Don’t start playing with the idea that you’ll soon know how to win at slots in Vegas – always start with free games. Study the pay table Every slot machine comes with its own unique pay table. Have you ever said, “This slot machine is due!” There is little to no evidence which suggests these notions are anything other than myths. That said, there are a number of slot strategies and slots tips that can help you improve your playing performance over the long run. Here are a few workable tips for how to win on slot machines.
No other segment of the gaming industry has benefited more from the technology revolution than the slot machine. Once considered the ugly stepdaughter placed on the gaming floor to appease the spouses of table players, the slot machine has been transformed into the fairy princess of the gaming world. With her, she has brought a dowry of riches no one would have imagined for the casino and a few lucky players as well. Over twenty years ago the slot machine accounted for 30 percent of the casinos' profits. Today it accounts for about 70 percent. Computer technology and the ability to play with little to no gambling knowledge makes it possible to offer life-changing jackpots big enough to turn a pauper into a king.
However, the fact that it doesn't take much gambling knowledge to play means that most people don't understand the inner working of the slots -- which makes it easy to explain a loss or a win with some false logic. Like any other 'wives tales' these are passed from person to person until they become gospel. Most of these myths and misconceptions are harmless but they can add to your frustration and take away some of the enjoyment of your casino visit. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular myths and the truth behind them.
Myth #1
Someone hit a jackpot on the machine you just left -- so you would have won that jackpot if you kept playing.
This is probably one of the most common notions about slot machine gambling -- but it's patently false. The slot machines have a computer chip inside that runs the Random Number Generator (RNG). The RNG is continuously cycling through numbers even when the machine is not being played. These numbers correspond to the stops on the wheel that display the winning or losing symbols that you see when the reels stop. When you hit the spin button or pull the handle, the RNG picks the combination at that given microsecond. If you had stayed at the machine, it is highly unlikely that you would have stopped the RNG at the exact nano-second to display that same combination of numbers. In the time it takes to talk with a friend or sip your drink the RNG has cycled through thousands of combinations.
Myth #2
You can tell the odds of winning by counting the symbols on each wheel.
Actually, you can't. The RNG generates a number for each spin. There can be hundreds of virtual stops on each wheel even though you only see a few symbols. For example, you may see 20 symbols on each wheel of a three-reel machine. You figure 20 x 20 x 20 = 8,000 combinations and your chance of hitting the jackpot is 1 in 8000. In reality, the computer chip may program 256 stops for each wheel which makes the odds 256 x 256 x 256 =16,777,216 combinations. Being able to generate millions of combinations is the reason that slots can offer large paybacks.
Myth #3
Casinos can loosen or tighten the slot machines with the flip of a switch.
In actuality, the slot machines have a computer chip in them that determines the payback percentage. These are preset at the factory. In order for a casino to change the payback, they would have to change the chip. In most jurisdictions, there is paperwork that has to be filled and submitted to the Casino Control Commission for each machine if the chip is changed. It's time-consuming and the chips are very expensive. For this reason, it is more economical to decide on the payback percentages before purchasing the machines and having the factory ship them with the proper chip.
Myth #4
A machine that has not been paying out is due to hit.
There is no way to determine if a machine is due to hit. Each spin is a random occurrence and has no bearing on what has happened previously. Don't ever play more than you should because of this misconception -- it will be devastating to your bankroll if you do.
Is It Possible To Win Consistently In A Slot Machines
Myth #5
The temperature of the coins played will affect the way a machine pays.
Unfortunately, the machine is not affected by temperature. It doesn't matter if you play hot, cold, old or new coins. The coin slot is a mechanical device and has no feeling.
Myth #6
If you use your slot club card the machine will pay back less.
This may well be the most damaging myth of them all. There is no link between the card reader and the RNG, but by not using your player's card you are denying yourself valuable comps and sometimes cash back from the casino.
We all know that most casinos derive a large percentage of their revenue from slot machines. Yet, the most frequent question I get asked is, “Can slot machines be beat?”
First, let’s define the word “beat.”
- In my opinion, a casino game can only be beat if a player can gain a mathematical advantage over the house. Some may feel otherwise. If a person went to the casino and played Roulette and came home with more money than they went with, they may feel they beat the casino.
- For me, this is not beating the casino. Even though that person won more than they lost they did it on a machine that has a built-in house advantage. That means that even though that person won, the casino is guaranteed to make money on that machine over the long-term.
- To beat the casino a person must find a mathematical advantage. For instance, if a player can learn to count cards in blackjack it is possible to gain a 1-2% advantage over the casino. If the player can maintain that edge they are in a position to beat the casino. Statistically, they have the advantage and the casino is not in a position to make money off of them over the long-term.
Let’s get back to the question at hand, “Can slots be beat?” Unfortunately, there is no secret system to beat the slots and in most situations the casino has the advantage and there is nothing a player can do to completely eliminate that. However, there are many things a player can do to reduce the “house edge.”
Now, let me tread carefully with my next statement to avoid giving my readers false hope. There are a few exceptions where there have been slot machines that were beatable. These have been few and far between but they did exist and may still be out there.
The key to finding a beatable slot machine is playing progressive jackpot machines. A progressive jackpot builds as players play the machine. When most people think of progressive machines they think about the large progressive jackpots that offer $1,000,000+. However, those aren’t the machines I’m referring to.
There are many slots that offer progressive jackpots at smaller amounts and conceivably some of these can be beat. Let me first say that the entire process is beyond the realm of this post, but I will do my best to explain the concept.
Example:
- Let’s say that we have a slot machine that is set at a 95% payback and has a progressive jackpot that starts at $1,000. As the jackpot starts to rise, so does the payback percentage of the machine. In other words, when the progressive rises to $2,000 the payback percentage may now be 96% and at $3,000 it may now be 97% and so on. Conceivably, in this example the payback percentage would be at 100% if the jackpot got to $5,000. At that point it would be an advantage play and would be considered beatable.
Before you race off to find a progressive machine that can be beat, here are a few things to consider. First of all, there are mathematical calculations that need to be done to figure out what is known as the “break-even point.” Again, those calculations and that discussion are beyond this article. Also, in order for the player to actually receive the benefit of the advantage, the progressive jackpot must be hit by the player. That is why the smaller progressives are targeted because the odds of hitting those jackpots are greater.
Is It Possible To Win Consistently In A Slot Machine Wins
This article is to give the reader an understanding of what it means to be able to beat a casino game. In most instances slot machines have a built-in house advantage and are unbeatable. The best a player can do is try to reduce the advantage by implementing methods such as machine selection, bonuses, etc. Here is a great article listing some of these slot strategies.
Is It Possible To Win Consistently In A Slot Machine Machines
However, for those of you who are holding out hope that there is a slot machine out there that can be beat, there have been machines that were beatable and I dare to say that there still are but realize it is no easy task to find them.