Online Slots Guide
Many people head to the casinos to play the
slot machines. They are fast, easy, and many times can be played with quarters.
The idea behind them is they are a fun way to potentially win some money. The
problem is you don’t really know the odds. In most all other casino games you
know the rules and the odds that you are up against. This is not exactly the
case when it comes to slot machines. Sure, they must abide by state law and
have the returns set a specific percentages, but actually knowing how they work
and what you should expect in terms of returns is not very clear. In Las Vegas
the minimum return is 75% and in Atlantic City it is 83%.
The following information will shed some
light on slot machines, their return percentages, how they work, variable state
slots and even some myths and facts about these fun yet confusing machines.
Percentage of Return
In most casino games you hear about the house
edge. In slot machines, it is called the percentage of return or return
percentages. Understanding the house edge of a casino game is much easier
because it always equals 100%. If you have an expected return of 96% then the
house edge is 4%, simple as that. The problem with slots is that all of the
return percentages that are released each month are compiled on all gaming
machines including video keno and video poker. Thus, determining the return
percentage for any one type of game is pretty difficult, if not impossible.
Keep in mind that video poker usually pays out more than reel slots do and this
has the effect of inflating returns. Remember, too, that the numbers reported
are actual numbers and there are fluctuations. Because of this, the numbers may
sometimes reach above 100%.
The following table shows theoretical returns for only slot
machines. These numbers are not exact, but can give you a basic understanding
of what you are potentially dealing with when you play slot machines.
Theoretical Slot Percentage of Return
Denomination |
Percentage of Return |
5 cents |
90%-92% |
25 cents |
92%-93% |
$1 |
94.5%-95.5% |
$5 |
~96% |
$25 |
~97% |
Participation Slots
Part of playing slots is knowing what slots
to play. There are different types of slots with one of them being
participation slots. This simply means the slot machine is based on some theme,
like a game show or TV program. Generally, the split is set at 80/20, with 80%
to the casino and 20% to the slot manufacturer. The return on these slots are
assumed to be somewhere in the 88% -90% range. This percentage is quite low
when compared to other slots so you will probably want to avoid these when it
comes to trying to win money.
A good way to identify these participation slots is to look
for a progressive jackpot in addition to a theme the slot is based on. This is
not a perfect way of determining a participation slot, but it is helpful.
You should also take great caution when you
see advertising claiming high returns on particular slot machines. You may see
advertising boasting returns of up to 96.8% or some other high percentage. The
problem here is that only one slot machine must comply with this percentage and
you will not know what machine that is. It’s like searching for a needle in a
haystack.
The Way Slot Machines Work
Physical slot machines are considerably
different than video slot machines. They work with actual pieces of the machine
moving to create the results rather than video software. Inge S. Telnaes
patented the slot machine concept and this is based on a theoretical weight for
each stop on the slots. The symbols all have proportional weights to the
probability of the slot actually stopping on that symbol.
To understand better you need to know how the
slots are weighted. The symbol might have a weight of 1 while the empty slots
on either side of the symbol have a weight of 5. This means that for every time
the slot stops on the jackpot it will stop on the empty slots one slot away 10
times.
A random number generator, RNG, determines
where the reels stop when you pull the lever. Every second thousands of numbers
are being drawn . Then, when you hit the button to spin the reels a random
number for each is chosen. At this point, the numbers or symbols are mapped to
a virtual wheel to know where to
stop the actual reels with the numbers and symbols that were randomly chosen.
So, the numbers you will receive when you pull the lever or hit the button on
the slot machine are actually chosen that very instant. The whole spinning on
the machine just makes it more hopeful for you as you watch…. But there is no
willing the numbers to change once they are chosen.
Variable State Slots
There are some slot machines that have a
bonus that is paid out when a certain amount is accumulated or when the bonus
symbol is hit. It is generally this type of machine players wait to jump on
when you have been playing for awhile without hitting the jackpot. Many
seasoned slot players know the machines that are variable state slots and let
you sit there and run up the bonus until you are out of money. Then they
“steal” your machine knowing the bonus is that much closer to being reached and
that they might be able to do so. The one problem with these machines is there
just aren’t very many of them around anymore. So, finding one is a little more
difficult. Insiders in the slot machine world know where they are, though.
Finding them in a situation where positive returns will be earned is even more
of a challenge.
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