Every casino game has a certain house advantage, which is also known under the term house edge. The latter represents the amount the house collects from all bets expressed as a percentage. A commonly-used tactics by most casinos is to advertise the payout ratio in order to attract new players.
The house edge in most slot machines normally starts anywhere from 0.1%. The machines described as “loose” might pay players back 99.95%. The tight machines may pay back only 80-85%.
The only chance players have against the slot machine is to try incorporating an appropriate betting strategy. The latter, however, is almost impossible to be made when it comes to slots. Still, following some principles will help players play longer and get a larger payback for their bet.
Strategy #6- Find the best “comps,” promotions, and bonuses. One of the best things about being a slot player is the complementary or “comps” you receive. Casinos have come to realize how valuable slot players are so they will do everything in their power to keep you there. I recently was playing on a penny slot machine with a. According to slotmachines.org, 65 to 75 percent of a casino's action is generated from slot machines. The slot machine is a relatively simple game to play. Generally, you insert a coin, pull a lever and wait for the results. There’s precious little strategy involved with any slot machine and to the extent there.is. any there’s less in Class II machine. Ironically, the fact that there’s so little strategy in any type of slot machine (or video keno machine) is the only thing that makes ‘Class II’ games playable at all.
As slots are currently one of the most popular games of chance, there are two basic betting strategies to be applied – a fixed bet strategy and a progressive bet strategy.
In short, the fixed bet strategy includes making a bet, which stays the same over the entire gameplay. The progressive bet strategy includes making a bet that varies depending on whether the player is winning or losing. Some experts recommend using the second strategy when it comes to staying at a certain machine for an extended gameplay. It can be used for the number of paylines or the multiplier.
As already mentioned, there is no real strategy that will prevent players from losing. However, there are some basic rules which, when followed, may prolong the gameplay and help players reduce their losing bets.
Determining the Bankroll before Getting to the Casino
The most important thing before the player gets inside the casino is to carefully consider their plan and determine a fixed amount of money they are ready to lose. When considering their bankroll, every player needs to assume that they are going to lose their money, so they need to determine what amount will not hurt their budget. A good strategy is to also make sure they do not have access to any other money while playing.
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Making a Difference between Various Classes of Slot Machines
One of the less-known factors in the gambling industry is that there are different classes of slot machines, and especially the fact that a lot of casinos use Class II slot machines instead of Class III ones.
It is exactly Class III slot machines that are known as the so-called “Vegas-style” slots. However, there is another type of machines that fall into the Class II category. These were developed to look and play very much like the Vegas-style slots.
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Any machine that is defined as Class III, which is located in a regulated gambling jurisdiction needs to be equipped with a Random Number Generator (RNG), which guarantees that every spin is absolutely random and not predetermined.
The problem is that the contemporary Class II machines look and play almost exactly like the Class III ones, but in fact are very different and side-step the law, as they are based around the game of bingo. The worst part is that Class II machines are not completely random, which basically means that the player is actually competing against the casino. In addition, while winning the jackpot on every spin can happen when playing a Class III machine, practically, this is impossible to happen on a class II one.
Make Sure the Casino Is Regulated and Independently Overseen
This rule to follow is tightly related to the previous one, because Class II slot machines can be found in casinos that are not regulated. For example, in the U.S., most machines of this type can be found on Indian gaming reservations, where a lot of state regulations are not applied. Such casinos are often self-regulated, but there needs to be monitoring and control imposed by a third independent party.
Split Your Total Bankroll into Smaller Parts
After determining the total amount of their bankroll, the player should split it into smaller parts, which are often called session bankrolls. This can be done by taking into account for how long the player has planned to stay at the casino. It is a good idea to split the entire bankroll into equal parts and bring only the amount needed for a certain session.
Players need to be careful not to stay longer than initially planned, and not to bring more money than they have primarily decided to.
Limit the Gaming Session Playing Time
The length of time for each gaming session is also an important part of the player's considerations. They need to have in mind that it is not recommended for a gaming session to be longer than two hours, and the breaks between the separate gaming sessions need to be at least thirty minutes long.
Of course, two hours is the maximum time that should be spent playing, but every player knows best and is free to choose a duration they are comfortable with.
Find the Best Machines, Promotions and Bonuses
All casinos realize the importance of slot players for the business, which is exactly why they are doing everything possible in order to keep them. Before choosing a casino to attend, always make sure you consider the promotions and bonuses provided by different competitors. The rewards can vary, so finding out the best opportunities will help players make the best choice.
Watch Out for the Speed of Play
The contemporary slot machines are getting faster. This is considered beneficial for the casino, because more spins mean a larger income. So, one of the best strategies a player could follow is to make sure they slow down their pace when playing the slots. Do not use the speed-up button, and enjoy each spin – after all, this is what the game is about.
Do Not Place Maximum Bet Unless Specifically Required
Usually, there are different coin denominations that can be played at a certain machine. However, most experts recommend that the players should not bet the maximum, unless this is a specific requirement that will allow them to qualify for winning the jackpot. Remember that most video slots machines' payments are proportional to the number of coins wagered, and usually there are no special bonuses for making the maximum bet.
