Importnin

Slot machines are programmed to pay out a certain percentage of money they intake, the amount of which varies according to local law. Most machines are programmed to pay out between 80 to 98 percent. This means that for every dollar taken in, a machine has to pay between 80 and 98 cents. To see how slots pay less than true odds to give the house an edge, let’s set up an example that’s as streamlined as slot odds can get, a game of the type used in the early decades after Charles Fey invented the three-reel slot machine in 1895. A hypothetical three-reel slot game with one 7, two bars, three cherries and four watermelons per.

History – How To Play – Rules – Odds – Strategy – Pro’s Perspective
Slot machines are referred to as slots, 1-arm bandits, fruit machines and poker machines. Players will place wagers in the form of coins (or virtual coins if it is an online slot) in order to spin the reels of the game. Any slot machine will have a minimum of 3 reels and players can start spinning these reels by pulling a lever (or clicking on Spin if it is an online slot machine). The symbols on the reels will start to spin until they stop. When they stop, players will be awarded according to the combination of symbols they achieve on the payline. The payline is a virtual line on which players must get certain symbols in order to get paid.
Players will be paid based on the bet they have placed, the combination of symbols and the paytable of the game. The paytable is a table that shows players the different combinations and their respective rewards. This paytable is usually found at the top above the reels of the slot machine. The symbols appearing on these reels are usually cherries, bells, watermelon, and sevens, this is why they were called fruit machines. Other advanced slots might have a certain theme. For these games, the symbols will be inspired by that theme. For example, Thunderstruck is an online slot which is themed around Thor and Norse gods. On this game’s reels, players will see symbols that include Thor, Thor’s Hammer and Odin among other related symbols.

Slots History

The history of the first slot machine dates back to 1895. The father of the first slot machine was Charles Fey, whose original slot machine had poker symbols on its three spinning reels. The symbols also included hearts, horseshoe, bells, and spades. Since the game only had 3 reels, it was easy to make the game payout for the winning combinations automatically. The paytable of the game was available at the top and it showed players the different winning combinations. The highest combination paid 50 cents when players got 3 bells on the win line.
In 1891, another form of slot machines was invented by Sittman and Pitt. This new machine looked a lot like the early version of slots that can still be found to this day. The game included five drums and 50 cards with a poker game theme since players were paid according to the poker hand they formed. This is why they were called poker machines. Players would start the game by putting a nickel into the game’s slot and pull the lever in order for the drums to spin so they could get a poker hand. Most of these machines used to pay players in the form of gifts such as cigars, drinks or food or other things that were sold at the pub or the bar where it was being offered. In order to increase the odds of the house and make it hard to get a poker hand of a Royal Flush, the game did not have a 10 of Spades or a Jack of Hearts.
In 1907, Herbert Mills invented another machine that was called Operator Bell and by 1908 these slots were installed in every bowling alley, cigar store or salon. One of these original “Liberty Bell” slots can still be found in a Reno Restaurant in Liberty Bells Saloon.
Another great development occurred in 1963 when Bally invented the 1st electromechanical slot machine called The Money Honey. This was the first slot to have a bottomless hopper and it offered automatic payouts as well. The biggest reward that could be claimed was 500 coins. This machine was one of the reasons behind the skyrocketing rise of electronic gambling. Reel Em was the first-ever video slot that offered players any kind of bonus rounds.
Multi-line slots made an entrance to the scene in the 1990s. These games had more than one winning line. This means that players could claim payouts according to combinations on more than one line that are aligned on the game’s screen. With the emergence of online gambling, slots were one of the first games to be adopted and transformed into online games. They developed quickly and can now offer up to 100 lines and 1024 ways to win. They also offer players a lot of bonuses in the form of wilds, scatters and rewarding jackpots.
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How to Play Slots

Slot machines can be found at every gambling venue, whether online-based or land-based. Because the online gambling world has fewer restrictions in terms of technology and development, players will find a wider array of slot machines than those found at land-based gambling venues. We are going to discuss the gaming procedure for both online slot machines and land-based slots:

For Land-Based Slots:

For land-based slots, players will have to buy bar-coded coins, quarters or other coin values the game accepts. Usually, players will see the coin value the game accepts written on the game itself. After players enter the coin in the game’s slot, they will pull down the lever, causing the reels of the slot to spin. The symbols on these reels are usually themed around fruits that are accompanied by bells, sevens and the usual one bar, two bar and three bar symbols.
After the reels stop spinning, players will be rewarded if they have a winning combination on the game’s win line. Players can find out the combinations that would make them eligible for a win at the game’s paytable. This paytable can be found at the top of the reels. It will show the different combos and their rewards.
There are also slot machines that resemble video slots that can be found online. (Some can even be found online with the same features.) These video slots usually have a touch screen that players will use in order to control the game like video poker.

