When you read the seemingly endless stream of slot machine jackpot stories churned out by the media, it can be easy to trick yourself into thinking the old one-armed bandits can be beaten.

After all, if an anonymous player with only $40 deposited in a Megabucks machine can walk away with a $13.1 million jackpot, why can’t the next multimillionaire to beat the odds be you?

Well, it certainly could be, but making that happen is almost entirely reliant on random chance. Slots just aren’t like their skill-based casino counterparts like blackjack and video poker. You can’t play better than other gamblers or use skill and savvy to even the score versus the house.

4 Smart Tricks To Increase Your Chances Of Winning At Slot Machines Author: Advantage Gambler If you have been playing slots in a land based casino, then you are probably familiar with the common superstitions most players believe in. Space your play time with slot machine games so that you can increase your odds of winning big. For example, if you currently only play late at night, start playing first thing in the morning. Try a round of slots at lunch, and then play again when you get out of work.

You don’t get to make decisions that influence where the reels will come to rest, and lacking those essential elements of a skill game, the slots become pure games of chance.

With that said, some slot players out there definitely play worse than others. By failing to recognize the crucial connection between payback percentage rates and expected value or by believing in B.S. systems that claim to make every slot session a sure thing, millions of poor slot players combine to dump billions of dollars into the casino industry’s coffers every year.

You don’t have to be one of them, though, thanks to the six ways to become a better slot machine player listed below.

By adding these tools to your arsenal of slot strategies, you’ll always bet against the best possible odds while avoiding the sucker machines that gobble up bankrolls before less informed players even know what happened.

1 – Don’t Fall for Myths, Misconceptions, Superstition, or Straight-Up Snake-Oil

Spend enough time around the slot machine parlor, and you’ll invariably hear fellow players discussing their preferred systems and strategies.

If they’re talking about payback percentage comparisons, game selection, and bankroll management, by all means, let their wisdom wash over you. Those are thinking players who use common sense and logic — but they’re also a rare breed.

More often than not, when you hear a slot spinner start talking about the “secrets” to winning consistently, they’re referring to completely nonsensical myths and misconceptions.

Some players just refuse to believe that a gambling game can be based on chance alone, so they resort to illogical ideas like “hot” and “cold” machines, casino supervisors controlling when and where jackpots are paid, and even codes appearing on the reels that are indecipherable unless you know what to look for.

The most commonly used slot systems tend to be based on erroneous beliefs, so don’t be surprised to see regulars getting up every few minutes or so to try a new machine.

According to these superstitious players, if a slot isn’t landing on certain symbols right out of the gate, it’s a “cold” game that won’t produce a jackpot for days or months.

Other players walk the floor like scavengers, lying in wait before snagging a machine after it’s been “primed” by an unlucky tourist. These slot vultures believe that a machine is more likely to land a jackpot combination only after it has claimed a certain number of coins.

You’ll even see some players staring closely at the reel screens after every spin, searching for inscrutable patterns like “zig-zags” and “Vs” linking special symbols. For these players, the appearance of a pattern on the reel screen signals that a slot is ready to dispense its most lucrative topline payouts.

Of course, none of these “foolproof” systems for beating the slots will actually work.

Previous spins can’t affect the future, so a machine is just as likely to trigger a jackpot on weekdays as opposed to weekends or when it’s situated in high-traffic areas or off in the corner.

The probabilities have been preprogrammed into the machine’s random number generator (RNG), so there’s no amount of pattern-tracking that can help predict when jackpots will be awarded.

You wouldn’t know that from researching slot strategies online, though — not with so many snake-oil salesmen out there trying to trick hopeful gamblers into spending big bucks on utterly useless products.

You don’t want to be the sucker these hucksters count on to line their pockets, so head here to read up on game selection, payback shopping, and other slot machine strategies that really work.

2 – Only Bring Your Bankroll to the Best Slot Locations Around

By now, most players know that the corporate-owned casinos on the Strip offer the worst slot odds in Sin City.

But until you see the data spelled out clearly, it can be difficult to gauge just how awful Strip slots really are. Fortunately, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) performs annual surveys to compare win rates (for the casino) to player payouts. This data allows the NGCB to calculate average payback percentage rates for all slots in the Silver State — rates which can be broken down based on region and coin denomination.

• The Strip – 88.38%
• Downtown – 89.15%
• Boulder Strip – 90.38%
• Las Vegas – 90.88%

• The Strip – 91.64%
• Downtown – 93.40%
• Las Vegas – 95.29%
• Boulder Strip – 96.21%

• The Strip – 89.35%
• Downtown – 94.25%
• Las Vegas – 96.41%
• Boulder Strip – 96.13%

• The Strip – 92.43%
• Downtown – 94.63%
• Las Vegas – 95.39%
• Boulder Strip – 96.13%

• The Strip – 87.83%
• Las Vegas – 88.52%
• Downtown – 89.07%
• Boulder Strip – 91.35%

• The Strip – 91.96%
• Downtown – 92.67%
• Las Vegas – 93.53%
• Boulder Strip – 94.34%

As you can clearly see, warnings about the Strip are far from superstitious — they’re entirely accurate. Across the board, you’ll always face the worst odds when spinning on the Strip, so take your bankroll to Boulder City, Downtown, or North Las Vegas instead.

