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Video Poker Sites, Buying Your Own Slot Machine

27 December 2003

John,

A couple of weeks ago I found a site that told the location of full-pay video poker machines in the various casinos in Vegas. For example, the full-pay 10/7 Double Bonus machines could be found by the Pong restaurant and by the slot club at The Gold Coast. All one had to do was click on the name of a casino and it told you where the machines were located.

I thought I had put this site on my favorites list but I guess I didn't. Now I can't recall where I saw it.

Do you know anything about this? I know they move machines around but still this would be a big help.

Thanks,
Denny

Dear Denny,

I don't know which site you visited. There are many sites that have Las Vegas video poker info. I suggest you enter "Las Vegas video poker" into a search engine; you might be able to find the site from the hits that are returned.

The site I use to find out which casinos have high-paying games in different regions is Skip Hughes' Video Poker Homepage (www.vphomepage.com). Skip's scouts keep his site up-to-date with the best machines found in casinos all over the U.S. Skip's site is a subscription site. Subscriptions cost $55-$80 per year depending on which features you want.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John


Is it possible to buy The Price Is Right slot machine and if so, how do I go about doing this?

Karen

Dear Karen,

It is definitely possible to buy The Price Is Right or any other slot machine for home use. Many people in Nevada have purchased their own machines.

The catch is whether it's legal to own the machines in your state. I visited your website and based on your company's location, I guess you live in Illinois. It is illegal to own a slot machine that is not at least 25 years old in Illinois, according to the information on www.royalbell.com, a company that sells used slot machines.

If you want, you can double-check with IGT's Sales Headquarters at 702-896-8500. Someone there would be able to tell you whether the machine is legal in your state and tell you where you could purchase one if it is.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John


Hi,

I recently went to the Primm area, and I found $96, and turned it into security. I filled out a form and was told if no one claimed it, I could come back in 30 days.

Well, no one claimed it and we drove back to the casino, went to reclaim the $96 and was told all monies found in the casino belong to the casino, some fund. I went to the manager and was then given the money.

Is there a gaming law regarding lost and found money?

Thanks,
Beth

Dear Beth,

I haven't heard of such a law, but that doesn't mean one doesn't exist.

I have heard of casinos ejecting people who just wander around the casinos looking for money people have left behind. That I can understand, but I've also heard stories of casinos hassling people who just happen to pick up and play small amounts of money that other players have accidentally left behind.

I think some casinos donate "found money" to charity under the theory that the player won it fair and square, so it no longer belongs to the casino.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John


Hello, John

Multi-denomination machines have one chip programmed with many games, payout percents, and denominations that can be set. Up to 16 games can be chosen. One denomination can be set to pay out better or one game can be set to pay out better, so it's not just the denomination.

The best thing to do is just play the games that you like and play within your budget and quit trying to outguess the casino and the machine--you'll just go broke and won't have any fun.

Also I must remind everyone again--there is no "control room" with people sitting at computers making machines hit when people eat popcorn. LOL!

Thanks for the technical info and for the good advice.

John


Hi John,

My husband and I are avid slot players both here in Ontario, and across the borders, Windsor and Detroit, and Niagara Falls, both sides. We also get to Las Vegas once a year as well.

We've gotten hooked on your column and find it extremely informative. The question that I have for you is this...

Why is it that if you sit at a machine that's just paid out a jackpot, you always get the person sitting next to that machine tell you it's just paid out so it will be cold now?

I don't believe this to be true at all. In fact, I have seen someone win a jackpot, get paid, told to play off the jackpot, and turn around and hit a second jackpot back to back!

If what you tell us is correct, and I certainly believe you, then it never matters whether a machine has just paid out or not. They are all random payouts, jackpots and otherwise.

Is this not correct? Your expertise here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for all the great advice,
Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

Thanks for the kind words about my column.

You are absolutely correct when you say that it doesn't matter whether a machine has just paid out and he payouts are all chosen at random. You even saw the proof with your own eyes when you saw someone hit another jackpot while playing off a jackpot.

I suppose the reason people believe that a machine that has just hit a jackpot won't hit another one soon is because they believe that the machine now has to either win back the money it just paid out or win enough money so it can pay another jackpot.

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.

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