How to Win at Slots

The thrilling jangle of coins dropping into a metal tray has mostly been replaced by an LED display of your credits, as most slot machines now are electronic, with no physical reels to spin. Whether you play at a casino or online, though, the excitement of seeing those jackpot symbols line up is still the main reason people love to play the slots. Though the odds are always against you, it is possible to win at slots if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Online account to play at Internet casinos
• Computer with Internet access to play online
• Cash to play at brick and mortar casinos

Understand How Slot Machines Work

1. Be aware that slot machines are regulated by an electronic random number generator (RNG). The RNG changes the outcome of the game several thousand times per second.
2. Examine the pay table carefully. This is the list of possible combinations and the number of coins or points each will pay. Be sure you understand how many coins must be played to win the jackpot, since playing with fewer coins will get you nothing.

Learn Strategies to Win at Slots

3. Compare payouts and select the machine that gives you the best payout per coins spent. If you need to play three quarters on Machine A to win a $2,000 jackpot, while Machine B pays out $2,000 on one coin, Machine B is your better choice.
4. 'Hit and run' is the best strategy for maximizing your winnings. People sometimes continue playing a machine that gave them a good payout, thinking the machine is 'hot.' The RNG assures that there is no way to predict whether the machine will pay again soon. Don't feed your winnings back to the casino.
5. Pay attention to jackpot bonuses. If Machine A pays $1,000 on one coin, $2,000 on two and $5,000 on three, it's worth playing three coins at a time. If there is no jackpot bonus--if three coins pay out $3,000--play one coin at a time.
6. Set yourself a budget and stick to it. Decide beforehand how much you want to gamble in each session, and stop play when that limit has been reached. That will leave you enough money so that you can play, and perhaps win, more later.

Tips & Warnings

• If your casino offers a 'slots club,' they will give you a card you can insert into each machine you play. It will keep track of how much you play, and accrue points that can be traded in for 'comps' (complimentary items) such as free rooms, meals or merchandise. Join the club and use the card consistently, so you'll get something even if you lose.
• Slot machines are programmed to pay out a certain percentage. This percentage varies according to local regulations, and can range from 75 to 98 percent. A casino can legally advertise a 98 percent payout when that percentage is only programmed into one or two machines among hundreds of machines that pay out less.