Don't Believe the Lies
Any reputable content creator will tell you that there are no guarantees when it comes to slot machines because slots are based on a random number generator (RNG). Wins are based on luck, not skill*. So instead, focus on what you are ALWAYS in control of: your bet, how long you gamble, and where you gamble.
* While there were skills-based slot machines a decade ago, they have vanished from casinos.
Be Vigilant
Many of the slot players we’ve observed at casinos aren’t really paying attention to whether they’re winning or losing. The slot machine has become like the TV playing in the background; their ears only perk up if there’s an explosion. By always focusing on whether you’re winning or not, you can adapt and hopefully win.
There’s a “5 spin rule” that was circulating a few years ago, which said that you should only play a slot for five spins. As strategies go, this isn’t that bad. However, we would say that this is more of a strategy if you’re placing very high bets, $20 and up per spin.
Don't Forget to Win
It’s ridiculously easy to forget to win. which is why we repeat it. While watching whizzing balls, flying dragons, and cute bears is fun, unless you see something in the “win” window, it’s time to make a change.
The Bet Amount
If we’re losing, the bet amount is the first thing we’ll choose. The increase or decrease doesn’t have to be extreme, but the results can be immediate.
The Machine You Play
We will also change machines. We’ve watched people play the same machine for 30 minutes, feeding a slot that’s giving nothing back. While playing a slot can be entertaining in itself, it’s even better if you’re winning.
The Casino You Play In
In Las Vegas, casinos along The Strip are known to be tighter than those in other parts of the city. According to statistics published by the Nevada Gaming Commission, the best return rate (Return To Players, or RTP) is highest in Sparks, Nevada. Does that necessarily translate into bigger and more frequent wins for you? Nope.
How Long You Play
Finally, how long you continue to feed money into a slot is completely up to you. We always take breaks while we’re playing slots. There are natural breaks, such as going to have lunch, but we’ll also stop if we’re losing too much too quickly.
Save Your TITOs
We strongly recommend cashing out after a win. What constitutes “significant” is up to you, but we’ll cash out after winning $20-$30. Since we always start with a $100 bill, $120 is a 20% gain.
The main reason we cash out often is that it’s very easy to gamble away your winnings. Slot machines are designed to distract you into playing after a big win: the music continues and often the amount of the win is shown as credits instead of dollars.
Convert Back to Cash the Following Day
After you’re finished gambling for the day, take the time to take a photo of all your TITOs. This accomplishes two things: you have an easily accessible record of your winnings, and you can reference it the following day to see if you’re winning more or losing more.
We convert TITOs into cash using the cashier or an ATM before starting a new gambling session.
Have a Goal
If you asked slot players WHY they gamble, they’ll probably say “to win money”. But, this isn’t always true.
Many slot players are really playing to see the bonus feature. It’s understandable; having a 12′ screen light up with animations, bells, music, and vibrations is pretty hard to beat. If you truly are trying to win some money, here’s our advice:
Don’t chase bonuses
It’s difficult, but your focus needs to be on winning money. Because we run a slot channel, we’ll often chase a bonus so our viewers can see what it looks like, but it’s poor gambling. You may feel the need to “conquer” a slot by trying to win back all of the money you’ve gambled, but it’s a losing game. Don’t do it.
Don’t ignore big line hits
It’s entirely possible to get a line hit that is larger than the amount you would get from a bonus feature. We hit a $1,000 line hit on Tarzan vs. Wild that was LARGER than the major.
Know your stopping point before you begin
This applies to both winning and losing. If a 20% gain is enough (and it should be), get up and cash out. The same goes for losing. If you decide to stop after a 50% loss, do it.
If you find yourself losing, adapt
Doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of you-know-what. We will try a bet change first, either up or down. We’ll also get up and move to another machine that has the same game or even go do something else entirely. A slice of pizza costs the same as three to five spins on a slot.