Gaming Guru

Advice for a Trip to Las Vegas

Your recent response to "Weird Question About RNG" made good sense to me and filled in some blanks.

I continue to enjoy your responses and appreciate the ones you have answered personally for me. I'm a just for fun player. The more I understand about how machines work, the more likely I am to make better choices on the floor.

Thanks again,
Your reader from Salt Lake City / Las Vegas / Wendover
Duane

Dear Duane,

Thanks for the kind words. And thanks for the good questions you've asked.

John

I am traveling to Las Vegas soon.

In Pennsylvania to West Virginia, I have played almost every slot machine. Needless to say without much success.

Is there anyway to beat the slot machines or make money?

It seems that the slots are on timers. Some don't pay at all some nights. Like last night at a Seminole casino in Florida.

I have read books etc., with not much luck.

Thanks for any help,
Richard

Dear Richard,

Enjoy your trip to Las Vegas.

It may seem like slots are on timers, but the reason that they pay well some nights and not at all on others is because the results of a spin are determined at random. Hot, cold or choppy -- all a result of randomness.

I know of a few ways to beat the slot machines and one way to make money with them. The ways to beat them are: break into the bill acceptor and steal the bills, and steal the whole machine. Both of these actions, needless to say, are illegal.

The way to make money from a slot machine is to be the operator. Individual players will win or lose, but the house is virtually guaranteed to make money in the long run.

The best help I can give is this advice: play machines you enjoy playing, don't bet more than you can afford to lose, and use your players card.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@comcast.net. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.