Hpw To Change Denominations In A Slot Machine
- Choosing the Right Denomination. Slot machines in a typical casino have different denominations. There are those one-armed bandits that allow a player to bet anywhere from between one to five coins per spin and in some cases 100 or higher. In contemporary casinos, however, the prevailing number of machines accept multiple denominations.
- Higher-denomination machines return a higher percentage of wagers to bettors than do lower-denomination machines. As for your other questions, there is a variety of reasons players choose low-denomination games - especially pennies, nowadays - instead of the higher-paying dollar-and-up machines.
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We receive questions every day about gambling online and online casinos.
Many of those questions are about playing slots – both online and in bricks-and-mortar casinos around the world.
The questions that need detailed answers get their own pages. You can find those pages on our main slots page.
But the other questions – the shorter and easier-to-answer questions – you’ll find all of those below. And if you have any questions we didn’t answer here, just send us an email and let us know.

Even though it's possible that changing denomination could load new reel layouts, we can't verify it so I wouldn't count on it. The safest assumption on a multi-denomination slot machine is that the long-term payback is the same across all denominations and the long-term payback was chosen based on the lowest denomination available on the machine. So for example IP biloxi has a number of $2 machines in the $1/$2 denomination, but on the report they list o $2 machines, same thing for the $25/$50 machines they list 0 $50 machines. If it's 100% true that the multiple denom hold is based upon lowest denom, the casinos are loving it when the players pick the higher denom. Below are 5 tips that will help you with finding loose slot machines to hit a jackpot. The first tip that will help you to increase your chances of hitting a jackpot is to time the machines. If you are in a land based casino playing the slots then you can simply sit near the slot machine you are timing and watch the results.
50+ Slots Questions & Answers Start Here
Can I win at slots?
In the short term – sure.
In the long term – no. Slot machines are programmed to pay out no more than 98 or 99 percent over the lifetime of the machine. And many machines have worse odds than that.
So the short answer is they’re designed to give the casino an edge. That’s how they make their money.
That said, it’s possible to win a large jackpot or to win more than you spend (especially if you walk away after you’re up). But I wouldn’t walk or log into a casino expecting that to happen.
How much money can you win playing slots?
You can win millions of dollars playing slots.
Less than a year ago, a man won a bit more than $14 million playing the Megabucks slot machine in Las Vegas. He deposited a $20 bill and hit the jackpot partway through it.
In May 2009, a guy from Greece won 6.3 million euros playing the Mega Moolah slot machine.
The biggest win to date is $3k9.7 million. He, too, won it after putting $100 into the Megabucks slot machine at Excalibur.
What are penny slots?
These machines let you bet 1 cent per line, which means you could play 1 cent per spin.
But I don’t think most people do. When I play I always play 1 cent, but I always play all the lines (usually 30-60) which comes out to 30-60 cents per spin.
Which slot machines have the best odds?
According to the Wizard of Odds, the higher denomination machines will have the best odds. Other than that, the non-progressive slots with low payouts will have the best odds.
The higher the denomination, the better the odds. For that reason, it is better to play one coin per line on a 5-cent game than five coins per line on a 1-cent game. – Wizard of Odds
The machines with the worst odds are the ones with progressive jackpot and slots with features, bonus rounds, etc.
What are slot tournaments?
These are kind of like poker tournaments. You buy in for a set amount. Your job is to win more than the other players using the set amount of credits the casino gives you.
The buy-ins are pooled together to create a prize pool. Then the casino splits the prize pool (minus their cut, of course) among the top x or xx players. How many players get paid depends on how many people buy in.
Which slot machines are the most fun to play?
This is a personal choice. It’s kind of like asking what the best car to own is, or what the coolest video games are. It’s up to you.
That said, I prefer the video slot machines that get their themes from video games (Hitman), movies (The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park) and comic books (’60s Batman, Iron Man).
What slots have the best payout percentages?
This is hard to say because not all online casinos post payout reports. But the casinos with the highest payouts all pretty much come from Microgaming. Their average is right around 96%.
Who won the biggest slots jackpot online?
CasinoAnswers.com says in May 2009 a guy from Greece won 6.3 million euros playing the Mega Moolah slot machine.
Are online slots as good as bricks-and-mortar slots?
Yes. You have just as much, if not more variety. You can play most, if not all the same slot titles. And you can win just as much money.
Plus, depending on your temperament, you don’t have to deal with smoky casinos, drunks, crowds or have to wait your turn to play your favorite slot machine.
Can you play Las Vegas slots online?
Yes – but I don’t know if they’re ALL available online.
Machines I know for sure are online include titles like Monopoly, The Dark Knight, Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka, Sex and the City, Superman and Hitman.
