Casino Slot Machine Strategy

Slot Machine Tips. Now that we’ve discussed a few of the strategies on slot machine games that don’t work, let’s look at some real, hard-nosed, fact-based slot machine tips which might actually make a difference to your bankroll. These tips are all based on the realities of how these games actually work. Tip #1 – Play for fun. The fifth strategy for slot machine success pertains only to brick and mortar casinos. The design of the casino floor and often the table game and slot machine placement are very purposeful. Never play the slot machines that are the closest to the restrooms or directly near the exits for a couple of reasons. Welcome to this slots tips guide from CasinoToday, here you will find a collection of all the best slots tips and all the information that players would need to know when it comes to playing the slot machine games. Although these casino games may not be the best for getting a winning edge over the house, there are plenty of tips that you can. Slot Machine Strategy Slots are unlike any other casino game like blackjack or roulette. In these other games you have a bit more control and more range for strategies to help you win. However, this does not mean that slots is completely devoid of strategy or thinking behind winning.

Slot game is based totally on a Random Number Generator, therefore there can be no powerful strategy in beating slot machines. There are still some things you can do to increase your possible odds of winning and to reduce losses.

There are lots of various strategies that can be applied in online and land casinos. The main idea is that you can influence only one thing in slots - the amount of money you bet. So, all these strategies are in fact betting ones. All the rest of the silly recommendations are just slots myths.

The basic points of every successful slot strategy we are going to discuss are:

• 1. Bankroll management
• 2. Slots payback percentage
• 3. Slot machine locations

Bankroll Management

Do not play slots with money you cannot afford to lose and always remember that the casino has a slight mathematical edge over you. This is probably the most important strategy for any gambling game. Decide on your bankroll for the game and never cross the limit no matter how much you want to win back all you've lost.

Also, it is very important to learn 'stretching' your money over time. This means that you must set up stakes for each game you are going to play out of your overall bankroll and stick to these limits.

If you visit a casino several times a week you must at least decide what sum you can afford for each day and not put in more money from other sources when you are out of the limited stake.

To help you figure out the bankroll for this or that slot game we have created a special bankroll calculator. You just input the data which includes the period of time you are going to play (Time of play), the maximum coin-denomination used in the game per line (Bet), and how many paylines you bet on (Paylines). The calculator will generate the minimum bankroll you need for the game.

Probably, one of the best ways to stretch your gambling money, stay in the game longer and win more often is always to look for slot machines with the highest paybacks.

Slots Paybacks

Slots payback or the return is the amount of money the slot machine pays out as wins from the total number of credits wagered by the players. The payback is always shown as a percentage. Most slot machines are programmed to return 82-98% of the wagered money, however if you play slots online you can expect better paybacks than in land casinos. Most casinos reveal their slots payback percentages and if you can get this information choose only those slot machines that pay out the best and are known as 'loose' slots.

As a rule, the higher the coin-denomination of the slot machine the higher the payback. Thus, high-roller slots pay out more than nickel machines. Of course, this is not always true for all types of slot games, especially online slots. Here are examples of the most widespread slots and their average paybacks.

The payback percentages vary from casino to casino and that is why it may be difficult to find the best machine on the gambling hall. One of the wisest tips here is to avoid playing slots in airports, bars, gas stations, motels as they usually pay out not more than 80% and even down to 50%! Such slots are also called 'tight' machines and they are the main source of profit for most establishments.

Slot Machine Locations

It is believed that casino managers develop a strategy on how to locate slot machines in the gambling hall in order to attract players and still get good profit. Really, if you play the slots several times at the same casino and can't win or don't even notice lucky people winning jackpots, you will decide to change casino. That is why the casino owners try to balance the number of high-paying and low-paying slots.

So, slot machines with the highest payback of about 99% are located deep in the slots rows, however in such positions so that they are visible for most players from different angles. This rule works for the progressive slot machines as well. Meanwhile high-paying slots alternate with those that provide low payback percentage.

If you don't want to lose all the time, don't play at slot machines close to the doorways, elevators and areas with the table games. Rather go to play slots close to the coffee shops and places where there are already many people.

