Slot Tips for the New Slot Machines

Many of the casinos are switching over to coinless ticket-in/ticket-out systems on the newer slot machines. This innovation has been the most quickly accepted change in slot history. Players no longer have to handle dirty coins or wait for a hopper fill if the machine runs out of coins when they cash out. They can start playing immediately by feeding bills into the dollar bill receptor of the machine without having to seek out a change person to purchase coins. These new coinless machines are a great convenience for the players and they have also been quite profitable for the casino because of player's attitude towards machine credits.

Credits are money

Once you put your money into the bill acceptor, it is converted into machine credits. You must remember that credits on a slot machine are real money. Some players lose sight of this because the credits have no dollar amount attached to them. This makes it easy for some players to lose more money than they planned to. An easy way to get around this is to start by putting lower denomination bills into the machine to start. If you are planning on spending twenty dollars for a slot session, get four five-dollar bills and put only one in the machine at a time. If you lose the five dollars take a break or switch machines.

Switch machines

There is no way to tell if a machine is ready to pay off. The machines are controlled by the random number generator and winning for the player is determined by luck. We have all played machines that seem to be "hot" and we have all had playing sessions with little or no wins on a "cold" machine. Don't keep feeding bills into losing machines. If you lose your initial session money, then switch to a different machine. While there is no guarantee that the next machine will be any better, it may help you in two ways. First, it will force you to take a few minutes break while you select a new machine to play. Second, it will give you some satisfaction that you tried something different rather than just pumping more money into a losing machine.

Don't be lazy

Another downfall of the new ticket machines is that sometimes players are lazy. If they only have a few credits on the machine they will choose to play them off rather than cashing out and walking over to the cage to redeem their tickets for a few dollars. This is exactly what the casino hopes you will do. Don't give in to the temptation to throw your money away.

Watch the bill acceptor

When you feed a bill into the bill acceptor of the slot machine, make sure you watch it go into the machine. Sometimes the acceptor will spit the bill back out if it is crinkled or inserted wrong. If you look away when the bill comes back out, a quick thief can snatch it quickly leaving you to wonder why the credits did not register on your machine.

Remember to take your ticket

Just as you need to watch the bill acceptor when your money is going into the machine, you also need to keep an eye on the ticket you receive when you cash out. The ticket you receive from the machine is the same as cash and you should treat it as such. If your ticket is lost or stolen, you are out of luck. You should also be aware that in most casinos the tickets expire after a certain amount of time. You should make it a habit to cash them in immediately.

Bring identification

When you hit a large hand pay jackpot, you will be required to show a photo ID. Have it ready for the attendant. They will check to make sure you are of legal age. If you are underage, the casino can deny you your winnings. If the jackpot is over $1,200, you will be required to fill out a tax form as well. Be prepared to supply your social security number.

Have a plan

Have a Money Management and Playing Strategy set up BEFORE you even get into the casino. Going into a casino without a money management or playing strategy is a sure way to spend more than you planned to. If you planned to play quarter slots, don't sit down at a dollar machine.

Until next time, remember:
"Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever!"