There are several times when you should seriously walk away.
When it is no longer fun.
when you have spent too much of your gambling money
If you realize you are suffering slot hypnosis, Dazed and waiting for the machine to “hit”, Because it must give me a jackpot after all the losing spins, the next one is bound to be a winner! (sign of gambling addiction)
When it’s 3 am and you are incapable of making any decision, good or bad
After you get a nice (or any) win – take the money and celebrate with a break – shopping or Starbucks or a celebratory dinner
This little lockbox can help you go home with more cash – something you definitely want to try (it is enforced discipline). Also makes a good gift for the Slot Maven in your life!
Gambling at Casinos is fun but losing money is not – don’t bet more than you plan to lose, and try to enjoy the game! Jackpots are not common, so adjust your mindset for enjoyment – not a big (and elusive) payday! Anytime you leave the casino with money is a win! (Even if you lost a few bucks in the process). Best of Luck!
Slot machine payouts are at regulated percentages over the lifetime of the machine. The machines are regulated, the payouts are calculated over the lifetime of the machine, and – unless the machine is reprogrammed – the RNG (Random Number generator) chip determines the win or lose on each wager. so the machine does not care what day of the week it is, just the RNG.
Having said that, it is obvious that some casinos have increased numbers of PLAYERS on the weekends, and more people playing means that (overall) there is a potential for more winners (and losers), although statistically the odds are the same.
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There are machines that use “gaming psychology” to make you feel that winning 50 cents on a dollar bet is a “CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU WON FIFTY CENTS!!” event, when in fact you LOST fifty cents on that wager. Each wager is a random event, so gamble responsibly, understand the payout tables, and avoid superstitions like any machine is “overdue for a big win”.
Play games you enjoy, and have fun at, and walk away when you have invested an amount you are comfortable wagering. Personally, I am a “session gambler”, and will play a variety of machines when I am in a gambling mood.
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I have touched on the subject before, so take a look at my shameless self promotion:
Slot attendants, and floor mechanics do not know what machines are likely to pay out. The payouts are triggered by a slot machines RNG (random Number generator), and there is no way to know when the next payout will occur, and how big it is.
Some casinos do print a “hot sheet”, which shows which machines are paying out the most, and the staff may share that with you (if their casino prints it, and lets them share). A hot sheet usually shows that the machines with the most play have the most winners – not which machines are “overdue” to release a huge payday for a lucky gambler.
It would be more prudent for a gambler (IMHO) to pay attention to the pay tables on any machine they fancy. As an example, progressive slot machines will only make huge payouts if you bet the maximum ONLY – so it is smart to play progressive machines only with a maximum bet. If you are killing time and want to extend your play by betting smaller amounts, choose a machine that pays out proportionately on any bet. Or the smaller bet you are willing to wager.
Every play on the slot machine has the same odds of winning – despite our belief system that may believe luck, fate, lucky rabbits feet, and timing are somehow working in our karmic favor.
Even if the slot attendant had a “hunch” that some machines are ready to “hit”, they would not tell you – because they could get fired if you did not win and complained to the floor manager. It most likely violates their employment agreement as well. Most would suggest that “people seem to be having good luck over there” implying that you move to some other, more popular, machines.
Rather than pester the low-paid slot attendants, you would do well to become a “session” gambler, to prevent giving your entire bankroll to one machine – or one table. For example, if a session gambler is going to wager a total of $500 on a visit to the casino, the gambler can make that 10 $50 “sessions”. Putting $50 into the machine to start the session, and playing it until:
The $50 is gone (start a new session at a different machine)
A Jackpot came in for $100 or more (cash out that session and start a new one on the same machine, if you think it’s hot, but put that $100 or more in your winnings pocket). FYI – A slot machine will take back your entire winnings and your bankroll over time; move around a bit.
The Big Jackpot came in (call me, I will tell you how to manage it!)
If you happen to meet a regular at the casino, that person can be a goldmine of information (“nobody wins at those machines”) (“people who play the double diamond machine always seem to win big”). These observations may be coming from a half drunk casino dweller, or an “out on the town” businessman, but the insight may be thought provoking. Some machines will take your money faster, so it may seem that “no one wins” on those machines.
So keep your eyes and ears open, watch your bankroll (sessions), talk to the locals, understand the paytables, and try not to get mad or cry if your not winning; it may not be your lucky day – so try the buffet!
If you take the time to learn and practice discipline in the casino, you will keep your spending in check, limit impulsive bets, and teach yourself to look beyond the machines and take in the ambience. You might even have fun!
I hope you found my point of view enlightening and informative.
One of the hardest disciplines to learn is managing your bankroll, or gambling money. I would recommend that you learn to be a session gambler. Divide your bankroll into smaller piles. For example, take a one hundred dollar bill and divide it into 5 $20 dollar sessions. When you play a machine, only put in one $20 bill, (or one session). when the $20 is consumed, your session has ended, and you make the decision to switch machines or start a new session. If you jackpot, cash-out and end that session – put that money in your back pocket, for later. If you blow all 5 sessions, hang it up – take a break, and see what else you can do at the casino!
Don’t be afraid to take a few minutes and review the paytables on the machines; paytables have a significant impact on your potential winnings. Progressive slot machines (where a bank of slots contribute to the pool of prize money) usually require a Maximum Bet to get the big prize. You can bet less, but that means if you roll the winning combination – you may get a small payout or NOTHING. Other machines may have graduated payouts regardless of your bet; so if you are playing small wagers to extend your play time at the machine, seek out these machines so you don’t miss any winning opportunities!
Keep an eye on the slot machines maximum bet – usually expressed in credits; wagering 500 credits on a penny machine is $5.00 for that spin of the reels! If your session is $20, that is only 4 spins – if your session is $100, then you have 20 spins. More spins mean more opportunity to win (or lose). Many hard core slot machine players feel you have to wager $200 – $300 on a machine, in order to get any significant winnings. Decide in advance what your gambling budget is, and space it over your time in the casino – then you have an idea what you are willing to spend on gaming, and can strategize the most practical way to meter your wagering.
If you bump into a slot attendant, they may have a “hot sheet” of machines that have the larger payouts on the floor. Not all casinos distribute or publish this information, and it usually just tells you which machines are played the most, which is why they have the bigger payouts.
These books can be very helpful. Read all you can. Now that slots are mostly electronic, the math and “gambler psychology” play into how the machines work. Pay attention to paytables, progressives, and the type of machine you are playing!
