How To

How to Win Big on the Slot Machine

Contributor
By Barb Nefer
eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Winning big on the slot machine is the dream of every slots player. It makes a wonderful fantasy to imagine the reels stopping on the jackpot combination. In reality, it is very challenging to win big on a slot machine because payouts are generated randomly by a computer, based on the casino's payout rate. However, there are ways to give yourself a small edge when you pay the slot machines. There are no guarantees, but if you follow the right steps, you just might win big.

Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Restrict your playing to slot machines at the casinos that offer the highest odds in your area. In general, slot machine payouts run between 80 and 98 percent, and states that allow gambling have mandated minimum payout odds. This can vary widely; for example, New Jersey's minimum is 78 percent, while Nevada only requires a 75 percent payback. However, some casinos will offer a payout above the minimum to entice more slots players. Due to competition, slotmachines.org says that payouts in the United States average 90 percent.

  2. Step 2

    Play slot machines that have the highest payouts. All slot machines are not created equal. You must study the payout charts on each machine to see which ones offer better amounts for winning. If you're at a casino that has progressive slot machines, you may want to choose one of those because they are linked together and offer a big jackpot based on a pooled amount.

  3. Step 3

    If you play a progressive machine, bet the maximum amount every time you spin. If you bet less than the maximum and happen to hit the jackpot, you won't get the big progressive total. Instead, you will be awarded with the lump sum listed on the payout chart, which will probably be considerably less.

  4. Step 4

    Make your money go farther by playing lower-cost slot machines, such as nickle slots. Some casinos even have machines that will allow you to play pennies. It may seem like you won't win a big amount if you hit the jackpot on a low-value slot, but that's not necessarily true. The lower cost per spin will allow you to play the maximum amount of coins each time. That will give you the highest payout on the chart if you do get a jackpot.

  5. Step 5

    Don't be afraid to play slot machines on which someone else recently scored a big jackpot. Paying big doesn't make that machine any less likely to hit another jackpot on its next spin or anytime shortly thereafter. Kimo's Vegas explains that the reel combinations are determined by a random number generator. When you're flipping a coin, it is equally likely to end up as heads or tails even if just went through a roll of 50 heads flips. Under this same principle, the random number generator is just as likely to come up with a jackpot combination on any spin no matter what happened previously.

  6. Step 6

    Instead of spending money on books that claim to give foolproof strategies for winning big jackpots, spend that money on playing the slot machines. There is no way to influence a random number generator or to figure out what it is likely to do at any given time. Rather than wasting money on useless information, you're better off spending it in the slots because that does give you a chance to win big each time you spin.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you play regularly at the same casino, join its frequent players club so you can reap the benefits. You'll get special perks such as free or discounted food, gifts and rebates. Your benefits are tied to how much you spend on the slots; if you're a frequent player, you can earn some nice rewards.
  • Don't expect each slot machine in the casino to pay back the designated minimum amount, For example, in a casino with an 80 percent minimum payback, don't think you will win 80 cents for every dollar you feed the machine. That payoff amount is spread between every machine in the casino. Some won't pay off at all, while others will hit big jackpots that pay off much more than the minimum.

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