Odds Winning $25 Slot Machine
- Megabucks progressive slots generally have the worst win percentage because the huge jackpot outweighs the bad odds. The best win percentages came from high-roller slots. Slots that accept denominations of $5, $25, and $100 returned 94.05%, 94.97%, and 94.35%, respectively.
- Nevada Payout Return Limits. Nevada state gaming regulation #14 places a minimum legal limit on.
| Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
| Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana |
| Iowa | Kansas | Louisiana | Maine |
| Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota |
| Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York |
| North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina |
| South Dakota | Texas | Washington | West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | Wyoming |
ALABAMA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Alabama has three Indian casinos that offer Class II video gaming machines. They are not required to release payback statistics about their machines.
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the dollar slots pay back an average of 95% of receipts, 25 cent slots payout 93% on average, and 5 cent slots give back 90% to the players. The payout from slots at the downtown or other off-Strip locations is one or two percent higher than those on the Strip.
ARIZONA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
In mid-1993 Arizona’s Governor Symington signed a compact with the state’s tribes that allowed them to offer slot machines on their reservations.
The compact originally didn’t allow for any table games but in early 2003 blackjack was added as a permissible table game.
Arizona tribes aren’t required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks, however, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming, the terms of the compact require eachtribes’ machines to return the following minimum and maximum paybacks: video poker and video blackjack - 83% to 100%, slot machines - 80% to 100%, keno - 75% to 100%. Each tribe is free to setits machines to pay back anywhere within those limits.
ARKANSAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Arkansas has two pari-mutuel facilities featuring “electronic games of skill,” which are defined as “games played through any electronic device or machine that affords an opportunity for theexercise of skill or judgment where the outcome is not completely controlled by chance alone.”
The games offered are video poker, video blackjack, and “skill” slots where you have two opportunities to spin the reels. The “skill” factor comes into play because after seeing the results ofyour first spin you then have to decide whether to keep none, one, two, or all three of the symbols on each reel before you spin them again. Gaming regulations require that all of theelectronic games of skill must return a minimum of 83%.
For the one year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average gaming machine’s return at Oaklawn was 92.81% and at Southland, it was 92.72%
CALIFORNIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
California’s Indian casinos are legally allowed to offer electronic gaming machines, blackjack, and other house-banked card games. The games of craps and roulette are not permitted. However,some casinos do offer modified versions of craps and roulette that are played with cards rather than dice or roulette wheels.
Most California card rooms also offer some form of player-banked blackjack, but because they are prohibited by law from playing blackjack, the game is usually played to 22 rather than 21.Additionally, players must pay a commission to the house on every hand they play. The amount will vary depending on the rules of the house but, generally, it’s about two to five percent of thetotal amount bet. There are about 90 card rooms in California and you can see a listing of them on the Internet at http://www.cgcc.ca.gov
California’s tribes aren’t required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks and the state of California does not require any minimum returns.
COLORADO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Here’s information, as supplied by Colorado’s Division of Gaming, showing the slot machine payback percentages for each city’s casinos for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June30, 2019:
| Black Hawk | Central City | Cripple Creek | |
| 1¢ Slots | 89.80% | 90.43% | 91.89% |
| 5¢ Slots | 92.85% | 93.93% | 93.50% |
| 25¢ Slots | 92.30% | 94.06% | 95.45% |
| $1 Slots | 93.69% | 94.82% | 94.83% |
| $5 Slots | 93.69% | 93.76% | 95.03% |
| All | 92.35% | 92.30% | 93.53% |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including video poker and video keno. The best returns for eachcategory are highlighted in bold print.
CONNECTICUT SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
The following information is from Connecticut’s Division of Special Revenue regarding Foxwoods’ slot payback percentages:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ | 90.09 |
| 2¢ | 91.38 |
| 5¢ | 90.73 |
| 25¢ | 91.34 |
| 50¢ | 90.77 |
| $1.00 | 92.99 |
| $5.00 | 93.67 |
| $10.00 | 94.29 |
| $25.00 | 96.51 |
| $100.00 | 94.14 |
| Average | 91.95 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each denomination of slot machine from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
Here's information from Connecticut's Division of Special Revenue regarding Mohegan Sun's slot payback percentages:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1/4¢ | 86.30 |
| 1/2¢ | 85.91 |
| 1¢ | 88.86 |
| 2¢ | 86.65 |
| 5¢ | 92.08 |
| 25¢ | 91.01 |
| 50¢ | 91.73 |
| $1.00 | 92.94 |
| $5.00 | 94.41 |
| $10.00 | 97.41 |
| $25.00 | 95.50 |
| $100.00 | 94.55 |
| Average | 91.90 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each denomination of slot machine from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
DELAWARE SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Delaware’s three pari-mutuel facilities all feature slot machines. Technically, the machines are video lottery terminals (VLT’s) because they are operated in conjunction with the DelawareLottery. Unlike VLT’s in other states, however, Delaware’s machines payout in cash. The VLT’s also play other games including video poker, video keno, and video blackjack.
By law, all video lottery games must return between 87% and 95% of all wagers on an annual basis. Games can return above 95% but only with the Lottery Director’s approval.
According to figures from the Delaware Lottery for the twelve-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average VLT return at Dover Downs was 92.59%, at Delaware Park itwas 92.12%, and at Harrington Raceway it was 92.03%.
In mid-2018 a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized sports betting at all U.S. casinos. Delaware was one of the first states to act on the ruling and all three of the state’s casinos offersportsbooks.
In January 2010 the Delaware legislature approved the addition of table games for the state’s casinos.
FLORIDA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Florida has three forms of casino gambling: casino boats, Indian casinos and gaming machines at pari-mutuels in two south Florida counties.
The casino boats offer gamblers the opportunity to board ships that cruise offshore where casino gambling is legal. From the East Coast, the boats sail three miles out into the Atlantic Oceanand from the west coast the boats travel nine miles out into the Gulf of Mexico. Since the casino boats travel in international waters they are free from regulations and the machines can be setto pay back whatever the operator wants without regard to a minimum payback percentage.
Florida has eight Indian gaming locations. The Seminole Tribe has seven and the eighth is on the Miccosukee Tribe’s reservation.
The Seminoles signed a compact with the state that allows them to offer both Class II and traditional Class III gaming machines. As part of their compact, five Seminole casinos are also allowedto offer the following:
- blackjack
- baccarat
- mini-baccarat
- three-card poker
- let it ride
- pai gow poker
The Miccosukee Tribe has not signed a compact and they only offer Class II gaming machines at their casino.