For Online Slots:

Players who want to enjoy this game at an online casino will have to follow another gaming procedure. For online slots, players will first choose the game, then they will choose their wagers. Choosing the wagers at any slot machine, whether a classical or a multi-line video slot, includes 3 options:

• Choose the number of lines that players want to activate by placing their stakes on.
• Choose the coin value that players want to use to place wagers and get rewards.
• Choose the number of coins they wish to place on every activated line. All of this creates the wager. The total amount of their bet will be seen under the Bet Cell.

After placing the wager, players will be able to start the game by clicking on Spin. It is usually found under the reels in the game’s control panel in between or next to the wagering options that were mentioned above. The symbols will spin and, after they stop spinning, players will be paid according to the paytable, their bet, and the winning combination. The paytable can also be viewed at the top or as players click on “View Pays” or Paytable that is found somewhere on the game’s screen.

Slots Rules

The rules differ from one slot machine to another. Each slot machine will have its own set of rules printed on the game itself or, in the case of online slots, players can view them by clicking on “Game Rules.”

Max Bet Only Triggered Bonuses:

Some bonuses and jackpots will not be triggered or activated unless players have placed the maximum wager.

Wild Symbols:

Wild symbols differ from one game to another and can substitute for any other symbol the slot machine has. These wild symbols will not replace other bonus or scatter symbols.

Triggering the Jackpot:

The jackpot is triggered when players get a certain combination of symbols on any of the winning lines of the game. It can be found at the paytable.

Scatter Symbols:

Scatter symbols are special symbols that reward players generously in the form of scatter payouts. They can also trigger free spins. Free spins mean players will get a number of spins on the slot for free. They are usually triggered when players get three scatters on the reels.
Apart from these rules, there are some etiquette rules players should follow when playing at a land-based casino or a venue that is offering these slots.
Players can play on two slot machines side by side providing the gambling venue or the casino is not crowded. If it is crowded and there are players waiting to be seated, the attendant will ask players who playing on two slots to end one of the sessions.
Some players prefer to keep clicking on the buttons rapidly thinking that it gives them good
luck. This is usually frowned upon because it causes the buttons to wear out quickly and causes a lot of disturbance to other players in the casino or the gambling venue.
Players who want to watch another player spinning the reels should leave one chair between them and the players unless they plan to play on the slot machine right next to that person. If they do not do that, an attendant will approach them and ask them to move away.
It is ok to celebrate when you get a big win or hit the jackpot, providing you do not celebrate for too long. Also, when you get a big win, you should tip the attendant who is getting the payout for you. It’s common etiquette.
Lastly, if you spot a slot machine that has a leaning chair on it, it is advised to leave that slot machine alone. It signals someone was playing at the slot machine and he had to go to the bathroom or get something to drink and he feels that the slot is lucky for him. You should leave it for a maximum of 10 minutes before you move the chair and take a seat.

Slots Odds

Slots are usually programmed to payout 82 to 98 percent of what was wagered in the form of winnings. This percentage is known as RPT (Return to Player) or the Theoretical Payout Percentage. The minimum RTP for every slot machine depends on the regulations and laws of the state. In Nevada, for example, the minimum percentage is 75 percent, in New Jersey it is 83 percent and in Mississippi, it’s 80 percent.
The winning combinations and patterns on a slot machine, the amount it pays and the frequency of these payouts are carefully calculated and selected so they pay a specific fraction of money to the casino or the house while giving back the rest to the players. For example, a spin on the slot machine costs one dollar and it has an RTP percentage of 95. It can be calculated that over the long term, for example after one million spins, the game is going to give back $950,000 to players from the 1,000,000 dollars they have put into the slot. The house or the operator will keep the remaining $50,000.
The RTP is not the only important statistic in slots as the percentage of every payout on the game’s paytable is also important. For example, in any slot machine that has 12 different rewards in the paytable, the probability of every reward equaling 0 percent except the jackpot can be quite deceptive. If the jackpot win is 4000 times the wager, then it would happen 1 time every 4000 spins and would make the game have an RTP of 100 percent, despite being a very dull game.
The table of the probabilities for any slot machine is called the Paytable & Reel Strips sheer, also known as PARS. PARS helps players understand the psychology of the slot machine. For instance, if the game has 13 payouts that range from 1:10 up to 2400:1 it will show that the 1:1 payout would happen once every 8 spins, the 5:1 would happen once every 33 spins while the 2:1 payout will happen once every 600 spins. The PARS sheet is usually confidential and developers and manufacturer never post them; however, there it is possible to find the PARS sheet of any of your favorite games posted online. Despite this, they are not of any real value to players as slot machines usually have 8 to 12 different programs that have varying payouts.
Slot machines are also known for the “Taste.” The Taste refers to a small amount of money the game pays every few spins to those who are seated at a slot machine to keep them engaged in the game. The logic is simple: if players keep losing their bets without winning any back, they will eventually grow bored and leave the game. The taste is usually the 1:1 or the 2:1 payout.