There’s more, I’m sure. Just check out the websites for Bally’s, IGT, Microgaming and Playtech.
Can Americans play slots online?
Yes. Most casinos powered by Real Time Gaming accept U.S. players. Many sites that use BetSoft software do, too.
Is it possible to play slots for free?
Offline? Unlikely.
Online. Absolutely. Most online casinos let you play their games for free. This is a great way to test out their software first before making a deposit.
To find a free slot machine just hover over the machine you want to play and look for a ‘practice’ or ‘free play’ button/link.
How do I enter a slots tournament?
Just pay your entry fee. Then show up when the tournament starts.
What strategy should I use playing slots?
There is no strategy that will help you beat slots. So just use whatever strategy you think is fun.
I like to bet the min for all the lines. And I usually do that while playing on my original deposit. But once I have won more than my original deposit, I’ll increase my wagers to double the min. If I triple my bankroll, I’ll triple my bet, and so on.
How much money do I need to play slots?
That really depends on how much money you have to play with and how long you want to play.
Unless I’m on a crappy machine, I can usually make $20 last 40 to 60 minutes playing penny slots.
What is a hot/cold slot machine?
A hot slot machine is a machine that’s paying out a lot and/or often. A cold slot machine is the opposite.
It’s nothing more than a name, though. There really is no such thing as a hot or cold slot, nor are there any benefits to playing on or avoiding a machine you may think is hot or cold.
These are just myths.
Is there an advantage to playing higher limit slots?

Maybe. The Wizard of Odds says that higher denomination machines have better odds. But the differences, as I remember them, are pretty small.
If you play for higher limits, you can win more money, too. You’ll earn casino comps at a faster rate, which increases how much cashback you earn as well as perks like buffet coupons, deposit bonuses, gifts, junkets and so on.
What is a progressive jackpot?
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot that is created by the players. Whenever you deposit the min required to play for the jackpot, a small fraction of your wager goes to the pot.
The pot continues to grow until someone hits the winning combo and wins the jackpot.
An example of a progressive jackpot is Mega Moolah. This has paid out millions of dollars in jackpots over the last several years.
What types of features do slot machines have?
Lots. For example:
- Scatter symbols
- Bonus games
- Free spins
- Interactive bonus games
- Cascading wilds
- Stacked or expanding wilds
- Multipliers
- Ways win
- Wilds
- Nudge and hold
- Free spins
What types of slot themes can you play?
Lots. For example:
- Movies
- TV shows
- Celebrities
- Animals
- Cars
- Video games
- Pop culture
- Game shows
- Comic books
- Horror
- Retro
- Pirates
- Romance
- Wild West
- Sports
- Money / wealth
- Ancient Rome
- Ancient Egypt
- Action
- Fairy tales
- Food
- History
- Mystery
- Seasons
Can you recommend a good slot machine system?
No. And that’s because there’s no system that will help you beat slots. Slots are a 100% random game.
Anyone trying to sell you a slot machine ‘system’ is ripping you off.
How do you tell what combinations win?
All slots machines (offline or online) will have a help section or key. They will tell you what the winning combinations are, what they pay out and how bonus rounds are triggered.
You can usually find the ‘view pay’ or ‘learn more’ section in a corner around the slot machine.
How are slot machines different from playing the lottery?
As far as hitting it big?
The United States Powerball has odds of 80 million to 1. The Megabucks slots jackpot has odds of 49 million to 1.
So, really, not a big difference. Both are unlikely to happen to you or me.
But as far as little wins, you’ll see more of them playing slots. And I think slots are more fun to play anyway.
Are online slots rigged?
No. I’ve never heard of a slot machine being rigged.
All slot machines – and nearly all online games – use what’s called a Random Number Generator. These come up with totally random results, which are tested and verified by third-party companies.
The thing is … casino slots have a house edge of 2-15 percent. And there’s no way for you to beat slots without cheating. None. So there’s no reason for casinos to rig their slot machines.
Will I ever win a jackpot?
A small jackpot?
Maybe.
I’ve won a couple myself. The wife has too. Many penny machines have small or medium jackpots for low-limit slots players. These aren’t any more than $30, $50 or $100 – which pale in comparison to the six- and seven-figure jackpots we hear about – but are jackpots nonetheless.
A larger jackpot, though? Probably not.
Do slot machines have a pattern or sequence I can use to determine when I will win?
No. Slot machines are totally, 100% random.
A slot machine’s outcome, past, present or future, has no bearing on the results of your next spin.
Which is better – online or real slots?
I think that depends on the experience you want.
