If you’re seeking the simplest casino game, then slot machines are for you. No real strategy is required when playing slots, and you only need to place money in the machine and press the spin button to start playing. The game isn’t social at all, with very few slot machines existing where you play as a team or with someone else. On reel-spinning slots, push a button marked 'play one credit' until you've reached the number of coins you wish to play. Then hit the 'spin reels' button or pull the handle. If you want to bet big, you can hit a button marked 'play max credits,' which will play the maximum coins allowed on that machine.
Introduction to High Roller Slots Tricks
This blog continues our journey of winning strategies for slot machine casino gambling. Here, I’ll be explaining to you three easy high roller slots tricks. Now, please understand I’m not trying to turn you into a full-time high-limit slot machine gambler! Not at all!
As I’ll explain, there are some very inexpensive slots winning strategies which can be applied to more than just low limit slots. They can also be rather cheaply used, with only a few bets, on a $1 to $5 denomination high limit slot machine.
The three tricks you should know about involve applying a few of the winning strategies I’ve already discussed, as well as a new slots strategy, winning strategy #6, I’ll be explaining in full momentarily. Here goes!
This article has the following sections:
- Introduction
- 1st Trick: Use Winning Strategy 1 in a High Limit Slots Area
- 2nd Trick: Combining Winning Strategies #1 and #7
- 3rd Trick: If a Slot Machine Shows a Win, BET ONCE
- How Long Does a Slot Machine Need to be Idle?
- Play High Limit Slot Machines When Appropriate – Carefully!
- Summary
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1st Trick: Use Winning Strategy #1 in a High Limit Slots Area
One interesting pattern I’d noticed at a relatively medium-sized casino had to do with a simple observation. At this local casino, I saw that I would win once when I first sit down, but not win again for some time.
This pattern recognition is a slots strategy I’ve mentioned before, explicitly Winning Strategy 1: Only Win Immediately and my Professor Slots podcast episode #23.
Best Strategy For Playing Slot Machines
By using this approach, we can take advantage of a common practice found at many casinos, where they provide an initial winning taste.
The first dozen times I visited the high limit slots area at this small, local casino, I found it odd that I would win a jackpot during the first few pushes of the button. But, then, I would spend thousands of dollars without so much as another hit.
I don’t mean I wouldn’t have another taxable jackpot, but that I wouldn’t win anything whatsoever. It just seemed odd. Or, put another way, it was statistically unlikely to be randomly happening so consistently and often, visit after visit after visit.
As an aside, don’t worry too much about all the money I was spending. Unbeknownst to me at the time, each $100 spent these three months earned one more entry for the drawing of a car – which I would end up winning. I tell that story in:
As a second aside, the money I was spending was significant slots winnings from another local casino where I was consistently making quite a profit using Winning Strategy 7, the topic of my next blog article.
2nd Trick: Combining Winning Strategies #1 and #7
Let’s back to the story of what I learned and how I learned it. At the time, I even struck up a conversation with one of the slot operators. In that helpful interview, I asked them when were people winning jackpots and on which machines were they doing it?
This slot attendant helpfully told me about a slots player who had recently gone from one machine to another winning about eight total jackpots in a row in the high limit slots area.
I found this other slots player’s approach very intriguing, to say the least, and have since tried to employ my Winning Strategy 7 alongside playing each machine up to 5 times. By doing so, I’ve found that my annual return for this strategy alone resulted in a 150% profit over my original bankroll.
However, I’d only been using this strategy for four months since this casino opened, and felt I’d need to continue doing it for about a year to be convinced that it wasn’t either temporary or due to having limited data.
Today, I see this as an error on my part, and probably a severe loss of winnings. Winning slots strategies exist, and you can find them yourself – if you can believe your own eyes.
The area most people get stuck on is this: They don’t believe these strategies are possible, and it’s hard to try it yourself they do when you’ve already convinced yourself it’s impossible.
It doesn’t help that most winning strategies are relatively new, and based on the latest casino technologies that started being installed in new casinos since 2012.
