Biloxi, 5-Level Return Device, Revoked Chips

Hello John,

I am a slot player and will be visiting Biloxi casinos in July. Can you tell me which casinos you have heard are the best for paying off? Also what have you heard concerning the payouts or any other useful info concerning the Beau Rivage? Thanks for your speedy response. I really enjoy your articles. Makes me feel as though I can hear the bells ringing!

Brenda

Dear Brenda,

To get a feel for which casinos would have the best slot paybacks, I checked the video poker offered at each casino as reported on www.vphomepage.com. (Mississippi does not release payback numbers by casino.) It looks like Imperial Palace, Casino Magic, The President, Treasure Bay, and Isle of Capri have the best video poker, so I would expect them to have the highest slot paybacks too.

I'm sure Beau Rivage is the most beautiful property in the area, but it may not have the highest-paying games.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

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Hello,

Just wanted to drop a line and say I really enjoy your question/answer pages and your segment on the Goodtimes Radio Show.

I am looking for pictures of of slot winners. Particularly reel slots with the winning combinations to use as my screen saver/wallpaper on my computer. I have searched the internet, but haven't been able to find any, and was hoping that you would be able to assist me.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the great work!!

Nick

Dear Nick,

Thanks for the kind words about my columns and segment.

Star Brooks has many photos of winners at her www.RenoGamingGuide.com site. I'm sure you can find some suitable images there.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

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My wife and I play dollar slots, and always play maximum coins. When we first started playing at our regular casino the machines would hit a lot of the times. Now since a new casino bought them out and rebuilt, the machines are not doing anything at all. First is this a coincidence or I heard there is a 5 level return device in the machine from hitting well to not hitting hardly at all? What is it? Or is it just plain ol' luck?

I've never heard of a "5 level return device." The only thing that determines how frequently a machine will hit is the layout of the symbols on its virtual reels.

It's entirely possible that the new owners of your casino changed the payback programs on the machines after they took over. It's also possible that you've just been having a run of bad luck. The quickest way to find out if they changed the payback programs is to ask them.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

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John

I'm interested in the chip that was in the Blazing 777s machine in Missouri.

Was it also in other machines - if so, which ones and at which price level(s)?

Also, was it in Las Vegas machines and the Connecticut Indians casinos? If so, are the casinos and IGT replacing the faulty chip?

Thanks,
Al

Dear Al,

I assume you're referring to the Small case in Missouri.

In the articles I found about this case, there was a report that the Missouri state auditor warned that revoked chips were still in use in some casinos' slot machines. Chips can be revoked for many reasons, frequently to correct an error that occurs only in rare circumstances. A chip that is revoked in one jurisdiction is sometimes okay for use in others. In the instances in which there is a flaw in the chip that causes either the player or the casino to be cheated, the machines will usually be placed out of service until the chips are replaced.

None of the articles I read said that the IGT slot machine in this case, Double Red White & Blue, contained a revoked chip.

Rather, Small claims that the widely used SPLUS8788 chip allows the casino to maintain a "complex and secret network of jackpot controls that allow the casino to pick and choose who wins and who loses, and when jackpots will occur," according to an article in the Las Vegas SUN.

Small says in his suit that "the casino can also dispense...a jackpot winning instruction to a particular machine to force a jackpot to be awarded to a particular player at a predetermined time."

One problem. According to an Ameristar Casinos spokesperson, the SPLUS8788 chip controls the machine's sound and lights and not when a jackpot will be paid.

Small has sued casinos before. This case is also without merit.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

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