Chasing a Handpay?
How much do you need to spend to get a handpay on a slot machine? Surprisingly little.
This is one of our favorite topics, mostly because we’ve won 90% our 19 handpays in 2024-2025 for less than $100.
Our method: Fewer but larger bets
While we did get a handpay on a $3 bet, all of the others were won at a $10 spin or higher. It’s pretty simple. Higher bets mean that the win amount ($1,200) is closer to the bet amount.
We STRONGLY recommend that you watch DLucky’s videos. They clearly show that anyone—even someone with ZERO gambling experience—can win one or more handpays in less than 15 minutes if they’re willing to make large bets.
If you watch a certain male handpay influencer, you’ve noticed that he lives up to his nickname. It’s exactly the same idea. You don’t even need to get a bonus since a good line hit on a $250 bet will suffice.
Getting a handpay is a great experience, one we think everyone should experience once. However, a handpay also comes with strings you’d better be ready for.
Handpays are taxed
Handpays are taxed as ordinary income. The W2-G that you receive from the slot attendant is sent to the US government, so if it’s not reported on your tax return the IRS may come knocking on your door.
The “perfect” slot win is really $1,199, one dollar short of a handpay. There are no taxes to pay, so you keep all the money. We ended up paying 32% of our handpay winnings to the government.
I'm gagging for a handpay. What can I do?
If you’re itching to give 30% of your winnings to Uncle Sam, here’s what you can try.
Make fewer but larger bets As I mentioned before, the closer your bet is to $1,200, the more likely it is you’ll get a handpay. $100 spins? Piece of cake. 88¢ spins? Much harder.
Slots with $1,200 minors. If you can find a slot machine where the minor jackpot is the same as a handpay, that’s the one to play. If you play slots like Dragon Link, the minimum bet at $1 denomination is $5 and the minor is $1,250.