Getting down off my usual soapbox, and back on topic, I have found this combination of winning strategies to be the cheapest approach yet to slot machine gambling, while resulting in the highest profit margin.
Using it at my local casino required only $500 per visit and $250 in return on most visits without a taxable jackpot. But then there are the taxable jackpots won, which are more than a few of the typical jackpot winnings on high limit slot machines.
As I’m sure you understand, a single $4,000 taxable jackpot pays for many subsequent visits.
Again, so far, this is all further storytelling about the experiences which resulted in my discovery of Winning Strategy 1 and how to best use it in conjunction with another winning strategy I knew. But, next, I learned a strategy I didn’t already know.
3rd Trick: If a Slot Machine Shows a Win, BET ONCE
By using these known strategies, yet another approach grew out of them. It’s easy, simple, and quite inexpensive. And, it’s completely counter-intuitive to what most slots players will tell you to do. But, because they feel this way is the reason why it works.
Devices To Cheat Slot Machines
Slots players will tell you it is essential to check the machine’s last play. If it shows a winner then, in general, skip that machine. Don’t play it, is the general advice. I say phooey, but with a small caveat I’ll pull from Winning Strategy 1.
My third trick is this: If a slot machine is showing a win, BET ONCE. However, avoid that machine if it’s been played recently.
For this to work, if it is going to work, a slot machine showing a win needs to be idle for a while, and probably hasn’t been idle if its chair is still pulled out. That the chair is even pulled out is a beautiful clue it was used relatively recently.
Why does this work? At some casinos that set up their slot machines to offer an initial taste, the first push of the button of a high limit slot machine will win either a “small” nontaxable jackpot worth several hundred dollars or a more massive taxable jackpot over $1,200.
For example, I happened to be in the casino one Saturday evening, to take care of some tax paperwork having to do with winning a car the night before, and noticed that one of the $100 high limit slot machines was showing a $1,000 win. I didn’t think much of such a small jackpot, as it was not even taxable, but it was something I noticed.
When I went back to the casino the next morning, I noticed that that same machine had the identical winning reel combination showing on it. To me, this indicated that no one had played that machine for just over one day.
At first, I didn’t think much of it. But then, standing there looking at it, I got to thinking about my strategies. And, standing there thinking it through, I learned something.
Previously, my strategy was not to play any slot machine if it showed a win. But, I started to think, what if I was winning at one push of a button on machines that hadn’t been played for some time? Was this perhaps a refinement of a known strategy?
As usual, theory metaphorically in hand, I decided to test it. I walked over to the $100 machine showing the $1,000 win, placed my player’s card along with $100 in the machine, pressed the bet button, and immediately won a $5,000 taxable jackpot.
To date, this is the only time when I’ve won any taxable jackpot on a $100-denomination slot machine. Although, using this strategy at the same casino, shortly later I did win $500 with a single 1-credit bet on another $100 slot machine.
How Long Does a Slot Machine Need to be Idle?
One loose end with using this strategy is the question of how long does a slot machine need to be idle for it to turn into a winning slot machine via this strategy? The honest and straightforward answer is: I don’t know. But, consider my observations.
I’ve found more slot machines are winners with this strategy if I attend the casino on a Saturday morning (especially after a busy Friday night) or mid-afternoon on Sundays.
That’s because these are typically the most extended times when slot machines aren’t played, and being idle for some time matters. But, how long does it need to be inactive, you ask? I’m still piecing together clues about this.
Another clue comes from Eric Rosenthal, from whom I have second-hand information. He knows someone he trusts from within a slots manufacturer who told him that slot machines reset whenever a voucher is printed.
That’s interesting. If true, it means idle means no time at all. So, that information alone may be enough to tell you how long idle is – but I don’t think so.
Why? Because I’ve seen 30 minutes work when an immediate next player did not. Other times, I’ve seen it work after it’s been idle for hours only. Another area of uncertainty is maybe, more like probably, different casinos are set up differently.
But, I have put some effort into trying to figure this out. After some thought, one week later I went back to the casino and took handwritten notes of all the current spin reels showing on all the high limit slot machines at that casino.