3 – Choose a Higher Coin Denomination to Increase Your Payback Percentage

Take a second look at the data shown above, but focus on the coin denominations rather than the region.

When you do, you’ll notice a close correlation between bigger bets and a better payback percentage for players. When you grind the penny slots, your average payback rate stands right around 90% — giving the house a huge edge of 10%.

But when you bump the stakes up only slightly to a nickel per spin, the payback rate climbs to over 94% on average. That figure inches even higher on the $1 machines, so whenever possible, ditch the penny slots for a much better play.

4 – Don’t Play Drunk, High, or Tired to Avoid Making Mistakes

This one sounds simple enough, but when the complimentary cocktails start flowing, even a normally reasonable gambler can start betting with reckless abandon.

The casinos count on that too, so don’t cooperate with their attempts to further separate slot players from their money. Staying sober and alert at the machines is the best way to prevent poor decisions, and poor decisions by players represent the casino industry’s lifeblood.

5 – Take a Visual Tour of How Slot Machines Really Work

You can’t slay a dragon without studying its tendencies first, and that holds especially true for slot enthusiasts.

Unless you know exactly how the modern video slots and RNGs really work, it can be far too easy to succumb to superstition.

That’s why I recommend using this extremely cool 3-D, 360-degree visual tour of a slot machine’s inner workings.

6 – Study a Slot Machine Glossary to Learn the Latest Lingo

If you’re still wondering about the difference between paylines and payback percentage, or progressive vs. fixed jackpots, we can help.

Consider this detailed slot machine glossary to be required reading.

Slot machines are fun, easy to learn, and wildly entertaining when the reels are cooperating. On the other hand, most slot games are designed to put players in an almost inescapable hole, with payback percentages hovering around 90% to create the ultimate longshot.

Knowing how to avoid the worst machines while bringing your money to the most player-friendly slots is half the battle, so keep these six tips in mind the next time you embark on that jackpot journey.

One final tip is for those of you how play slot machines online. Make sure that you stick to safe and trusted online casinos, as you’ll get a much better experience overall.

Players who prefer slot machines to other casino games do not gamble simply for profit, but they also want to have a good time playing. So in order to play the game for longer and benefit from your favorite slot games we recommend you to follow some slots tips that have been developed by experienced players. They will help not to lose at slot machines or online slots of different types and become a real long-term winner regardless the size of the bankroll.

Quick Slot Tips

If you are going to visit a land or online casino to get the rush and thrill of slot machines do not forget to follow some basic slot recommendations. Even if you do not use any special slot machine strategies you can still end up a winner every time you gamble. So, below we explain some do's and don'ts when you play slots.

Advanced Slot Tips

Now let's consider all the slots tips in more detail. The following advanced recommendations from the real pros are not obligatory but are considered to be the most effective methods of winning when playing online and offline.

1. Manage your bankroll.
To built up a gaming strategy, the slot player must first of all decide on the bankroll and the size of bets. The smartest tips are to stretch the betting amount, pocket all the winnings, know when to stop and never try to win money back, because you can lose even more.

2. Set up betting limits.
Choose the slot machine according to your bankroll and betting limits. Remember, slots is a gambling game, therefore make sure you treat it wisely and choose a machine according to the amount of money you can afford to wager. Otherwise you risk to reach the 'quit point' very fast.

3. Bet Max at progressive slots.
When playing at the progressive slot machines, bet the maximum amount of coins and bet on all the paylines. It will be a pity if you have the best combination but don't win the jackpot because you haven't Bet Max.

4. Look for extra slot bonuses.
Choose a machine with extra bonuses and special offers such as bonus free spins or bonus rounds. Such games are not only fun but also provide more chances of winning cash.

How To Increase Your Odds Of Winning On Slot Machines Video

5. Play only loose machines.
Not all slot machines are based on the same RNG, therefore always look for loose slot machines with the highest payback. Most casinos advertise the slots payback percentages. However, if you cannot figure out the payback statistics remember that as a rule $5 (or higher) slot machines provide the highest paybacks of up to 99%.

6. Practice slots for free.
Before playing for real money, practice a lot in order to know all the game options and learn how to win at slots. You can try our free slots or play slot games in fun mode at online casinos.

7. Check the paytable before the game.
Carefully study the slots paytable before you play to make sure that you know which combinations will win you money and to have an idea of what you are paid out for. Don't rush to play at the first machine you see but look for the slots with the highest payouts.

8. Don't believe in slots myths.
Do not believe in the widespread slots myths. Don't forget that there is no such thing as a hot or cold machine, therefore pick the one you like and enjoy the game. Remember also that there is no 100% effective system of beating slots and any strategies offered you for buying are useless.

How To Increase Your Odds Of Winning On Slot Machines Full

9. Benefit from slots comps.
Most casinos provide casino comps for slot players in the form of free lunches and dinners, hotel rooms, tickets, bonuses, etc. In such way you can save money for playing rather than spend big sums on accommodation and meals.

How To Increase Your Chances Of Slot Machines

10. Ask the professionals.
In case you have any questions about the rules, payouts, bonuses or other options, feel free to ask the casino support as they are there for you 24/7.