Gaming Guru

Can you find a winning machine by looking at it?

Dear John,

Just for your information, there are absolutely no taxes on gamblers' winnings in U.K. casinos. Nor are there any on National Lottery prizes, no matter how big.

As far as I am aware, the only taxes that the government levies on betting wins are those on made with licensed bookmakers, particularly winning bets on horse racing.

Best regards.

John Snowball
Director of Operations
Premier Leisure Pvt Ltd

Dear John,

Thanks for the information about U.K. taxes on casino winnings.

John

I just love reading your articles, however I have a quick question for you. Is there a way to play a slot machine to get it to pay off? Is there something I should be looking for when I sit down at a machine? I know the answer is probably no, but I just have to ask. Can you find a winning machine by looking at it?

Pat

Dear Pat,

Here are the answers to your questions:

Is there a way to play a slot machine to get it to pay off? Yes, put money in the machine and press the spin button. The machine doesn't pay off on every spin with this method, but this is what I've done every time I've hit something.

Is there something I should be looking for when I sit down at a machine? Yes, a chair.

Can you find a winning machine by looking at it? Yes, look for a machine whose candle is flashing. The player on that machine has just hit a jackpot and I bet that is a winning machine for that player. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to find a winning machine before it has hit.

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.