It's every slot player's dream to walk into a casino, rush over to the first slot machine they see, insert a coin or token ... and hit "the big one." Let's face it: we are captivated, intrigued, and even held spellbound by the "one-armed bandits." Those colorful, spinning reels; the sounds of bells and whistles: those almost blinding, flashing lights; the unmistakable sound of coins or tokens hitting the tray all serve to capture your undivided attention and motivate you to play the slots....and it works!! These fiendish iron monsters have an unending appetite for money....YOUR MONEY! All that aside, the age old question remains: "Do I have any chance at all of beating these confounded slot machines? ...And, if so...HOW?" Good questions. The fact is...no one can GUARANTEE that you will EVER end up a winner by feeding your hard-earned money into slot machines. You may, however, be able to dramatically increase your chances of winning consistently. Let's start with a few facts and myths about casino slot machines.

FACTS
FACT #1 - All casino slot machines are NOT created equal. They may look identical on the outside, but they are totally different beasts on the inside.

FACT #2 - The casino (house) always has the advantage...ALWAYS. Most slot machines are programmed (yes, PROGRAMMED) to pay out between 83% and 99% of the coins placed into them.

FACT #3 - Most of today's "smart" slot machines are driven by microchip processors that incorporate random number generators. Not just ONE, but a SERIES of processors are within each "iron beast." These random number generators continually produce number combinations (which correspond to the reel symbols of each machine) EVEN WHEN THE SLOT MACHINE IS NOT BEING PLAYED. That's right, folks. As long as the machine is on, it doesn't matter whether anyone plays it or not. The combinations continue to generate in the "brain" of the slot machine. Pretty scary, huh?

FACT #4 - When the reels stop spinning and you see the final combination, you are merely seeing the "will" of the microprocessor. Nothing more - nothing less. It's (more or less) a "courtesy" to the player. YOU as a player DO NOT affect the final outcome. If you ever want to know what a slot machine is "thinking," just put in a coin and pull the handle. What you see on the reels (when they are done spinning) is the precise combination at the exact moment in time you either pushed the "spin" button or pulled the handle (if you are playing with credits. If you are dropping coins or tokens, the final outcome is determined when you drop the first coin/token.)

MYTHS

Myth #1 - A slot machine that has received extended play with no significant payouts is "due" to hit. (There is NO truth to this myth as outcomes are decided by a combination of randomness and probability factor.)
Myth #2 - If the machine feels cold to the touch, cold coins/tokens should be used. Likewise, if the machine is warm to the touch, warmed up coins/tokens should be used. (the temperature of the machine and/or coins has absolutely NO bearing on ANYTHING.)
Myth #3 - If a slot machine has just hit for the top jackpot, it isn't going to hit it again for a very, very long time. (randomness and probability factor decide when the machine "hits" again. Nothing more - nothing less.)
Myth #4 - The casinos loosen and tighten the machines at will. (While the casinos DO keep an eye on who wins/loses, they do NOT "tweak" the machines.)

TIP#1 - Serious slot players must seek out the highest paying machines within the casino. Most slot machines pay out between 83% and 99% of the coins/tokens they take in. That doesn't seem to be an extremely wide variation, but it IS. Whenever possible, seek out the machines in the 96-99% range and "hit" them hard. As you might imagine, the number of casino slots that pay out at this level are relatively few when compared to the total number of slot machines in a given casino. IT'S YOUR JOB TO FIND THESE "LOOSE" SLOT MACHINES. 

All casinos follow a specific marketing plan. You, as a slot player, are extremely fortunate since they follow the same general placement pattern. Careful thought has gone into the placement of each machine. No machine is placed at random, or by "accident." The casinos know exactly what they're doing. Believe it. The good news is: now YOU will, too!
Until fairly recently, the placement within the casinos of the 96 - 99% machines was top secret information. Since no job in the casino industry is 100% secure on any level, the disclosure of such information meant instant termination and permanent "black-balling" from the industry to those who dared breach the "code of silence."
So, where do the casinos place their best slot machines? The answer is below. Cherish it for it is critical to your success as a slot player.

