Using Probability To Triumph In Slot Games

Slot games are not purely based on luck and the number of bets you make. One can easily develop a good gambling strategy by following a probabilistic approach. There’s a difference between someone who goes on a losing rampage mindlessly and the one who balances their loss with few big wins. The latter is the real slot master. It's not difficult to master the concept behind the functioning of slot machines, so let's find out how you can use probability to your advantage!

What Should Be the Basic Tactics?

There are three things you need to be familiar with, before trying your hands at slot games – the rules and regulations, the estimated payout and the probability of winning. If any of these is not clear to you for any of the chances you take, then you will be at a losing end. You also need to make a decision whether to choose quarter, nickel or dollar machines. Normally, the best payout is given by a machine of higher denomination i.e. quarter machines give higher payouts in comparison to nickel slots. However, this doesn’t imply risking a big sum of money without keeping in mind the amount you can afford, in case you lose. You need to play at a level that provides you the maximum probability of playing complete set time limit without shelling out too much in losses.

Number of coins to play per spin

You might think of spending more time on the table by shelling out fewer coins at a time, but ideally one should play with higher numbers. This way, you increase your chances of winning big in one shot, especially in the case when the slot machine is offering you twice the payout. For instance, you get 1000 credits, if you play quarters of 4 for a perfect 777 result, as compared to 10 credits in case of single quarter.

What is an average payout?

Probability is an important factor in determining the amount you are going to win or lose for every cent that goes through the slot machines. Normally there’s an average 90% payout advertised by the casinos, but the real story is hidden in the fine prints which most people don’t pay attention to.

For every dollar you put at stake, your expected winning amount will be 10 cents less. Now this number can be significant in the big picture. Say for example, if you are risking $50 into the slot and betting a dollar each time, 50 pulls later you’ll have around $45 left, with 10% loss incurred. You’ll probably lose this much money in 22 rounds, unless the luck is on your side. You need to make calculations as to what amount you should play at a time and how many pulls will it take for your money to totally peter out. Casino slot machines are designed in a way that they run faster between spins, up to 25 spins per minute, and losing a total of $100 may not take much time if you don’t play smart.

Be careful not to be swayed away by the claims made by casinos offering high average payout of 95%, since that is only applicable to specific machines, which the casinos won’t tell you clearly; you need to find it out yourself.