|
|
Once a machine pays off, don't play it again because it won't pay off again for some time.
The machines have absolutely no ability to keep track of what has happened in the past. The results are totally random, the slot machine is as likely to pay off on the next pull as it would have
if a jackpot had not been won.
Slot machines near the entrances to casinos pay off more than other machines.
This belief is based on the assumption that winning machines near the entrance will attract passerby's into the casino. However, today there is no need for casino operators to attract people to
play slots, so if it was true in the past it most likely doesn't apply to today's reality.
Casinos can change the odds of a machine so beware of any casino employee fiddling around near the machines.
The payoffs on every slot machine are coded on a computer chip inserted into the machine when it's manufactured. Casinos, slot technicians, etc. cannot alter the payoffs.
If a slot machine advertises a 95% payback then I should expect a return of $95 for every $100 I put into the machine.
The payback percentages are long term percentages. The long term outlook allows the casinos to average income from the machines over time, which is much longer than the time you would
take to play $100 in a machine. In the short term (the time you would take to play $100) the machine could pay off a lot more or a lot less than the advertised amount.
You should play one coin at a time to get more chances at hitting the jackpot.
The chances of hitting a jackpot are small. In most cases, playing the maximum number of coins increases the payout rate percentage, which is actually your better bet to walking away as a winner.
In a modern slot machine,
the odds of hitting a particular symbol or combination of symbols
depends on how the virtual reel is set up. As we saw in the last
section, each stop on the actual reel may correspond to more than one
stop on the virtual reel. Simply put, the odds of hitting a particular
image on the actual reel depend on how many virtual stops correspond to
the actual stop.
In a typical weighted slot machine, the top jackpot stop (the one with
the highest-paying jackpot image) for each reel corresponds to only one
virtual stop. This means that the chance of hitting the jackpot image on
one reel is 1 in 64. If all of the reels are set up the same way, the
chances of hitting the jackpot image on all three reels is 1 in 643, or
262,144. For machines with a bigger jackpot, the virtual reel may have
many more stops. This decreases the odds of winning that jackpot
considerably.
The losing blank stops above
and below the jackpot image may correspond to more virtual stops than
other images. Consequently, a player is most likely to hit the blank
stops right next to the winning stop. This creates the impression that
they "just missed" the jackpot, which encourages them to keep gambling,
even though the proximity of the actual stops is inconsequential.
A machine's program is
carefully designed and tested to achieve a certain payback percentage.
The payback percentage is the percentage of the money that is put in
that is eventually paid out to the player. With a payback percentage of
90, for example, the casino would take about 10 percent of all money put
into the slot machine and give away the other 90 percent. With any
payback percentage under a 100 (and they're all under 100), the casino
wins over time.
In most gambling
jurisdictions, the law requires that payback percentages be above a
certain level (usually somewhere around 75 percent). The payback
percentage in most casino machines is much higher than the minimum --
often in the 90- to 97-percent range. Casinos don't want their machines
to be a lot tighter than their competitors' machines or the players will
take their business elsewhere.
The odds for a particular
slot machine are built into the program on the machine's computer chip.
In most cases, the casino cannot change the odds on a machine without
replacing this chip. Despite popular opinion, there is no way for the
casino to instantly "tighten up" a machine.
Machines don't loosen up on
their own either. That is, they aren't more likely to pay the longer you
play. Since the computer always pulls up new random numbers, you have
exactly the same chance of hitting the jackpot every single time you
pull the handle. The idea that a machine can be "ready to pay" is all in
the player's head, at least in the standard system.
Some people think that they have better chances if they play certain slot machine games such as those in the entrance, those that haven't paid off for a long time, or ones that have been paying off a lot.
Don't waste your time trying to find a "hot" machine or a machine that is "due" to payoff, it's a myth. The slot machines are programmed at the manufacturing site to be random, each play on
each machine has the same odds no matter how often or how long ago it paid off.
There is some truth that the higher denomination machine payoff slightly more often than the smaller denomination machines. The nickel and quarter machines usually pay the least, while the
$100.00 machines pay off the most often.
It is also true that if you are a regular player, and play a lot the casino may consider you a preferred customer. These preferred customers may be given rewards by the casino in an attempt to
keep their business. So it may be to your advantage to stay with only one casino and do all of your gaming at the same place.
Simple Slots.: for simple slot machines where you simply bet one coin and pull the lever there is no strategy, you simply play for fun. Just remember to play at a level you can afford. Take your
wins when you get them, accept your losses, and enjoy yourself.
Multiple-Coin. slots are slot machines that allow for multiple coins to be played. There are two different types:
On some, you can increase your odds of winning by increasing the number of payout lines. Each coin played adds another payout line up to a maximum of five, three horizontal lines and two diagonal lines. The machine will pay out on winning sequences on all lines you've bet on.
On others, you can increase the payout on winning depending on your bet. For example, if one coin is played a payout might be 200 coins, 500 coins for two coins played and 1000 coins if a third coin is played. The best strategy for these machines is to play the maximum numbers of coins, because assuming you win the same number of times the additional payout percentage makes you more money. Think about stepping down a level if you want to limit your wagers, it is smarter to play a quarter machine using maximum coins rather than to play a dollar machine using one coin.
|
|
 |