Slots Strategy

Slot machines are games of luck, so there are no strategies or techniques to implement. On the other hand, there are some tips and suggestions that may be quite useful for any player who is looking forward to spinning the slots:

Stick With Slots With a Low Jackpot:

If you are a land-based casino player, you will notice the slot machines that offer millions in jackpots are not that popular because the chances of hitting the jackpot are very small. This is why you should stick with slot machines that have a jackpot in the $1,000 range since you have a better chance of triggering it. These smaller jackpot slots are known for paying out better rewards more frequently.

Know When You Should Move On:

Like any other casino game, you might find yourself on a losing streak. When that happens you should just move on and stop playing or go to another slot to change your luck.

Quit While You Are Ahead:

If you have been on a winning streak or have just hit a jackpot, it is a pretty good idea to cash in your winning and leave. The more you play the bigger the chance you might lose what you won (or at least a big chunk of it). Like any casino game, you should quit while you are ahead.

Work According to a Betting Pattern:

You should always follow a wagering pattern that will help you earn rewards. For example, always start with the minimum wager possible and, if you lose, up it up a notch and keep increasing the bet after each spin. When you win, do the opposite. The + / – betting pattern is not guaranteed (there are no guaranteed betting patterns for slots because it is 100 percent random) but this can help increase your odds.

Placing the Maximum Wager:

Although this contradicts the last tip, it is another way of playing. The aim is to place the highest wager so you can earn high rewards. This is essential in online video slots as some bonuses cannot be triggered if players do not place the max bet.

There are also some misconceptions we have to clarify:

• Playing the game faster will not increase the chances of winning.
• Clicking on the spin or pulling the lever will not affect the outcome of the slot. They are all the same.
• Each spin is independent, so the game will never be “due to hit”.
• When someone wins a great payout on a slot machine that you left does not mean that you missed that payout. There is a big chance that you wouldn’t have hit the same payout because you would not have pulled the lever at the same fraction of a second that this player did.

Pro’s Perspective: Slot Strategies and Tips

With John Grochowski

Modern slot machines are multimedia technological marvels complete with animation, sound effects and sometimes even video clips from movies and television shows.
While three-reel slots still exist, the majority both in live casinos and online have five reels, and sometimes have six, seven or more. Instead of one payline, modern video and online slots usually have 20, 30, 40 or more paylines. Some don’t even use paylines at all, making any combination of like symbols connecting from left to right a potential winner, even if they’re not on a line as such.
During regular play, you may win a trip to a bonus event during which you have a chance to win money without making any additional wagers. Here are a few of the most common bonus types.

Free spins

You win a specified number of free spins of the reels. Many free spin bonuses are played on the same reels as the main game and it’s possible to win any of the prizes usually available. Sometimes, the main reels fade from the screen and are replaced by bonus reels with different symbols and different winning potential.
For example, games have been introduced in the last few years in which the lowest-paying symbols are removed from the bonus reels. It’s still possible to win nothing on a bonus spin, but the frequency of big winners is increased.

Wheel spins

The original wheel spin game, Wheel of Gold, was introduced in the mid-1990s and it led to the ever-popular Wheel of Fortune slots. Since then most slot manufacturers have introduced wheel spins.
In a wheel spin bonus, you see a wheel divided into prize segments. On some, all prizes are credit amounts, but some wheels offer credit multipliers, progressive jackpots, and trips to other bonus events. You start the wheel spinning, then hope it lands on a big-paying space.

Pick’em events

The reels are replaced by a different scene. Some have included aliens in hiding spaces, dancing gift-wrapped boxes, dishes on a Chinese menu, fishermen on a pond and much more.
You touch the screen to choose an icon, and the item then reveals a credit reward for you to collect. On some pick’em events, you make just one choice. On others, you keep picking until you choose a bonus-stopper symbol.

