Having fun playing slots

Ah, slot machines with their lights flashing and melodies playing - row after row of these ubiquitous machines crammed in every imaginable space on the casino floor. They are by far the most popular game in casinos today. And why not? At what other casino game can a gambler simply drop in a few coins and have the possibility of winning thousands - or even millions - of dollars?

Today's wide selection of slot machines is a far cry from the machines of a few decades ago. What began as a relatively simple and purely mechanical machine has been transformed over time into a highly sophisticated device. With the new technologies come new variations. With the dizzying array of new variations come decisions for the slot-playing gambler.

They range from single-line slots that take from one to three quarters up to $100 tokens to multi-line, multi-coin machines in penny to quarter denominations. Some machines are linked to others in the casino and offer a progressive jackpot that climbs until someone hits it. But the ultimate in a jumbo jackpot are slots that are linked to others throughout the area offering some lucky player a multi-million dollar windfall should the right symbols appear.

Choices, choices, choices.

To help the novice - and not-so-novice - slot player, some advice in choosing and methods of playing slot machines follows. If you are like the average gambler, you head for the casino with a certain stake that you hope will offer you the means to become rich. At minimum you would like your bankroll to provide you with a few hours of play each day you are at the casino.

Money management and slot machine selection are the keys to enjoyable slot playing sessions. Of the two, money management is by far the most important.

For an enjoyable slot playing experience, you must only play with money you can afford to lose. All slot machines have a house edge built in, so don't dump money you need for the mortgage payment or a heart operation into the game hoping for a windfall.

This requires discipline. Here is a good method for keeping within your bankroll and maximizing your chances of coming home with a profit.

First and foremost, do not use the cash machine at the casino as your bankroll. The money you use for gambling should be totally separate from any other money you may have. It is far too easy to lose track of your financial situation if you take your gambling session money from an ATM.

Instead, before you leave for the casino, divide your available gambling money into session stakes. If you are going to be at the casino for two days and you plan on playing one session in the morning, one in the late afternoon and one after dinner, divide your trip bankroll into six even amounts and put each in a separate envelope. For example, if you have $1,200 available to gamble on a trip, put $200 into each of six envelopes. Label each envelope with the information about the session you are planning to play with the money in it.

When you arrive in your room, put all these envelopes in the room safe. When you are ready to play the slots, take only the envelope for the session you are about to play and leave the rest of the envelopes in the safe. That way you will not be tempted to dip into it should the current session not go as well as you would like.

By following these few simple rules, you will be able to extend your slot playing enjoyment for your entire stay and stay in control of your bankroll.