Table Of Contents

1. First Slot Machine Took What Coin To Make
2. First Slot Machine Ever Made
3. Coin Operated Slot Machines

In this article, I am going to show you how to win at slots.

1. First slot machine took what coin. Google doesn't allow the following gambling-related content: Brick and mortar casinos Physical gambling equipment Google doesn't allow advertising for Internet-based games where money or other items of value are paid or wagered to win a greater sum of money or other item of value.
2. Edison became the basis of the first American automatic music machines with coin slots called ‘nickel-in-the-slot machines’. The concept of inserting a coin in order to listen to music from an automatic or semi-automatic cylinder or disc playing machine forms the actual basis of the term ‘jukebox’, as we know it today.
3. El Co also has a coin counter machine that you put the coins into the hopper of and it counts the coins and gives you a ticket to cash at the cashier cage. I do not know if it works on all US coins or just the coins that the casino slots pay out in. I do not know if this is a fee-free service or if they charge a fee.
4. The first mechanical slot machine was developed by Charles Fey in 1895. This machine already featured the familiar spinning reels with fruits and card characters. Fey later worked with the Mills company to produce a wider line of machines as they grew in popularity. Jennings, another early slot machine manufacturer.
5. Plug in the machine and turn on the main power switch, usually located just above the coin hopper. 2 Insert one of the tokens that came with the machine into the coin slot on the outside of the door and observe its path as it drops down. The machine must be on when you do this or it won't accept the coin.
6. Understanding how valuable slot machine gambling is to casinos doesn’t require any particular expertise. A peek in the front door of any Las Vegas gambling house is all it takes – the size of the space set aside for slots is somewhat proportional to the percentage of a casino’s profits that come from these games.

First, we start with some practical tips on how to choose a winning slot machine. Then, once you have all the Slots tips you need, you can move on the real key to win at Slots:

In the 1970s, slot machines took a huge turn, with the growth of technology, and the first video slot, known as Fortune Coin was introduced by Walt Fraley. Although video slots began in the 1970s as a mimic to regular slot machines by only having 1 payline, this has now increased massively, alongside the number of themes and the technology.

Find loose slot machines to play online.

This article is going to change the way you play slots. And the chances are that is what you need — because winning at slots requires time, dedication, and the right mindset.

So, are you ready to learn how to win at slots?

Let's get to it.

If you play slots for fun, there are no rules to follow. You only need a Slot app like Slotomania and enjoy their instant play games.

If you want to win at online slots in freeplay or demo mode, download Slotomania, choose a slot machine game from their collection and play, play, play. You'll get enough progressive machine games and loose slots to enjoy your gambling experience for free.

Things change when your goal is to win real money at slots when you play online.

That's when this article becomes useful. Because here is where you learn how to pick a winning slot machine and increase your chances of winning money online!

Play the Best Slots -- For Free!

Get a new no deposit bonus and play Slots online.

Register a free account and spin the reels to win!

Play Now

1. Choose Winning Slots with the Highest Payouts

When you go online to play and win money at Slots, you need to know how to pick the right Slot machine games.

Most beginners start to play casino games thinking that all slots are more or less the same thing, only with different graphics.

That's a mistake.

If you want to know how to win at slots, you need a machine that pays out more than the other ones. And to know which one is an excellent Slot to play, you need to care about the Return to player (RTP) percentage.

The Return to Player (or RTP) is a percentage of all the wagered money that a slot pays back to its players.

It is not the amount of money you'll get back when you wager on real money Slots, and it doesn't indicate whether you have fewer chances to hit a bonus round or not — but it gives you a great indication on whether a machine pays enough for you to play on it or not.

How to Find the RTP of a Slot Machine

The quickest option is to search for it online.

Use Google, Bing, Yandex, or whichever search engine you prefer.

Many Casino news websites that publish content around casino games have entire sections dedicated to the RTP percentage of the Casino Slot games they review.

You find them on PokerNews, as well. Every review includes a section dedicated to the payout of each type of Slot with easy-to-understand info about the games with frequent payouts.

If this is your first time on our site, check some related articles like these list of games. By choosing slots with a high RTP, you'll improve your chances instantly.