Class II video gaming devices look like slot machines but are actually bingo games and the spinning reels are for “entertainment purposes only.” No public information is available concerningthe payback percentages on any gaming machines in Florida’s Indian casinos.
The other games allowed in all Indian casinos include
- high-stakes bingo
- video pull tabs
- poker
All of the casinos are open 24 hours (except Big Cypress) and all offer bingo except for both Seminole Hard Rock Casinos and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. The minimum gambling age is18 at all Indian casinos for bingo or poker and 21 for electronic gaming machines.
Broward County (home county of Fort Lauderdale) and Miami-Dade County both have four pari-mutuel facilities that each offer electronic gaming machines, but no table games.
Florida gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 85% on all gaming machines. From July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the gaming machines at Magic City returned 93.43%, CasinoMiami returned 92.34%, Hialeah Park returned 93.55%, Gulfstream Park returned 92.16%, Dania Casino returned 92.68%, Big Easy returned 91.50%, Calder returned 91.32%, and The Isle returned90.22%.
GEORGIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
There are two casino boats in Georgia which both sail three miles out into international waters where casino gambling is permitted.
Since the casino boats travel in international waters they are free from regulations and the machines can be set to pay back whatever the operator wants without regard to a minimum paybackpercentage.
IDAHO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Idaho has six Indian casinos that offer electronic pull-tab machines and other video games. The machines don't pay out in cash. Instead they print out a receipt which must be cashed by a floorattendant or taken to the cashier’s cage. Some casinos also offer bingo (BG) and off-track betting (OTB).
The terms of the compact between the tribes and the state do not require any minimum payback percentage that the gaming machines must return to the public.
ILLINOIS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Here’s information from the Illinois Gaming Board showing each casino’s average slot payback percentage for the one-year period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018:
| CASINO | PAYBACK % |
| Casino Queen | 92.05 |
| Harrah's Joliet | 91.98 |
| Hollywood Joliet | 91.18 |
| Argosy Alton | 90.83 |
| Par-A-Dice | 91.02 |
| Grand Victoria | 91.02 |
| Hollywood - Aurora | 90.42 |
| Jumer's | 89.94 |
| Rivers Casino | 90.35 |
| Harrah's Metropolis | 89.39 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines. As you can see, the Casino Queen returned the most to its slot machine players, whileHarrah's in Metropolis returned the least.
INDIANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Following is information from the Indiana Gaming Commission regarding average slot payout percentages for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:
| CASINO | PAYBACK % |
| Hoosier Park | 90.05 |
| French Lick | 91.55 |
| Rising Star | 91.38 |
| Indiana Grand | 90.88 |
| Blue Chip | 91.40 |
| Belterra | 90.76 |
| Majestic Star | 90.25 |
| Hollywood | 89.96 |
| Horseshoe Casino SI | 90.09 |
| Majestic Star II | 89.88 |
| Horseshoe Hammond | 90.07 |
| Ameristar | 89.92 |
| Tropicana | 89.61 |
These figures reflect the average percentage returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines including slot machines, video poker, video keno, etc.
IOWA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Here’s information, as supplied by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, showing the electronic gaming machine payback percentages for all non-Indian locations for the one-year period fromJuly 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
| LOCATION | PAYBACK % |
| Prairie Meadows | 91.67 |
| Wild Rose- Emmetsburg | 90.61 |
| Wild Rose- Clinton | 90.56 |
| Wild Rose- Jefferson | 90.52 |
| Q Casino | 90.63 |
| Diamond Jo Worth | 90.52 |
| Catfish Bend | 90.42 |
| Riverside | 90.40 |
| Diamond Jo Dubuque | 90.49 |
| Grand Falls | 90.36 |
| Casino Queen Marquette | 90.19 |
| Ameristar | 90.05 |
| Rhythm City | 90.26 |
| Hard Rock | 90.29 |
| Isle Bettendorf | 90.04 |
| Harrah's | 89.77 |
| Isle Waterloo | 89.73 |
| Horseshoe Council Bluffs | 89.66 |
| Lakeside Casino | 88.91 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each riverboat casino or pari-mutuel facility for all of its electronic machines including: slots, video poker, video keno, etc.
KANSAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
In April 2007 the Kansas legislature authorized local referendums to allow state-run casinos in four counties.
The Kansas Racing & Gaming Commission does not release information about the payback percentages on electronic gaming machines in Kansas. However, gaming regulations require that allmachines return no less than 87%.
There are also five Indian casinos in Kansas and they are not required to release information on their slot machine payback percentages. However, according to officials at the Kansas StateGaming Agency, which is responsible for overseeing the tribal-state compacts, 'the minimum payback percentage for electronic gaming devices is 80%.'
LOUISIANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Gaming regulations require that gaming machines in casinos be programmed to pay back no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%. For video gaming machines at locations other than casinos, the lawrequires a minimum return of 80% and a maximum return of 94%.
Louisiana gaming statistics are not broken down by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by region: Baton Rouge (BR), Lake Charles (LC), New Orleans (NO) and Shreveport/BossierCity (SB).
The Baton Rouge casinos consist of the Belle of Baton Rouge, Hollywood Casino, L'Auberge and Evangeline Downs. The Lake Charles casinos include Isle of Capri, L’Auberge du Lac and Delta Downs.New Orleans area casinos are Amelia Belle, Boomtown, Harrah’s (landbased), Treasure Chest and Fairgrounds Raceway. The Shreveport/Bossier city casinos include Boomtown, Diamond Jack’s, Sam’sTown, Eldorado, Horseshoe, and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.
Here’s information, as supplied by the Louisiana State Police-Riverboat Gaming Section, showing the average electronic machine payback percentages for each area’s casinos for the 12-monthperiod from June 1, 2018, through May 30, 2019:
| BR | LC | NO | SB | |
| 1¢ | 88.70% | 88.57% | 88.96% | 89.01% |
| 5¢ | 91.69% | 94.31% | 93.31% | 93.12% |
| 25¢ | 92.30% | 93.08% | 92.43% | 90.73% |
| $1 | 93.56% | 92.33% | 92.72% | 93.03% |
| $5 | 94.49% | 92.99% | 92.93% | 92.70% |
| All | 90.50% | 90.63% | 90.23% | 90.43% |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including video poker and video keno. The best returns for eachcategory are highlighted in bold print and you can see that the Baton Rouge area casinos offered the best returns in most categories.
