get some free play credits, access to promotions, and other comps for being a part of the slot or player’s club, but this isn’t why it exists. It exists to provide the casino marketing department with player data so that they can attract and retain you as a customer.
Yes, that’s right, all the free money and comps you get out of the casino are from the marketing department. They will analyze your play, movement, likes, dislikes, and betting patterns to determine how best to market themselves to you so that you return.
The slots club is a powerful marketing tool, and while it’s always a good idea to join and use your card whenever you play, don’t fool yourself into thinking that this is all done to reward you.
4. You can’t win at slots in the long run
People do win at slots all the time. They have big wins and small wins; the problem is that on a long enough timeline it’s impossible to win.
Slots are manufactured and programmed in a way to ensure that they only pay back a certain percentage of the money that’s placed into them by players. Usually, this is in the range of 70-90% but it can be far worse or better depending on where you’re playing.
No one would ever play if you didn’t win from time to time, so this is also built into the machines. Some casinos don’t want you to know this and in some US states, they don’t even have to tell you what the payout rate is. Fortunately, there are many states that do provide it to players, and I highly recommend taking advantage of that information.
Although it’s pretty common these days for players to know that you can’t win in the long run, some still don’t know, and those that are oblivious to this fact are loved by casinos.
5. Max betting is the best option
This one may seem counter-intuitive but it’s true. On most slots, max betting activates all the bonuses and jackpots and increases your odds of getting lucky and winning, which makes it the best option for players.
Although it doesn’t make too much of a difference, it still creates more favorable conditions for the player. The casinos don’t want you to know this because they want you to bet small and more often at a worse payout rate, which makes them more money in the long run.
One thing you certainly don’t want to do though is max-bet above your bankroll and burn through more money than you intended to. Playing more than you can afford to lose is playing right into the casino’s hands. If you can’t afford the max bet on a slot then drop down in denominations or move to a machine where the max bet is smaller and works within your bankroll.
6. Class 2 slots aren’t really slots at all
Sometimes you’ll come across slot machines that are classified as class 2 slots. These are usually found on native Indian reservations or racinos in the United States.
These aren’t traditional slots like what you would find in Las Vegas. Vegas slots are Class 3 slots and are proper slot machine games.
Class 2 slots are actually pre-programmed bingo games which present a slot face for entertainment purposes. Class 3 slots are usually illegal in the jurisdictions that have these slots bingo games, so game manufacturers and casinos combined their forces to come up with this alternative.
Sometimes you’ll see a small bingo card on the bottom corner of the screen which will straight away tell you that this is a class 2 slot machine. So, be warned, these machines are not slots at all and you’ll be effectively playing computer bingo when you start spinning on these.
Best Tips For Winning On Slot Machines 2019
7. Video slots pay out less than classic slots
Big fancy video slots will almost always pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because of the fact they’re more entertaining, draw more players and action, and cost the casinos a lot more to run and maintain.
These big machines often take up two to three times the amount of space compared to classic slots and tend to cost the casinos a lot more to keep them running. In order to maximize profits, the casinos will then dial down the payout rate on these machines so they still make enough money on them.
Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don’t go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you’re looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
8. Slots are completely random
Casinos don’t want you to know this, but slot machines are completely random in nature. Although they are weighted to pay out at a certain rate, this is still in line with the randomness of results that a slot will produce.
Each spin is completely independent of the previous spin. As an example, if you were to win the jackpot on one spin, then the likelihood of winning the jackpot on the next spin is exactly the same. No previous events impact future events. This isn’t how they work.
Casinos don’t want you to know this because they want you to think slots are “hot” or “cold”, because that will cloud your judgment in respect to how much you play and gamble. This works out better for them in the long run so they are happy for these myths to grow and spread.
9. All of your play is tracked
From the moment you sit down at a slot and enter your player card and cash, every movement you make is tracked automatically by the casino. Slot machines are now networked and have sophisticated hardware and software to track everything you do.
This information is collected, analyzed, and insight reports are developed and delivered to the casino marketing department so they can work out the best possible way to market their casino and slots to you so that you keep coming back and play more. If you don’t want your play tracked then simply don’t use your player’s card, but then you won’t get any casino comps.
In the near future, if it’s not being used already, casino marketing departments will start using security infrastructure to monitor and track your play irrespective of whether you use your card or not. Facial recognition programs will detect you, associate you with a player’s card or create a new player account and track everything you do on a video feed.
This is a bit scary and it shows the lengths casinos will go to. If you play online, everything is tracked under your player account, so it’s easier for online casinos to monitor what you do in this respect.
10. Payout tickets are more likely to be put back into a machine
Over the past 20 years, casinos have slowly phased out cash payouts at slots. These days you’ll likely receive a ticket when you cash out, which you then must take to a cash-out machine or the cage to exchange for cash.