I prefer online slots because you don’t have to travel anywhere. You don’t have to spend money on food, entertainment, hotels, car rental or airfare. You can instead spend it all on slots.
I also don’t care for a lot of noise, drunks or smoky, crowded casinos.
So I think online slots are better. But you might feel differently. The only way to know for sure is to try them both out.
Should I bet the max?
If you can afford it and in doing so you can still play for as long as you’d like, then sure.
Otherwise I see no reason to. The odds of you hitting a jackpot are slim, to say the least. So I would only wager an amount of money that still allows me to have a good time.
Can you cheat at slot machines?
Sure can.
People have tried all kinds of scams like putting a string on the end of a coin (yo-yo), using fake coins, shaved coins, and tampering with the slot machines’ insides. Plus plenty of others.
Most cheaters had the same outcome, though.
Going to jail.
Are bonus round winnings predetermined or do my choices affect what I win?
The Wizard of Odds says – from what he’s been told – the player really is in charge of his or her own destiny. The outcomes are NOT predetermined.
That said, it is my understanding that in bonus rounds where to pick icons on the screen the player does indeed control his destiny. The game shuffles the prizes and you pick them, like on Deal or No Deal. It also may be that the game is continuously shuffling them until you do make a choice, much like the rest of the deck while the game is waiting for the player to discard. – The Wizard of Odds
Can casinos change the payouts of each slot machine?
Yes.
Offline they don’t do it much because they have to fill out forms whenever they do (at least in Las Vegas).
Can you own a slot machine in the U.S.?
Yes. But it depends on the state you live in. It may also depend on the make/model/year of the slot machine and how you intend to use it.
What is the lowest denomination you can play?
Penny slots. You can play for one cent per line.
What is the highest denomination you can play?
$1,000 per credit.
What slot machine has the most lines you can play?
Slot machines called ‘ways win’ or ‘all ways’ give you 243 different ways to win. Slot titles that fit this category include The Dark Knight Rises, Playboy, Battlestar Galactica and The Lord of the Rings.
Most, if not all of these machines come from (non-U.S.) software companies like Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt, etc.
Can you play for real money from your phone?
Yes. Your tablet, too.
Hpw To Change Denominations In A Slot Machine Machines
U.S. players can play mobile slots from Real Time Gaming and BetSoft powered casinos
Customers from outside the U.S. will have many more options (tens, if not hundreds) from casinos using Microgaming and NetEnt software.
Is there a Dark Knight slot machine?
Yes. IGT makes it.
You can find this slot in Las Vegas casinos and online (non-U.S. casinos). It’s one of my favorite slots to play.
Why are slot machines so addictive?
Humans receive a shot of dopamine as a reward whenever you complete a task. This can include checking text messages (after hearing the ding), flashing lights or even small wins paid out on a slot machine (even if you paid more money to play than you won).
Between the dings, bells, lights, (small) wins and words of encouragement (Epic Win!), slot machines give us lots of opportunities for dopamine shots.
Dopamine makes us feel good. In turn we do more of what gives us dopamine shots – playing slots.
Other than that – some people are problem gamblers. Others might be chasing that big win.
Why do professional gamblers avoid slot machines?
Because there’s no way to beat slot machines in the long run. No one wants their paycheck dependent entirely on luck. That’s unlike blackjack, poker or even sports betting where it’s possible for a professional to gain a long-term edge.
How can I make $500 per week playing slots?
Get lucky.
Show someone else how to “beat” slots and charge them $500 aka rip them off.
Jokes aside, there’s no way to consistently make money playing slots. It’s all luck.
What is a flat top slot machine?
These are slots with fixed jackpots, unlike progressive jackpots that continue to grow until someone wins it.
Which slot machines are the most fun for low-limit players?
This depends on you. What do you like?
I think the video slots with interactive bonus rounds are the most fun to play. And I don’t mind getting worse odds playing them.
Which is better to play – slot machines or table games?
From an odds perspective, on average, table games.
Slots have a 2-15 percent house edge whereas most table games fall in the 1-5 percent category. Others, like blackjack (and blackjack variations) have a house edge less than 1 percent.
Where is the best place to play slot machines in Las Vegas?
The casinos I like most are:
- Treasure Island
- MGM
- Mirage
- New York New York
They all have IGT slot machines. Most are easy to get in and out of, too, by tram or by car.
Can you play slots on Facebook for real money?
No.
Since progressive jackpots pay out so much money, why wouldn’t you always play a progressive?
They cost significantly more money to play and the chances are slim you’ll hit the jackpot. I’d much rather use that money to play more at a lower limit.
Why are slot machines called one-armed bandits?
They got their name from the single lever on the side (to spin the reels) and because they take your money.
What is a wager or play-through requirement?
This refers to the deposit bonus many online casinos offer you when you sign up and make your first deposit. If you accept the bonus, you need to wager a multiple of your bonus or deposit and bonus.
For example, say your casino has a 20x play-through on both your deposit and bonus. If you deposit $1,000 and receive a $1,000 bonus, you’ll need to wager $40,000 before you can ask for a cash-out.
If you ask for a cash-out too soon, you risk forfeiting your bonus and any money you won with it.
Is autoplay bad for slots players?
I don’t think so.
But I wouldn’t use the autoplay button because it hurries the action along whereas I’d rather take my time and make my bankroll last.
Can I play two slot machines at once online?
Yes. But not every casino lets you.
However, if you play at two different casinos, you shouldn’t have a problem playing more than one slot machine.
No, the machine does not have a huge element table of over two billion elements. The random number generators choose each number once in the cycle using mathematical algorithms and do not need to keep track of which numbers were already chosen. Regarding the pause, it has nothing to do with how much it is going to pay. I think the game does some internal auditing from time to time. There is no such thing as hot and cold cycles with slot machines. The ups and downs are just normal random variation.
Whatever Cleopatra style slot machine game you are playing, you will catch the game theme from the first glance. The first thing that catches the gambler’s eye is the games graphics. Most of the Cleopatra-themes slots. How to win cleopatra slot machine.
If the machine is truly picking random combinations wouldn't the prize distribution be more random. It's as if IGT programmed the machine to have 'Planned Cycles' to make the game more interesting to play. I know your going to say that these are just random events, but it is extremely unlikely that a machine will only pay mid and lower tier prizes all day and omit the jackpot and vice-versa and do this over and over again. HOW are these WEIGHTED cycles explained? Also if you could point me to any books you recommend on the programming of slot machines I would appreciate it.
These are just random events. The laws of probability dictate that some days will be dry with a few big winners and others will have a lot of lower payouts. Most days will have a balanced mix and these days are always the first forgotten by the player. There is no switch the casino is throwing to alter the mood of their machines. I tend to think you're just remember what you want to in order to substantiate your theory.
No, this does not happen. How much the slot machine pays is determined by a microchip called an EPROM, which is generally left alone. To change it, at least in Nevada, the casino would have to get permission from the gaming authorities. Even without permission, they would have to open up each machine and change the EPROM by hand.
I speculate that the reason for what you observed about all the machines on a carousel getting hot at the same time is due partially to chance, partially selective memory, and partially to a snowball effect where players will gravitate to an area where they hear a lot of winning and simply add to the number of wins because of more players.
- Given the random number generator stops on a virtual Cherry say, how does the machine make the physical reel stop on a visible cherry? I mean technically speaking.
- Does this explain how pachinko machines from Japan can electronically alter payout percentages without altering the physical reel symbols?
- Suppose the machine decides its time for a BAR, the only BAR on the third reel, just as one passes the pay-line. Does it let the reel go one full turn and catch it on the next go-round?
- Suppose a physical reel stops on a paying combination by mistake, i.e. a symbol other than the virtual one pre-ordained. What happens then?
Thanks much.
Let me answer each question individually.
- It is just programming code that dictates to the machine that if the virtual reel stops on a cherry to make the actual reel stop on a cherry. There are actual notches on the reels which may help the machine to stop in the right place. If you peer through the glass at and angle you can sometimes see these notches. However, I am not an engineer and am not sure exactly how the machine knows to stop at just the right moment. It just take it for granted that it can.
- Theoretically, the casino could change the payout on a slot machine with just a remote control. The remote control could tell the machine to use any previously programmed virtual reels. Practically speaking, the major casinos need to get approval from the gaming authorities to change the payback of a machine. If they did get such authorization all a slot technician has to do is replace a chip inside the machine, known as an e-prom. This happens infrequently and would not warrant the expense of a remote control.
- It seems to me the reels spin at least several times before stopping.
- In the unlikely even that happened, then I think it would trigger a malfunction and the bet would be voided.
I will say that for class 3 slots by major slot makers like IGT, Bally, and Williams do not resort to these sort of tricks. With respectable slot machines every play has the exact same probability of winning. If you don't believe me then why don’t you go from machine to machine playing each one for half an hour.
Not often. Contrary to popular myth the casinos don’t tighten the machines on weekends or whenever it is busy. Here in Las Vegas the casinos have to fill out a form every time they change the percentage on each game. Most slot managers I have spoken with have a policy on what coinage is set to what return. I tend to think the most likely reason to change the percentage would a change in ownership and/or management, which do not happen often.
