Until the mid 1980s, slot machines truly were one-armed bandits. The house usually had an advantage an advantage of 20%, and sometimes even more.

Since then, casinos have come to rely on slot players for most of their revenues. This has created competition among casinos and dramatically sweetened the odds for players.

If you play the game right, you can maximize your chances of winning!

– Visit Vegas. Slot machines in Las Vegas offer the best odds in the country, giving the house an advantage of just 2% to 4%. Only an expert blackjack player has better odds in a casino. But beware – slot machines in bars or other non-casino locations generally offer terrible odds.

Slots in Reno and in the tribal casinos of the East Coast are not quite as advantageous as those in Las Vegas, but they’re still better than those in Atlantic City, where house advantages of 6% to 8% are common. Riverboat and tribal casinos of the Midwest generally provide the worst odds, with house advantages of as much as 10%.

– Look for high-profile ‘slot islands’. Casinos want gamblers to see people winning. In most casinos, slot islands – clusters of four to six slot machines (sometimes on slightly raised platforms), are placed where aisles intersect. These machines often offer the best chance of a jackpot.

Also try slot machines located near the main casino cage, where winnings are collected.

– Avoid slot machines near game tables. Casinos don’t want the noise of slot machine payouts to disturb people playing blackjack or craps.

Also skip slot machines located near buffet lines. Casinos know that people standing in line will play the slots out of boredom even without frequent payoffs.

Not all slot machines are created equal!

Picking the right machine can make all the difference!

– Choose $1 slots. Quarter slot machines usually have much lower payback rates than $1 machines. The $5 or $10 slots offer even better odds, but most recreational gamblers would go through their money much too fast to make these machines worthwhile and enjoyable.

– Choose three-reel machines. These slots tend to have slightly better odds.

– Look for ‘double-up’ or ‘triple-up’ machines. These provide two or three times the usuall payout in addition to marginally better odds.

– Don’t invest too much in ‘progressive’ slots. These machines, which offer a shot at huge jackpots that build up over time, sometimes into millions of dollars, typically have poor odds. They exist for the same reason that lotteries exist – people like to dream big.

The right betting strategy!

– Bet the most coins per pull that a machine allows. The majority of slot machines provide a better percentage return when more coins are played.

For example, the top jackpot on a $1 machine might be $800 if a single $1 coin is played. However, if two $1 coins are played, the jackpot might become $2,000. That’s a 150% increase in return for a 100% increase in your investment.

– Play after the crowds. Most slot machine players visit the casinos between the hours of 5PM and 11PM. If you play just after all the crowds leave, the slot machines are likely to be full of their money. That’s when you’ll have a better chance of finding a machine that will produce a winning jackpot.

– Switch machines if you get a few ‘almost’ jackpots. If a machine comes close to a jackpot several times, say like if all three sevens are visible but not on the payout line, that doesn’t mean it’s about to pay off. Experience suggests it is less likely to hit a jackpot anytime soon.

By Carson Danfield
Carson Danfield is an “Under the Radar” Internet Entrepreneur who’s been quietly selling various products for the last 8 years. Although you’ve probably never heard of him. there’s a good chance you’ve visited his websites in the past and even purchased some of his products.

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