Three Steps to Intelligent Slot Play

If a machine is programmed to return less money than is put in it, there is no way anyone can beat this machine in the long run if...

1. The person continues to play time and again
2. The person thinks he'll ultimately win if he keeps playing
3. The person is not aware of the math of the machines and keeps playing

Most slot players just put in their money and hope. Other slot players put in their money and pray. Still other slot players put in their money and are confused by what ultimately happens to their money - it becomes the casinos' money.

There is no way to beat a slot machine in the long run - unless you happen to get lucky, win, and never, ever return to the casino. There might be some players who have done that. The fact that I have never met any in all my years of being in the casino business doesn't necessarily mean that there is not some man or woman out there who just walked with the money, never to return.

The rest of us are stuck with the dismal reality that the casinos are going to win our money because we are not going to give up playing the machines. All of us are going to answer "yes" to #1 above. We are going to continue to play and by so doing we are giving the casino edge, which is between 5 and 15 percent on slot machines, a real shot at our money. We are inviting a loss.

Now, some of us, the unenlightened ones, really think it is possible to beat the slot machines in the long run even though we are sustaining mighty losses over time. These players are the fodder for the scam artists who delight in selling slot systems that are guaranteed to win. There are several slot scammers out there who have photocopied information from my book, Break the One-Armed Bandits, erased my name or any mention of me from the material, and have sold this information for upwards of $99. My book is just $12.95! They have claimed this information is a guarantee for winning slot play. It isn't. My information just teaches you how to reduce the house edge as much as possible so that you will lose less money over time.

I have stopped several slot scammers with threatened lawsuits but the mind of the scammer is always working on new and different ways to part poor slot players from their money. It's tough enough to win on the machines; it's even tougher to win when you throw your money away on foolish systems of play that are bought for outrageous sums. These systems usually come as stapled photocopies - cheap, stapled photocopies!

Players who believe that they will win if they keep playing or play a certain way or find loose machines are fooling themselves. They have no idea of #3, the math of the machines.

Most slot machines are programmed to return only a percentage of the money played in them. Nickel machines return around 85 to 88 percent of the money played in them; quarter machines return around 90-92 percent of the money played in them; and dollar machines return about 94-95 percent of the money played in them. These percentages are programmed in the machine. They can't be changed by luck, skill, or prayer. Only a hammer might be effective!

So knowing what we know about slot machines is there any way to turn the house edge in our favor? No, there isn't. Sorry about that.

Is there any way to lessen the impact of the slot's edge on our wallets or pocketbooks? Yes, there is.

1. Never play machines with really high house edges. That means you must avoid all machines with progressive jackpots such as Megabucks and Quartermania, etc. These machines give the casinos greater than 10 percent house edges - some as close as 15 percent.
2. Never play machines in the low-coin range. If you are a 5-cent player, go to quarters and play slowly, one coin at a time.
3. Playing slowly is the key to all slot play as the faster you play, the more the house edge whacks at your bankroll.
4. Play single coins in machines. Believe it or not, you can find machines where the jackpot line is merely a multiple of the first bet (one coin returns $400; two coins return $800; three coins return $1200). You get no benefit for playing full coin except to increase the house's edge to three times as much!
5. Make sure you use a player's card and get as much free stuff from the casinos as you can!

Slot machines are favored by almost 75 percent of all casino players. But these contraptions are dangerous gambles because of high house edges and the speed with which players play them. Adhere to my five points above and you will lessen the impact of the machines on your money.

I wish I could give you a bona fide edge at slots but I can't. However, I am selling a rather large hammer that might be of some help.