Powerball Slot Machine
Everyone dreams of winning a fortune just off a few bucks, and two of the most popular ways of trying to win an instant fortune is through slot machines or through the lottery. Not everyone has the privilege to work for big companies or to run their own lucrative businesses, but everyone has access to these two, and their lasting popularity is a reflection of the wide number of people who still dream of hitting that jackpot and changing their lives in the blink of an eye.
Randomness of Slot Machines versus Video Lottery Games. Many states require that video lottery machines produce random results. This means that a video poker game uses a random number generator and is not purely luck-based when using cards. Slot symbols must also line up as they would in a casino. The same goes for keno numbers. Novibet Casino: Claim a 100% deposit bonus up to £250 + 30 no wagering free Powerball Fever Slot Machine spins. Sign up for an account today at Novibet Casino, make a minimum deposit of £10 to bag yourself a 100% deposit bonus up to £250 + 30 no wagering free Powerball Fever Slot Machine spins on your first deposit. New Customers Only. National-Lottery.com Casino. Hot online slots, huge jackpots, classic casino table games and big bonuses! National-Lottery.com Casino has all the options you adore, whether you want to spin the reels on the latest fun title, try your hand at blackjack and roulette, or enjoy the atmosphere of a live casino.
It may seem like the lottery and slot machines are just two sides of the same coin. They’re basically both games of pure luck where you put in your money and expect that money to turn into hundreds of thousands, or even millions, in almost an instant.
Unlike other games where there’s skill involved, such as blackjack or poker, slot machines and lotteries only need you to cash in and perform mindless actions such as hitting on spin or picking a set of numbers, and luck will decide whether or not you’re a winner.
However, there’s still a huge difference between slots and the lottery, and there’s a case to be made that you’re better off spending your money on the lottery than on slot machines. Both offer practically the same potential result, which is a life-changing sum of money, but there’s a stark distinction between the two as regard to the means of giving yourself the chance to get that money.
When you look at these distinctions, it is apparent that the lottery takes the cake and that you should instead be spending your slot machine money for lottery tickets instead.
Less Costly to Play
Playing at a slot machine can generally cost you as low as 25 cents per spin, with the higher-end and higher-paying slots requiring up to a $5 wager for every spin. On the other hand, a lottery ticket such as the Powerball’s would cost you $2 to $3 per ticket.
Now, it may appear like slot machines are cheaper since there are slots with spins that cost less than a lottery ticket, but remember that you aren’t going to be plying the slots for just one spin. More often than not, you’ll be spending at least half an hour, if not hours, just spinning away in hopes of winning that jackpot. It wouldn’t take that much time for multiple spins to accumulate that you end up spending more on the slot machine that you’d spend for three lottery tickets, even considering the minimal amounts you can win outside the jackpot when playing slots.
Simply put, you’d be saving more money if you avoided the slots and went for the lottery instead. Not to mention that lotteries generally give you a bigger bang for your buck if you’re fortunate enough to win.
Immense Lottery Jackpots
Everyone who spends money at the slot machine or on lottery tickets have only one goal – to hit the coveted jackpot. Slot machines usually give out hundreds of thousands of dollars in jackpot prizes, with some of them, particularly those with higher bet sizes, offering upwards of a million dollars.
On the other hand, the lottery has had jackpots reaching a whopping 1.586 billion dollars. Imagine that. Someone just spent $3 and won upwards of a billion dollars. Now, if you had spent those $3 on a slot machine and won the jackpot there, wouldn’t you wonder how better things would be if you won the lottery instead?
Can Be Played at Many Convenient Locations
Slot machines require you to go to the local casino for you to play, and some areas are unfortunate to have the nearest casino be an hour’s drive away. This would not be your problem if you chose to buy a lottery ticket instead.
You can purchase a lottery ticket practically anywhere. Gas stations and convenience stores are always around and you can even just simply drop by and buy the lottery ticket as you go with your day. This is way more convenient than going to the casino. Although you can now play slots in online casinos, there’s still the factor of having to spend a considerable amount of time on the slots.
You Don’t Need to Invest Much Time
More than your money, time is a resource you would never want to waste. Slot machines require you to watch for hours on end as they spin while you hope that everything lines up for the jackpot.
