Can You Really Cheat When Playing Slots?

Everyone who plays the slot machine dreams of just walking into a casino, play the first slot machine available, insert a token, and just like that, hit the jackpot. These “one-armed bandits” have captivated, intrigued, and have even made some of us addicts for them, always dreaming of that sound of hundreds of coins dropping. The anticipation and the thrill of those colorful reels, the tingling of bells, the flashing lighting effects and the tinkle of tokens as they hit the metallic tray definitely captures every gamer’s attention and fancy.

Facts about slot machines

Of course, some of us who are also thinking of winning at the same time gaining rather than losing money think of the best ways of “outsmarting” the slot machine. We ask if there is any way of beating the odds and make sure that the money we spend on the machine goes back to us, if possible, twofold or threefold. The truth is, nobody and no tip or strategy can really guarantee that you’ll get back all the money you will be feeding the slot machine. There are strategies, however, that would enable you to increase the probability of winning, consistently at that. Let’s look into some facts about slot machines in casinos so that we can be more knowledgeable and sharpen our strategies.

• Fact is, slot machines are not the same or made equal. Don’t let appearances deceive you: the may all look alike outside, but they are different inside, especially with the probabilities and how the reels come out.

• One persistent rumor is regarding the occurrence of the jackpot. Most people think that because a particular slot machine just hit a jackpot, it will take a long time for the said machine to hit the jackpot again. This is not true because hitting a jackpot is random.

• The advantage always goes to the house, or the casino. Majority of slot machines have been programmed to pay out up to 99% of the coins that have been placed into the machines.

• Another persistent rumor is that casinos have a say on which machines will hit the jackpot or not. There is no way of “tweaking” the slot machines to loosen or tighten them.

So, how do we use this knowledge to make sure we’re more on the winning rather than the losing side?

One good way to increase your winning probability is by choosing a slot machine that has a very good payout. Those with payouts between 95 to 99 percent are the best, so look for and play the machines with that percentage. Machines that are $1 and higher have the best payouts – particularly the $5 or higher machines. When the machine is less expensive, payouts decrease too. Thus, $1 machines have greater payouts than 50-cent machines and 25-cent machines, and definitely 5-cent machines.

Progressive vs. non-progressive machines

Another type of slot machines to look for is the non-progressive one. A progressive jackpot machine is one that is programmed to have a higher number of symbols and reels. Of course, the more reels and symbols, the probability of hitting the jackpot is decreased. Non-progressive machines should have lesser reels and symbols and have flat rates. They are found in better locations, and will yield better chances of winning.