Also, you check the slot itself. The RTP number is always mentioned somewhere. Usually, you find it in the settings of the slot game or the 'help' section.

So, how to pick a winning slot machine and how to use the RTP to know how much slot machines pay?

The RTP is calculated on a scale from 1 to 100. Most slots have an RTP between 92-97 per cent.

Slot Machines Tips

Always choose an online slot machine game with an RTP of 96 per cent or above. This is the best slots strategy to follow every time you play — since a high payback percentage indicates that you have a better chance to win. good option.

High RTP Slot to Play: Devil's Delight

Devil's Delight is a slot by NetEnt that's set in the underworld.

It features everything you'd associate with hell:

• Devils
• Soul reapers
• Graves
• The number 666
• Pitchforks
• Skeletons
• Flames

Is anything missing from the list?

The slot also features a separate Soul Reaper Bonus Game. There, you need to guess the sins of the characters on the screen. Every time you guess the right one — you receive points that help you win more cash.

This loose video slot has five reels and 20 paylines. And despite the sinful name, Devil's Delight is generous – RTP in this game reaches 97,6 per cent!

2. Determine the Volatility of Slots

Another critical factor to consider to pick a winning slot machine is the game's volatility.

Many games and gambling news sites refer to the games' volatility as their 'variance.' If you like, you can consider this as the risk level.

First Slot Machine Took What Coin To Make

The volatility of a slot machine game measures the risk involved in playing a particular slot for the real money. One of my favourite tips for playing Slots is to consider it the 'risk factor' of the game you are about to play. That's because volatility determines how you win at slots.

• Low Volatility Slots: Your odds of winning at these slots are high, and it's easier to strike winning combinations when you spin the reels. However, you should know that low volatility Slots offer smaller wins — so your winning combinations might not be worth as much as you would like them to.
• High Volatility Slots: The odds of winning at these games are smaller, but the wins pay more. With the right bankroll, tips for playing Slots, and strategy, these games can be a lot more rewarding.

Both options are quite popular online since people play both types. Every useful casino guide gives you plenty of choices to find the right online slots game for you — with welcome bonus codes to try them for free before you invest your money in them.

Pick the Slot machine time that feels right for you. But keep this in mind:

To play high volatility slots, you need to be patient, have enough money to invest in a lengthy online gaming session, and have read enough casino blog posts to know all the secrets of slots optimal play.

Otherwise, low volatility slots may be a better option for you.

High volatility slots are a bit riskier, too. You never know how much time and money you need to invest in hitting a lucky spin and celebrating yet another day of winning money on slots.

How to Find the Volatility of a Slot Machine Game

Casino sites don't make the variance of the games as accessible as the RTP numbers — and that's in part because they don't want to help you improve your odds.

An easy way to choose games with the right variance is to use 'Google operators and let the world's largest search engine do the work for you.

Let's see an example:

You have seen some progressive slots with random jackpots, and the Mega Moolah game caught your eye. The most effective way to find the variance of this game is to:

1. Open www.google.com
2. Type 'Mega Moolah' variance in the search bar
3. Analyse the search results

Alternatively, you can explore the games and try to figure out their variance yourself. If you play the slot long enough, you should be able to see how often the game pays out and what kind of winnings you get.

If successes are rare but significant, you are onto a high volatility game. If you win often, but the wins are nerve-wracking and small, you just found a low-volatility game.

An excellent welcome bonus, a deposit bonus, and free spins are an excellent way to do this and discover the games' volatility by playing. These options help you learn more about the games and give you useful info that might help you understand how to win at slots in the long run.

High Volatility Slot to Play: King of Atlantis

King of Atlantis is a high volatility slot by IGT. The game plays on five reels and 40 paylines.

The symbols featured in this game include seashells, gold rings, gem-encrusted crowns, mermaids, dolphins, and the almighty god of the sea – Poseidon.

This high volatility slot machine doesn't have many bonus games or features (even if you bet the maximum). The only 'special feature' you get, is a round of eight free spins that activates when a trident symbol lands next to Poseidon.

