It was around the turn
of the century when slot machines (aka one-armed-bandits!)
made their first appearance, and it is unlikely
that they’ll ever make their last.
They are extremely popular, mostly because
the people who play slots find it to be a
very palatable, pleasurable and relaxing
way to gamble.
Slots are good for both player and casino.
Good for player because the machines are
easy and fun to use, and require no particular
skill or talent to play, and good for casinos
because they are “low-maintenance” (i.e.,
upkeep is not expensive). Financially speaking,
the slot machine returns on average between
85% and 98% to the player, while the casino
enjoys an average advantage of about 9%.
Truth is, there really are no rules for
play when it comes to slot machines. What
you want to do is hit the jackpot, and the
way to go about achieving that is simply
by dropping a coin into the slot and then
pulling the handle. You will know immediately
when you’ve won the jackpot; there’s
nothing at all subtle about it, what with
the lit-up lights and the ringing bells!
Generally speaking, you won’t need
instructions to know how to play, but in
those cases where instructions are called
for, you’ll find them there on the
machine. And of course you can always ask
an attendant for help if you need it.
Every casino has slot machines, but the
types of machines vary from casino to casino
and even within a casino. One new-ish model
is equipped with something called a touch-screen;
with this special feature you can change
the game from, say, poker to slots by merely
touching the screen. Other models include
three to nine reels, criss-crosses, multiples
and progressives. Then there are the specialty
machines. For example, Keno, 21, Videopoker,
Poker Bingo. Even Video Horse-Racing and
Dog-Racing! Modern machines are, of course,
electronic. The way in which symbol combinations
come up is completely random, and the machines “know” what
percentage to return to the player.
Not only are there many types of machines;
there are also many types of games to play
(including the increasingly popular Videopoker),
and different conditions for each game. Factors
that vary from game to game include: size
of the jackpot, combinations, symbols and
the permitted size and number of coins to
be used.
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