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

If the slot machine required the coin to match the size requirements, another object was inserted into the machine with the shaved coin itself. This object matched the size of the coin perfectly and stayed in the machine, while the shaved coin 'fooled' the optical sensor and fell out of it. Posted on July 14, 2008 by Casino Player in payout percentages of slot machines, slot percentages, slot play ideas, slot play tips // 0 Comments How To Beat The Casinos Here are some of my personal tips for successful slot play. Slots offer different variations in the number of reels, paylines and also include various additional functions. In addition, many machines play jackpots, which means that you have a chance to win millions of dollars by just one spin. So, we offer some tips on how to beat slot machines and on choosing the most promising casino gaming apps.

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!

Want to be a better Slots Player?

Easy slot hacks to help you play, win and enjoy more!

Slots has become the most popular casino game that has ever been invented. It forms over 50% of the revenue in casinos and racinos in the US, is easily found in Canada, Europe and Australia, and now growing in other parts of the world. For some venues, slot machines can generate more than 90% of total gaming revenue, even when coupled with other casino table games that are also on offer. And some venues simply have slot machines. This just goes to show how popular slots are!

You would think that the majority of Players would know a lot of traps to avoid, given how popular slots is. But it’s astounding to discover that many Players are missing out on some really great slot hacks.

If winning and extending your bank roll is important to you, then please read on.

Hack 1. Don’t try and beat the system

Replicating the winning pattern of a slot machine is impossible. At the heart of it, are very complex algorithms. Don’t try and beat the system.

The design of a slot machine is to give random results which are to pay out in an uneven distribution. Coupled with this, the effect of the uneven distribution is to build up the suspense – simplistically as a string of losses followed by an incredible win. This randomness of an incredible win is structured so that playing slots entices Players to keep going until the jackpot comes. And this is what makes slots so exciting!

Understanding randomness, knowing that it is created by computer logic, is what trips many slot Players. In our minds, we know that another human being created a “winning pattern logic” for the slot machine. And sometimes when we play slots we can easily think “yep, I know when it’s going to pay out big!” We know it’s not really random, because our fellow computer IT programmer created a maths formula for it. And of course, what happens next is that the wagered amounts get bigger and bigger, and suddenly it’s all gone. The bank roll has vanished, and it’s all over, nothing left. Avoid the trap of thinking you know the winning pattern – whether it be hot or cold machines, jumping on a machine after another Player has won (or lost) and so on.

Hack 2. Pay attention to denomination pay out ratios

Win more on the higher denominated slot machines. They have a higher pay out ratio.

This may come as a surprise, however it is the lower denominated slot machines that have the worst pay out ratios. That’s right, the low penny slot machines pay out at a poor 80% to 85% range. Many Players are drawn to the low line betting slot machines, believing that they can play longer with the potential of winning more and winning big. This strategy would make sense if the pay out ratios of all the slot machines are the same, but they are not.

Below I list out the approximate pay out ratios by denomination:

• 25 cent machines roughly return 85% to 88%.
• 50 cent machines roughly return 89% to 90%
• $1 machines return roughly 90% to 91%
• $5 machines return 92% to 93%
• And machines wagering higher 93% to 98%.

Don’t be confused, believing that on the 25 cent machine more lines can be played (because smaller amount), whilst on the $5 machine less lines. And therefore you will win more often on the 25 cent machine. No, No, No… it’s doesn’t matter how small or big you wager, the pay out ratio is the pay out ratio. If you wager on more lines vs less lines, it makes no difference, the pay out ratio remains the same. The mind tricks you with the small vs big denomination perspective.

Hack 3. Align excitement to winning patterns

Alignment will prevent a sudden ALL IN wager. It helps keep your bank roll alive.

In general, the regularity of hitting a win on a slot machine decreases with the size of the jackpot.

Therefore, if you are seeking for an experience of more frequent small wins, then look for a slot machine with a smaller jackpot, make sure it is not interlinked and not progressive.

Frequency of wins can vary from as little as 7% to 25% of the number of rounds played. The frequency, however, doesn’t mean that one machine will have a lower pay out ratio than another. They could both have the same pay out ratio, but the distribution of winnings can vary greatly in amount.

Hack 4. Avoid Progressive

Avoid interlinked progressive slot machines.

If you are playing interlinked progressive slots, then the pay out ratios are significantly lower than listed in the Pay Out Ratio Hack. This is because the pooling of funds drives a lower average pay out to Players. In particular, avoid the large jackpot interlinked progressive slot machines. These behave like lotto with the odds of winning excessively low.

The odds of winning on interlinked progressive type machines, is on par with playing Powerball i.e. it is ridiculously low. That’s not to say you can’t win, but it is really really really low. Say like, 1,000,000,000 to 1. You need more than a life time to play all the combinations!

Hack 5. Play at Singles

Play at independent slot machines, the odds of winning are higher.

Progressive slot machines can be classed into three groups:

1. Intercasino-linked – the jackpot can be won in any casino that is part of the network. The jackpot is usually huge because it is pooling the funds from all players on the network. Example: Megabucks
2. In-house – Players using the same machine accumulate towards the jackpot. Can still offer huge winnings, but not connected to a larger pool like intercasino linked.
3. Single/Independent – one Player drives the progressive jackpot.

As previously mentioned, avoid playing the intercasino linked progressive slots as the odds of winning are ridiculously low.

Progressive slot machines to look for are therefore the single/independent. And if you are looking for more frequent payout, the lower offered jackpots are the slot machines to play at.

Hack 6. Online Slots have better pay out ratios

Play Online Slots: pay out ratios online can be higher by up to 5%.

Online Slots (and mobile) behave very much in the same fashion as casino slots. In fact they are exactly the same! The only difference is that the output is through a web browser or mobile phone, whilst at a land based casino it’s via a machine.

Often the trust factor is much lower for Online Slots than slot machines. There is a misconception that Online Slots are programmed to scam gullible players as there is no regulation, whilst land based slot machines can be trusted because they are regulated.

This cannot be further than the truth. Both Online Casinos and land based casinos are regulated, must purchase a license and abide by laws. In fact, in some cases the land based casinos are less transparent. Take for instance, native American casinos in the US, they are allowed to be self regulated and are not required to disclose their pay out ratios.

The pay out ratios for Online Slots are far better than those offered at land based casinos. This is due to lower overhead costs – easier to maintain, no cash to handle, no venue to be kept and greater audience reach.

Hack 7. Put less in the bank roll

Don’t feel obligated to use up all the bank roll.

Often I see Players at slot machines with the need to “suddenly” leave. And in the bank roll there remains an easy hundred or so dollars left. So what happens? The Player bets big and on many lines, just to complete the gaming session and to use up the remaining bank roll!

African Beat Slot Machine Wins

Don’t do this. Leave with money in the bank roll or, if you can’t, then play with less in the bank roll to start with. If you need to top up later, you can. But don’t start with too much bank roll to then feel obligated to spend it all.

Conclusion

Although slots is a popular and easy game to play, our goal in GambleDex is to inform you of winning tips and strategies that may not be well known and used. We refer to them as slot hacks and have summarized them for you in 7 concise points.

Anyone can implement these 7 hacks, they don’t require any great effort or an IQ of Einstein. They are so simple that anyone can use them, and yet they will help increase winnings and extend the bank roll.

Tips On How To Beat Slot Machines

Other Best 7 Gambling Hacks

Can You Beat Slot Machines

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