MAINE SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Maine has two racetrack casinos (racinos) that offer electronic gaming machines, as well as live table games.
State gaming regulations require a minimum return of 89% on all machines and during the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average return on gaming machines atHollywood Casino was 90.15% and at Oxford Casino, it was 90.01%.
MARYLAND SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Maryland has five casinos that are allowed to offer electronic gaming machines, as well as live table games. However, Ocean Downs has no table games.
No public information is available about the actual payback percentages on gaming machines in Maryland. However, gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 87% on any one machine and allmachines within a casino must have an average payback of 90% to 95%.
MASSACHUSETTS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill in late 2011 that legalized casinos. The law allows three casinos, in three different geographic regions, plus one slot parlor.
The slot parlor, Plainridge Park Casino, a harness racing track located about 40 miles southwest of Boston, opened June 24, 2015.
The first resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) was awarded to MGM Resorts and their $1.3 billion casino, MGM Springfield, opened August 24, 2018.
The second license for Region A (Eastern Massachusetts) was awarded to Wynn Resorts and their $2 billion, Encore Everett, is expected to open in mid-2019. The final license for Region C(Southeastern Massachusetts) had not yet been awarded as of late 2018.
Additionally, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is planning to build a destination resort casino near Taunton. That facility, First Light Casino, was expected to open by late 2019. However, theproject has been hampered by lawsuits that might stop it from being completed.
Massachusetts gaming regulations require a minimum payback of 80% on all gaming machines. From July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the gaming machines at Plainridge Park returned 92.03%,91.39% at MGM Springfield* and 91.49% at Encore.**
* Stats for MGM Springfield began August 23, 2018, when it opened
** Stats for Encore are June 23- July 31, 2019.
MICHIGAN SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
There are 17 Indian casinos in Michigan and the tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine payback percentages. However, according to officials at the Michigan GamingControl Board, which is responsible for overseeing the tribal-state compacts, 'the machines must meet the minimum standards for machines in Nevada or New Jersey.' In Nevada, the minimum returnis 75% and in New Jersey, it's 83%. Therefore, Michigan's Indian casinos must return at least 75% in order to comply with the law.
There are also three privately owned casinos in Detroit, but their slot payback information is not made available to the public.
MINNESOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
All Minnesota casinos are located on Indian reservations and under a compact reached with the state the only table games permitted are card games such as blackjack and poker. Additionally, theonly kind of slot machines allowed are electronic video slot machines. Therefore, you will not find any mechanical slots that have traditional reels - only video screens
According to the terms of the compact between the state and the tribes, however, the minimum and maximum payouts are regulated as follows: video poker and video blackjack - 83% to 98%, slotmachines - 80% to 95%, keno - 75% to 95%. Each tribe is free to set its machines to pay back anywhere within those limits and the tribes do not release any information regarding their slotmachine percentage paybacks.
MISSISSIPPI SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
The Mississippi Gaming Commission does not break down its slot statistics by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by region.
The Coastal region includes Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay Saint Louis.
The North region includes Tunica, Greenville, and Lula.
The Central region includes Vicksburg and Natchez.
With that in mind here’s information, as supplied by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, showing the machine payback percentages for each area’s casinos for the one-year period from July 1,2018, through June 30, 2019:
| Coastal | North | Central | |
| 1¢ Slots | 91.99% | 91.95% | 91.73% |
| 5¢ Slots | 94.78% | 94.96% | 95.73% |
| 25¢ Slots | 93.91% | 92.41% | 93.78% |
| $1 Slots | 93.28% | 93.51% | 94.10% |
| $5 Slots | 93.78% | 95.16% | 95.52% |
| All | 92.18% | 91.87% | 92.32% |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including video poker and video keno. The best returns for eachcategory are highlighted in bold print and you can see that all of the gaming areas offer rather similar returns on their machines.
MISSOURI SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Here's information from the Missouri Gaming Commission regarding the payback percentages for each casino's electronic machines for the 12-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:
| CASINO | PAYBACK % |
| Ameristar- St. Charles | 91.0 |
| River City | 90.6 |
| Hollywood | 90.6 |
| Ameristar- K.C. | 90.4 |
| Harrah’s - N.K.C | 90.1 |
| Lumiere Place | 90.0 |
| Isle of Capri - Booneville | 90.1 |
| Argosy | 89.9 |
| Isle of Capri - Cape Girardeau | 89.7 |
| Lady Luck | 89.3 |
| Isle of Capri - K.C. | 88.9 |
| St. Jo Frontier | 88.9 |
| Mark Twain | 88.7 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines including slot machines, video poker, video keno, etc.
MONTANA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Montana law permits bars and taverns to have up to 20 video gaming devices that play video poker, video keno, or video bingo. These machines are operated in partnership with the state and arenot permitted to pay out in cash; instead, they print out a receipt which must be taken to a cashier. The maximum bet on these machines is $2 and the maximum payout is limited to $800. Montanagaming regulations require these machines to return a minimum of 80%.
There are seven Indian casinos offering video gaming machines that also print out a receipt. The maximum bet on these machines is $5 and the maximum payout is capped at $1,500. According toMontana's Gambling Control Division, there are no minimum payback percentages required for gaming machines on Indian reservations.
NEBRASKA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
No public information is available concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines in Nebraska.
NEVADA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
NEVADA - Lake Tahoe
Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the south shore casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2017 and ending June 30, 2018:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 88.94 |
| 25¢ Slots | 91.24 |
| $1 Slots | 92.55 |
| All Slots | 93.33 |
And here's that same information for the north shore casinos:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 92.81 |
| 25¢ Slots | 91.40 |
| $1 Slots | 91.52 |
| All Slots | 94.29 |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned to the players on each denomination of machine. All electronic machines including slots, video poker and video keno are included in thesenumbers.
NEVADA - Las Vegas
Unlike New Jersey, the Nevada Gaming Control Board does not break down its slot statistics by individual properties. Rather, they are classified by area.
The annual gaming revenue report breaks the Las Vegas market down into two major tourist areas: the Strip and downtown. There is also a very large locals market in Las Vegas and those casinosare shown in the gaming revenue report as the Boulder Strip and North Las Vegas areas.