Slightly over a day later, I went back to that casino with the intent of executing the usual strategy but brought extra cash with which to push the button once on any high limit slot machine still showing the same reel spin from the previous day.
Unfortunately, that day was a beautiful day in January with moderately high temperatures not seen in months. Somehow, for this reason, the casino and high limit slot machine room were incredibly busy.
I mention this because, when checking the reel spins on each slot machine, I found that ALL slot machines had been played. I then went ahead playing my usual strategy and, to my slight dismay, I didn’t win a single time despite four immediately prior visits where I made 50-60% over the bankroll I’d brought.
What I learned from this confirmation, such as it was, was that it was the wins I had seen when using my unrefined strategy of 5 pulls then stop was occurring on slot machines which had not been played for a while. That is to say, I had been winning on idle slot machines.
So, during busy periods in the high limit slot room which, by the way, isn’t necessarily the same times when the overall casino itself is active, I learned that I shouldn’t use this strategy. Not then, anyway.
All I can say is, where casinos have set up this winning strategy, winning slot machines need to be idle for a while. This bit of information may not seem like much – but it’s something once considered impossible which evidence now suggests isn’t any longer.
And, being the savvy slots enthusiast I know you are, I expect you’ll make the most out of it.
Play High Limit Slot Machines When Appropriate – Carefully!
So, let’s continue to talk about getting the most out of my winning strategies. The whole point of these specific strategies is that they don’t require much money to try out. Not to be too blunt about it, why wouldn’t you try out inexpensive strategies in the high limit slots area?
I suppose I first noticed this myself at Seminole Brighton Casino in Florida in October 2019 and earlier at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in April 2018.
Only afterward did I think, while I’m here why don’t I try out the winning strategies I’ve just figured out in the high limit slots area?
Unfortunately, this idea came to me only after I left both places. But, here it is for you. If you have figured out a winning slots strategy that appears to work at a casino, consider trying it in the high limit slots area.
This suggestion is especially valid if the specific slots strategy you’ve found to work outside of the high limit area doesn’t require much bankroll to win. If only a small bankroll is needed, or if you’re willing to risk a larger bankroll if it doesn’t, consider one way to optimize your strategy – by bringing it into the high limit slots area. Carefully, of course.
For those who have read my blog article Seminole Brighton Casino Florida Trip Report, these follow up thoughts for using a working strategy on high limit slots should work quite well there.
However, for those who have read my blog article Easily Win a Little at Slots at Foxwoods Casino Connecticut, I’d caution against this approach there.
As Dr. Mike from the You Can Bet on That podcast very well knows (I was sitting near him at the time), you can win a couple of hundred dollars on a high limit slot machine there within the first few bets.
But, the problem is, you can do the same thing on a low limit slot machines. So, use the winning strategy I described outside of the high limit area to bet less for corresponding winnings. Your profit will be more substantial.
Summary of High Roller Slots Tricks
In review, I’ve pointed out the easy application of two past winning slots strategies, along with a new winning strategy, which would require only a few bets on a high limit slot machine.
From a high level, the three easy high roller slots tricks I’ve outlined are merely pointing out that the winning strategies you worked hard to uncover at the casino you frequent can be leveraged, perhaps even optimized, in the high limit slots area with relatively little risk.
Because, finding that a winning strategy which works
If your gambling goal is entertainment, as with more slots enthusiasts, then getting a W-2G for having won a taxable jackpot would be exciting. I know my first W-2G was very exciting and, quite honestly, you never really get tired of winning them.
If your gambling goal is earning comps, then you’ll undoubtedly earn players clubs point by making bets on high limit slot machines. But, more importantly, some or all of winnings received in the high limit slots area can be spent on low limit slots.
Finally, is winning take-home money your gambling goal? Well, you’ll earn that money with little cash spent. If, as always, the casino you’re at has been set up by their operator such that one or more of these approaches will work.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
Everybody wants to know how to win on slot machines. If only there was a secret formula or cheat code that could allow you to win slots every time, your bank account would swell and your dreams would come true.
