Page 22 - June 2006 • Southern California Gaming Guide

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
Loose Slot Myths by Bill Burton
The ultimate goal for a slot player is nding a loose machine amidst the vast sea of slot machines on the casino oor. Some equate the task equal to nding the proverbial needle in a haystack, while others concede it is more like looking for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Players
dream of nding a loose slot machine, but few really achieve their goal. One reason for this is that the term “loose” when describing a slot machine is relative to the location and casino.
About Gambling with Bill Burton
Page 22
June 2006
Before we go further, we should de ne the term“loose” slot machine. Payback is the overall percentage that a machine will return to the player in the long run. A loose machine is one that is set to pay back a higher percentage than other machines, so the term “loose” would be relative to the other slot machines in the same casino.
Myths About Loose Slot Machines
Over the years there has been much speculation and conjecture amongst slot players as to where the loose slot machines are located. ere are many myths associated with the placement of loose slot machines on the casino oor. Here are a few to consider.
Loose machines are always surrounded by tight machines.
e reasoning behind this myth is that many players like to play more than one machine at a time. If a loose machine is surrounded by a tight machine, a player will give back the winnings from the loose machine if they simultaneously play the machines on either side.
Loose machines are placed by the entrance.
e reasoning behind this myth is that people will see players winning and this will entice them to come into the casino and play. e basis for this myth can probably be traced back to downtown Las Vegas where the casinos were in walking distance of each other. Most of the new mega-resorts have multiple entrances so I would doubt the validity of this myth.
Machines near the table games are tight
e reasoning behind this myth is that the noise of the slot machines will distract the table game players. Another reason is that a table game player will be
tempted to play when they leave the table on their way to the cashier’s cage.
Machines near the showroom and buffet are tight.
e reasoning behind this myth is that players waiting in line for a show or for the bu et are a captive audience. ey may be tempted to play to kill time while they wait.
Machines near casino change cages are loose.
e reasoning behind this myth is that the casino wants you to see people winning while you are waiting in line. is will entice you to play more.
Carousals of machines are looser that rows of machines.
e reasoning behind this myth is that the carousals can bee seen from any direction in the casino. ey want to put the loose machines where the winners are highly visible.
Think Like a Casino Executive
One of the problems with these myths is that no two casinos are the same. Each casino has a director of slots who makes the ultimate decision about the placement of slot machines. Try to think like a casino executive. Where would you put the loose machines? You have to remember that the casino executives have heard all the same myths concerning the placement of loose machines. If I were the slot director, I would not put a loose machine on the aisle. I would bury it further down the row. ink of this as reverse psychology. If I know where the
players think the loose machines are, I would want to put tight machines there instead.
Be Realistic
Unless you play an exorbitant number of slots, the chances of really identifying a loose slot machine will be slim. You could just as easily have a very lucky winning session on a low payback machine as a losing session on a machine with a high payback percentage.
You might never play enough to be sure.
is does not mean you should give up your quest
to nd loose slot machines. Playing di erent machines in search of a loose one will add some variety to your slot play. You might not nd a loose slot, but you might nd a new game that you enjoy playing. e hunt for a loose slot machine can be fun and that’s what casino gambling should be.
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes...Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the Casino Gambling Guide and columnist for the Internet portal About.com, located at http://casinogambling.about.com He is the author of 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets and Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available online at www.billburton.com. He is an instructor for Golden Touch Craps, http://www.thecrapsclub.com.