When choosing where to do your slot gambling, you may want to keep in mind the following slot payback percentages for Nevada's fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, and ending June 30, 2019:
1¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 88.33%
Downtown - 88.96%
Boulder Strip - 90.53%
N. Las Vegas - 90.79%
5¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 91.96%
Downtown - 93.32%
Boulder Strip - 96.30%
N. Las Vegas - 95.24%
25¢ Slot Machines
The Strip - 89.34%
Downtown - 93.91%
Boulder Strip - 95.77%
N. Las Vegas - 96.27%
$1 Slot Machines
The Strip - 92.34%
Downtown - 94.12%
Boulder Strip - 95.49%
N. Las Vegas - 95.62%
$1 Megabucks Machines
The Strip - 87.31%
Downtown - 86.40%
Boulder Strip - 87.61%
N. Las Vegas - 86.98%
All Slot Machines
The Strip - 91.84%
Downtown - 92.22%
Boulder Strip - 94.26%
N. Las Vegas - 93.34%
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned to the players on each denomination of machine. All electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno are included in thesenumbers and the highest-paying returns are shown in bold print. As you can see, the machines in downtown Las Vegas pay out slightly more than those located on the Las Vegas Strip.
Returns even better than the downtown casinos can be found at some of the other local casinos along Boulder Highway, such as Boulder Station and Sam's Town and also in the North Las Vegasarea which would include the Fiesta, Santa Fe and Texas Station casinos. Not only are those numbers among the best returns in the Las Vegas area, but they are also among the best paybackpercentages for anywhere in the United States.
NEVADA - Laughlin
Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of Laughlin’s casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018, and ending June 30, 2019:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 89.11 |
| 5¢ Slots | 92.59 |
| 25¢ Slots | 93.44 |
| $1 Slots | 94.92 |
| $1 Megabucks | 88.27 |
| $5 Slots | 94.33 |
| All Slots | 92.15 |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned to the players on each denomination of machine. All electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno are included in thesenumbers.
NEVADA - Reno
Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Reno area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017and ending June 30, 2018:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 92.69 |
| 5¢ Slots | 95.10 |
| 25¢ Slots | 92.16 |
| $1 Slots | 95.38 |
| $1 Megabucks | 87.40 |
| $5 Slots | 95.06 |
| All Slots | 94.56 |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno.
NEVADA - Sparks
Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Sparks area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018, and ending June 30, 2019:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 92.98 |
| 5¢ Slots | 97.19 |
| 25¢ Slots | 95.43 |
| $1 Slots | 96.17 |
| $5 Slots | 97.32 |
| All Slots | 94.55 |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker, and video keno.
NEVADA - Wendover
Here’s information, as supplied by Nevada’s State Gaming Control Board, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the Wendover area casinos for the fiscal year beginning July 1,2018 and ending June 30, 2019:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 93.41 |
| 5¢ Slots | 96.80 |
| 25¢ Slots | 93.34 |
| $1 Slots | 95.86 |
| $5 Slots | 96.39 |
| All Slot | 94.32 |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including slots, video poker and video keno.
NEW JERSEY SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Following is information from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission regarding average slot payout percentages for the 12-month period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:
| CASINO | PAYBACK |
| Harrah’s | 91.79 |
| Borgata | 91.66 |
| Hard Rock | 91.41 |
| Caesars | 91.03 |
| Bally's A.C. | 90.76 |
| Golden Nugget | 90.57 |
| Resorts | 90.78 |
| Tropicana | 90.35 |
| Ocean Resort | 90.49 |
These figures reflect the total percentages returned by each casino for all of their electronic machines which includes slot machines, video poker, etc.
NEW MEXICO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
New Mexico's Indian casinos offer an assortment of table games and electronic gaming machines. Additionally, slot machines are allowed at the state's racetracks as well as at about 40 variousfraternal and veterans clubs.
New Mexico gaming regulations require that electronic machines at racetracks and fraternal/veterans organizations return a minimum of 80%.
New Mexico's Indian tribes do not make their slot machine payback percentages a matter of public record but the terms of the compact between the state and the tribes require all electronicgaming machines to also return a minimum of 80%.
NEW YORK SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
There are several Indian casinos located in upstate New York which offer traditional Class III casino gambling.
The terms of the compact between the tribes and the state allow table games and slot machines, including video keno and video poker. These machines do not pay out in cash. Instead, they printout a receipt which must be exchanged for cash.
There are also some Indian casinos that offer Class II gambling which consist of electronic gaming machines which look like slot machines, but are actually games of bingo and the spinning videoreels are for 'entertainment purposes only.' No public information is available concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines at Indian casinos.
Here’s information, as supplied by the New York Gaming Commission, showing the slot machine payback percentages for all of the casinos for the fiscal year from April 1, 2018, through March31, 2019:
| LOCATION | PAYBACK % |
| Tioga Downs | 91.62 |
| Resort's World Catskills | 91.40 |
| Del Lago | 90.94 |
| Rivers | 90.50 |
In October 2001, legislation was passed to allow for the introduction of slot machine-type video lottery machines at New York racetracks. Officially referred to as Video Gaming Machines(VGM’s), they are regulated by the New York State Lottery Division.
All VGM's offer standard slot machine-type games, plus keno in denominations from five cents to $10. The machines all accept cash but do not pay out in cash. They print a receipt which must betaken to a cashier.
The legislation authorizing the VGM’s states, “the specifications for video lottery gaming shall be designed in such a manner as to pay prizes that average no less than ninety percent ofsales.”
Here's information, as supplied by the New York Lottery, showing the video gaming machine payback percentages for each of the state's racetracks for the fiscal year from April 1,2018, through March 31, 2019:
| LOCATION | PAYBACK % |
| Resorts World | 94.16 |
| Jake's 58 | 93.73 |
| Empire City | 93.06 |
| Monticello | 92.40 |
| Saratoga | 92.35 |
| Finger Lakes | 92.12 |
| Batavia Downs | 91.66 |
| Fairgrounds | 91.66 |
| Vernon Downs | 91.74 |
NORTH CAROLINA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
North Carolina has two Indian casinos and both are affiliated with the state's Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians which signed a compact with the state. According to the terms of thecompact, the video gaming machines are required to return a minimum of 83% and a maximum of 98%.