TOP 6 LOCATIONS WHERE "LOOSE" MACHINES MAY BE FOUND
(presented in no particular order)
•	Near the change booths - casinos want other players who are waiting in line to receive change to hear the unmistakable sounds and sights of players hitting mid-level and top jackpots. This will, supposedly, motivate other players to get more change and play more machines. It works.
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•	On elevated carousels - high payoff machines that are visible from nearly any angle from the gaming floor also serve to motivate other players to put more money into THEIR chosen machines. It works.
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•	Near the coffee shop/cafe/snack bar - casinos frequently place their best machines in these locations to motivate players to eat quickly and get back to the gaming floor as soon as possible. When a player takes a "time out" for food or drink it's time spent not playing the machines. No play = no revenue for the casino.
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•	Slot aisles known as "crosswalks" - crosswalks are areas that players must walk through to get to other slot aisles. Again, the same principle applies: the casinos want slot players to witness frequent jackpot (mid-level or top) payouts.
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•	Passers-by using these carefully planned pathways are more likely to be drawn into the main slot aisles, where the mid-range and tight machines are waiting to fleece them.
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•	Locations highly visible from other slot aisles - same philosophy, same reasons as cited above.
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•	Round or rectangular, free-standing kiosks within the main casino - nearly all casinos sublet space to the manufacturers of slot machines (Bally's is a prime example). These free-standing kiosks are not strictly bound by the individual casino's marketing principles, and may have a larger percentage of "loose machines.
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TOP 6 LOCATIONS WHERE "TIGHT" MACHINES MAY BE FOUND
(presented in no particular order)
•	Near casino entrances - At one time, the casinos placed some of their best machines here in an attempt to lure players in off the street, and into the main casino, where the tighter slots were located. This plan backfired as patrons who began playing at the entrances stayed at the entrances. They never ventured any further into the casino. And, why should they? They did just fine right where they were! The casinos have now moved mid-range and tight machines into the entrance areas.
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•	Around or near the sports book/racing areas - Casinos do not want their sports book patrons to be distracted by the clanking of tokens hitting the slot trays. Sports book players spend vast amounts of money, betting on all kinds of action, and would probably not play slot machines themselves - so placing a high-payout machine there would be waste of time, and may even cause the sports book players to leave the area.
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•	Near the ticket/show lines - People waiting in line for show tickets or to see a show have already taken off their "gambling hat" for the time being. Their interests lie elsewhere than in playing slot machines. Placing a loose machine there probably would not motivate those folks to play since they must take the time to FIND it first.
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•	Surrounding the gaming table areas - Slot machines that are near the gaming tables are almost always tight machines with a few mid-range machines thrown in for good measure. The same principle that applies to sports book players applies to table game patrons: the casinos do not want slot players to distract the table players in any way. They fear that the sound of slot machines paying off, and slot players scurrying through, in, and around the table game areas might cause these "high-rollers" to become irritated and quit placing bets.
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•	Aisles that table game players use to get out of the pit area - Same philosophy; same reasons as cited above. As the table players leave the area, they might drop a few coins or tokens into a slot machine as they pass by it, but they are NOT slot players. They probably wouldn't continue to play even if they DID hit a decent payout. It's just not where their interests lie.
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•	Areas that are highly visible/audible from the pit area - Generally speaking, table game players care next to nothing about a slot player hitting a mid-range or even a top jackpot on a machine. It simply doesn't interest them since they, themselves, are not slot players and have no interest at all in becoming one. They may become upset at the distraction, however, and quit playing the tables. If they become extremely upset, they may even go to another casino that will treat them better.

Does this mean that every machine in these locations is "tight?" Of course not. It simply means that the highest concentration of the worst machines the casino has to offer can be found within these areas. How can you tell which slot machines may be the tighter ones? Observation, my friends. It is always your best tactical weapon in the search for the casinos' worst machines - so that they may be avoided. You must be able to observe how the machines are playing at the exact moment you stand and face them for scattered among the tight machines, you will discover some very good ones.
Now that you know where the WORST machines may be located within ANY casino, you need to also know where the BEST machines are ... so that you may enjoy an increased chance of leaving the casinos a winner. Use the Site Navigator below to learn more. Knowledge is power, after all.

Does this mean that every machine in these top 6 locations is "loose?" Of course not. It simply means that the highest concentration of loose machines can be found within these areas. How can you tell which slot machines may be the better ones? Observation, my friends. It is always your best tactical weapon in the search for the casinos' best machines. You must be able to observe how the machines are playing at the exact moment you stand and face them.
Now that you know where the BEST machines may be located within ANY casino, you need to also know where the MID-RANGE and TIGHT machines are ... so that you may AVOID them. Use the Site Navigator below to learn more. Knowledge is power, after all.

TIP#2 - Wait....Watch....Learn. Sounds easy. It's not. Gamers, such as you and I, like to play. The hardest thing for any slot machine player to do is watch others having fun on the slots. However, if you can manage to wait and watch (even for a few minutes), you will quickly learn which slot machines have more frequent - and larger - pay-outs.
TIP#3 - Talk to casino employees and fellow slot machine players. General casino employees are not trusted with the exact placement of the best slot machines. And, they wouldn't steer you to a particular slot machine even if they did know (since it's against casino policy). However, they usually do notice which machines seem to be paying out on a fairly regular basis. They will most likely not share this information with you unless you ask (especially if you tip them for the information). So, ASK! If you get a tip on a hot slot machine ... unclench your fist and tip back to that employee a dollar or two, and if you win based upon what they tell you, tip them 5-8% of your winnings. This will likely ensure more tips on great slot machines in the future.