Low Volatility Slot to Try: Hotline

Hotline is one of NetEnt's most popular Slots these days.

Beating the Slot requires you to travel back in time to the '80s, wear some clothes you'd not be proud of today, and use your ability to solve a police case. Somehow based on the cult TV series Miami Vice, beating the slot needs you to help two detectives to catch a jewellery thief.

The slot runs on a classic random number generator and features all the classic features NetEnt players love so much. Wilds, expanding wilds, re-spins, free spins - you name it. Also, there is a unique bonus bet where you can choose one, two, or all three reels. It increases your chances of getting Expanding Wilds.

As pay table of this slot suggests, Hotline is a low volatility game where wins are more frequent (but small in size). If this is what you are looking for, pick this slot machine, enjoy the game, and relax.

3. Don't Go with the Obvious Option

No matter how impressive an online casino is, you need to do some research before you start to spin reels on slots.

All casino sites (like all poker sites, let's face it) want your credit card and your money. They offer free spins or deposit bonus codes to get you on their platform and then have you play as much as possible. In other words, they want your money.

If you can afford to play real money on Slots, that's great, As long as the site you agree to play on and where you look for the next loose machine to try is a legitimate and regulated online casino.

Regulators like the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) work hard to eliminate dangerous companies from the online gambling industry. Their licensing systems are your best allies to be sure to play slot machine games on legitimate sites, use audited random number generators, and pay out winnings to the players.

An important factor to consider when you want to know how to pick a winning slot machine is to see if the site you wish to register on holds a license by the UKGC and/or the MGA. Regardless of the casino bonus they offer you or the insane fixed maximum amount of free spins they promise.

You should never play online poker or pick slot machines on unlicensed casino sites.

You find a full list of all the online casinos allowed in your country on this page.

A Loose Slot to Play: Himalayas: Roof of the World

How did I find this slot? I scrolled down to the bottom of the slots page at one of my favourite online casinos. And then, I just decided to pick a Slot machine I had never seen before.

Not all games make it to online casinos' front pages — especially those that have a combination of volatility and RTP that plays in favour of the players and that come from underdog developers. And Himalayas: Roof of the World comes from Barcrest, a provider that isn't often in the spotlight.

Welcome to Northern Lights Casino, Hotel & Event Center in Walker, Minnesota. Become our latest 'big winner' by playing one of our 900 slot machines, beating the odds at Blackjack, or dominating a poker tournament. Relax in one of our comfortable hotel rooms or take a dip in our pool. See why so many travelers make Northern Lights Hotel & Casino their hotel of choice when visiting Walker. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers an array of amenities designed for travelers like you. Rooms at Northern Lights Hotel & Casino provide air conditioning, and guests can stay connected with free wifi. Northern lights casino and hotel walker mn.

Also, Himalayas: Roof of the World offers good odds of winning on slots!. The game features an RTP of 97,75 per cent, which is above average. Combine that to medium volatility — and you know how to pick a winning slot machine.

4. Make Higher Bets

Every collection of slot machines tips or casino strategies tells you that you can't win a progressive jackpot with a minimum bet. And that's correct.

Top wins are always connected to the fixed maximum bets. You can forget your dream to become a multi-millionaire with just 0.01. In slots, like in video poker, the higher the bet — the more you can win. And, at the same time, the smaller the bet..the smaller the wins.

So, yes: your bet determines how to win at slots.

Slot machine payouts are proportional to what you wager in the game. If your slot machine strategy is to play small bets, don't change it. Just don't expect to score unreasonably huge wins.

As you understand now, betting more money helps to win more on line slots..but it also put your slot machine strategy in danger and makes you risk to lose all your bankroll much faster.

That's why higher denomination slots are also riskier than lower denomination slots. People play them in the same way and following the same slot tips..but the big wins happen only on the high denomination slots, which are also the game where you can risk to lose a lot of money.

Keep in mind this, especially if you love playing slots with progressive jackpots. Jackpot slots can be costly . Many games give you access to the top wins only when you bet the maximum — and that is why a correct slot strategy and bankroll strategy are essential to winning at Slots.