NORTH DAKOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
North Dakota has more than 800 sites throughout the state that offer blackjack, with betting limits of $1-$25, for the benefit of charities.
There are also six Indian casinos which are limited by law to the following maximum bet limits: blackjack-$100 (two tables in a casino may have limits up to $250), craps-$60, roulette-$50,slots/video poker-$25 and poker-$50 per bet, per round with a maximum of three rounds.
The terms of the state's compact with the tribes require gaming machines to return a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 100%. However, if a machine is affected by skill, such as video poker orvideo blackjack, the machines must return a minimum of 83%.
OHIO SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Ohio voters passed a statewide referendum in November 2009 to allow one casino to open in each of four major cities: Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo. There are also seven racetracksthat offer video lottery terminals.
Here’s information from the Ohio Casino Control Commission regarding the payback percentages for each racino and casino’s electronic machines for the twelve-month period from July 1,2018, through June 30, 2019:
| CASINO | PAYBACK % |
| JACK Cleveland | |
| Hollywood Columbus | 92.09 |
| JACK Cincinnati | |
| Miami Valley | 90.73 |
| Belterra Park | |
| MGM Northfield | 91.09 |
| Eldorado Gaming | |
| Hollywood Toledo | 90.73 |
| JACK Thistledown | |
| Hollywood Dayton | 90.27 |
| Mahoning Valley |
OKLAHOMA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
All Oklahoma Indian casinos are allowed to offer both Class II and Class III gaming machines.
Most casinos offer only Class II machines which look like slot machines, but are actually games of bingo and the spinning video reels are for 'entertainment purposes only.' Some casinos alsooffer traditional Class III slots.
In either case, the gaming machines are not allowed to accept or payout in coins. All payouts must be done by a printed receipt or via an electronic debit card. No public information isavailable concerning the payback percentages on gaming machines in Oklahoma.
OREGON SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Oregon law permits bars and taverns to have up to six video lottery terminals that offer various versions of video poker. Racetracks are allowed to have no more than 10 machines. The maximumbet allowed is $2.50 and the maximum single payout on any machine is capped at $600.
These machines are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminals because they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of eachmachine’s revenue. The machines accept cash but do not pay out in cash; instead, they print out a receipt which must be taken to a cashier.
According to figures from the Oregon Lottery, during its fiscal year from June 28, 2018, through June 25, 2019, the VLT’s had an approximate return of 92.34%.
There are nine Indian casinos in operation in Oregon. According to the governor’s office which regulates the Tribe’s compacts, 'there is no minimum payback percentage required on the Tribe’smachines. Each Tribe is free to set their own limits on their machines.'
PENNSYLVANIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Pennsylvania gaming regulations require that gaming machines return a minimum of 85%.
The following is information from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board regarding average slot payout percentages for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019:
| CASINO | PAYBACK % |
| Parx Casino | 90.70 |
| Valley Forge | 90.68 |
| The Meadows | 90.14 |
| Mount Airy | 90.31 |
| Sugar House | 90.03 |
| Wind Creek Bethlehem | 90.09 |
| Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs | 89.90 |
| Harrah's Philadelphia | 89.82 |
| The Rivers | 89.87 |
| Lady Luck Nemacolin | 89.34 |
| Hollywood Casino at Penn National | 89.38 |
| Presque Isle | 89.31 |
RHODE ISLAND SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Rhode Island has two pari-mutuel facilities which both feature video lottery terminals (VLT’s). These machines are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminalsbecause they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of each machine’s revenue. The machines accept cash but don’t pay out in cash; instead, they print out areceipt which must be taken to a cashier.
All VLT’s are programmed to play at least six different games: blackjack, keno, slots and three versions of poker (jacks or better, joker poker and deuces wild).
According to figures from the Rhode Island Lottery for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average VLT return at Twin River was 92.10% and at Tiverton, it was91.63%.
SOUTH CAROLINA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
South Carolina has two gambling cruise ships which sail three miles out into international waters where casino gambling is permitted. Since the casino boats travel in international waters theyare free from regulations and the machines can be set to pay back whatever the operators want without regard to a minimum payback percentage.
SOUTH DAKOTA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Here are statistics from the South Dakota Commission on Gaming for the payback percentages on all of Deadwood’s slot machines for the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30,2019:
| Denomination | Payback % |
| 1¢ Slots | 90.73 |
| 5¢ Slots | 93.56 |
| 25¢ Slots | 91.18 |
| $1 Slots | 92.58 |
| $5 Slots | 92.51 |
| Average | 91.05 |
In addition to the Deadwood casinos, there are also nine Indian casinos in South Dakota. No information is available on the payback percentages of the video gaming machines.
TEXAS SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Winning Slot Videos
Texas has one Indian casino which offers gaming machines based on bingo. It also offers pull tab machines, bingo, poker and a player-banked blackjack game where each player must pay acommission to the house for each bet that is made. The commission is 50¢ for $3-$50 bets and $1 for bets over $50. The minimum gambling age is 21 and the casino is open 24 hours daily.
Class II video gaming devices look like slot machines, but are actually bingo games and the spinning reels are for “entertainment purposes only.” No public information is available concerningthe payback percentages on any gaming machines in Texas’ Indian casino.
WASHINGTON SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
There are 28 Indian casinos operating in Washington and they all have compacts with the state allowing them to offer table games, as well as electronic ‘scratch’ ticket games which use a finitenumber of tickets with a predetermined number of winners and losers.
All of the state’s Tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks. However, according to the terms of the compact between the Tribes and the state, theminimum prize payout for electronic ‘scratch’ ticket games is 75%.
WEST VIRGINIA SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
West Virginia has four pari-mutuel facilities and one resort hotel that feature video lottery terminals. The VLT’s are the same as regular video gaming devices but are called lottery terminalsbecause they are regulated by the state’s lottery commission which receives a share of each machine’s revenue.
West Virginia law requires that VLT’s return a minimum of 80% to a maximum of 95%. VLT games include slots, blackjack, keno and numerous versions of poker. The minimum gambling age is 21.
For the one-year period from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, the average return on VLT’s was: 88.97% at Mountaineer Park, 90.81% at Mardi Gras, 89.46% at Wheeling Island, 89.53%at Charles Town Races.
WISCONSIN SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
All Wisconsin casinos are located on Indian reservations and the Indian tribes are not required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks. However, according to the termsof the compact between the state and the tribes 'for games not affected by player skill, such as slot machines, the machine is required to return a minimum of 80% and a maximum of 100% of theamount wagered.'
