How To Play Slots ?
Preface: Of all the games in the casino, none compares to the runaway popularity of slots. There are many reasons why online casino players prefer slots to table games, card games, and other games. Foremost among them are the ease with which slots games can be enjoyed. Players don’t need to learn any complicated rules, or betting strategies to play slot machine games. Simply place a bet, click the spin button, and watch those reels light up in a frenzy of entertainment. Unlike table games where the minimum bets can be substantially higher, slots are typically affordable for most players. If Lady Luck smiles on you, it is entirely possible to win a life-changing jackpot with slot machine games.
The universal popularity of slots is evident in the GGR (gross gambling revenue) component generated through slot machine games. Consider that in 2018, some 164.1K slot machine games and other mobile gaming devices populated the State of Nevada (Statista 2020). The same statistics portal presented interesting data for 2018-2019, in terms of the number of slot machine games in casinos all over the world, at 1,855,361 slot gaming machines in 2019 at gaming machine outlets, and 1,063,076 slot gaming machines at casinos. The 2018 figures for the aforementioned slot machines worldwide are substantially lower at 428,397 at gaming machine outlets, and 958,735 at casinos. While easy to play, slot machine games don’t necessarily have the most player-friendly odds.
You can expect a typical house edge that is substantially higher than Roulette (5.26% American Roulette, 2.70% European Roulette, 1.35% French Roulette), Craps (1.36%) Baccarat (1.01%), and Blackjack (0.05% – 1.11%). A typical slot machine game is known as a ‘money spinner’ for the casino since more of every deposit is kept by the casino and less is paid back. Anticipate anywhere in the region of a 4% – 8% house edge with slot machine games, more if you’re playing at a land-based casino where operating expenses are higher. The reason there are millions of slot machine games and VLTs all over the world, is that players love them. These games don’t require any out-of-the-box thinking. Simply set a budget, deposit, and click the spin button.
How Much Does It Cost to Play Slot Machine Games?
The cost of playing slots varies from one machine to the next. The cheaper slots are associated with a higher house edge, while the more expensive slots have a much lower house edge. Penny slot games – as the name suggests – cost 1 penny per coin, but players are required to wager a specific number of coins and a specific number of lines to spin the reels. Penny slot games are notoriously poor payers, with a relatively high house edge. To this day, land-based casinos, and online casinos generate substantial revenues from penny slot machine games. It is far more common for players to deposit between $1 – $5 per spin on a slot machine game. As a rule, the higher the minimum coin denomination (or minimum bet per spin), the greater the RTP.
The casino’s ‘Earn Rate’ is directly proportional to the player’s ‘Burn Rate’. If you are spending $2.50 per spin on a slot machine game, and you’re spinning 500 times per hour (a relatively low rate), you can expect to burn through 2.5 X 500 = $1250, at a casino edge of 4% – 8%. That translates into a long-term average loss of between $50 and $100, which is the casino’s gain. Note that this money total is a combination of your budget + your winnings during the slots session. They RTP figures are theoretical in nature. It is entirely possible to win substantially more than you spend on slot machine games, or to lose the entire bankroll within the hour. The RTP (Return to Player) percentages are tested by sophisticated computer programs over millions of spins.
How Much Money Can You Win Playing Slot Machine Games?
The payouts on slot machines vary from one game to the next. Typically, the payout regimen is posted on the actual slot machine game, or under the ‘Info’ section designated by the letter ‘I’ on the game. In 2003, a software engineer from Los Angeles visited the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas and bet $100 on the Megabucks slots. He walked away a winner with a $39.7 million jackpot. He received his money in 25 yearly instalments valued at $1.5 million each. The Las Vegas Sun reported the following slot machine payouts over the years:
- Cynthia Jay Brennan played the Megabucks slot machine at the Desert Inn in January 2000, and won $34,959,458.
- In November 1998, a female flight attendant wagered $300 at the Palace Station Casino and won $27.5 million.
- In March 2002, Joanna Heundl of California played the Megabucks machine at Bally’s Hotel and Casino, and ended up winning $22,621,229.74.
- In June 1999, a slot machine player from Illinois scooped up $21.3 million playing the Caesar’s Palace Megabucks machine with a $10 bet.
- In September 2005, Elmer Sherwin scooped up his second Megabucks jackpot payday at the Cannery Casino, adding $21.1 million to the $4.6 million that he won back in 1989 on the Megabucks game.
- The Aria Hotel and Casino was the scene of jubilation in January 2011 when a lady deposited $6 into a Megabucks machine and scooped up a $12.7 million
- In April 2011, the Aria Hotel and Casino made history again, when a lucky player won $10.6 million playing a Megabucks machine.
Why Do People Play Slot Machines More than Table Games?
There are many reasons why people prefer slot machine games to table games, notably the following:
- Slot machine games are easy to play – no tactics and strategies are needed other than careful selection of your machine and basic bankroll management.
- Players don’t need to interact with dealers, or feel embarrassed, humiliated, or ashamed in front of other players.
- Slot machine games are solitary games – there is no inter-player or player/dealer interaction.
- Slot machine games offers substantial jackpot paydays, while non-progressive table games and card games offer limited payout potential.
- It is possible to play penny slots on the floor at the casino and still enjoy complimentary drinks from the casino hosts.
This introductory guide by CConversations on how to play slots is intended to assist new players and intermediate-level players with a basic understanding of slot machine functionality. These chance-based games require low minimum bets, but they invariably have outsized payout potential when the right symbols line up on the reels, when Lady Luck smiles on you. Winners are crowned daily, and many online casinos now feature Daily Jackpot Drops which offer guaranteed paydays before the timer runs out, every single day.