Risk is always an essential factor in gambling. And you decide how risky you want to play yourself. Never play more money than you can afford to lose and never underestimate the risks of gambling addiction — even then you play fun slot machine games.

One Expensive Slot to Play with Maximum Bets: Space Wars

Space Wars is another online slot by NetEnt. This online game is based on a popular slot you can play in all the casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

When you play Space Wars for real money, you can choose to bet anywhere from 0.4 (minimum bet) to 20 (maximum bet) per spin. The currency depends on your location.

This game does not feature a progressive jackpot, so you don't really need to bet max every time you spin. Start with smaller bets and go up. You'll see the difference in payouts.

Space Wars is a fast-paced video slot with five reels, four rows, and 40 paylines. The RTP is 96,8 per cent.

5. Trust Other Players

This is one of those Slot tips that you should not apply to many other casino games. While it may be valid for video poker, it's one you should not follow if you play online poker.

But when it comes to playing Slots..yes, you can trust your fellow Slot players and look how people play.

If a slot doesn't pay, the other players will call it out. Fast.

That's why you should use the information available on every casino blog and casino sites to your advantage. Browse through forums, spend some time on Reddit, and read what Las Vegas and Atlantic City players say about each game.

You can also join Facebook groups and ask for help there. In other words, take advantage of your internet connection before the casino takes advantage of you.

A Classic Slot People Play and Love: Gonzo's Quest

Released in 2010, Gonzo's Quest still didn't let go of its place as one of the top slot machines online. That's quite an achievement, I'd say.

This popular Slot game features five reels, 20 paylines, and an adventurer (Gonzalo 'Gonzo' Pizzarro) looking for the lost city of gold.

First Slot Machine Ever Made

Players love this little guy and follow his adventures. Gonzo's Quest is one of the top-rated slot machines of all time by players, casinos, and casino critics alike.

6. Avoid Branded Slots

Branded slots are fantastic to play. We can play with all our favourite heroes and spin the reels feeling part of the movies, TV series, and shows we love.

While these games are a lot of fun, branded slots are also the 'bait' a lot of online casinos use to attract us, the players.

Remember the point about 'not going for the obvious choice'? If you are a huge Game of Thrones fan, how likely is it that you would go straight for the Game of Thrones games when you see them on the list?

Very likely.

You don't need to be a psychologist, a consumed marketer, or casino operator to realise that. Fortunately, you don't need to be a hardcore gambler to know how to pick a winning slot machine either. That's what this article is for!

Developers with slots that feature popular brands paid a pretty penny to use the name. So, they won't let you go low with the bets. And those games will not be the easiest ones to beat either.

While the casino and the developer have invested a lot on the names you see on the screen, you are the one who can make it worth the investment. Or not.

Slot to Play Instead of the Branded Ones: Pamplona

What's so attractive about branded slots? Well-known name and faces. The stories behind the games and the characters we all know and love.

Can you have all that in a non-branded slot?

Take the Pamplona slot machine, for example.

This IGT slot is all about Spain, bulls, and matadors. A unique tradition turned into an exciting slot game.

In a way, it is a 'brand' because Pamplona's running of the bulls' festival is known worldwide. And it's more known than some actual brands, to be honest.

But to use this theme, developers didn't have to pay as they do for the brands. Thus, the payouts are way better.

The slot has five reels and 1024 paylines. Matador symbol acts as a Wild and Bull is a Scatter. Three scatters can trigger the El Toro Bonus where you can choose your option of Free Spins.

These bonus promotions are designed for both new and existing customers; and come in any of the following forms – No Deposit Bonus, Free Spins, Cashback Offers, Slots Bonus, Bitcoin Bonuses, Free Play, Match Bonuses or Free Chips. Since looking up for various coupon codes can be an arduous task, the team of Casino Leader has compiled a one-stop guide for you below where you find all the latest Roaring 21 Casino bonus promo codes along with other terms & conditions. You may or may not be asked to redeem promo codes in order to avail these offers. Cirrus casino no deposit bonus codes. Roaring 21 Casino houses an assortment of lucrative promotional offers so that your bankroll never stop soaring.