Personal preference

All these bonus events are designed to make the games interactive and fun to play. How much they contribute to the overall payback differs from game to game and manufacturer to manufacturer, but as much as 40 percent of the overall return may come from bonuses.
Free spin games tend to be more volatile with the potential for bigger wins offset by the possibility of spins that bring no credits. Pick’ems are used in what the slot industry calls “entertainment” games in which it’s a larger goal to add fun and extend your play than to offer big wins.
Ultimately, which is best for you comes down to personal preference. Do you like pick’em entertainment or do you want to keep those reels spinning?

Most people who go to a casino do not really know how to determine where the best slot machines are located. In the past, such machines were placed at the entrance, as well as at the ends of the aisles. However, things have changed since then, and casino managers have made some modifications.

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Usually, landbased casinos offer slot machines with different payouts. The same applies to virtual casinos, which offer online slots. There are machines with higher and lower return to player percentages. It is the first type – the so-called loose machines – that players should look for when in a casino.

The first thing a player should do is observe which machines are preferred by the locals, who know better from their personal experience. Usually, the groups of machines that no one is playing are the so-called tight machines. Take that in mind when choosing a slot. The player should look for a loose machine in the more crowded areas on the casino floor. Do not give up the idea of playing such a machine, even if you have to wait for a while.

Sometimes, the slot machine attendants could also help players with some information, because they know which machines are loose, and which are not.

Loose Slots Locations

As mentioned above, nowadays the casino management chooses how to organize the machines on the floor. Loose slots are placed by the casino management in specific areas of the casino floor.

Here is a list of the most common places where you can find loose slot machines:

Loose machines are usually placed on elevated carousels

The casino management is aware of the fact that people seeing other customers winning is good for business. The fact that these carousels can easily be seen from anywhere in the casino, is the main reason why a lot of loose slot machines are situated there.

Crossover areas

These are the intersection areas where people pass from one part of the casino to another. Such areas are usually considered an ideal place for placing more generous slots because a great number of people walk by on a daily basis.

In near proximity to cafés and snack bars

Cafés and snack bars are the places where usually there are not so many people playing. This, however, does not mean these areas are not among the most preferred ones when it comes to placing machines that payout.

Slot machines are also placed close to cashiers, ABMs, change booths and ticket redemption machines

The logic here is simple – all of the above-mentioned spots are places where people get money. The more people win at machines there, the more likely it is for them to withdraw more cash and use it on the slots.

All casinos are absolutely aware of the fact that their regular customers know where the more “generous” slots are situated. This is exactly why these machines are frequently moved around the place in order to make it harder for local people to find them. In such cases, players could make a note of the slot machine's identification number in order to easily recognize it when it is moved.

Tighter Slots Locations

There are also some general rules how to spot the tighter slots in order to avoid them. Here is how you can easily recognize them:

Secluded areas

Tight machines are usually placed at the more secluded areas of the casinos. Secluded areas may look very comfortable, but they are quiet for a reason – almost no winnings are made there.

At the casino entrances

As mentioned above, these were great places when it comes to putting loose slots. But casino management realized that it is not a good place to situate such a machine, because people never went any further into the casino. This is exactly the reason why nowadays the slot machines located at the casino entrances are tighter.

Slots located near ticket or show lines

This is actually a great place to put a slot machine because most people actually just stand there and wait. This is how people can be tempted to just go and try their luck on the slot machines nearby instead of waiting in line.

Around the table games and near the sportsbook

The slot machines located around most table games are usually tight in order to distract players from their gameplay. The same applies to the machines situated near the Sportsbook.

Reading the Slot Payout Meter

After choosing the best area to play a slot machine in, choosing the machine itself is also not an easy job to do. Players also find it hard to pick a certain machine, because sometimes there are several identical machines located in the same area, and they are striving to always choose the machine showing the highest jackpot on its payout meter window.

How To Get Lucky On Slot Machines

When it comes to playing in landbased casinos, the mechanical slot machines usually have their payout meter window situated at the bottom left or right corner, next to the window that displays the credits available.

It is also important for the player to check the payout meter window to get some information about the previous amount the machine has paid out. Of course, the fact the last player managed to win money does not necessarily mean that the same applies to the next player.

How To Get Slot Machines To Hit

Still, it is proven that there are certain patterns that exist in systems of random numbers. These patterns can occur even when the player gets several wins at a time. Of course, this does not mean that the machine is not controlled by a Random Number Generator, but that there are some patterns even in systems of random numbers.

How To Get Money Fast Slot Machines

Some experts recommend that it is a good idea to play several spins on a machine, which has just paid out a large amount of money, or even the jackpot itself, instead of playing one that shows zero on its payout window. Some players even leave a machine as soon as they have managed to get a payout without even bothering to clear the payout window. It is also a great idea to choose such machines.