While the casinos will claim this is for your convenience, one of the main reasons they’ve made this change is to disassociate you from the fact you’re holding money. This is similar to what they do with chips on table games.
Psychological studies have proven that people are far more likely to gamble more with a ticket or chips, as opposed to cash. So don’t be fooled into placing your ticket into another slot on the way to cashing out, they’ve done this on purpose. I’d recommend that you always cash the tickets out for cash every time, instead of keeping it for play later.
11. Slot arms don’t exist as much anymore because they slow down play
Back in the day, pretty much every slot machine had an arm, or lever, that you pull to activate the spin. These days it’s much harder to find machines that have these.
While there are a few reasons for this, the main reason and the one the casinos don’t want you to know is because using a lever is much slower when compared to pressing a button. Casinos want you to be playing as quickly as possible when it comes to slots because the more you spin the more the odds move in their favor.
So by having buttons instead of levers the game moves a lot faster. Some may even say they’ve removed the lever so people don’t refer to slot machines as one-armed bandits anymore, but that may just be here-say.
12. Games are designed to be played as fast as possible
As we touched on in the previous secret, casinos want you to play whatever game you’re on as quickly as possible. While one of the main measurements on a slot is the time spent playing, they also want you to play as quickly as possible.
This increases the yield on the machine for the casino, meaning they make more money. Consider this, if you have a bank of widely popular slots which many people want to play, and it takes 20 seconds per spin, that’s quite a lot of time.
If a spin takes five seconds then you’re getting four times the amount of play on that machine which results in much more money passing through. So, all the time the casinos are trying to think of ways to make games happen much faster. They don’t want you playing slowly, so make sure you take your time next time you sit down at a slot. After all, the more time you play the more entertainment value you get.
13. Slot sounds and graphics are designed to make you feel happy
One thing that casinos certainly don’t want you to know about is the fact that slot machine manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers that provide advice on what sounds, colors, movements and graphics to use in games in order to make the player feel as happy as possible.
This is both good and bad. Firstly, it’s good if you’re playing for entertainment’s sake and know your limits when it comes to how much money you’re willing to play with. If this is the case then why not play a game that’s designed to make you feel happy.
Secondly, it’s bad when it comes to problem gamblers who don’t know when to stop and are chasing that happy feeling that the games give them. So this is a two-way street; that’s for sure. Casinos probably don’t want you to know this because it isn’t a great look.
14. Sometimes a win isn’t a win
One recent trend on slots is to play a jingle and show an animation showing that a player has had a win; this used to be a good thing and it meant you were making a profit, but not so much these days.
Much to the ire of lawmakers and the regulators, slot machines now play this jingle and imply a win, even when the spin results in less money won than you actually wagered on that spin in the first place. So this is essentially a loss and it’s trying to trick the player into thinking that they won.
Regulators are trying to have this outlawed but it will take some time. So, next time you’re playing don’t be fooled by the animation and sounds and the on-screen advice that says you’ve had a win. Make sure you check how much you ‘won’ when compared to how much you bet, before you celebrate.
15. Major progressive jackpots are played across multiple venues
Have you ever walked past a progressive jackpot slot machine and stared in awe at the huge jackpot which is currently available and is running into the millions of dollars?
If so, then you may not be aware that these slots are actually linked nationwide and the jackpot is played across thousands and thousands of machines and the casinos actually have no part in this prize.
Casinos don’t want you to know this of course; they want you to think that it’s just that machine so that you sit down and play and spin away thinking that you’re the only person who could possibly win that prize at that time.
These major progressive jackpot machines actually take a small cut from each bet you make and divert it to the major jackpot. So you should never play on one of these unless your ultimate goal is to win the life-changing money, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.
Conclusion
Casinos are designed to make money just like any business. The slot machines are a big piece of the profit puzzle so the casinos do everything they can to make them more profitable.
Best Tips For Winning On Slot Machines 2020
Now that you know these 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don’t want you to know you can gamble as an informed player. If you love slots there’s no reason to stop playing, but you should know these secrets before you play again.
Slot machines are easy to play and offer the opportunity to win a nice prize for a small investment. This is why the slots are the most popular games in the casino. It’s also why so many new gamblers start playing slots.
Playing slot machines is simple, but there are a few things you can do to improve your experience and give you a better chance to win. I’ve put together a list of five top slot machine tips for beginners to help you get started.
1 – Read the Rules
To get started playing slot machines is easy. You put some money into the machine and hit the spin button. Some machines let you choose how many lines to activate and/or how much to bet per coin, but it doesn’t take much time or effort to get started.
Because it’s so easy to play slots, many players don’t read the rules before they start playing. While this isn’t always damaging, if you don’t read the rules it can cost you money.