WYOMING SLOT MACHINE PAYBACK STATISTICS
Wyoming has Indian casinos that offer Class II bingo-type gaming machines, plus traditional Class III slot machines.
The machines don't pay out in cash. Instead they print out a receipt which must be cashed by a floor attendant or taken to the cashier's cage. You can also make bets via a cashless systemwhereby you get a 'smart' card and deposit money to that card's account. The machines will then deducts losses from, or credit wins to, your account.
No public information is available regarding the payback percentages on Wyoming's gaming machines.
Try an online casino for FREE. We have over 15 No Deposit Bonus Codes. No credit card needed, just sign up and startplaying!
Introduction to Las Vegas Visit
In June of 2019, 3.6 million people visited Las Vegas. Perhaps you were one of them? Or maybe you’ve yet to have your first Las Vegas visit. Whether you’re a frequent traveler to Las Vegas or a newbie, you want to be better prepared at playing slots in Las Vegas
Good for you! Preparation is key. A little can go a long way, especially when it comes to your hard-won cash. In this post, I’ll start with seven secrets to winning on slots during your Las Vegas visit.
This article has the following sections:
- Introduction to Las Vegas Visit
- Nevada Payout Return Limits
- Know Your Nevada Gaming Stats
- Check the Most Recent Payout Return Statistics
- The Many Wonderful Las Vegas Gambling Podcasts
- Downtown Versus the Strip
- When to Visit and When Not to Visit
- Candidate Winning Slot Machines in Las Vegas
- Summary of Las Vegas Visit
Keep Reading … or Watch Instead!
Or … Listen Instead!
This audio contains commentary not found anywhere else!
Find my podcast wherever you listen to audio!
1. Nevada Payout Return Limits
Nevada state gaming regulation #14 places a minimum legal limit on payout returns for slot machines. This minimum payout limit is 75%. Further, this lower limit applies per wager.
“All gaming devices must: Theoretically pay out a mathematically demonstrable percentage of all amounts wagered, which must not be less than 75 percent for each wager available for play on the device.”
Regulation 14.040: Minimum standards for gaming devicesWhat does this 75% minimum mean? Does it mean the player gets back 75 cents if they make a $1 bet on a slot machine? No, it doesn’t.
What it means is that the statistical average is at least a 75% return over many, many bets. The additional use of the words “per wager” in Regulation 14 means the slot machine must never be set less than an average 75% return.
For example, an unscrupulous casino operator might set a slot machine to have a 70% return for some time, then later set the payout return to 80% for an equal number of bets. Such a setup would also result in an average 75% return over both periods combined, but wouldn’t meet Nevada’s legal requirement
Another close examination of the regulation shows something missing, which is well worth noting. What’s missing? There’s no mention of a maximum legal limit, which some states have put in place
Without an upper legal limit on payout returns, casino operators in Nevada can offer the occasional slot machine which, on average, wins. Of course, casinos would lose money on slot machines set up this way. But, there are still good business reasons to do so.
I go over these reasons in How to Win at Slots in Older Casinos Built Before 2012. Suffice to say now, Nevada gaming regulations make doing so legal. Two questions naturally follow:
- Do Las Vegas casinos set up the occasional slot machine to be winners?
- How can a slots player find these winning slot machines?
The answer to the first question is yes. Casinos often decide to set up an occasional slot machine to win for promotional purposes. It’s a silent casino promotion because casinos choose to do this on slot machines situated to be easily visible to passersby.
It’s also worth noting that, like any business activity, it’s on a careful budget. Casinos can’t afford to do this often because, like everyone else, they are on a budget. But they do it. I know because I’ve found them before.
Later in this post, I’ll share some recent experiences from my fan base regarding candidate winning slot machines in Las Vegas for your consideration. But knowing they exist, and why they exist, is a necessary first step to finding them.
2. Know Your Nevada Gaming Stats
The Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission regulate the gaming industry in Las Vegas. This state gaming commission’s website is both thorough and comprehensive. The site offers several useful resources, but let’s consider the other side of payout returns: Actual payout statistics.
Legal limits and reported statistics are like the difference between a plan of attack and an actual battle. Remember the adage, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” Or, in more normal circumstances, having a budget isn’t the same as paying bills.
In terms of slots gameplay, we know that Nevada gaming regulations have set a minimum payout return limit of 75% per wager on their gaming machines. That’s the law. But what happened? How did it work out in the real world?
Some states, including Nevada, do more than define a theoretical payout return limit. Nevada provides comprehensive payout return statistics. Each year, I review these actual statistics in Nevada Slot Machine Casino Gambling.
Rather than repeat myself fully, I’ll point you toward the Payout Returns in Nevada section of the Nevada post just mentioned. For now, I’ll say Nevada provides actual payout return statistics by:
- State region, including Downtown Las Vegas versus the Strip
- Slot machine denomination, including most common amounts but also multi-denomination, Megabucks, and other
- Duration, including the current month, last 3 months, and last 12 months
- Casino revenue range, including all casinos, over $1B, $1B to $12B, etc.
While past statistics never predict future behavior, a truism from the study of statistics, we can look at the available actuals to see if we can spot business trends.
Maybe, just perhaps, we can find a slot machine denomination with the best odds of winning last week. And perhaps they still have high odds this week.
Why? Because, in general, casinos are businesses as described and slots aren’t table card games. The odds of winning at table card games can’t change unless someone cheats or the game rules change.
Slot machines are electronic devices. Yes, they have random number generators – but RNGs are adjustable as a tool by the casino operator trying to control their financial performance metrics finely.
3. Check the Most Recent Payout Return Statistics
Before your next trip to Las Vegas to play slot machines, visit the Nevada Gaming Commission’s website. Under Statistics & Publications, you’ll find an entry for Gaming Revenue Report with PDF files available for download.
At the time of this writing, the most recently available monthly gaming revenue report from Nevada is for June 2019. These reports include the gaming statistics for slot machines, table games, and sports betting. Further, the left-most columns are for the most recent month with the remaining columns for a combined three months and twelve months.
Page 1 is a state-wide summary. Since we are discussing a Las Vegas visit, we need to find two specific state regions in the report: Downtown Las Vegas and Las Vegas Strip. Both are situated in Clark County.
