10 Slot Machine Myths

Myth #1 - Slot Machines are the worst gamble at a casino
There are plenty worse gambles in the casino. Take a stroll down to the keno lounge or wheel of fortune, make some of the proposition bets at craps, make idiot plays at blackjack, bet a parlay at the sports book. An average loose machine pays better than roulette. Next time a friend tells you how bad your odds are at the slots, hear a little more about what they play and bets they make. You may be getting the better end of the bargain.

Myth #2 - Pulling the handle a certain way will make you a winner
Whether or not you pull the handle slowly, quickly, gently, or roughly will not alter your probability of winning. Pushing the "spin reel" button as opposed to pulling the handle won't change your luck either. You either win or lose depending upon how the luck goes and the little twirls and shuffles you might do to get the winner going won't make a difference, not mathematically, not in reality.

Myth #3 - Slot machine managers know when certain machines are 'due'
If a slots manager knew a machine was about to spit out the sweet land of milk and honey, believe me, you wouldn't be the one playing the machine. You'd be watching his or her mother, spouse, or other family member out at that machine.

Myth #4 - A machine that just 'hit' won't 'hit' again anytime soon
I'm sure you've found yourself saying as I have at times - "That machine just hit. I'd better find another machine, because this one isn't going to pay again anytime soon." Although the laws of probability dictate that the longer a machine is played, the closer it gets to paying off a jackpot, it is equally likely that a jackpot could hit at any time, including the next spin.

Myth #5 - Warm Coins are a sign that the machine is due to pay off soon
Many players believe this to be true, the truth is, it only means that the lights inside the machine have thrown a little heat on the coins and warmed them up. It means nothing more than this.

Myth #6 - After putting a lot of money into a machine it just has to pay off!
Not necessarily so. Payoffs are not calculated in that manner; they are calculated on a percentage pay out over an indefinite period of time. This means that over time a slot machine will payback whatever percentage it has been set - it has no idea how long you have been playing, and what's more it doesn't care!

Myth #7 - A machine that hasn't paid recently is due to 'hit'
Not necessarily so either. It cost my pocket quite a bit to learn this the hard way - on a dollar machine with the overflow bucket overflowing. This is a sure sign that the machine has not hit in quite some time but it doesn't mean that it's due to hit. I was sadder but wiser.

Myth #8 - That maintenance man just rigged my machine so I wouldn't win!
Maintenance employees are only there to do their job which is to make sure that the machines are operating properly. The payout schedules are preset at the factory into the machines random number generators.

Myth #9 - You can "prime" a machine before beginning serious play
This practise will get you exactly nothing. Machines don't know they are being "primed" and will treat the priming coins the same as any other coins played. This popular myth is just that.

Myth #10 - Casinos can loosen or tighten the slots with the flip of a switch
The slot machines have a computer chip in them that determines the pay back percentage. These are preset at the factory. In order for a casino to change the pay back, they would have to change the chip. In most jurisdictions there is paper work that has to be filled and submitted to the Casino Control Commission for each machine if the chip is changed. It is time consuming and the chips are very expensive. For this reason, it is more economical to decide on the pay back percentages before purchasing the machines and having the factory ship them with the proper chip.