7. Take Advantage of Free Spins

How to win at slots with free spins when there are hundreds of hidden terms and conditions for withdrawals?

The wagering requirements can take the fun out of playing slots with free spins. No arguing there. But there are still free spins bonuses that can be worth your while.

The wager-free bonus offers.

On a limited number of online casinos you get wager free spins with no deposit on registration (yes, no deposit is required to play). And with no strings attached to them.

There is no cap on winnings, you can cash out anything you want, anytime you want, and there are no wagering requirements. How good is that?

Slot to Play with Free Spins: Pyramid Quest For Immortality

From Pamplona to Egypt. You can travel the world with slots..and the right free spins welcome bonus!

The Pyramid: Quest for Immortality slot features five reels, 720 paylines, and an RTP of 96.4%. This game takes you to ancient Egypt and brings you to explore the hidden and mystical world of Pharaohs, Gods..and pyramids, of course.

So, how to beat slot machines?

First and foremost, the best way to beat the Slots is not to continue asking the wrong questions and stop looking for simple hacks or Slots tips tho beat the casino.

If you want better odds to win on Slots, you need to:

1. Choose the slots that have high payouts
2. Choose the slots with the correct volatility level
3. Choose the slot with the highest Return to Player
4. Read reviews of the Slots on casino sites, forum, and Reddit
5. Sign up to get a bonus with low wagering requirements
6. Play on a licensed online casino site

While this might not be enough for you to beat slot machines and pick the winning Slot machine every time you play, it will help you win more often and - more importantly - enjoy playing Slots a lot more!

FAQ

How do you pick a winning slot machine?

To pick a winning slot machine and get better odds to win when you spin the reels, you need to choose games that offer the right combination of betting limits, volatility, Return-to-Player, and wagering requirements (in case you play with a bonus).

What casino game has the best chance of winning?

In general, Blackjack is the casino game with the best odds. In terms of slots, the best choice is to pick a game that offers a return-to-player over 97% like the Slot Devil's Delight (RTP: 97.7%).

Coin Operated Slot Machines

Are slot machines rigged?

The slot machines you find on regulated casino sites are not rigged as their Random Number Generator (RNG) is subject to frequent audits by state-owned gambling authorities. The same controls do not apply to unlicensed casinos — and that's why you should never play your games there.

_{This article was first published on July 14, 2018. Last update: January 10, 2020}

Be sure to complete your PokerNews experience by checking out an overview of our mobile and tablet apps here. Stay on top of the poker world from your phone with our mobile iOS and Android app, or fire up our iPad app on your tablet. You can also update your own chip counts from poker tournaments around the world with MyStack on both Android and iOS.

The promotion presented on this page was available at the time of writing. With some Casino promotions changing on daily basis, we suggest you to check on the site if it still available. Also, please do not forget to read the terms and conditions in full before you accept a bonus.

by Steve Bourie

Virtually anyone who visits a casino, even for the first time, is familiar with a slot machine and how it operates: just put in your money, pull the handle and wait a few seconds to see if you win. It isn’t intimidating like table games where you really need some knowledge of the rules before you play and it’s this basic simplicity that accounts for much of the success of slot machines in modern American casinos.

As a matter of fact, the biggest money-maker for casinos is the slot machine with approximately 65 percent of the average casino’s profits being generated by slot machine play. As an example, in Nevada’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 the total win by all of the state’s casinos was a little more than $11.8 billion. Of that amount, $7.54 billion, or slightly less than 64 percent, was from electronic machine winnings.

With this in mind, you must ask yourself, “can I really win money by playing slot machines?” The answer is a resounding yes..and no. First the “no” part: in simplest terms a slot machine makes money for the casino by paying out less money than it takes in. In some states, such as Nevada and New Jersey, the minimum amount to be returned is regulated. In Nevada casinos the minimum is 75 percent and in New Jersey casinos it’s 83 percent. However, if you look at the slot payback percentages for those particular states in this book you will see that the actual average payback percentages are much higher. In New Jersey it’s close to 91 percent and in Nevada it’s slightly more than 93 percent. Even though the actual paybacks are higher than the law requires, you can still see that on average for every $1 you play in any of the Atlantic City casinos you will lose 9¢ and in Las Vegas casinos you will lose 7¢. Therefore, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that if you stand in front of a slot machine and continue to pump in your money, eventually, you will lose it all. On average, it will take you longer to lose it in Las Vegas rather than Atlantic City, but the result is still the same: you will go broke.