You can read about different strategies on how slot machines are located in casinos in slots books published by experienced players and slots experts.

NB! Don't trust most ads that advertise you to try the best-paying slot machines with amazing paybacks over 100%! In most cases this is just trick aimed to draw the players' attention to new slots or those machines that in fact are very 'tight'.

Alternative Slots Strategies

Most experienced players develop their own strategies that mostly deal with the betting amounts. All such strategies and techniques state that the players must bet a specific number of coins (determined beforehand) for each spin during the game and thus minimize the loss. As you understand, such recommendations help to structure the game and again manage the bankroll. A good example of alternative slots strategies may be the umbrella strategy, play and run slots strategy or chicken strategy.

If you still don't feel confident at slots, remember that there are other ways to save up money for gambling or win large without spending much, such as slots clubswith numerous comps and regular tournaments.

However, I’m going to disappoint many of you. It is not easy to win at slots. Slots are based on randomness, and winning big money is not a common thing while knowing the secret of how to beat the slot machine is the dream of every player. Since everything in gambling depends on fortune, there is no guarantee of success when visiting a casino.

Tips and Tricks to Beat Slot Machines

There are a few tips for increasing your chances of beating a slot machine. The number 1 principle is always to remember that each slot machine has its own payroll structure and rules.

There are still many different enthusiasts who are searching for patterns in slots’ outcomes. And most of the 100 % bulletproof systems of how to beat slots originate from these enthusiasts.

The fact is, however, that slots have no memory and every game is based purely on luck, or the lack of it. The only correct strategy is to play and stick to a few rules in order to help you to play better. However, these tips are not based on any systems or statistics of slot machines.

1. Find the Slot with the Highest Return to Player

The well-known craps player, Frank Scoblete, in one of his books describes the encounter with his guru, a legend known as The Captain. At one of their first meetings, he gave Frank this good advice:

“Do not play games with high casino advantage. It’s offering higher payouts, but you will definitely lose more money in the long run.”

This same advice applies to slot machines. Each online slot machine offers a different return, or RTP (return to player). The higher the RTP number, the less you lose. Especially if you play often. RTP can be found in the information of all games. Most online slots have a return to player of around 96 %. If it offers a lesser number, you should not play it. Some slots have a superb RTP of around 98 %, for example, Blood Suckers by NetEnt.

Before you start playing for real money, just try the slot for free. Every online casino offers that. Launch the game and try to find Return to player figure. If it is very low, do not play this game no matter how good looking it is. Never play games of place bets with bad RTP.

2. Watch Your Bankroll

Best Casino Slot Machine Strategy

You cannot win every time, so always know just how much you can afford to spend. Determining the amount of money that you can use for the game is one of the basics of proper money management.

This is very important for all players. It does not matter how you play, what you play or how much you play.

You should always bet to achieve the longest gaming sessions as possible. It is also necessary to keep your bankroll so that you can experience a winning series that pumps your bankroll through the roof. If you lose your bankroll too soon, you will have absolutely no chance of getting a positive series during the game. In the online casino, always think of this golden rule of online gambling.

Smart players always know when to leave the table. And it doesn’t matter whether they are winning or losing. This is the best way to protect your money. Always set limits on winning and losing. It depends only on you. Be careful, this is very important.

3. Watch the Time

Always keep in mind how much time you spend at the slot machines. The best way of doing this is to combine it with the previous point. Just watch it by setting a financial limit. For example, you end up winning the chosen amount and stop playing until another day.

4. Lady Fortune is Standing at Your Side

Have a lucky streak? In that case, keep playing. But keep yourself in line and do not bet more than you can afford. Because it might also happen that you will eventually leave with empty pockets. And of course, no player likes that.

5. The Direct Proportionality Doesn’t Apply to Slots

We mentioned earlier that you should play in a way which helps you to play longer. But it is important to realize that a longer session doesn’t always mean bigger winnings. If you meet your limit, you should end. We mention betting strategies a little further on.

