Tips for Gambling on Slots

When people think of Vegas, they think of slot machines. And for very good reason. Slot machines bring the casinos a lot of business. There is something that seems magical about being able to walk through a casino, drop in one coin into a machine featuring your favorite character or tv show, and win lots of money. Slots take no skill to play, and there is not a set of rules that you need to know before you can play, making them a huge draw at casinos. But there are some tips you should know before you leave the house that will help you win before you leave the house.

Don't purchase slot systems. Slot systems promise to tell you which machine is likely to hit next. But the randomization with slot machines is so complex that it has only been broken once, and as soon as the casinos found out about it, they made it even more complex. There is nothing that can tell you if a slot machine is ready to hit.

Don't play progressive slot machines unless you have the maximum number of coins. You can't win the progressive jackpot, which is a percentage of all the money played in that machine, if you don't have the maximum amount of coins. In other words, you are just wasting your money.

Don't spend money you can't afford. If you need it for bills, you should not be playing it at the casino. And if you need help with a gambing problem, seek help.

Do use a players card. These offer extra bonuses for playing, such as a percentage back of the amount you have spent in the slot machines, or even free or reduced price food, lodging, and shows, called "comps". Some people erroneously believe that it affects the rate at which the machines pay out. This is not true. Nothing affects the payout on a slot machine.

Do check the payout rates. Say that you have two machines, side by side. Each takes a quarter to play. One lists lots of high dollar payout combinations, and the other lists lots of low dollar payout combinations. You are more likely to hit on one of the combinations on the low dollar payout machine. Why? Because the casino has set the payout rate high for the other. It cannot afford to give away a lot of high dollar amounts. But the casinos can afford to give away $5 here and $10 there.

Do remember to cashout. Some machines provide you with a paper voucher instead of coins. Some of these paper vouchers have expiration dates, so saving them up is not necessarily a good idea. Make sure to get your voucher or bucket of coins before you get any personal belongings, because someone may try to steal the coins or voucher. Always keep a close watch on these things.

Do set a limit for yourself. A good wayto handle your winnings is to decide ahead of time how much you want to spend. Put that in one pocket, and as you play, remove coins from that pocket to put into the machine. Then when you win something, whether it's one coin or a lot, put them in the other pocket (or a bucket if you won quite a few). And then never use these coins to put back into the machine. It's like they don't exist until you reach the cage to cashout. If you've had a bad run at the slot machines, it limits your losses to a pre-determined amount. If you've had a good run at the slot machines, it forces you to quit while you're ahead, and keeps you from putting all your winnings back into the machines.

Do play the slots near the entrance. These slots are set to payout more frequently. If they can show people that their machines payout often, people are more likely to come in and give them a try. They may decide to play at one of the machines further in, for whatever reason, and put quite a bit of money into these machines before leaving the casino. You are essentially doing advertising for them, and they will pay you to do so by making the slot machines near the entrance "looser".

There are many different types of slot machines, but these tips are universal. Just remember not to believe the myths about them, and you have a greater chance of walking away a winner. And one final note: although there are not rules concerning how to play slots, there is an etiquette to it. Some people have their own compulsive behaviors that extend to their slot machine playing. If you are at a casino, try to find a machine that isn't directly next to another person. If you can find one on a row completely to yourself, that is even better. Some people feel that the slot machines next to them are "theirs" as well. Ask if the slot machine next to them is free. Although it's not necessary, it is the courteous thing to do. Good luck, enjoy, and have fun playing the slots.