Gee, sounds kind of depressing, doesn’t it? Well, cheer up because now we go on to the “yes” part. But, before we talk about that, let’s first try to understand how slot machines work. All modern slot machines contain a random number generator (RNG) which is used to control the payback percentage for each machine. When a casino orders a slot machine the manufacturer will have a list of percentage paybacks for each machine and the casino must choose one from that list. For example, a manufacturer may have 10 chips available for one machine that range from a high of 98% to as low as 85%. All of these chips have been inspected and approved by a gaming commission and the casino is free to choose whichever chip it wants for that particular brand of machine.

In almost all instances, the casino will place a higher denomination chip in a higher denomination machine. In other words, the penny machines will get the chips programmed to pay back around 85% and the $25 machines will get the chips programmed to pay back around 98%. A casino can always change the payback percentage, but in order to do that it usually must go back to the manufacturer to get a new RNG that is programmed with the new percentage. For this reason, most casinos rarely change their payback percentages unless there is a major revision in their marketing philosophy.

And what exactly is a random number generator? Well, it’s a little computer chip that is constantly working (as its name implies) to generate number combinations on a random basis. It does this extremely fast and is capable of producing hundreds of combinations each second. When you pull the handle, or push the spin button, the RNG stops and the combination it stops at is used to determine where the reels will stop in the pay window. Unlike video poker machines, you have no way of knowing what a slot machine is programmed to pay back just by looking at it. The only way to tell is by knowing what is programmed into the RNG.

Okay, now let’s get back to the “yes” part. Yes, you can win money on slot machines by using a little knowledge, practicing some money management and, mostly, having lots of luck. First, the knowledge part. You need to know what kind of player you are and how much risk you are willing to take. Do you want to go for the giant progressive jackpot that could make you a millionaire in an instant or would you be content walking away just a few dollars ahead?

An example of a wide-area progressive machine is Nevada’s Megabucks where the jackpot starts at $10 million. These $1 machines are located at more than 125 Nevada casinos around the state and are linked together by a computer. It’s fine if that’s the kind of machine you want to play, but keep in mind that the odds are fairly astronomical of you hitting that big jackpot. Also, the payback percentage is lower on these machines than the average $1 machine. During Nevada’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 Megabucks averaged a little less than 89% payback while the typical $1 machine averaged a little less than 94%. So, be aware that if you play these machines you’ll win fewer small payouts and it will be very difficult to leave as a winner. Unless, of course, you hit that big one! If you really like to play the wide-area progressive machines your best bet is probably to set aside a small percentage of your bankroll (maybe 10 to 15 percent) for chasing that big jackpot and saving the rest for the regular machines.

One other thing you should know about playing these wide-area progressives is that on most of them, including Megabucks, you will receive your jackpot in equal payments over a period of years (usually 25). You can avoid this, however, by playing at one of the casinos that link slot machines at their own properties and will pay you in one lump sum. Be sure to look on the machine before playing to see how it says you will be paid for the jackpot.

Knowledge also comes into play when deciding how many coins to bet. You should always look at the payback schedule posted on the machine to see if a bonus is payed for playing the maximum number of coins that the machine will accept. For example, if it’s a two-coin machine and the jackpot payout is 500 coins when you bet one coin, but it pays you 1,200 coins when you bet two coins, then that machine is paying you a 200-coin bonus for playing the maximum number of coins and you may want to bet the maximum two coins to take advantage of that bonus. However, if it’s a two-coin machine that will pay you 500 coins for a one-coin bet and 1,000 coins for a two-coin bet, then there is no advantage to making the maximum bet on that machine and you should only bet the minimum amount. To see more on this subject, watch my video titled 'The Slot Machine - When to bet Maximum Coins' on our YouTube channel.