6. Play at the Maximum Bet (when it is convenient)

But only if you are worth it! The amount of your bet should always be based primarily on your total bankroll. When playing slot machines, you can change the bet at any time, so there is no problem here.

Because of the negative expectation, betting with the max denomination will only deplete your bankroll faster. On the other hand, in some situations, it may be beneficial to play for more money. This is particularly the case when higher bets will unlock additional game features and increase the return to player figure or allows one to win a progressive jackpot.

For most of the progressive slots, jackpots are only available to players who bet at the maximum level. In such a case, it is always better to bet for a max. Otherwise, you only raise the jackpot for the player who comes after you. If your bankroll does not allow you to bet on max with jackpot machines, it’s better not to play at all.

7. Take Advantage of Casino Loyalty Points

Not many people know that using a loyalty point which online casinos offer could lower the house edge.

Let’s say, for example, that you get 1 point for every €5 bet on the slot machine. You can exchange 100 points for €1. Therefore, for every €500, you can get €1 in cash.

With the little help of Mathematics, we will find that for each €1 you will get back €0.002. In conclusion, the RTP of the machines will increase by 0.2 %. It’s not too much, but in gambling, even tenths of percents count.

8. Slot Winning Frequencies

One of the things that most novices are not familiar with is the winning frequency. This indicator shows how often you can expect a win, on average. Slot machines have an average winning frequency of 10 to 20 %. That means that (again on average) every 10th to 20th spin wins.

If a slot machine pays out more often, it usually means that individual winnings are lower, but you can play this online slot longer and wait for a bonus feature. If a slot pays out less often, it probably doesn’t have any bonus round or features, but the payouts for individual winning lines are higher.

With this knowledge, you could adjust your play to your bankroll and style.

Strategies and Betting Systems Which Help You Win at Slots

If you’ve already read something about betting systems and strategies, you might notice that they can be divided into two categories:

1. Change the betting pattern when winning or losing
2. Change the betting pattern when changing the player/casino advantage

Betting systems, when the bet amount depends on the outcome of the previous round, have been well known for centuries. For example, Martingale, when a player doubles a bet after a loss and returns to the basic level when winning, was the first betting system ever. A similar system is also known as Fibonacci, which uses the famous mathematical sequence.

What is interesting about these two systems is that, without bet limit or bankroll size, they show a long-term increasing tendency, but with deep falls. However, after adding adjustments such as table limits, these systems are also hopelessly unusable.

Systems from the second group are more far more exciting. The player changes the bet amount when the expected value (or house edge) changes. These systems are mostly used by card counters at blackjack, where the house edge varies according to the number of remaining high cards in the decks.

There are several betting strategies for slot machines that fall into both categories. So let’s take a look at some of them.

1. Betting Strategy for ELK Slot Machines

Some elementary systems have already been developed by people from the ELK company, who make online slots. They have made up 3 betting strategies:

Leveller

The bet will increase by 2 levels after every 5 consecutive losses. When the player wins, the bet returns to the original level.

Booster

The bet will increase by 1 level after each loss until it rises by 4 levels. When the player wins, the bet returns to the original level.

Jumper

The Jumper system is the opposite of the Booster. In this case, the bet increases by 1 level after a win until it rises by 4 levels. Each loss returns the bet to the original amount.

You can try these systems free of charge at the Taco Brothers slot machine. Any of these 3 strategies can be selected directly from the game menu, so players don’t have to adjust the bet amount after each turn.

Just remember! These are not proven systems, and the game developers themselves claim that playing according to these strategies don’t change the return to player of the slot machine.

2. Strategy for Slot Machines 20 + 20

We like to try out new things. And this betting strategy is quite new. But be careful, it is so drastic that we must warn you in advance:

With this strategy, your bankroll will not win in the long run. It is based only on luck. For this strategy, you need exactly €135. If you have less, it makes no sense to bet on this system.

Betting Principle

You start by playing a 25-cent slot and you play 20 games with one unit. It will cost you €5. If you are in profit after these 20 spins, start the next 20-spin series. But if you finished this 20-spin series at a loss, move to the next level.