Alas, no such secret formula exists. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no way to win slots more often.
I’ve been playing slot machines since as long as I can remember. In the past decade or so, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about them. I’m going to share real, practical, and actionable steps on how to win at slots.
I’m not promising you’ll win a progressive jackpot and retire to live the high life.
All I’m offering is hard-won insights and some useful information which can help you avoid common mistakes and maximize your chances of winning.
A Word About Slot Cheat Codes
Before we go deeper into slot machine secrets and winning tips, I need to tell you what this article is not about.
I am what you’d call a natural skeptic. I don’t believe in things like lady luck and good fortune, I believe in probability and verifiable facts. That’s why I don’t put any stock—none whatsoever—in slot cheat machine codes and systems designed to help you win every time.
I recently read a short e-book called How to Win Gas Station Slot Machines Every Time. I was curious to see what the author had to offer. It turns out, it was full of clichés and empty platitudes.
- Waiting until someone had played for a while because the slot machine would be due.
- Finding specific games and tapping the buttons in specific sequences to unlock hidden features.
- Outright cheating by using mobile phone apps to read machine patterns and tricking the machine into paying out.
I chuckled to myself as I scanned the pages, knowing deep down that the author was a huckster and that nobody who used these slot machine cheats would gain anything.
Let me spell it out for you once, and once only: The companies which make slot machines, like Microgaming, are very rich indeed. They didn’t get that way by building games you can exploit.
In the next section, I’m going to teach you how slot machines really work. Understanding this vital information is the only way to win at slots more often.
How Slot Machines Work
There are still a few slot machines in Vegas and other casinos around the world which operate mechanically. But, these days, the majority of them are electronic. Trying to interfere with them physically won’t give you any advantage whatsoever.
Computer chips and algorithms known as “random number generators” (or RNGs) power modern video slots.
Without getting into complex technical details, these are algorithms which generate millions, and even billions, of numbers per second. When you hit the spin button, one of these numbers is selected, and if it’s associated with a payout, you win.
That’s pretty simple, right? There’s nothing overly complicated about it from a player’s perspective. Yet, if you think about it, you’ll realize that it means you can’t manipulate slot machines.
Setting aside philosophical arguments about whether true randomness really exists or not, you’re at the mercy of the algorithm. It could take a million spins before it pays out the jackpot, or it could happen three times in a row. It’s all based on the RNG.
Random number generators control both land-based and online slot machines. Gaming commissions check them to make sure they are random and fair. For online slot games, organizations like eCogra test the games while, in Vegas, it’s the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
If you understand the concept of random number generators, you understand the gist of slot machines. Let’s now move onto how to win on slot machines.
How to Win on Slot Machines — Tips and Tricks
I’ve created some general rules of thumb for playing slot machines. These aren’t 100% foolproof, but they do tend to be true. You should jot them down or remember them when you’re playing. You could think of this as slots wisdom won over many years of spinning the reels of fortune.
The Bigger the Jackpot, the Lower the Payback Rate
Every slot machine has what’s called an “RTP.” This is a percentage which tells you how much money the slot returns to players.
For example, if a slot machine has an RTP of 97%, which is high, then it will pay back $97 out of every $100 which players feed into it.
It’s important to remember that RTP is a theoretical number which explains the payback rate over the long run. It does not mean you will win back $97 out of every $100 that you play. It means that the machine returns this amount to all who play that slot. This includes all of the small wins as well as the jackpots.
Well, in my experience, slots with bigger jackpots, and particularly progressive jackpot slots, have a lower payback rate. I’ve seen jackpot slots with an RTP of 91%. That’s low compared to a game like Jack Hammer II by NetEnt which has an RTP of 97.07%.
Sometimes, you’re better off playing high RTP slots, even if they have a smaller jackpot. The chances of winning a progressive jackpot are slim, so you have to be realistic about the possibilities.
