31 Dec

SLOTS Terminology

Posted by: Professional Gambler  /  Category: Slot Machines
Slots Terminology

Like so many games in the casino, slots has its own terms, and as players we are better off being familiar with them. Some terms apply more to land-based gaming, while some are exclusive to the online world. On this page we will cover common terminology and what each term means.

RNG (Random Number Generator): A Random Number Generator is a piece of software, usually housed on a computer chip placed inside the slot machine by the manufacturer. In online terms, the Random Number Generator is the piece of software on the game server. The purpose of both is identical, and that is to randomly select hundreds of numbers and symbols every second, faster than you can pull the handle or click the spin button. It’s working even when the machine is idle. Each random number corresponds to a certain reel and symbol combination that is randomly chosen after the first coin is dropped or credit played. Naturally, the fewest programmed combinations are for the top jackpot.

Reels: The number of wheels/reels showing on slot with symbol combinations imprinted. In a classic machine there are usually three, but some slots have five.

Slot Schedule: Also referred to as the slot payout schedule, this is information posted on front of slot machine and tells you what denomination and win amounts are possible for the machine. You should always be aware of these things for the slot machine you’re playing.

Slot Cycle: Slot’s average payoff percentage rate applies over the long haul; as long as one fiscal year. Therefore, over the course of a session, a slot advertised as having a 98% payoff rate will sometimes pay off at 130% and other times at 50%. The lower percentages indicate a down cycle, and the higher numbers indicate an up cycle. However, in reality there is no consistency to a cycle, as the jackpot can theoretically always be won on the next spin.

Slots Drop and Hold: The slots drop is the amount of money played through the machine. The slots hold is the amount of money the machine retains (that which is not paid out as winnings). A slot machine payout percentage is calculated by dividing the hold number by the drop number and multiplying by 100%. For example: a machine which takes in $100 and pays out $50 can have its payout percentage calculated as such: 50 / 100 x 100% = 50%.

Slot Testing: The act of playing through a set number of coins without using accumulated credits, and keeping track of the drop and hold, in order to determine your session payout percentage for a selected slot.

Slot-mix or Slot Placement: Often people claim casinos place high paying slot machines near highly visible areas of the casino so that winners can be seen and heard better by the populace. This theory has been proven wrong by the Wizard of Odds.

Short Win: Large jackpot win after a small cash outlay – happens often.

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22 Dec

Play Slots Smart

Posted by: Professional Gambler  /  Category: Gambling Strategies, Slot Machines, Slots

Smart Ways to Play Slots

Progressive slots offer jackpots that grow as more money is played through the machine. The progressive may be part of a network of machines all offering the same jackpot, and all contributing a portion of their play-through to that total. Until a lucky player hits the jackpot, progressive slots grow larger and larger, either topping out at a predefined level set by the casino, or being won in a single spin and getting reset. The jackpot grows in proportion to how much play the machine or network of machines get. After a major win, the jackpot value is reset to a base figure and it starts growing again. All of the lavish and extravagant prizes one sees on the casino floor are made possible by the progressive jackpot concept.

Here are the most important things you need to know before playing progressive slots.

To begin with, you have to choose between standard slots and progressives. Your decision will likely be based on your motivation to play. Progressive slots set aside some of their revenue to be put towards a giant jackpot, but offer smaller and often less frequent payouts in between. If you’re playing slots because you want to strike it rich, progressive slots are tailor made for you. If you prefer to maximize your playing time on a limited budget, and would be perfectly happy making just a few bucks, then it’s best to stick with machines offering smaller jackpots. Lower jackpot machines will likely offer smaller but more frequent wins.

To maximize your potential revenue, browse through the slots to find similar machines. Some stand-alone progressive slots may be the same except for the current jackpot total. Always choose the machine with the highest accumulated jackpot among similar machines. Chances are they were reset to the same base level, and the one with the higher jackpot has been running longer since being won.

Keep in mind that, if you are a progressive slots fan, all progressive machines require that you bet the maximum number of coins to be eligible for the big jackpot. If you play these machines, you’ve chosen to forego more frequent small profits for a shot at a big payout, and that payout will only go to players placing the maximum bet.