The basic principle is very simple: You always play 20 spins. If you win, you remain on existing bets. Once you are below the initial bankroll level, you move to the next step.

So if you lose 20 games with a 50-cent bet, you go for the dollar bet for a €1 spin and after that the final for €5. Twenty dollars cost you €20 and €5 costs €100.

The worst thing that can happen and often happens is when you lose all 80 games in a row and you lose all €135. But during the 20-game sequence, you usually hit some small winnings.

Which Slots Are the Best for 20+20 System?

A very important thing is to choose the best possible slot machine for this strategy.

Play only on slot machines that pay out winnings at the same rate. For example, one credit jackpot is paid €400, two credits are paid €800 and three credits payout €1 200.

Once you’ve crossed all levels, from 25 cents to €5 check your bankroll status. If you’re in extra, go to €5 slots, if you’re at a loss, go to 25-cent slots and play again.

You must have at least €135 for each 20 + 20 series. Whatever amount you have won or lost in the previous game, always put it away and do not play any further with it.

You do not have to play the whole game on one slot machine. If you do not like the 25-cents play, you can go right away to the next level. Follow your guts, it’s a lucky system. Choose your favourite slots and enjoy the game.

Hot to Manage Finances

The disadvantage for the 20 + 20 system is that you lose far more money on €5 slots than on slots with a different denomination. It is true. But on the other hand, these slots usually pay out quite a lot. And if you’re lucky, just two winning spins will cover your entire bankroll for the game.

For this 20 + 20 strategy, your bankroll management is also important. If you have €600, you can play the entire sequence four times. Always follow all 20 + 20 principles and you will see that the game is even more fun. Do not lose control of the game and do not slip away, if you have a losing series. Otherwise, you could lose far more money.

3. Standard Deviation Slot Strategy

Using standard deviation to predict the outcome of a slot machine is a strategy that can be found on some sites. And we decided to debunk it. First of all, let us clarify what the standard deviation is and why we should be interested in the machines at all.

Standard Deviations

The standard deviation is a relatively often used quantity in the statistics, which tells us how much the values are deviated or scattered from the arithmetic mean. In our case, it would be the payout of the slot machine.

Thanks to the random number generator, slot machines’ payouts can be over 100 % in a short period of time, so players can actually get some winnings.

This standard deviation is then referred to as the volatility and it shows us the risk of individual machines. Knowing slots’ volatility can be helpful in creating budget and betting strategies. It is true that slots with high volatility pay less often, but higher figures and vice versa.

Well, this can be shown by a very simplified example, when we wager four bets each of 100 coins on two slot machines. In both cases, we will withdraw €200.

As you can see, in both cases, the result is the same. The player withdraws €200 and a total loss is of €200.

On the Table, you can see that, even though the average is the same for both games, the standard deviation is different. Good news, everyone! You do not have to count the volatility of the slots as we do. Just take a look at the payroll for the individual symbols.

If the top symbol pays out 200 coins, it could be a low volatility slot. If the slot offers 5 000 coins for the highest symbol, it will be a slot with high volatility.

How to Use Standard Deviation Strategy

On the Internet, you can find a strategy that claims that slot players are able to use this statistical calculation. According to this strategy, you need to find the slots which meet these 3 steps:

1. You need to find a slot machine with an even payout ratio between bets. This means that if a slot pays out for a 1-unit bet 5 units’ winnings, it must pay out for a 2-unit bet 10 units’ winnings.
2. Determine the usual number of spins between winnings. To define this number, you should play as many spins as possible. But at least 10 winnings should be enough.
3. From these spins between winnings, then calculate common arithmetic mean. If the numbers of spins between winnings are 12, 9, 24, 4, 6, the AM will be 11. ((12 + 9 + 24 + 4 + 6) / 5 = 11)

Once you have calculated the AM, play the game for the minimum bet and change it to max every 11th every spin. In some cases, it is also recommended to play for a maximum of 9, 10, 12 and 13 spins to increase the chances of winning. Very simple.

