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John Robison Gaming Guru  Ask the Slot Expert: Explaining to friends why a Bonus Meter is BS21 October 2026
By John Robison, Slot Expert™
Answer: We have to be careful here because every once in a blue moon there is a Bonus Meter that really does indicate how close you are to hitting the bonus. For example, my old favorite, Magic of the Nile. Certain symbols landing on the screen light up segments on the obelisks above the reels. Every time a symbol lands, another segment lights up. Completely lighting up an obelisk triggers a bonus. I don't think I've played a machine with a real Bonus Meter in years. I don't know of a modern machine with a real one. Drop me an e-mail if you know of one. So, how do you show your friends that the Bonus Meter is really a BS Meter? Watch them play their favorite machine with a Bonus Meter. (No sense investing your money in their education.) Note the symbol(s) that increase the Bonus Meter. When one of those symbols appears on the screen, some sort of animation usually appears from the symbol to the Bonus Meter. Maybe it's a rocket to a big dollar sign, a rocket to a string of firecrackers, or a coin to a rice bowl. Does the symbol always increase the meter? Sometimes the symbol causes a change in the Bonus Meter, sometimes it doesn't. Play for a while and point out to your friends whether the symbol increased the Bonus Meter. Ask them to explain to you why a symbol sometimes increases the Bonus Meter and sometimes doesn't? Another question: If the Bonus Meter is full and landing the symbol doesn't trigger the bonus, doesn't that mean that you weren't close to getting the bonus? One more question: Why does a symbol sometimes trigger the bonus even when the Bonus Meter is only partially full? Calling attention to all of these scenarios should make your friends question the relationship between the symbol, the Bonus Meter, and the bonus feature. Of course, you could always dig through the help screens to find the disclaimer that the meter is for entertainment purposes only. The screens about the bonus features also don't say that you have to fill the Bonus Meter to get the bonus. They say that certain symbols "may" trigger the bonus. There's also usually verbiage on the game screen saying that a symbol "may" trigger a bonus. You can tell your friends that slot manufacturers are not allowed to lie on the help screens and game screens. If you would like to see more non-smoking areas on slot floors in Las Vegas, please sign my petition on change.org. Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert™, at slotexpert@slotexpert.com.
Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert™, at slotexpert@slotexpert.com. Due to the volume of requests, I am unable to reply to every question.
Ask the Slot Expert: Video poker play recorded...eventually14 October 2026
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Ask the Slot Expert: Once inside a casino cheery, I played a paytable dull and dreary7 October 2026
Question: I know you like to play multiple games and that’s part of your job, but I prefer the dull and dreary “Jacks or Better.” I hit my first Royal on a cruise ship last year for 4k and that was exciting.
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Ask the Slot Expert: Deuces Wild Double Double Bonus Poker Found30 September 2026
Question: Glad I was able to bring to your attention the video poker game Deuces Wild Double Double Bonus Poker.
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Hit Frequency, Reno, Atlantic City, Double UpHi there, Has there ever been any research done into what number of times a slot machine will pay "anything" during one hundred spins on the average? I have counted many times and find the average slot machine will pay roughly 16 times out of 100 spins. That includes winning a lowly cherry return to a bigger win. ... (read more)Slot Machine Pay OffDear John, In reference to the reader's question about slot machines where you play for gold or silver tokens: In Las Vegas, many of the casinos have 25-cent slots that pay off a $10 jackpot with a $10 silver souvenir token. ... (read more)Declare Your Independence from the SlotsOn this Independence Day as we celebrate 226 years of independence from the tyranny of the British, consider making your own Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the slot machines. You don't have to stop playing machines altogether. Just switch to playing video ... (read more)Guide to Winning at Slots: The Best Number of Coins to PlayEvery casino guide to gaming recommends playing maximum coins on all slot machines. And almost everyone who's written a book about slots also recommends playing maximum coins when playing a slot machine. I analyzed over 1,000 slot machine programs and I discovered that ... (read more)John Robison |
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