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01 Nov

Winning at Slot Machines

Posted by: Professional Gambler  /  Category: Gambling Strategies, Slot Machines

Most slot machines have three reels. The number of combinations for lining them up depends on the number of symbols on each reel. Most machines have between 20 and 28 symbols per reel. To figure out how many combinations there are, you multiply the number of symbols on each reel times itself as many times as there are reels. For instance, the fewest combinations that there probably are on a three reel slot are: 20 symbols per reel with 3 reels – so we take 20 times 20 times 20 – or 8000 combinations. So theoretically a certain winning combination would, on the average, appear once in every 8000 spins of the reels.

Each machine can be set for a rate of payback. Let’s say a quarter machine has a payback of 90 percent (the usual rate on quarter machines is 86 to 90 percent). That would mean that for every 100 quarters dropped into the machine it would pay back 90 quarters. The dollar machines often pay back between 97 and 99 percent.

The progressive slots are linked together so that a coin played in any of the link-up will increase the size of the jackpot. You don’t have a chance at the jackpot unless you play the maximum number of coins. Since the large jackpot games must reduce the amount paid in smaller winnings, you would be better off playing other machines unless you are willing to put in the maximum and go for the jackpot.

The best odds are on the dollar slots. They usually have the greatest payback – as we said, payback is between 97 and 99 coins for each coin played.

Some slot methods to increase your odds. Start out with only an amount of money you can afford to loose. Keep these coins separate from any other money, including your winnings. Play all your start-up coins. Now tally up your winnings. If you have less coins than you started with, go to a different machine, and using these coins start over. If you have more than you started with, put your start-up amount in your pocket. Then put an additional percentage in your pocket – 10 percent would be good, but whatever percentage you decide on, make the decision before you begin playing and stick with it. Now whatever you have left after pocketing the amount you use for your start-up coins, you can begin again. Then in each additional round you will pocket half the winnings. As you can see, if you come out ahead in the first round and stick to the method, you will go home a winner.
After the first round you will be playing strictly on winnings. If you don’t come out a winner on the first round, you still have a chance to win and you will loose no more than the amount you originally decided you could afford to loose. But you need to be in control – this method will be of no help if you decide to change your rules in the middle of the game.

Another way to play the slots for better winning odds is to form a slot club with other players. Each person puts up a predetermined amount – make sure it is an amount each of you can afford to contribute regularly. The amounts put up should be the same for each player. Then you track the progressive games – you should track them for a while BEFORE you make attempts to win them. Keep records so you learn the characteristics of each progressive game. From these records, your team decides at what point each game is pregnant for a payoff. When the jackpot of a given progressive reaches that predetermined point, a team made up of some or all of the members takes the club bankroll and plays until they win or go broke. The key to winning here is to gauge the payoff point.

Slots are not easy to beat and the odds are NEVER in your favor, but by putting yourself in control and using these techniques you will have a better chance of beating the odds than you had before.

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04 Jun

Las Vegas Slot Machines

Posted by: Professional Gambler  /  Category: Slot Machines

Slot machines are very popular in the casinos. Everybody seems to be drawn by the look and the feel of playing it by spinning the wheel. A lot of online slots are available, many are similar to the video slots found in casinos all over the world.  Some are even more advanced, with video bonus rounds that are more like a video game than a slot.

Unfortunately, most of  land-based Vegas slot machines are not available online yet, but check these three slots (linking to keywords) to find out alternative slot machines to play online and enjoy the vegas experience at home!

Monopoly Slots : Gaming manufacturer WMS makes the 60+ Monopoly-themed slots that you’ll see at brick-and-mortar casinos. For the online Monopoly slots,  WMS partnered with WagerWorks achieving a great version of this classic game.

Cleopatra Slots: There are numerous Cleopatra slots from various online casino software manufacturers, which evoke not simply the look but also the gameplay and special features of the original game. Most of online casinos have some kind of Cleopatra Slots.  Now, you can play Cleopatra slots online. The brand IGT has partnered with online slots experts Wagerworks to bring Cleopatra to the Internet in full fashion. The result is a completely faithful version with all of the amazing graphics and sound from the orginal game. In fact, All three of the most-played Cleopatra games that land-based casino players have enjoyed for years have got the online treatment.

Wheel of Fortune Slots :Another of the most popular and spectacular slot machines that you can find in a land-based casino is also available in online form.

If you enjoy slots machines,  check out the slots machine section at www.casinos.org for more detailed information. They have compiled a set of comprehensive review of all online slots, all online casinos, and all software types for internet slots.

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