Why Strategy Based on Standard Deviation is Not a Good Slots Strategy

Although at first sight, it may seem that calculating the average number of spins between winnings may be the correct logical step, it is not really the case.

If we ignore the fact that you actually don’t calculate standard deviation at all, this strategy has a major fault.

Because of the random number generator, betting according to the calculated average does not increase the probability of winning.

It is the same example as with a coin flip where, according to the average, every second flip is the winning one. But if you grab a coin and flip it, the short-term results will be different. The same principle is applicable to slot machines.

Sure, once in a while you will surely hit the winning line with the max bet, but the problems are those spins that you will lose.

For this strategy to be effective, it must be ensured that:
Winnings from the maximum bets > Number of maximum bets * (maximum bet amount – minimum bet amount)
A simple example:

We tested this strategy on the Supreme Hot online slot, where we played 246 spins and recorded a total of 20 wins.

Gaps between winnings were 18, 25, 11, 3, 18, 1, 14, 7, 24, 32, 3, 4, 1, 6, 1, 3, 13, 26, 32 and 4 spins. The arithmetic mean was calculated as 12, 3 spins. After rounding, we assume that every 12th turn was a winning one.

We analyzed the game and found that out of the total of 20 max bets, only 1 bet was a winning one. The win was 1 600 coins, but this did not cover the total loss.

Total loss was 1 900 coins (20 bets * (100 max-5 min)). If therefore, under the same conditions, the 246 spins were played with a minimum bet, our bankroll would have been 300 coins larger.

Individual games may differ, but in the long run, it will generally apply that you will lose money with this strategy.

4. Three Rule Strategy on how to Win at slots

Introducing Rule Three. It’s actually a strategy game and sticking to it will maximize your chances of winning.

Rule Three allows you to enjoy longer game sessions, and you’ll come home with some winnings in your pocket. And that’s a great success when it comes to slot machines.

So how does Rule Three work? Take, for example, €600 that you have reserved for today’s slot machine session. The first rule is to find the slot with the right denomination. With €600 you do not have a strong enough bankroll for playing full-stakes dollar machines.

If you want to play a real dollar slot, you have to do it with only minimal bets. And as always, try to find slots with the highest RTP possible.

Now you can even divide your €600 into three groups of €200. Take the first €200 and put it into your favourite slot machine. No matter what that is.

At dollar machines, you only bet $1, at 25-cent slots, you play with the max bet. As soon as you bet €70, stop the game and see if you’re in or out.

If you have won something, have your winnings paid out, whatever they are. From the remaining amount, separate $70 and do not play with it anymore.

How to Play?

Now you have your win and you can play on the same slot machine as follows:

Suppose we ended up with €30 after a €70 session. We’ll put that $30 into the slot machine and we’ll want to double it or lose it, except for €10 (a third of the winnings). Take this €10 and add it to the already deferred €70. Now you will go home with $80.

And what if we initially win €60 extra? We’ll postpone $20. So we always postpone one-third of the winnings. That’s precisely how Rule Three works. Once you’ve built up any winnings, put it all aside and do not play with it.

Now, take another $70 of the $200 stack, roll it into the same slot and play the same formula as you did before. And why on the same machine? Why not? You won, did you not?

Once you roll $70 and you’re not up, pick up what you have left and move to another slot machine.

The First Round Is Behind Us

Tips To Play Slot Machines

When you’ve played through the first €200 (€70, €70 and €60), take a short break from the game.

After you’ve had a rest, go through the data of the game and the results. If you’ve lost something, or if you have only a little money left, make it easy for yourself to take a small amount of money home. But do not forget that you still have €400, and you have not lost everything.

After a break, return to play and play the same way you played with the first $200.

Final Phase

Now go to the final stage. If you have won good money, and you are sure that you will go home somewhat richer, play as you please. Take $100 from the last part and try to win as much as possible. You have the money in your pocket, and the longer you play, the higher your chances of winning.

And what if all three mini-sessions are lost? Go home and be glad that you took home something and didn’t go home empty-handed. That’s because you played smart.

Use Rule Three on the machines and you can be sure to be able to play the next day.

