To find a loose slot machine at a casino, start by trying machines that are in high-traffic areas, since these tend to have better payouts. Next, check the payout percentage of the machine you’re playing on, either in the help menu or online, because a higher percentage means a higher likelihood you’ll win.
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Once a month this column will answer reader questions about things you experience in Bay Area card rooms. The following recently came in from a player in the North Bay:
Question
'On a recent visit to the Bay Area I visited a casino in the North Bay and overheard some other patrons describe the slot machines there as 'loose.' What does this mean? Are some slot machines really more likely to pay out jackpot money than others? How can you tell loose machines from 'tighter' ones?'
Answer
Here's what Russell Kinney, vice president of slot operations at Cache Creek Casino in Brooks (Yolo County), had to say:
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'When casinos talk about slots being 'loose,' they're talking about the payback percentage. Machines are set to pay back a certain percentage of everything that players put in. The catch is that this is calculated over millions of pulls. Most $1 machines and above pay back at 95 percent, so long as you are playing (the maximum number of) coin (lines). Over 1 million pulls, this means you'll make back 95 percent of what you put in. Of course if you sit down with $100 and play for 20 minutes, it is possible for the machine to take your money and not give you anything.'
'Payback percentage also relates to entertainment value. If you walk into a Strip casino in Vegas, and you put in $100 but only get 32 minutes of entertainment, that's not the best entertainment value. Well, if you go to a local casino and you get 45 minutes of entertainment for the same amount of money, you're getting more value, and the paybacks on the local machine are probably better.'
'For the best entertainment value, guests need to look for machines with the lowest top award. Think about it - at a payback of 95 percent or better, these machines are going to have a higher frequency of hits. If you have a $1 machine that has a top award of $1,000, it is going to hit over and over and over again for $10, $20, $50 and so on. Let's say you find another machine with a $50,000 top award. The program running that machine was written in such a way that it won't give you as many small pays because it has to pay out $50,000 at the top end. It's a trade-off; machines with higher top awards will take your money faster, but you have the opportunity to win big.'
'Of course the most aggressive paybacks - the 'loosest slots' - in the casino are usually video poker; paybacks here can be up to 103 percent. If you find a poker machine that has a 7/10 payback, I'd play it. That means that when you win, you get seven coins on a flush and 10 coins on a full house. Most paybacks in California are 5/8. Every once in a while you see a 6/9. Keep in mind that these rates are only if you play max coin, and only if you play by the same rules as the computer itself.'
The ultimate goal for a slot player is finding a loose machine amidst the vast sea of machines on the casino floor. Some equate the task equal to finding 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 finding a loose slot machine but few achieve their goal. One reason for this is that the term “loose” when describing a slot machine is relative to the location and casino.
A player from Las Vegas who plays slots at a local’s casino getting 98 percent payback would not consider a slot machine in Atlantic City that is set to payback 94 percent as a loose machine. However the player from Atlantic City where the average slot return is 91 percent would consider this same machine a loose one. Older slot machines were set at a higher house percentage than new machines are.
First, we should define 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 machines in the same casino.
Fact or Myth
Over the years there has been much speculation and conjecture amongst slot players as to where the loose slot machines are located. There are many myths that have been circulating associated with the placement these loose slot machines on the casino floor. Here are a few to consider and some reasoning behind the myth.
- Loose machines are surrounded by tight machines. The 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. The reasoning behind this myth is that people will see players winning and this will entice them to come into the casino and play. The basis for this myth can probably be traced back to downtown Las Vegas where the casinos were in walking distance of each other. People walking down the street could see the players winning at the slots and walk into the casino. 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. The reasoning behind this myth is that the noise of the machines will distract the table game players. Another reason is that a table game player will be tempted to play any coins they have when they leave the table on their way to the cashier’s cage.
- Machines near the end of the row are loose. The reasoning behind this myth is that players seeing other players win will be likely to go down into the row to play the machines.
- Machines near the showroom and buffet are tight. The reasoning behind this myth is that players waiting in line for a show or for the buffet are a captive audience. They may be tempted to play a few coins to kill time while they wait. The machines are tight because they can’t leave the area to play other machines.
- Machines near the casino cage are loose. The reasoning behind this myth is that the casino wants you to see people winning while you are waiting in line. This will entice you to play more.
- Round Carousals of machines are looser that rows of machines. The reasoning behind this myth is that the carousels can bee seen from any direction in the casino. They want to put the loose machines where they winners are highly visible.
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Think Like a Casino Executive
One of the problems with the myths is that no two casinos are the same. Each casino has a VP of slots who makes the decision about the placement of the machines. Try to think like a casino executive. Where would you put the loose machines?
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Casino executives have heard all the myths concerning the placement of loose machines that the players have. If I were the manager I would not put a loose machine on the aisle. I would bury it further down the row. Think 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 amount 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 machines as a losing session on a machine with a high payback percentage. You might never play enough to be sure.
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This does not mean you should give up your quest to find loose slot machines. Playing different machines in search of a loose one will add some variety to your slot play. You might not find a loose slot but you might find a new game that you enjoy playing. The hunt for a loose slot machine can be fun and that’s what casino gambling should be.