The Slots Guru Speaks

There’s something about slots. They exude the mystery of treasures within. They bear the key to unlocking untold fortunes. They hold the secret to that enigmatic winning jackpot. Their spinning reels and jingly rhymes are almost hypnotic. Slot machines are certainly magical!

It’s no wonder then that they’re the most popular betting game on the planet and that popularity has spread even further in cyberspace. From humble beginnings as sideline entertainment for the wives of gamblers in the Wild West, slots have overtaken all traditional table games to become the Sultans of Ka-Ching!

We’re sure most readers are familiar with slots, but as some wise man once said: “Knowledge is power.” In this article, you’ll find out all there is to know about those fascinating spinning reels and how much fun can be had from such a simple concept. You may even pick up some hints on how best to play the slots you love.

Q: What types of slot machines are there?

A: There are three main types of slots 3-reel Slots, Video Slots and Progressive Slots:

3-reel Slots
3-reel slots basically look like the old-style slots with the ‘bar and cherries’ symbols. These are typically Mechanical Slots – Mechanical, or traditional, slot machines have actual reels in them. Your typical 3 reel land based slot machines are manufactured by Universal, I.G.T. and Bally. These games are most popular amongst the purist players that enjoy the traditional slot game. At Platinum Play Online Casino you can enjoy a variety of 3-reel slots, including BarBarBlack Sheep, Break da Bank, Frostbite and Sonic Boom.

Video Slots
Video Slot games are slot games with more than three reels; they tend to have more imaginative themes, more animation and graphical entertainment than 3-reel slots. Additionally, they have more pay lines and winning combinations. The tailor-made International Casino Games and Fortune Lounge video slots are two very popular Video Slots you can enjoy exclusively at Fortune Lounge casinos.

Progressive Slots
Slot games that allow you and other players of the game to increase the potential jackpot each time a new coin is inserted for play. When the progressive jackpot finally hits, the amount resets to the starting number. Fortune Lounge casinos boast a variety of exciting Progressive Slots, including King Cashalot and Lotsaloot.

Q: What determines where the reels will stop?

A: Possibly the most important question when dealing with slots. Modern slots are all governed by a computer. This computer has independently audited Random Number Generator software. That sounds complicated, but it really isn’t. The Random Number Generator or RNG is, for lack of a better word, a computer that constantly generates new numbers that are assigned to each stop on a reel in the slot machine. When you pull the handle or push the spin button, the RNG tells the reels where to stop. This is completely random.

Q: What is the payout percentage?

A: When playing at different casinos you will hear about different payout percentages. This percentage is the amount of money that the slots can reasonably be expected to pay out to the player. This number varies from casino to casino, but on average it can be between 88-97%. To better explain what a payout percentage is: This is the amount of money, in percentage form, that a slot machine pays back to the players over time. For example, a slot with a 97% payback percentage will return $97 of every $100 wagered on it over time.
Hold Percentage – The slots machine holdback percentage is exactly the opposite of the payback percentage. In our example above, the hold percentage would be 3%, holding $3 of every $100 played over time for the casino.

Q: Which casinos offer the best payout percentages?

A: It depends on the casino. The hold percentage averages for the Las Vegas Strip are 11% for nickels, 6.5% for Quarters, 4.5% for dollars, and 3.5% for five dollars and above.

Online casinos overall hold percentage across all games vary from 3.2% to 3.8%.

Q: Does it improve my odds to put more coins per bet in a slot machine?

A: It doesn’t necessarily increase your odds of winning, but definitely your odds of winning MORE. Always check the payout table on the slot machine, which will tell you exactly how much you will win depending on how many coins or pay lines you play. Most slots have the best payouts for max bet amounts – especially for jackpot payouts.

Q: What’s the number one slot machine tip?

A: The number one tip for playing slots machines is: HAVE FUN! While you’re having fun though, you must remember a few things too. Don’t be greedy and don’t chase your losses. Set yourself limits in time or money or both. Use common sense and you will always get maximum enjoyment and entertainment out of your slots play.

Here are a few tips for having a more enjoyable slot playing experience. These tips pretty much sum up a great slot machine strategy:

• Don’t play with money you can’t afford to lose
• Don’t expect to win anything
• Join the Players club and take advantage of the points and special bonuses and promotion
• Always bet the max coins. You can’t win the big jackpot unless you’ve played max coins
• Slot systems don’t work, no matter what anybody says in their slots books
• Don’t waste your money on most slot machine books or ebooks. You won’t learn anything too interesting from them anyway