Slots Are the Game of Chance

Yes, slot machines could be made according to some pattern, but no casino in the world uses such a machine. Playing the machines is like repeatedly pulling the coloured marbles from the bag, with the ball returning after each round. The fewer the balls of a given colour are in the bag, the higher the payoff value for that colour.

Let’s give an example. In the bag, there are 1 000 coloured marbles. One of them is gold and has a payout ratio of 500 to 1. One hundred marbles are silver and their payout ratio is 5 to 1. The remaining 899 are red and nothing is paid out for them.
On average, the golden ball is pulled out once in 1 000 games and the silver 1 in 10 games. But we cannot determine at what point we’ll get the gold. Each attempt has the same probability as the previous one. Every game is just the same. And the same applies to slots and table casino games.

How to Win at Slots FAQ

How do you pick a winning slot machine?

Since slots are strictly game of chance, there is no way how you can tell which slot is going to be the winning one. But, you should always pick the slot with the highest Return to Player ratio. Do not forget to check other things like winning frequency, payout or bonus features.

Do you not know how to figure out all these things? Try online slots for free. You can play for free without risk, and you will see how the works.

Which slot machines have the best odds?

Generally speaking, online slots have the slightly better return to player than the slots in land-based casinos. Here we were pick up five slots with RTP higher than 98 %, which is quite high.

• Ugga Bugga (Playtech) – 99.07 %
• Blood Suckers (NetEnt) – 98 %
• Rock On (Rival) – 98 %
• Cosmic Quest (Rival) – 98 %
• Break Da Bank (Microgaming) – 98 %

Remember. Even with extremely high RTP, there is no guarantee that you will win. You will just lose less in the long run.

How do you beat the slot machines?

We are sorry, but there is no sure way how to beat slots. There are some tips like finding the slot with the best odds or always keep your money management. The good way to get more from slots is using the VIP or loyalty program. With these programs, you will get some reward for every bet you make. Almost every online casino offers some kind of loyalty promo, and most of them are redeemable with slots. Just check some online casinos and compare the programs.

Can you tell when a slot machine will hit?

You cannot tell when the slot will hit just watching it. You would have cracked the random number generator and do the math.

Does it matter how much you bet on a slot machine?

Yes, it does. You should always choose the bet amount accordingly to your bankroll. With a higher bet, you can lose all your money faster. On the other hand, if you are lucky, you can win much more. And always remember, it is a good practice to stop playing after the big hit.

Should I play Max bet on slot machines?

It depends on the features of the slot. If the slot offers you, something extra for playing the Max bet, then yes, you should play with the maximum allowed bet. The features may include a chance to win a progressive jackpot, extra bonus rounds, extra free spins, progressively higher payout or wins multiplier. All these features can, and will, increase the return to player ratio.

Are slot machines rigged?

All casino games are rigged in the way that they statistically favour the casino. But, the slots are not rigged as many players thing. The slot doesn’t analyze your game and lets you lose intentionally. If you play in the licenced casino, all games are tested by independent auditors.

Are there hot and cold slots?

Casino Slot Machine Strategy

There are several types of slot machines, which we can divide according to the number of reels, denomination, or the type of the game. Some players even categorized slots into cold and hot ones.

Casino Slot Machine Strategy

According to some players, when a machine is cold, it means that the slot hasn’t paid out for a long time. And because of this, it is due to do so in the near future. On the other hand, when the slot machine is hot, that means the slot is in the “zone” and will pay out more often.

Do you wonder which of these theories is right? Well, of course, neither. But you can still meet people who see trends in any slot machine. It is based on a phenomenon called the clustering illusion. It states that the human brain tends to see streaks or patterns in random events.

When you analyze historical data of slots you may find these lucky streaks, but it doesn’t mean that you should or could predict future outcomes.

The Final Word

You can condemn, hate or crush slot machines. But let’s admit it, they already have deep roots in our history and they will be with us for a long time. They belong to gambling, where the most important thing is entertainment.

Do you have any of your own guaranteed strategies for slot machines? Share your experiences with us below in the discussion.