Knowledge of which casinos offer the best payback percentages is also helpful. When available, we print that information in this book to help you decide where to go for the best return on your slot machine dollar. You may want to go to the Las Vegas Strip to see some of the sites, but take a look at the slot machine payback percentages for the Strip-area casinos in the Las Vegas section and you'll see that you can get better returns for your slot machine dollar by playing at the off-Strip area casinos.

The final bit of knowledge you need concerns players clubs. Every major casino has a players club and you should make it a point to join it before you insert your first coin. It doesn’t cost anything to join and as a member you will be able to earn complimentaries from the casinos in the form of cash, food, shows, drinks, rooms or other “freebies.” Just make sure you don’t get carried away and bet more than you’re comfortable with just to earn some extra “comps.” Ideally, you want to get “comps” for gambling that you were going to do anyway and not be pressured into betting more than you had planned.

Now let’s talk about money management. The first thing you have to remember when playing slot machines is that there is no skill involved. Unlike blackjack or video poker, there are no decisions you can make that will affect whether you win or lose. It is strictly luck, or the lack of it, that will determine whether or not you win. However, when you are lucky enough to get ahead (even if it’s just a little) that’s where the money management factor comes in. As stated earlier, the longer you stand in front of a machine and put in your money, the more likely you are to go broke.

herefore, there is only one way you can walk away a winner and that’s to make sure that when you do win, you don’t put it all back in. You really need to set a “win goal” for yourself and to stop when you reach it. A realistic example would be a “win goal” of roughly 25 percent of your bankroll. If you started with $400, then you should stop if you win about $100. The “win goal” you decide on is up to you, but keep in mind that the higher your goal, the harder it will be to reach it, so be practical.

And what if you should happen to reach your goal? Take a break! Go have a meal, see a show, visit the lounge for a drink or even just take a walk around the casino. You may have the urge to keep playing, but if you can just take a break from the machines, even it’s just for a short time, you’ll have the satisfaction of leaving as a winner. If, later on, you get really bored and find that you just have to go back to the machines you can avoid a total loss by not risking more than half of your winnings and by playing on smaller denomination machines. If you made your winnings on $1 machines, move down to quarters. If you won on quarters, move down to nickels. The idea now is basically to kill some time and have a little fun knowing that no matter what happens you’ll still leave as a winner.

And now, let’s move on to luck. As stated previously, the ultimate decider in whether or not you win is how lucky you are. But, is there anything you can do to help you choose a “winning” machine? Not really, because there is no such thing. Remember, in the long run, no machine will pay out more than it takes in. There are, however, some things you could try to help you find the more generous machines and avoid the stingy ones. Keep in mind that all slot machine payback percentages shown in this book are averages.

Like everything else in life, slot machines have good cycles where they pay out more than average and bad cycles where they pay out less than average. Ultimately, what you want to find is a machine in a good cycle. Of course if I knew how to find that machine I wouldn’t be writing this story, instead I’d be standing in front of it with a $100 bill in my hand getting ready to play it. So, I guess you’ll have to settle for my two recommendations as to how you might be able to make your slot bankroll last longer.

First, is the “accounting” method. With this method you start with a pre-determined number of credits and after playing them though one time, you take an accounting of your results. If you have more than you started with you stay at that machine and start another cycle. Just keep doing this until the machine returns less than you started with. As an example, let’s say you start with a $10 credit voucher. After making 10 $1 bets you see how many credits you have left on the machine. If it’s more than $10 you start over again with another 10 $1 bets and then do another accounting. If, after any accounting, you get back less than the $10 bankroll you started with, stop playing and move on to a different machine. This is an especially good method because you have to slow down your play to take periodic accountings and you will always have an accurate idea of how well you are doing.

The other method is even simpler and requires no math. It’s called the “baseball” method and is based on the principle of three strikes and you’re out. Just play a machine until it loses three times in a row, then move on to another machine. Both of these methods will prevent you from losing a lot in a machine that is going through a bad cycle. To see more on this subject, watch my video titled '10 Tips To Stretch Your Slot Machine Bankroll' on our YouTube channel.