Fellow slot hounds are also an excellent source for getting great slot machine tips. "Regulars" to any casino can be most helpful in locating "loose" slots. The fact is, most slot players love to tell others of their successes. Listen to what they tell you!
TIP#4 - Stay away from the giant, progressive slot machines -- those that are linked to other progressive machines in other casinos such as "Quartermania." The odds are incredibly low that you will hit a jackpot on these types of machines. Quite possibly, the odds of you winning your state lottery are better than the odds you'll get playing the giant, linked progressives.
TIP#5 - Do NOT pick slot machines randomly. This is a sure-fire way to exhaust your bankroll in short order. The casinos will LOVE you, but your wallet will NOT!

TIP#6 - Play within your comfort zone. That is to say, if slamming coins/tokens into a $5 slot machine makes you nervous, then try a $1 machine instead. If pumping your hard-earned money into a $1 slot machine makes you break out in hives ... go to a quarter machine, etc.
TIP#7 - Gamble in "sessions." Set a time limit or a spending limit (or both) and STICK TO IT!! I know, I know!!! More easily said than done. But, if you are EVER going to win playing casino slot machines, you MUST develop some self-discipline. You may play as many sessions as you wish. If it were me, I'd break up the sessions with a show, a drink at the bar, or dinner ... and then begin a new session on a new slot machine I had discovered, or perhaps even try a different casino altogether. It's entirely up to you. Let your bankroll be your guide.
TIP#8 - Always insert maximum coins whenever possible for best pay-outs. If your slot machine has a maximum play of 5 coins at a time for a single pull ... put in 5. If it's 3 ... play 3 ... and so forth. If you find yourself depleting your bankroll at an alarming rate, find a good machine with decent pay-outs that has a 2-coin maximum input for each pull of the handle.
TIP#9 - Find slot machines that have substantial mid-level pay-outs as opposed to a large jackpot. Your odds for hitting the mid-level jackpots are MUCH better!
TIP#10 - Experiment with different playing strategies. There are several excellent slot machine playing strategies available to you. Click on the "strategy" link below to see what they are.

STRATEGY #1 - THE PLAY-THROUGH METHOD
You think you've found a "loose" slot machine. Good. Take your bankroll and play it through the machine ONCE. Do NOT replay any coins/tokens that you have won. After you have played your bankroll through the machine, take any winnings and QUIT. This method will practically guarantee that you will leave the "session" with SOME money (if not an actual jackpot).
If your slot machine seems to be on an upward trend--you may opt to play your winnings (up to the amount of your initial bankroll) through the machine once more. Playing the same machine beyond this point, however, is risky.

STRATEGY#2 - THE STEP-DOWN METHOD
For the sake of demonstration, let's say you've chosen to start playing a $5 slot machine. Play the machine until you've played one-half of your initial bankroll. Stop. Count the money/tokens in the coin tray. Add it to what's left of your initial bankroll. If the total amount EXCEEDS your original session stake (bankroll), play the remaining amount of your initial bankroll through the same machine. If it does NOT total your initial stake, "step down" to the next denomination machine ...(in this case, a $1 machine). At this slot machine, play one-half of what's left of your starting bankroll. Stop. As before, count the money/tokens you have won and add it to what remains of your original stake. If the combined total EXCEEDS your starting bankroll, "step up" to a $5 machine once again. If your combined winnings do NOT equal or exceed your original bankroll, "step down" to the next denomination slot machine (a quarter machine) ... and repeat the process.
If you don't actually leave the casino a winner, you will have stretched your playing time tremendously WITHOUT EXCEEDING YOUR ORIGINAL BANKROLL.

STRATEGY#3 - THE PERCENTAGE-PLAY METHOD
This particular strategy involves playing a fixed percentage of your bankroll for each "pull." For example, let's say your session stake is $100. You have chosen to play a $1 machine.
You will play a maximum of five (5) percent of your stake each pull. Therefore, you would play up to five coins on the first pull. If you win, you may continue to play at five percent. If not, then you limit your next pull to five percent of what remains of your bankroll. And so on.
The question is: "When do I quit?" The answer is: when you've lost half of your initial stake OR ... if you are winning ... when your last ten (10) pulls have yielded no winnings.
At that point, you may choose to move to another slot machine, "step down" to a lesser denomination machine ... or call it a day and eat some dinner. Again, the choice is entirely yours.

STRATEGY#4 - THE BLITZ METHOD
This strategy is not for the weak-of-heart or for those whose bankrolls are not sufficiently healthy. You must also be relatively certain that you have chosen a "loose" machine.
Play your entire bankroll through the slot machine regardless of whether you win or lose. Why?
Your objective is to "force" the machine to pay you a very nice mid-level jackpot. If you are lucky (and you have indeed picked a "loose" machine), you may receive more than one good-sized jackpot.
The downside: if your chosen slot machine does NOT respond the way you thought it would, your bankroll is gone. Your gambling session is over.
SUMMARY: 96-99% pay-out slot machines + always play within YOUR comfort zone + near-perfect execution of the chosen playing strategy = AN EXCELLENT CHANCE OF WALKING AWAY FROM THE CASINO ... A WINNER!