Ask The Wizard #6

Typically, slot machines provide better payouts when the maximum number of coins is played. For instance, while two coins might yield a jackpot of 2,000, playing three coins could give you 5,000. This means that higher bets can lead to increased returns. However, it's worth noting that most casinos adjust the theoretical payouts of their slot machines based on their denomination, so betting a single coin on a one-dollar machine could be more advantageous than betting four coins on a quarter machine.

When selecting a slot game, I recommend opting for simpler machines with fewer distractions, such as elaborate displays or large screens. Players often end up covering the costs associated with these high-end features through lower returns.

Unless you stumble upon one of the rare favorable odds situations in games like blackjack or video poker, then yes, that is essentially my point.

The minimum bet can differ significantly across casinos. At some, it is as low as $1, while Microgaming sets theirs at $2, and both Starnet and Cryptologic require a minimum of $5. If you’re playing alone, you have the luxury of taking your time. I’ve taken calls in the middle of a game and returned 15 minutes later to find my session still active. However, after prolonged inactivity, you will eventually be logged out. In contrast, if you’re at a table with multiple players, you generally have about 30 seconds to make a decision. For example, at the Sands of the Caribbean, you can see a countdown clock while playing. Unified Gaming I recently visited the Couer d'Alene Tribal Casino in Worley, Idaho, late at night when staff were collecting funds from the video slot machines. When they powered down the machines, a screen appeared showing various statistics, including coins inserted and payouts made. I observed that the 'hit rate' for the group of machines I was using was set to 37%, which seemed unusually low. Unsure about the implications, I decided to consult the Wizard!

I often play on a machine in Atlantic City called 'Reel Detectives'. Having read your detailed article about how slot machines function, I feel I understand their programming well. However, I struggle to grasp how these machines can sometimes deliver frequent combinations of seven without offering jackpots throughout the day, while other times, they seem to provide jackpots consistently with very few sevens.

Please clarify this for those who don't gamble often. If I buy a lottery ticket or make a bet on a cake wheel and win, I don’t receive my initial wager back. What about my original bet on a roulette wheel or at the racetrack when I win? What happens there, and why?

Losing the original bet isn’t always a bad thing. If casinos were to return it, they would need to lower the payout rates to recoup losses. When odds are expressed as 'to one', you receive your original stake back upon winning. Conversely, if it's expressed 'for one', you do not.

If the rules include a single deck but shuffle at a reasonable point deep into the deck, would this create a different house edge than -0.14%?

For additional insights on this subject, please refer to my blackjack appendix 10 on the

Accurate strategies and insights for casino games like blackjack, craps, roulette, and many others that you can play. cut-card effect .