This is why players should take their time and study the machine they are playing at. Just sitting down and starting to spin the reels is never a good idea, so players should always make sure they understand all the payouts, special features, bonuses, and requirements for winning the jackpot. If it is not required to play the maximum number of coins in order to qualify for the jackpot, it is not necessary to place the maximum bet.
Consider the Denomination and the Set Payback Percentage
No matter that the randomness of Class III slot machines is guaranteed by the Random Number Generator, this does not mean that the machines are not set to pay a certain percentage back. As explained earlier, every slot machine is set to pay back between 85% and 99% of the money it takes in.
Of course, it is hard for a player to determine the payback percentage of a given slot machine. Still, there is a method that can help them find out which machine has the best payback ratio, by taking into account the denomination. As a rule, the higher the denomination, the larger the payback percentage. This is also why the player should not make the maximum bet unless this is a specific requirement to qualify for the jackpot.
Remember the movie National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation, when gambling fever consumes Chevy Chase’s character, Clark W. Griswold? He goes on a losing streak to beat all losing streaks while his son, Rusty, wins four cars by playing the slot machines. Maybe Clark would have done better if he had read Probability For Dummies! In this article, you discover the basic ideas behind slot machines and how they work, so that you can get past the myths and develop a strategy based on sound probability.
Understanding average payout
When casinos advertise that their slot machines pay out an average of 90 percent, the fine print they don’t want you to read says that you lose 10 cents from each dollar you put into the machines in the long term. (In probability terms, this advertisement means that your expected winnings are minus 10 cents on every dollar you spend every time the money goes through the machines.)
Suppose you start with $100 and bet a dollar at a time, for example. After inserting all $100 into the slot, 100 pulls later you’ll end up on average with $90, because you lose 10 percent of your money. If you run the $90 back through the machine, you’ll end up with 90 percent of it back, which is 0.90 x 90 = $81. If you run that amount through in 81 pulls, you’ll have $72.90 afterward (0.90 x 81 = 72.90). If you keep going for 44 rounds, on average, the money will be gone, unless you have the luck of Rusty Griswold!
How many pulls on the machine does your $100 give you at this rate? Each time you have less money to run through the machine, so you have fewer pulls left. If you insert $1 at a time, you can expect 972 total pulls in the long term with these average payouts (that’s the total pulls in 44 rounds). But keep in mind that casinos are designing slot machines to go faster and faster between spins. Some are even doing away with the handles and tokens by using digital readouts on gaming cards that you put into the machines. The faster machines can play up to 25 spins per hour, and 972 spins divided by 25 spins per minute is 38.88 minutes. You don’t have a very long time to enjoy your $100 before it’s gone!
The worst part? Casinos often advertise that their “average payouts” are even as high as 95 percent. But beware: That number applies only to certain machines, and the casinos don’t rush to tell you which ones. You really need to read or ask about the fine print before playing. You can also try to check the information on the machine to see if it lists its payouts. (Don’t expect this information to be front and center.)
Implementing a simple strategy for slots
Advice varies regarding whether you should play nickel, quarter, or dollar slot machines and whether you should max out the number of coins you bet or not (you usually get to choose between one and five coins to bet on a standard slot machine). In this section, you’ll find a few tips for getting the most bang for your buck (or nickel) when playing slot machines.
Basically, when it comes to slot machines, strategy boils down to this: Know the rules, your probability of winning, and the expected payouts; dispel any myths; and quit while you’re ahead. If you win $100, cash out $50 and play with the rest, for example. After you lose a certain amount (determined by you in advance), don’t hesitate to quit. Go to the all-you-can-eat buffet and try your luck with the casino food; odds are it’s pretty good!
Choosing among nickel, quarter, and dollar machines
The machines that have the higher denominations usually give the best payouts. So, between the nickel and quarter slots, for example, the quarter slots generally give better payouts. However, you run the risk of getting in way over your head in a hurry, so don’t bet more than you can afford to lose. The bottom line: Always choose a level that you have fun playing at and that allows you to play for your full set time limit.
Deciding how many coins to play at a time
When deciding on the number of coins you should play per spin, keep in mind that more is sometimes better. If the slot machine gives you more than two times the payout when you put in two times the number of coins, for example, you should max it out instead of playing single coins because you increase your chances of winning a bigger pot, and the expected value is higher. If the machine just gives you k times the payout for k coins, it doesn’t matter if you use the maximum number of coins. You may as well play one at a time until you can make some money and leave so your money lasts a little longer.
For example, say a quarter machine pays 10 credits for the outcome 777 when you play only a single quarter, but if you play two quarters, it gives you 25 credits for the same outcome. And if you play the maximum number of quarters (say, four), a 777 results in 1,000 credits. You can see that playing four quarters at a time gives you a better chance of winning a bigger pot in the long run (if you win, that is) compared to playing a single quarter at a time for four consecutive tries.
The latest slot machine sweeping the nation is the so-called “penny slot machine.” Although it professes to require only a penny for a spin, you get this rate only if you want to bet one penny at a time. The machines entice you to bet way more than one penny at a time; in fact, on some machines, you can bet more than 1,000 coins (called lines) on each spin — $10 a shot here, folks. Because these machines take any denomination of paper bill, as well as credit cards, your money can go faster on penny machines than on dollar machines because you can quickly lose track of your spendings. Pinching pennies may not be worth it after all!