Here’s an example:
Many progressive jackpot slot machines require you to activate all of the pay lines ad make the maximum coin size wager in order to be eligible for the jackpot. If you don’t follow the rules you could miss out on a prize of hundreds of thousands, or even millions.
2 – Jackpot or Bust
Slot machines are popular for gamblers, and the casinos love them too. The slots have a higher house edge than most games in the casino, and they don’t require much in the way of man power to run. They don’t need a dealer for gamblers to play, so they just sit there waiting for the next player.
The house edge is the amount the casino makes from wagers. You often see different terms when reading about slot machines, like return to play and hold. But all of the terms basically boil down to one thing; how much the casino keeps.
Here’s an example:
A slot machine with a house edge of 3% has a return to player percentage of 97%. This means that in the long run the casino pays back to the players $97 out of every $100 wagered on the machine, and keeps $3 for profit.
This might not seem like much, but what it means is that the longer you play the slots, the more money the casino takes from your bankroll.
The house edge isn’t something that works on a perfect basis from minute to minute or hour to hour, but in the long run, over months and years of play, always works in the casino’s favor. This means that sometimes you can win, but in the long run the odds are high that you’re going to lose.
This is why I prefer playing progressive or jackpot slot machines. I know that the casino is going to slowly drain my bankroll while I play slots, so I want to have the chance to win a big jackpot when I play.
In this aspect, I treat the slot machines a great deal like the lottery. I risk a set amount of money for the chance to win big. The size of the jackpot that you decide to shoot for is a personal preference. I don’t play anything that doesn’t have at least a $100,000 top prize, and I prefer progressives over $1,000,000. But some people are happy to play for a chance at $10,000 or $20,000.
This leads to my advice for every beginning slot machine player; forget about beating the slots and play all out for a big win. You might never hot a huge win, but if you do, at least it’ll be enough to make a difference in your life.
3 – Online Bonuses
I’ve played slot machines in land based casinos and online, and to me there isn’t much difference between the two. One big difference is you can get some big bonuses when you play slots online. And a big bonus if the exact thing you need when you follow my advice in the last section.
If you have $500 to play the slots with, you can find online casinos that are willing to match that with another $500 or more. This gives you twice as many chances to hit a jackpot. If you go into it with the same plan I use; playing for a jackpot or bust, you have no reason to avoid online bonuses.
The main thing you need to watch out for when using an online slots bonus to chase a jackpot is to make sure there isn’t a maximum amount you can cash out if you win big. Most bonuses don’t have a limit, but you need to read the rules to verify.
One other thing to look for in the rules is if there’s a weekly or monthly maximum cash out clause. Once again, most online casinos don’t have this clause, but you need to know before you make a deposit.
When you get ready to get a big bonus and chase a jackpot, start with the casinos listed on this site. Most online casinos are legitimate, but there are a few bad apples. That’s why this site only recommends trusted casinos.
4 – Slot’s Club
If there’s a single rule that every slot machine player should always follow, it’s this one. Always sign up for the slot’s club or player’s club before you start gambling. It doesn’t cost anything to sign up, and you can earn comps and other special offers with your play.
Just about every land based casino has some sort of club, and many online casinos offer them as well. Land based casinos commonly give players free meals and merchandise, and if you’re a big player you can earn free hotel rooms, free flights, and free trips.
Online casino slot’s clubs also help you earn free things, but most of them focus more on extra bonuses, which is perfect when you’re chasing a progressive jackpot.
5 – Fewer Spins per Hour
Slot machines are designed to get you to wager as much money as possible. Most machines are set u so all you have to do is keep hitting the spin button and they’ll play as fast as you can push the button.
When you spin as fast as you can, you end up wagering a large amount of money in a short time, even if you’re only risking a small amount per spin.
Here’s an example:
You’re playing on a slot machine that costs $1 per spin. It’s designed so it remembers your preferences and all you have to do is hit the spin button. By spinning as fast as you can, you can realistically take 500 to 600 spins every hour.
This means that you’re betting between $500 and $600 every hour. While every spin gives you a chance to win a jackpot, it also means the casino is keeping a small percentage of every wager.
The easiest way to make your bankroll last longer is to take fewer spins. Instead of making 500 to 600 spins every hour, if you take 250 to 300, you basically can play twice as long.
Conclusion
Use these five slots tips when you decide to gamble and you’re going to be taking advantage of everything you can. It only takes a minute to read the rules, and this can help you make sure you don’t miss out on anything important, like a big win.
When you play for a jackpot instead of trying to figure out how to win a little, you don’t have to worry about trying to beat a game that you can’t win. When you combine a bonus and join the slot’s club, you get to play longer, earn some cool things, and increase your chances at hitting a big win.