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Ask The Slot Expert

16 August 2001

Dear John,

Is it possible to buy slots that have been retired from the casinos for your own home? How might someone go about finding those slots?

Thanks,
Beth

Dear Beth:

You absolutely can buy old slot machines for home use and, depending upon where you live, you can even buy new ones.

The key factor is where you live. Different states have different regulations about how old a slot machine must be for it to be legal for an individual to have it. I'm familiar with the laws in two states, Nevada and New Jersey. In New Jersey, individuals can own slot machines that are 25 years or older. In Nevada, it's legal to own all slot machines; there are no restrictions.

Many places in Las Vegas sell used slot machines. I like The Gambler's General Store (www.ggss.com) at 800 South Main Street. You can also try CJ's Casino Emporium (www.cjslots.com). Another company is Royal Bell (www.royalbell.com) in Colorado. All places will be able to tell you the regulations for your state.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos!
John




Dear John,

I am going to Vegas in a couple of weeks and I want to know were to play slots and try to win a lot of money. Which games are my best bets?

Thanks,
Charles

Dear Charles:

Slot paybacks where the locals play tend to be higher than those at casinos that cater mainly to tourists. That means you have to leave the strip to find the highest paybacks. You can go to downtown Las Vegas, the Rancho Strip (Fiesta, Texas Station, Santa Fe Station), the Boulder Strip (Sam's Town, Boulder Station, Castaways), or Henderson (Sunset Station, The Reserve). Other choices are the Suncoast in Summerlin and The Orleans about a mile west of the strip.

Since your goal is to win a lot of money, you can play one of the many wide-area progressives, such as Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune. If you're willing to settle for something less than a life-changing amount of money, you can play Blazing 7s progressives, which tend to hit their top jackpots frequently. Just remember that you have to play max coins to be eligible to win the progressive.

I think your best bet, however, is playing one coin at a time on a straight multiplier--not because you'll win a lot of money, but because your bankroll will last much longer. A straight multiplier is a machine that doesn't reward you for playing max coins. The payouts on all combinations for the second coin are twice the payouts on the first coin, and the payouts on the third coin are three times the payouts on the first coin, etc. Since you're not getting anything extra for playing more than one coin, there's no reason to play more than one coin at a time.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos!
John


Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@home.com.


For more information about slots and video poker, we recommend:

Break the One-Armed Bandits! by Frank Scoblete
Victory at Video Poker and Video Craps, Keno and Blackjack! by Frank Scoblete
Slot Conquest Audio Cassette Tape (60 minutes) with Frank Scoblete
Winning Strategies at Slots & Video Poker! Video tape hosted by Academy Award Winner James Coburn, Written by Frank Scoblete
The Slot Machine Answer Book by John Grochowski
The Video Poker Answer Book by John Grochowski
John Robison

John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots
John Robison
John Robison is an expert on slot machines and how to play them. John is a slot and video poker columnist and has written for many of gaming’s leading publications. He holds a master's degree in computer science from the prestigious Stevens Institute of Technology.

You may hear John give his slot and video poker tips live on The Good Times Show, hosted by Rudi Schiffer and Mike Schiffer, which is broadcast from Memphis on KXIQ 1180AM Friday afternoon from from 2PM to 5PM Central Time. John is on the show from 4:30 to 5. You can listen to archives of the show on the web anytime.

Books by John Robison:

The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots