Outsmarting Online Slot Machines

By Author: Tony R Frank
Total Articles: 2
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If you assumed that slots are purely a game of luck, I've got news for you! Instead of playing slots haphazardly, you can use methods that give you about as good a chance as betting on casino table games.

Online slot machines operate exactly as do those found in land-based casinos. Every slot machine contains a computer chip known as a Random Number Generator that controls the outcome of every spin. Since slots are computer driven, they are ideally suited for the Internet.

Before you deposit your money, think about what you would like to achieve. Do you want to play for a certain number of hours, or do you want to win a specific amount? Or is it a combination of both? Think about it. It's important!

Be sure to set reasonable goals. Suppose you're willing to risk $200 playing slots at your favorite online casino. It would be wishful thinking to hope to turn $200 into $10,000, but you have a realistic chance of turning $200 into $250. That's a 25% gain. Where else can you get 25% on your money that fast and have fun doing it? Set a modest goal and quit playing as soon as you've reached it.

Decide ...
... what you're aiming for before you begin and don't let greed take over. That way you have an excellent shot at achieving your goal, and you won't lose more than what you are willing to risk. This discipline will enhance your online slot experience.

Picking the right machine will help you win. The most important feature when choosing a machine is the pay table. Too many players opt for games offering huge jackpots, but large jackpots mean fewer, smaller payouts. Big winners' fortunes are financed, not by the casino, but by many losers. For the same wager, you have a much better chance of winning 800 coins than you would have chasing 20,000 coins.

Also, avoid games where the majority of all possible payouts are in the 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15-coin range. Although you might get frequent wins, the amounts aren't big enough to prevent your bankroll from slowly but surely grinding down to zero.

The best strategy is to seek a single pay line, two-coin machine with a modest jackpot and a pay table featuring a good range of medium sized payouts. You are looking for a pay table where the payouts for one-coin play are something like this: (from highest to lowest)

800 - 80 - 60 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 - 5 - 2

On slots with this type of pay board give you a chance to get ahead. Wins in the medium pay out range occur more frequently, because most of the money does not have to go towards building that giant jackpot.

To succeed at slots play you need staying power. Going after those mid-range payouts enables you to stretch your playing time without having to deposit more money - you simply recycle your winnings. The longer you can re-circulate your starting bankroll, the better your chances of eventually lining up the jackpot combination.

Greed is the main reason the majority of players don't win. One online casino executive told me: "Our players win all the time, but when they do they're not happy, they want to win more and more, so they keep playing until their money is all gone.