Slot Machine Odds

It probably more appropriate to call slot machines entertainment than gambling, as the house always - and we mean always - has an edge with slot machines.

The average slot machine payout ranges from an average of 85% to 99% of all coins bet. The lower the denomination of the machine, the lower the payout. This is because the casino wants to make a certain amount per hour with its slots. With a one dollar slot machine, the casino can payback perhaps 98% and make it's hourly goal. With a lower denomination machine, such as quarters or nickels, the payout must be much lower to achieve the same hourly pay for the casino

There are two types of slot machine payouts: flat rate and progressives. A flat rate machine pays the same percentage based on only that machine's results. With progressive machines, many machines are linked together electronically and the jackpot gets progressively larger the more players that play and the greater the time in between winning jackpots.

Our advice is to play the flat rate machines and avoid the progressives. The odds against winning the jackpot are much higher on progressives. In many cases, your odds of winning the state lottery are better! Play the non-progressive machines where you at least have a chance at the jackpot.

SHOULD YOU PLAY MAXIMUM COINS ARE NOT?

The answer to this question depends on one thing: is the jackpot bigger proportionally for maximum coins bet? If it is, play maximum coins. If it isn't, then simply play the minimum and your money will last longer.

To illustrate, let's assume you want to play a machine that has a three coin maximum bet. Should you play the maximum? Look at the payout information. If the jackpot amount for one coin bet is 1,000, for two coins 2,000 and for three coins 5,000, then the jackpot is bigger proportionally for three coins and you should bet the maximum coins. This is because the maximum coins to bet is three times the minimum but the maximum coin jackpot is five times the amount of the minimum coin jackpot. This means your jackpot odds are better if you play the maximum coins.

In this same example, if the three coin jackpot was 3,000 instead of 5,000, then you should only play one coin at a time because there is no odds advantage to playing maximum coins.

One disadvantage of playing maximum coins, even if the jackpot is proportionally larger, is that smaller, less-than-jackpot payouts are usually not proportionally larger for maximum coins played. It's only the jackpot that is proportionally larger. For this reason, we recommend only playing minimum coins on machines that do no have a proportionally larger jackpot for maximum coins. This way, you money will last longer and you increase your odds of winning smaller jackpots and maybe coming away a slight winner.

Good Luck!

Tom is the webmaster at http://www.blackjack-for-everyone.com, which is a website dedicated to turning beginning Blackjack players into serious recreational players.

---

The Secrets of the Fives and Nines

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secret of the... Read More

Expensive Errors in Holdem

There are several expensive errors that are frequently made in... Read More

Poker Can Be Played for Money from the Comfort of Your Living Room?Legally!

Poker is one of the world's all time favorite gambling... Read More

College Football Betting - Trends and Rivalry Games

In college they have trends and in the pros they... Read More

Casinos Popping Up Leads To Negative Impact on Economy

Casinos and other forms of gambling are popping up in... Read More

Poker

Americans play Poker in many places such as in casino... Read More

The Secret of Betting Dont

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secret of Betting... Read More

2005 World Series of Poker -- Final Tournament Report

Now that the 2005 World Series of Poker has finished,... Read More

Texas Holdem Tournament Strategy - Poker Tournament Fundamentals

This is the second in the Texas Holdem Strategy Series,... Read More

Video Poker

Video poker is usually played against a machine, which displays... Read More

Bingo ? Good for the Mind?

When we think of bingo, genius and brainpower don't always... Read More

Roulette - The Basics

Roulette is actually one of the simplest games in the... Read More

Lucky Texas Holdem Tips

Texas holdem poker is one of the few online casino... Read More

Poker Aces ? how to play them

Poker Aces refers to two aces dealt pre-flop. It is... Read More

Shorthanded Poker, an Untapped Gold Mine

Feuled by seemingly nonstop television coverage and internet access in... Read More

All About Video Poker

Video poker is a casino game that has much in... Read More

Senior Citizen?s Have Lost Their Life Savings Due to Their Inability To Stop Gambling

A senior citizen who worked for the past forty years... Read More

Addictions To Gambling on The Rise!

Over the past five years addictions to gambling have grown... Read More

The Secret of Making Odds Only Bets

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secret of making... Read More

Money Management

Your bankroll must be protected at all costs, a good... Read More

Online Casino Black Jack

Online casino black jack is said to have originated in... Read More

Texas Holdem Tournament Strategy - Winning vs. Aggressive Players

The Texas Hold'em poker phenomenon has taken the country by... Read More

Why Use an Internet Sports Book to Make Wagers?

Although I started using online sportsbooks almost ten years ago,... Read More

Free Online Card Games -- Getting Ready for Las Vegas

Free online card games that can be played over the... Read More

The History Of Blackjack

The origin of Blackjack is somewhat unclear. Some people believe... Read More

Why TV Poker Can Make You Wealthy!

There's an awful lot of poker on the television these... Read More

Do You Believe These Four Online Slot Machine Myths?

The fact that people don't really understand how online slot... Read More

Blackjack - Increase Your Odds With Basic Strategy Plus

Blackjack Basic Strategy, played perfectly in a game with favorable... Read More

The Slot Machine

The very first slot machine (called 'Liberty Bell') was created... Read More

Playing Live Casino Poker for the First Time - What You Should Know!

The type of game and the stakes you are going... Read More

The Secrets of the Outside Numbers

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secrets of the... Read More

Theres More to Poker than Texas Holdem!

Texas holdem is taking over the world, but believe it... Read More

Why Online Poker is Better Than Land Based Poker

Online Poker has become the greatest hit in the online... Read More