Lee Ann found this information and sent it to me. It's taken from an article written by Henry Tamburin in Casino Player Magazine.


Ten Tips for Smart Slot Play

Too many slot players take the "How long will it last?" approach to playing the machines. This is when you take your bankroll and play the slots until you run out of money. If your're lucky, your money will last until you have to leave. This is a completely defeatist attitude. It's no wonder these players consistently lose. Slot machines are programmed to return a certain percentage of the coins put into them over a long period of time. There are no playing systems that will allow you to beat the slots over the long term. But in the short term, a player who knows how to play the machines intelligently will have a
much better chance of decreasing his risk, and increasing his chances of walking away a winner.

Tip #1
Pick Your Machine

Casinos offer two different types of slot machines. Some have very large jackpots (like Megabucks), while others have smaller jackpots (5000 coins or less). Although most players dream of winning a multi-million dollar Megabucks jackpot, the fact of the matter is that these high jackpot machines also have a higher "drain," which means your expected losses are higher without the top prize. The payback percentage between the big jackpots, therefore, is relatively low (around 90 percent), which is not a good bet over the short term.

Slot machines that have smaller jackpots usually have a higher hit frequency, which makes them a better bet over the short term. Casino managers agree. According to one vice president of slot poerations,
"players do not like dry spells without a payout, so they prefer the lower jackpot/higher hit frequency machines."

It's important to play slot machines that certify at least a 98 percent or higher payback to get the most bang from your buck. If the casino you're playing at doesn't advertise or certify their paybacks, it's a good idea to stick to the more popular slot machines. These machines
generally have higher paybacks than the industry average--one of the things that makes them so popular.

In a poll of six slot managers from casinos in Las Vegas, the Chicago area and the South, they stated the most popular slot machines are IGT's Red, White and Belu, Double and Triple Diamonds, Five Times Pay and Wheel of Fortune. The Odyssey machines have also made a splash, largely due to thier astonishing video capabilities and ultra-modern look. These are your best bets.

In some respects, location also determines where you can find higher return machines. Check Casino Player's slot charts for a pretty extensive run-down of how much each jurisdiction pays out. the return ercentages for different denomination slot machines are also listed, where available.

Tip #2
Play Max Coins

Most slot machines are programmed to pay off a certain amount for each coin played. When you insert two coins, the payoffs are doubled. Likewise, with three coins the payoffs increase proportionately to
three times the one-coin pay out. However, the jackpot on most slot machines increases to bonus levels when maximum coins are played. Always check if this is the case before you play the machine. How do you do this? Just glance at the payoffs listed on the machine. If the jackpot pays 1,000 coins for the first coins played, 2,000 coins for two coins, but 5,000 coins for three coins, then you should play the maximum three coins. If you play less than three coins, the overall return percentage =
will be significantly lower, compared to maximum coin.

Tip #3
More Is Better

It's no secret that the higher the denomintaion machine, the higher the return percentages. Therefore, to maximize your chances of leaving a winner, playing a higher denomination machine is your best bet. Playing a single dollar in a dollar machine (one that doesn't offer a bonus
for maximum coin jackpot) is a better bet than playing three quarter in a quarter machine. On the flip side, you stand to lose more money at the higher limit machines, unless, as gaming writer Frank Scoblete suggests, you slow down your play by pausing between handle pulls. It takes =
discipline, but if you can do it, you'll reduce your risk and increase your chances of going hom a winner.

Tip #4
Manage Your Money


Tip #5
Play The Carousels

If you are not playing certified slot machines, then play the machines that are most likely to be higher paying. Most managers I've surveyed tend to place higher paying machines "in highly visible areas" of the casinos. In large casinos, they may be placed in carousels at the ends of aisles. On riverboats, they'll be at the entrances to the boarding docks. that's not to say you won't find high payoff machines
elsewhere in a casion, but I'd play the machines in those areas first.

Tip #6
Join The Club

Casinos are willing to give you back a percentage of the amount of money you invest in a slo machine, but only if you join their slot club and they're all different. The better ones offer a higher cash rebate
than others.

