Winning At The Slots
By: CARSON DANFIELD

The slot department on the casino floor can be a confusing place. Hundreds of different machines greet the player. Bright colors, mindless electronic tunes and flashing lights seem to assault the senses. Different pay tables and payoff percentages; straight payoffs or progressive slot systems; win-a-car prizes or take the money and run; the choices are tremendous. Just making a decision about which machine to play often seems to be daunting.

The following frequently asked questions may clear up some of the confusion that faces a prospective slot player when deciding on where and what machines to play: CAN YOU WIN PLAYING AT SLOT MACHINES?

Yes. Slot machines are set to pay back a certain percentage. In New Jersey, by law, slot machines must pay back 83 percent of the money played. In Nevada, it's 75 percent. Most major properties in each jurisdiction, however, pay back much more than that.

But even at 75 percent, a player can hit a lucky streak and go home a winner. Sure, most players may not win anything, but there are plenty who do win if they know the secret. Somebody's got to get lucky. Why can't it be you?

The key to beating the slot machines is to quit while you're ahead. Money management is sometimes an overused term in the gamblers' world, but it applies here. Set a reasonable win goal. If you have a budget of $100, don't try to double your money. The chance of that happening is remote. Quit when you get $25 ahead. Go enjoy a show. Get a meal. Or simply watch the other players. And when you get home, you can say you beat the casino. HOW MANY COINS SHOULD I PLAY? WON'T MY MONEY LAST LONGER IF I PLAY ONE COIN AT A TIME?

Yes, your money will last longer, but by playing only one coin, you're giving up the chance of either hitting the big jackpot which usually pays a bonus for playing the maximum amount of coins, or you're not activating all the lines on a multi-line machine, therefore excluding yourself from the chance to hit more frequent jackpots.

Always play maximum coin. If you can't afford maximum coin at the $1 machines, drop down to 25-cent machines. But whatever you do, don't miss out on the chance to win the biggest of the frequent prizes. HOW CAN YOU TELL WHICH MACHINES PAY OUT MORE THAN THE OTHERS?

Checking the payback of the casinos in the areas you plan to visit gives you a head start. These are often published in local newspapers or casino publications. Unless you have a favorite casino where they know you personally and you feel comfortable, why not head for the casinos with the highest payouts? It only makes sense.

It gets a little more difficult when you get to the casino. You can't tell which machines pay more than others just by looking at them. It takes study and intuition.

First decide upon your gaming budget. To play $1 machines, you should have at least a couple of hundred dollars. Less than $100? Head for the quarters.

Then take a walk around. Check out the action. Try the three-pull rule: Put the maximum number of coins in the machine three times. If you hit a small jackpot, keep playing. If you don't get anything back, move on. You'll know when you're comfortable and things are flowing.

Play the machines at the end of the aisles that are near other banks of slot machines. Sources say that slot executives place higher paying slot machines in locations that are visible to other players so that they will lure players to other, lower paying, slot machines.

Avoid slot machines surrounding the table games. Table players may get up to stretch and drop a few coins in a nearby machine. Casino executives don't want those table players to get lucky and continue to play the slot machines instead of the table games, so they put the tightest machines around the tables.

Likewise, avoid machines near the showroom or food outlets where people wait in line. Since these players merely drop a few spare coins into the machines with no expectations of winning, there's no reason for the casino to put loose machines in those locations.

If you're still confused, ask a slot attendant which machine pays off more than the others. They work the slot floor all day long. Maybe they'll steer you to a machine that they see pay out more than others. If they help in this manner, don't forget them. Slip them a few bucks, and you've found a friend for life. CAN THE CASINOS CHANGE THE PAYOUT ON A MACHINE WHENEVER IT WANTS?

The answer is a qualified "yes." When a casino buys a slot machine, it will tell the slot manufacturer to deliver it already programmed to pay back a certain percentage. Unless there is a major change in the slot marketing policy of a casino, the percentage will not change.

If a casino does decide to change the payback percentage (and when they do this, it's usually done to increase the payoff, rather than decrease it), it is done over a period of several weeks so the change will be gradual. IS IT BETTER TO PLAY A MACHINE WITH A PROGRESSIVE JACKPOT OR ONE THAT HAS LOWER PAYBACKS?

It depends upon your objective. If you want to go for the life-changing jackpot-something that will allow you to tell your boss where he can put your job-a slot machine with a big progressive jackpot will give you a thrill. The chances of hitting that jackpot are quite remote, to say the least, but it will no doubt be exciting to dream about it.

If you want to have a chance of taking home a little more money than you arrived with, you might want to concentrate on the machines that offer lower, but more frequent, payouts. The way to determine which machines fall into this category is to read the glass. Check for multiple payout combinations and you're probably in the ballpark.

Carson Danfield is an "Under the Radar" Internet Entrepreneur who's been quietly selling various products for the last 8 years. Although you've probably never heard of him there's a good chance you've visited his websites in the past and even purchased some of his products.

Get more money-saving travel tips at http://info5000.com/TRAVEL-ENTERTAINMENT/

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