Finding your Valentine's Day machine

My wife, the beautiful A.P., and I were married on Valentine's Day. She thought it was romantic; I thought it would be an easy date to remember. We were both quite happy with February 14; one of us for romance, one of us for practicality. We are Valentine's Day lovers.

In truth, slot players are looking for their Valentine's Day machines -- what I call their "love machines."

So what are such love machines? To discover what a "love machine" consists of, we must look at what true love consists of. So what are the elements of true love? I call them the Super-7.

1. Chemistry: She looks at him; he looks at her that first time and their respective hearts flutter. Each thinks: "I've got to get to know this person!"
2. Excitement: When you fantasize, the object of your passion and your desires is this other person. No one else enters your mind or your heart.
3. Friendship: This is the person you want to spend the most time with -- dinners, walks, just watching the television. You are pals and partners. No one can take this person's place.
4. Enjoyment: Laughter is the best medicine for the many ups and downs of life and your beloved and you laugh together at it all whenever you can.
5. Intimacy: The two of you know the most about each other. Your secrets are her secrets; her secrets are your secrets. Your bond is cemented in the very foundations of your love.
6. Duration: The longer you are together, the longer you want to be together. There is no other one but she; no other one but he. "I will love your forever," is the refrain you sing.
7. Reward: This relationship is the best thing you have ever done. You are happy it happened and each day brings rewards that make you totally loyal to your Valentine's Day love.

One can easily see how these Super-7 love ingredients can be reflected in slot machine play. Indeed, slot machine play might be considered the ultimate in casino romances, for unlike table game play, which you must share with other players, you and the slot machine have a private relationship that cannot be intruded upon.

Chemistry: All slot players are looking for the machine that makes their hearts flutter the moment that machine reveals itself to them. "Oh, I have got to get to know this machine better!"

There once was a commercial of a woman who explains she has just found her perfect machine and is about to play it. She was excited, almost feverish at the thought. Every slot player wants to find that same machine, their own personal love machine that promises excitement and promotes their fantasies of wonderful times together. I think slot players are looking for a strong chemistry between themselves and their machines. They wish they could dial a slot machine love line.

Excitement: Slot players are a restless lot, never fully satisfied with the machines they are playing and that is why casinos have to keep refreshing their inventories. Most slot players wander from machine to machine forever looking for love, but no machine fulfills their desire for a close intense and lasting relationship. There is too much disappointment when losses occur so the players move on. But what if a slot player could find a machine that makes him or her feel happy and contented? Of course, such a player would want to stay and play that machine at all times. Such a machine can get the juices flowing and the thought of that machine brings nothing but excitement.

Friendship: Once you have found your Valentine's Day machine -- the machine you play each and every time you go to the casino -- such a machine becomes your best friend in the whole casino world. Certainly, there are good times and bad times at the machine, but the overall experience is one that keeps you coming back for more. You love this machine and you feel the machine loves you too.

Enjoyment: No relationship can last for very long if that relationship lacks enjoyment. The "love machine" doesn't disappoint in this regard. There are enough winning spins and winning sessions that you always look forward to being in this machine's company. When you think of the machine, it will bring a smile to your face.

Intimacy: Most slot players believe that the machines have distinct patterns. Whether this is true or not is irrelevant. On your Valentine's Day machine you feel you understand how it plays, how it pays and how to manage your money. If this machine has secrets, you believe you know these secrets.

Duration: The more you play the machine, the more you want to play the machine. You have found a slot that makes it fun over the long term and you will indeed play it over such a long term. You actually pray the casinos will never drop your love machine from their inventory as they have so many other machines of your acquaintance.

Reward: No slot player wants to play a machine that doesn't reward them with enough wins to make their play seem worthwhile. Few slot players expect to win all the time or even most of the time, but machines that reward your play enough will get your undying admiration and loyalty.

I wish all of you good luck in finding your one true casino love. If you find your Valentine's Day machine, your play will be just that much brighter.