Meanwhile, buying a lottery ticket will take less than 5 minutes of your time and you’d simply have to wait for the announcement of the lottery numbers without having to invest your time in it. After buying your lottery ticket, you can go about your day as you normally would. This is unlike slots which take up your precious time which you could’ve instead spent working on something you love or resting.
Slot machines and video lottery machines are often identical in nature. The only difference in most states is where the type of device is located. The exact definition requires the associated state law.
Differences Between Video Lottery State Laws
There are eight states with legal video lottery. Those are Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, New York, Oregon, South Dakota and West Virginia. Seven of those states permit cash payouts on video lottery. Georgia is the exception. Delaware and New York require video lottery to be played only at the state’s race tracks. The others permit it in bars and/or gas stations. Georgia and West Virginia do not permit advertisement of the on-premises gambling.
How Much Can I Bet and Win on a Video Lottery Machine?
The maximum bet is typically $2 on these machines. The exceptions are Delaware and New York because these devices are located in traditional casinos located at the state’s racetracks. There is no limit there.
The maximum individual win is $500 in Illinois, $600 in Oregon, $800 in Montana and $1,000 in South Dakota. West Virginia leaves this to the operator, although most cap it at $1,200. Georgia video lottery machines only print vouchers for merchandise and have no maximum bet or win.
The answer is yes, except in Georgia. Players in that state may only win gift cards, merchandise, gasoline or lottery tickets. Alcohol and tobacco may not be purchased with video lottery winnings in Georgia.
The video lottery machine itself does not pay cash or coins, even in states where payouts are legal. Each device prints a ticket. The player gives it to an employee of the establishment that pays the winner in cash, where permitted. Otherwise, the player wins a gift card or merchandise.
Randomness of Slot Machines versus Video Lottery Games
Many states require that video lottery machines produce random results. This means that a video poker game uses a random number generator and is not purely luck-based when using cards. Slot symbols must also line up as they would in a casino. The same goes for keno numbers. In fact, the only difference most players will notice between video lottery machines and devices found in real casinos is the percentage returned to the player.
Georgia is one exception. Georgia has no commission to enforce fair games. The owners of the machines can set the payout to whatever they would like. Some reports imply that returns are as low as 80% at some locations. Louisiana is another state with video lottery that offers machines that are not studied to determine randomness.
Video Lottery Typical Payouts
Most video lottery terminals return 90-98%. The cap in South Dakota is 92%. Louisiana permits returns up to 94%. Oregon machines pay up to 96%. Players have reported games as high as 98% in Illinois. Delaware and New York video lottery machines may pay up to 100%.
Video lottery terminals typically spread video poker, keno, and slot machines. Georgia is the exception. That state only permits skill-based slots. Video poker and keno for money are explicitly illegal under law.
Georgia players must make a move after the original slot symbols are dealt. The bettor must choose the correct setting, if there is one, to win. If the player chooses the wrong move, the hand is a loss. The winning move is obvious in most cases. There are bonus rounds where the player’s input changes the outcome. The skill element of these rounds is debatable.
Why Would Someone Play a Video Lottery Machine?
Convenience is the most common reason for playing video lottery terminals. These games are often located in bars in Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, West Virginia and South Dakota. Gas stations can often spread these games if alcohol is sold. Georgia permits virtually any business to spread video lottery machines as long as it sells lottery tickets. That means that many people live right around the corner from a video lottery casino.
Drawbacks to Playing Video Lottery Machines
The biggest problem with playing video lottery machines is the low payouts. Games often return around 90%. Games with skill involved may return slightly more, however, the games may be unusual and require a different skill set than a normal video poker game. The maximum payout can also hurt player returns. Never bet more than the amount that returns the highest win permitted by law. Many machines will permit the player to bet more coins without increasing the payout for big keno jackpots or a royal flush.
Powerball Keno Free
Avoid Video Lottery Terminals
Some people get bored and simply want to gamble. In most cases, it is better to take the extra drive to the casino as opposed to playing video lottery games in a bar or gas station. The returns can be as high as 10 percentage points better in the casino compared to the video lottery machines. At a $1 bet, that is $.10 a hand. The difference is $60 in theoretical losses per hour when choosing video lottery over a casino.
How Powerball Machine Works
If you must play video lottery, only wager the minimum bet. There is rarely, if ever, a higher return-to-player between denominations on video lottery machines. On the other hand, casino slots and video poker often reward playing maximum coins and higher denominations with better overall returns.