Many people will swear that they have strategies or special tips for playing slot machines guaranteed to improve your odds. After reading just a bit about how slot machines operate you probably understand, however, that it is the computer’s random number generator and nothing more that determines wins and losses.

With this in mind, you should know that there are some tips that may be applied when playing slot machines that can help reduce your chances of losing.

  1. Place a limit on how much you are going to spend on the slot machines before you even begin to play and never go beyond that limit. Quit once you reach your self-imposed limit and do NOT continue to play if you are losing.
  2. Learn the slot machine’s payout schedule. Two identical slot machines can have different payout schedules. Play the machine with the best payout schedule.
  3. Search out slot machines offering 96-98% paybacks. Many casinos contain some banks or carousels with high percentage payback slots.
  4. Don’t use a credit card to play at the slots. Use only cash. When you use cash, any winnings you get will increase your credits. This way if you do end up losing all of your money or you decide to leave the casino, you will at least have all of the credits you earned as your winnings. If, on the other hand, you spent all of your money and used up all of your credits as well, you would walk away in the end with nothing.
  5. Play the maximum bet when you are playing progressive slot machines. With progressive slot machines, the odds are higher so you want to receive the highest possible payout when you finally do win.
  6. Make sure you join the casino player’s club. And be sure to use your player’s card while you are playing at the slot machine. Casinos reward their customers for the money and time spent in the casino. This way, even if you don’t hit the jackpot, at least you will get some attractive casino comps such as hotel room discounts, meals or even tickets that are worth money.
  7. Avoid slot machines with four or more reels until you’ve built up your bankroll. The odds are higher on the 4 or more reel machines than on the 3 reel slot machines.
  8. Play only at the slot machines that you can afford and spend only the money you can afford to lose. $1 slots can pay out more over time than the 25¢ slots and the $5 slots more than the $1, etc. Casinos generally reward players who spend more money.

Divide up your bankroll into the number of slot sessions you are planning to play. For example, say that you are vacationing at a casino for three days and you have three hundred dollars for gambling. You would then spend $100 a day for the next three days. This will help you enjoy your entire vacation much better and leave you free from the worry of gambling beyond your limits. This approach also ensures that you will have at least some gambling money for each day of your vacation rather than spending it all up front. If you do not do this you may end up maxing out on your credit cards.