The gaming revenue statistics for downtown Las Vegas begins on page 8:
- Page 8: All downtown Las Vegas casinos combined
- Page 9: Downtown Las Vegas casinos with over $1 million in gaming revenue
- Page 10: Downtown Las Vegas casinos with $1 million to $12 million in gaming revenue (none currently exist)
- Page 11: Downtown Las Vegas casinos with over $12 million in gaming revenue
The gaming revenue statistics for the Las Vegas Strip are on pages 12 through 17:
- Page 12: All Las Vegas Strip Area casinos
- Page 13: Las Vegas Strip casinos with over $1 million in gaming revenue
- Page 14: Las Vegas Strip casinos with $1 million to $12 million in gaming revenue (none currently exist)
- Page 15: Las Vegas Strip casinos with $12 million to $36 million in gaming revenue
- Page 16: Las Vegas Strip casinos with $36 million to $72 million in gaming revenue
- Page 17: Las Vegas Strip casinos with over $72 million in gaming revenue
Since the format is common on all these pages, let’s review how to read and understand one of them: Page 8 – All Downtown Las Vegas Area casinos combined. The current month columns are:
- Number of Locations
- Number of Units
- Win Amount in 1000s of dollars
- Percent Change from the last month
- Win Percent
Note that Nevada reports the Win Percent for the casino, not the player. In most other states, this percentage is the casino hold percentage or Hold%. Subtracting it from 100% provides the percentage of winnings retained by the player. Further, negative numbers are in parenthesis.
The lowest casino Win Percent, i.e., highest player return, in June 2019 was the $25 denomination slot machine with a negative 7.57 Win%. There were nine of these slot machines at three locations with an overall monthly player return of 107.57%
Why so high? Quite likely, someone won big on one of these $25 denomination slot machines. That big jackpot pushed up the overall monthly average on all nine machines with this denomination in the downtown area.
Looking on the same line under the 3-month entry, it was 100% minus 4.77% equals 95.23%. The 12-month average was even smaller, at 92.44%. This abrupt change indicates playing $25 denomination in downtown Las Vegas is not the advantage it might otherwise appear.
Otherwise, slot machine denominations with the highest-to-lowest player returns for June 2019 in all casinos in the downtown Las Vegas area were:
- Multi-denomination: 100% minus 5.44% equals 94.56% return to the player
- 25-cent quarter slots: 100% minus 5.49% equals 94.51% return to the player
- 1-dollar slots: 100% minus 5.59% equals 94.41% return to the player
- 5-cent nickel slots: 100% minus 5.75% equals 94.25% return to the player
- 5-dollar slots: 100% minus 7.49% equals 92.51% return to the player
- 1-cent penny slots: 100% minus 11.03% equals 88.97% return to the player
- Megabucks: 100% minus 14.02% equals 85.98% return to the player
I understand that this is a lot of statistics. But consider what we learned even with this simple research of statistics from downtown Las Vegas casinos for June 2019:
- The worst payout returns are on Megabucks
- The second-lowest payout return is from penny slots
- The third-lowest payout return is from $5 and $25 slot machines
- The best returns, all very similar, are nickel slots, dollar slots, quarter slots, and multi-denominational slot machines
A further detailed analysis would be to perform the same straightforward payout return study on downtown Las Vegas casinos separated into three ranges of gaming revenue.
I’ll save this further analysis for another time. We’d need to run down the monthly gaming revenue for each casino, likely from their casino operator’s financial reports filed with the Security Exchange Commission.
4. The Many Wonderful Las Vegas Gambling Podcasts
So far, I’ve talked about gaming regulations and gaming revenue reports available from the state of Nevada. These topics were based on official information from the government. But, that’s not everything we have. There are also people like you
More specifically, there are people like you that have enjoyed Las Vegas so much that they started a podcast about it. There are more than a few such Las Vegas gambling podcasts. In preparation for your next Las Vegas visit, start listening to them to learn a lot of tips and tricks from these Las Vegas experts
Each show is more-or-less available anywhere you find podcasts. Some shows are former or current radio shows which distribute as a podcast so, again, look for them wherever you find podcasts.
If you’ve never listened to a podcast before, you might wonder how to start doing so. Here’s how. There
Those linked images go to my podcast show at those sites. After subscribing to my show, of course, use their search tool to find any of the following podcast show names:
- Five Hundy by Midnight
- Vegas Never Sleeps
- 360 Vegas
- You Can Bet on That
- Gambling with an Edge
- Vegas Confessions Podcast
- Vital Vegas
The longest-running Las Vegas gambling podcast is Five Hundy by Midnight: The Original Las Vegas Podcast. They’ve been at it since January of 2005 providing weekly episodes since then. At the time of this writing, they are up to episode #702. The hosts are relatively focused on Las Vegas news stories.
Vegas Never Sleeps by Steven Maggi is a former radio show now distributed as a podcast. He’s been broadcasting since 2008. His show is mostly thoughtful interviews with various Las Vegas entertainers and others. I was one of those other interviewees in March of 2018.
360 Vegas is a popular podcast about all things Las Vegas. They also host an annual meetup called 360 Vegas Vacation. The 2019 event, Twitter hashtag #360VV9, is on September 1-3, 2019. At the time of this writing, it’s still about a month away.
Gambling Podcast: You Can Bet on That, a podcast for the recreational gambler, is hosted by Mark and Dr. Mike. They have great chemistry and produce a fun and friendly show. While they are physically located in San Diego, they are so near Las Vegas and visit so often that they often talk about it.
Gambling with an Edge is a weekly live radio show in Las Vegas found afterward as podcast episodes. It’s hosted by Bob Dancer and Richard Munchkin of video poker fame. They interview professional gamblers, authors, and casinos insiders.
Vegas Confessions Podcast is all about the casino and gambling lifestyle. The three hosts are often in Las Vegas. They cover Las Vegas topics as well as gambling superstitions, casino games, food reviews, trip reports, and more.
Last but certainly not least is Vital Vegas by Scott Roeben. His blog, twitter feed, and podcast are incredible. He loves Las Vegas. Here you’ll find essential Las Vegas news, tips, deals, and (as he says) WTF. In my opinion, out of all the Las Vegas podcasts I mention here, pick Vital Vegas. You won’t regret it.
None of these podcasts have paid me to promote them in this blog. I like to listen to them and thought you might find them useful in preparing for your Las Vegas visit
I should further note that this is not a comprehensive list of Las Vegas podcasts. For instance, I haven’t yet listened to the Faces and Aces Las Vegas podcast. Again, the podcasts listed are merely those I have discovered and enjoyed over time.
