Trish

I'm traveling to Reno and Lake Tahoe. I don't know if anyone knows this but where do you gamble and win? I have gambled in the Eldorado and Harveys before but, I didn't win even a plug nickel. Is there a casino with loose slots in any of those towns? Thanks!

JJ

I assume you're just trying to bait someone into offering a serious reply.

If your question is actually serious in nature, then you need to read something (anything) about the nature of casino gambling.
(One clue: in the end, the house always wins over the long haul).

It'sGamingNotGambling

The answers to both of your questions:

1. No
2. No

the loser

Trish--here's how it works. On average, for every $1.00 you spend gambling, the casino gives you back 70 cents. Eventually you run out of money and go home.

Jack

Trish> learn Blackjack or craps...the ONLY games you have any chance at all at making any $$...

Mike

The highest rate of return on a machine is video poker which is why it is comped at a reduced rate to slots (about 50% less comp). Blackjack can be the best if you can gain an advantage (count cards). Your odds will improve if you can find a single deck table but shoes make things tough. Overall, anyone who doesn't plan on losing is fooling themselves.

Occasional

If you are really planning on winning, you would not be asking the questions you are asking.

Think of gambling as having fun, and your losses are the price of being entertained. Now, how much would you pay for entertainment?

Patrick

I don't think Trish's question is as offbeat as people seem to suggest. I know that at one time casinos advertised their return on slot machines, sometimes as high as 97% (yes the 3% they kept was an enormous sum) and certain casinos were known for having "loose" slots. At one time there was a listing put out monthly about the jackpots at all the casinos as well as the percentage of pay back each casino was currently doing on each denomiation of slots. I believe the percentage of return is actually higher on dollar slots than lower coinage. But I haven't seen that posted or listed in a long time. Is that a thing of the past now? My first trip to Vegas many years ago, the Flamingo was known as having the "loosest" slots and they even posted their payback percentage. Sure enough, that's where I played and I walked away after paying cash for all my expenses including hotel and meals for three days with more than twice as much money as I started with.

Vic

Pat:
Most states require casinos to tally and report payback percentages on slots.
This info is updated monthly and available to anyone interested in locating it.
Since the payouts from slots are programmed, people should be aware of what they're up against.
But just because one casino paid out 97.5% versus 96.8% for another, the individual gambler will never be able to discern the difference. And, of course, the payouts change slightly from time to time.

There is one game in which the gambler has an advantage over the house. A few video poker machines tied to jackpot pool payouts will pay slightly more than 100.00% if played perfectly for approximately 22 hours (based on the average length of time required to achieve maximum payout). But who wants to play VP for 22 hours straight in order to win fifty bucks?

vegasgal

Patrick and especially Trish,
3% is a high house advantage and given that it is about as good as slots ever get, slots are one of the worst things to play. Other games with 3% or more house advantage Let It Ride (hate to break it to you), Caribbean Stud and Roulette. Games with the possibility of 1% or less? Blackjack, Craps, Baccarrat. If you want a decent chance to win, learn those games and understand them! Otherwise, just have fun but don't go to win money; that's not what the casino is there for!