Tips and Tricks for Slot Machine Gaming

The home truth about slot machine gaming is that no slot machine gaming strategy ever devised on the face of this earth will ever change the mathematical edge that the house will always have over the gamer. And this is exactly where lays that tiny window of opportunity to learn what is backed by real experience, facts and mathematics, and maybe gain that extra edge in being the one to beat the house. The following advice will hold you in good stead the next time you decide to try your luck with slot machine gaming.

Always Look for Loose Slot Machines

It is no secret that casinos put in a lot of meticulous effort in the strategic placement of their loose slot machines, so as to extract the maximum visibility from customers whenever there is a win. Although this can be complicated and casino-specific, understanding some of these slot machine placement strategies can be an added advantage, especially in big slot machine gaming centers.

Some of the common areas of choice for placing loose slot machines include places like elevated carousels, close to change booths, and cafes, refreshment areas, or bars etc. The intent here is simple – make as many people witness hits and wins as you can, motivate them to buy more change as they hear the slots ringing, and lure them back to the machines from their snack or drink breaks as quickly as possible.

Another common placement area for loose slot machines is the crosswalk to adjacent slot aisles. Witnessing a jackpot here will surely entice people into walking straight into the main slot aisles, where most machines are programmed for medium to tight payouts.

The Bigger the Jackpot, the Lower the Odds

People make a common error of judgment in thinking that all slot machines with the same minimum coin requirement have the same odds of hitting the bull’s eye – irrespective of the jackpot size, and therefore, the best value for money is to go for the machine with the highest payout amount. The truth is, although the odds might be the same for identical jackpot amounts, it is never so for different ones. In fact, the bigger the figure for the top payout, the harder it is to strike it.

In slot machines without meters, the overall odds are generally similar irrespective of the size of the jackpot. But again, the bigger the jackpot amount, the more chances of one losing to the machine. The bottom line is, if you are not too ambitious about the size of the win, go for the machines with the smallest payout amounts. With them, mathematically, you will always have better odds.

Always Keep an Eye on the Pay Table

Before choosing your slot machine for gaming, make sure you understand its payout structure. Almost every slot machine within a casino has a different pay table, even the ones that look identical. So, for instance, if one machine is offering a jackpot of 5,000 credits, and another of 20,000, the one with the higher payout might still have better odds of winning, but one must always be aware of the maximum amount the machine is entitled to pay out.

Play the Adjacent Machine When on a Losing Streak

Many insiders and experienced slot machine gaming experts will tell you that the major gaming houses will never keep two loose slot machines adjacent to each other. This basically means that if you are already on a machine which has not been doing much with payouts, it is advisable that you first try the one next to it. This gives you better odds of finding the loose slot machines sooner.

Before you go ahead and try your luck, do read my blog post on the Popular Slot Machine Myths.