Yes, you could strike it lucky, but for every multimillion-dollar winner, thousands of players lost. If you want to win at casino slots, you’re better off with high RTP slots for this reason, you get more back in the long game.
Tip:One of the highest RTP slot machines is Mega Joker by NetEnt. It has an RTP of 99%. It’s a classic slot, and many people play it religiously because of the high payback percentage.
Don’t Forget the Bonus Features
Almost every slots player I know is blinded by huge jackpots. There’s a reason why casinos plaster the largest progressive jackpots all over banners across the web. They attract slots players like moths to a flame!
I’m not. The odds of winning the jackpot on any slot are low. Instead, I focus on lucrative bonus features. Some of the biggest wins I have ever had came from slot machine bonus rounds.
Here are a few which I feel are particularly worth looking out for. If a slot machine has one or more of these features, I give it serious consideration.
Free Spins
- Free spins are one of the best slot machine bonus rounds. When you enter them, you’ll automatically bet at the value you were betting in the base game. If I haven’t triggered the free spins feature after 20 spins, I usually increase my bet size in anticipation. It has to trigger eventually, and I want to reap the rewards to the maximum extent when it does.
Multipliers
- Multipliers can be part of the base game, or they can be part of bonus features. For example, a free spins feature can have a multiplier. I always look for slots with multipliers of up to 3x or higher. I then play with larger bets than I usually would. One big win with a 3x multiplier can be as good as a jackpot.
Cascading Reels
- This is probably my favorite feature in slot machines. When you create a win, the symbols disappear, and new ones take their place. If you win once more, the same happens again. Some slot machines mix cascading reels and multipliers together. Sometimes, the multiplier gets bigger every time you create a new cascade. An example of such a slot is Gonzo’s Quest.
There are lots of other great slot bonus features. Bonus wheels, picking games, and progressive jackpot bonus rounds also offer a chance to win big. The point is, you should always study the paytable of a slot machine, play it for free, and try to figure out its bonus rounds.
Of course, if you can find a slot machine offering lots of great features and a big jackpot, that’s the golden ticket. I’d always double-check the RTP on such a game, though. Usually, the greater the risk to the casino, the lower the RTP is.
Manage Your Bankroll by Leveraging Slot Volatility
Want to know the first game I play every time I log into the casino? It’s almost always Starburst.
Why so? Because Starburst is a high volatility slot. I rarely, if ever, experience long dry spells on this game. The wins are frequent, even if they aren’t life-changing. And I find that Starburst often helps me boost my balance. Once it’s suitably boosted, I move across to a higher volatility slot for a shot at bigger wins.
You can read an in-depth article on slot machine variance and volatility here. I’ve created a short and easy version for you below:
- Low volatility slot machines pay little wins frequently.
- Medium volatility slots pay mid-range amounts semi-frequently.
- High volatility slots pay bigger wins less frequently.
For example, I never play high volatility slot machines when using free spins bonuses which offer only 10 or 20 spins. Experience tells me that on a high volatility game, I could easily experience 10 or 20 spins without a single win. I know that when the win does come, it will be explosive. But those slots aren’t best suited for this kind of bonus.
To leverage slots volatility, play low volatility slots when you’re down on your luck and only have a small bankroll.
They can also be extremely useful when trying to meet wagering or rollover requirements on a bonus offer. However, when you have a suitable amount of house money, switch over to higher volatility games with bigger potential wins.
Please remember that this is not a foolproof plan. Sometimes, the RNG just doesn’t spit out the right number, and no wins occur. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, and you’ve got to accept that before you start playing a slot machine or expecting to win on slot machines.
Conclusion
I promised you logical, sensible tips for winning slot machines, and I hope you feel that I’ve delivered. All of what I’ve written above is fact-based, and none of it requires you to believe in hocus-pocus or to resort to cheating.
Winning slot machines is all about reducing the house advantage, knowing how to give yourself the best shot at the biggest payouts, and avoiding the common mistakes that too many players make.
That’s all I can offer you, and no matter what they say, it’s all anybody else can offer you, too.
Now that you know how to win more often, check out some of the best slot machines online.
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