Suppose you play at a dollar machine with an expected 98 percent payback. If you add a 0.67 percent cash rebate return to the 98
percent return, your total return now increases to 98.67 percent. You can
even do better than this by following the next tip.

Tip #7
Play At One Casino

If you are a loyal member of a casino's slot club program, you will be entitled to a lot more than just cash rebates. Free meals comps, free or discounted hotel rooms, free invitations to special events, free
gifts (expecially on your birthday), free entry into casino slot tournaments, and invitations to special events hosted by the casino are all things a loyal customer can look forward to.

Some casinos reward their preferred slot club players with special events that offer the chance to win thousands of dollars in
additional prizes, just for playing their favorite machine.

It's a good idea to shop around for the best deals in slot club benefits. In a good slot club, a player can easily earn an additional
percentage point or more, given the cash rebates, perks and other goodies. It's
an excellent way of getting value for your investment in the machines.

Tip #8
Know Who To Ask For Freebies

Get to know the slot hosts, especially when you get hungry or feel like seeing a show. Here's a technique from Compton's book for asking for the comp: "Slot hosts are mcuch more generous with comps than club booth personnel. After giving the casino about $2,000 in slot play, ask a change person or cashier to send over a slot host. Do not go to the slot club booth, but stay seated at the machine, entranced. Hosts are much more generous when dealing with a player in action, versus a beggar."

Tip #9
Play In Tournaments

If you participate in slot tournaments, you'll have a chance to win some big money, while enjoying a free room, meals, gifts and everything else the casino throws in as an inducement to play. In some cases, the
value of all the freebies you get for being a tournament participant will exceed your expected monetary loss. Just make sure that all of the entry fees are returned in the form of prizes. If you are not sure,
ask the tournament director.

When you play in a slot tournament, you are competing against other fellow participants. The players who end up with the most machine credits after a specified playing time win the prizes. Speed is =
important. You've got to practice tapping that spin button at a consistently fast pace. If you've never entered a tournament,
consider a one-day mini-tournament. The entry fee is low ($50 or less), and the
top prize is usually $500 to $1,000. It's a good way to gain tournament experience with little monetary risk.

Tip #10
Common Sense, Will Power & Discipline

You've got to exhibit all three to play smartly. This means you shouldn't play with any more money than you can afford to lose.
Leave you ATM card at home. If you're behing, don't get upset or play longer =
to get even. The main reason most slot players lose is because they don't quit when they are ahead. If Lady Luck smiles on you and you hit the jackpot, scoop up those coins and walk away a winner!



[This message has been edited by gailsacco (edited September 10, 1999).]

I read the same basic advice in a book called the Frugal Gambler. We made some changes by paying attention to the machines we were playing. By finding and playing machines with fixed lower jackpots, we did much better. Shelley even hit her first jackpot of $400 (1600 quarters).
It didn't always work out though. We did manage to find several small jackpot slots the were colder than a Siberian winter. For instance, when Shelley hit her jackpot, I was playing an identical machine sitting next to her. It ate $70 of the $80 we had set aside for slots that night without much return. On the other hand Shelley had built up 160 credits and then hit the jackpot.

There are some good points in this article. One of the biggest problems I experience is knowing when to quit. There are many times people would have been a winner had they only stopped at a particular point. On rare occasions, you can stick with a machine and recover prior losses. I had the most unusual video poker session a few weeks ago. I had been playing for about 5 hours on the same machine with only $60 invested when I hit a royal. In addition, I had built up several hundered credits. After 8 hours of play, I was tired and getting ready to cash my credits and leave. The lady next to me, who had also been playing all day at the same machine, told me I was crazy to leave while the machine was still doing so well. I thought about it a few seconds and decided I may as well stay a while longer. After a couple more hours I hit another royal on the same machine and was very glad I stayed. Since then, I've played the same machine a couple of times with horrible results. If I've learned anything from playing machines, it is that absolutely anything can happen. I remember one 4 day trip in Las Vegas when I did not hit a single 4-of-a-kind on any video poker I played. I guess I've had both very good sessions and very bad sessions.

Gregg,

I guess that's why they call it gambling! [img]http://www.talkvegas.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]



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Jeff, Gambling Moderator
senatorjm@talkvegas.com