Slot Machine Strategies, Part Two

Set reasonable and achievable goals. If you brought $100 dollars with you to start the day, don't get carried away and think that you can turn it to $100,000 dollars by the end of it. That kind of thing just doesn't happen very much. You could probably hope, however, to make $50 dollars more - that's a 50 percent increase in a minimum amount of time. Not even the hottest stocks grow at those rates.

Once you've set a goal, be sure to stop once you've reached it. Like we said before, you should set a threshold that you absolutely will not pass over. Whether it's a specified dollar amount or a specific period of time, exercise self-discipline and make sure you follow through on it. Don't let greed take over you - you'll pay for it.

If you only have a small amount of money to spend and want to maximize your playing time, try playing machines with lower insert coin requirements. Nickel and dime slot machines can be quite fun, and if you're the type who could be happy with a modest payoff, this is probably the way to go. You'll be able to entertain yourself for a long time before you run out of cash.

Find the right slot machine. You have to find a machine that you're comfortable with. If you plan to play for a while and spend your hard-earned money doing it, you owe it to yourself to find the right slot machine. No matter how you choose your machine, be sure you like it enough to have fun with it. Be sure to ask the regulars if there are slot machines that seem to give better payouts. (Beware: they might be using those same machines as you ask your question.)

Before you play on an unfamiliar type of slot machine, take a few moments to read whatever instructions may be provided. Find out how many coins you have to insert to get the maximum payoff. Otherwise you might experience the frustration of getting the jackpot combination line and not getting the payoff you deserve. That's the kind of thing that can make you stop playing slot machines forever - we don't want that.

Go for the jackpot! This tip is only for those who can tolerate risk. Almost all slot machines pay a higher top jackpot when you insert the maximum amount of coins allowable. For instance, a five-coin machine may pay out 400 coins for 1 coin inserted, 1000 coins for 2 coins inserted, and 4000 coins if five coins are inserted. Called progressive slots, these machines give higher returns for the higher risks you take. If you don't mind the possibility of larger losses, and are more inspired by the possibility of exponential rewards, then be sure to insert the maximum coin amount! There's nothing like a little risk to get the heart pounding!