5. Downtown Versus the Strip
Las Vegas is famous for the Strip with its world-famous mega-resorts, shops, five-star dining options, and entertainment venues. But there is also the smaller and lesser-known historic downtown Las Vegas with its venerable casinos, museums, and zip line.
Comparing the Strip to Downtown is like comparing apples and oranges. Each location is a unique experience with different options. At a high level, I could perhaps best describe Downtown as where many locals go while the Strip is where out-of-towners tend to be
How do I know this? Because of reported gaming revenue for the two areas. For 2018, the Las Vegas Strip had $6.6 billion in annual gaming revenue. Also for 2018, Downtown Las Vegas had less than 10% of that annual gaming revenue or $650 million
The Strip has big casinos, big acts, and big everything else. Again, it’s world-famous and hardly a secret. Downtown Las Vegas is known as Old Vegas or merely Fremont Street. For many visitors, Old Vegas is the secret worth sharing.
Old Vegas is more than one secret. It is perhaps as many as 15 secrets, all by itself. In advance of your Las Vegas visit, consider reviewing this post from The Crazy Tourist, 15 Best Things to Do in Downtown Las Vegas.
If you are staying on or slightly off the Las Vegas Strip but want to visit downtown Las Vegas or vice versa, how do you get there? How far apart are they?
Downtown and the Strip are about two to five miles apart. With light traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to drive from mid-Strip to the Fremont Street Experience. This time applies to
Otherwise, there’s taking the bus, walking, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, and taking a taxi. It’s a two-mile walk from the Stratosphere on the north end of the Strip.
6. When to Visit and When Not to Visit
Whether you visit the Las Vegas Strip, downtown Las Vegas, or both, winning at slots in Las Vegas means considering when to visit. This question has to do with the number of visitors in Las Vegas at any given time.
In 2018, over 42 million people visited Las Vegas. In June of 2019, 3.9 million people visited according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. Only 514,000 visitors, about 13% of the monthly visitors, were visiting in June to attend a conference.
Per month, most visitors are in March at less than 3.8 million while the least visitors were in February at 3.2 million individuals. Conference attendance is meager during December
What I’m trying to do here by digging into these statistics isn’t to examine the number of visitors in a month or a year in the city of Las Vegas. What I’m trying to dig into relates to experiences my fanbase has been having when visiting Las Vegas
What happens to them? Whether they are on the Strip or Downtown, they have been reporting that they win at slots on weekdays and lose playing slots on weekends.
Why? I can explain why, and touched on why above, but it hardly matters. This pattern exists, whatever its cause. And I want that you should know about it when planning your Las Vegas visit
I touched on why this is above, about casinos being a business with fine control over their payout return statistics for slots. This control is now daily due to technological advances in casino operating systems. At most modern casinos, central computers control slot machine odds of winning
As I have mentioned elsewhere, casino operators have been seeing an unprecedented number of casino visitors. To manage such large groups, casino operators needed to automate their casinos. Doing so allowed them to reduce their workforce while also providing them the ability to achieve their daily financial performance metrics
Both changes resulted in significantly reduced operating costs. However, automation means casinos can quickly adjust the odds of winning on all their slot machines. When would they need to do this
It’s a business decision. Casino operators universally decrease the odds of winning on slots machines during the weekends when hotels have higher occupancy. To keep some balance, they’ll also increase the odds of winning on slots during weekdays.
Nevada gaming regulations require a monthly revenue report from each casino. That’s a monthly report. Even if it was a weekly report, this difference in weekday and weekend payout returns is unnoticeable.
Both a weekly and monthly report shows the payout return average over their respective periods. Only a daily report would show the casino’s behavior of changing slot machine odds within a week.
But the Nevada gaming regulations don’t show daily gaming revenue reports. No state does. So, casino operators can do this without breaking any laws
Based on experiences shared by my audience, there are lower odds of winning on slot machines starting by 10 a.m. on Friday through around sunrise on Monday morning. Further, the same reduction occurs on significant holidays or whenever Las Vegas has more extensive than usual crowds of visitors
7. Candidate Winning Slot Machines in Las Vegas
Scott Roeben first mentioned the best slot machine I know about in Las Vegas. He runs the Vital Vegas blog, Twitter feed, and podcast. This slot machine is in Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas over by the cashier’s cage.
Scott posted a photo of this “Old Faithful” slot machine on Twitter along with its general area within the casino. It’s a 2-credit, $5 denomination Progressive Wheel of Fortune machine.
Winning Slots Free Coins
Being a $5 denomination slot machine, it’s high-limit. I don’t recommend playing high-limit slots unless you can afford the relatively large bankroll required to make 100 to 120 bets of $10 each. Don’t ever bet with any amount of money you can’t afford to lose
Remember, winning by luck isn’t something with which I can help you or anyone else. Instead, winning because you have an excellent plan is something with which I can and do help.
Bonus Secret
Thanks for reading so far into this rather long post with so much statistics. You deserve a reward. And so here it is
Less than two months ago, audience member James reported from the Four Queens Casino in downtown Las Vegas. Based on his experiences, they’ve set up their slot machines to provide a quick win or “taste” followed by no wins
The advantage play to use in response to this casino setup is what I call my “Five Pull” approach. For slot machines there, make only five bets before moving to another slot machine. If you win anything at all, move on without making any remaining bets.
Optionally, if you can, try to play slot machines not played for at least a few minutes or longer. Of course, finding an idle slot machine isn’t possible on busy nights at the casino.
I explain this specific winning strategy in detail in my blog article Winning Strategy 1: Only Win Immediately.
Summary of Las Vegas Visit
In June of 2019, 3.6 million people visited Las Vegas. Next month, you might be one of them. Whether you’re a frequent traveler to Las Vegas or a newbie, this post helps you be better prepared for playing slots in Las Vegas.
When it comes to winning with slots at someplace you’re not as familiar with as your local casino, preparation with a little thought is the key to a successful trip.
Join our Nevada slots community, a private and closed Facebook Group, for more advice from fellow lovers of slots and Las Vegas
Related Articles from Professor Slots
How To Pick A Winning Slot Machine
Other Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Online Resource: A State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series
- Next: Why You Need to Start a Recreational Gambling Podcast
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC