Professional Gambling Guide – Gambling Strategies

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.

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.

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.