No. Neither the amount you put in nor the denomination affects the odds. The same is true of slots.
From what I hear anything you can configure at the machine you can configure remotely through the server. This would include the theoretical return percentage. However most casinos report that changing the theoretical return of a slot machine necessitates a lot of paperwork.
Even if it were effortless to move the slot machine return up and down, it strikes me as a conspiracy theory to think the casinos would do that on a player by player basis. Living here in Vegas, I hear all kinds of theories about the lengths the casinos go to in order to win, like pumping in oxygen and playing a subsonic mantra that says 'lose lose lose.' These are just urban legends. Most casinos correctly believe that if you give the player a good experience and a fair gamble then he will keep coming back. As they say, you can only slaughter a sheep only once, but you can shear it many times. (My webmaster, Michael Bluejay, who is a vegetarian, tried to get me to use this analogy instead: 'You can seize all of a sheep’s money only once, but you can force it to take you bowling many times.')
I asked a source of mine who works at one of the casinos that utilize this technology. Besides the Treasure Island, this technology is also used at casinos in California, Michigan, and Mississippi. Here is what he said,
'Nothing can be changed if there are credits on the game. The slot machine will always reject any changes sent when there are credits on the meter. In Nevada, the machine also has to be idle for four minutes prior to and following any changes. It’s also not completely transparent to anyone standing in front of the slot machine. A black window pops up that says ’Remote Configuration In Progress’ (or something like that).
We mainly use ours to change the available denominations on our games. Similar to how table games will raise minimum bets on when the casino is busier, we will remove lower denominations on Friday morning and return them on Monday morning.'
So, rest assured, that the slot manager can not tighten up a game on you just because he doesn’t like you. As long as you have credit in the game, nothing can be changed.
If you are implying the casino is changing the odds of the game while you're sitting there playing it, then I would say that is just a myth. To change the odds of a game, the slot maker would have to open up the game and change the EPROM chip. With server based game, where this can be done remotely, regulations require that the game be unplayed for a certain number of minutes before any changes can made.
If you are implying that the casino sets a slot machine loose for the first so many days, to draw new players, and then switches the EPROM to a stingier one, then I would disagree as well. That could easily be done, and legally, but I doubt it is. In my slot machine survey I found that any given casino was fairly consistent in how loose or tight they set their slots.
For the benefit of other readers, the way slot machines have usually work is that a chip inside the machine, called an EPROM chip, determines how loose or stingy the machine is. The vast majority of slots today still function this way. Contrary to popular myth, slots don’t achieve their desired return percentage by paying more when the actual return is too low and less when it is too high. Rather, it is just subtle changes in the reel stripping on video slots and the virtual weights on stepper slots. It is usually up to the casino manager which chip to put in. Some jurisdictions leave that decision up to the state. A common myth about these slots is that the slot manager can flip a switch in his office and cause any slot machine, or all of them, to pay more or less. The truth is a slot technician has to open up the machine and physically change the EPROM chips.
However, with the new generation of 'server-based slots,' the myth has potential to be a reality. Slots on this system can indeed be controlled remotely. The slot manager is now able to change the theoretical return, pay tables in video poker, denomination, as well as the entire game, in the comfort of his own office. Here in Nevada there are safeguards to prevent abuse of this power. The Gaming Control Board has the following regulation:
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'The conventional gaming device or client station must be in the idle mode with no errors or tilts, no play and no credits on the machine for at least 4 minutes. After this time, the conventional gaming device or client station must be disabled and rendered unplayable for at least 4 minutes. During the time the machine is disabled a message must be displayed on a video screen or other appropriate display device notifying the patron that the game configuration has been changed.' — Technical Standards for Gaming Devices and On-line Slot Systems 1.140
So the slot manager couldn't tighten up the game you’re playing just because he didn't like your polka-dotted hat. However, in theory, he could loosen or tighten every machine that wasn’t being played. To finally get at your question, would he loosen and tighten the slots like a yo-yo depending on the time of day or day of the week? On my forum, I argued that would be bad business, but many who submitted comments disagreed with me. To help argue my side, I asked Nick Dillon, Executive Vice President/Assistant General Manager at the Barona Casino in San Diego County about it. Here is what he wrote back.
'The concern with SBG (server-based games) is that the manufacturers and most casinos are looking at it mostly from a cost savings (less slot techs/labor needed to convert games, etc) perspective. At Barona, we really only want it if it proves a true value to the player. We have approximately 80 units on the floor that we began testing a couple of years ago. We are not yet at the point where we can say there is a true benefit to the player. We have tested many aspects of these games but have never raised/lowered the hold based on time of day, day of week, etc. We have, however, tested some other things. One is changing the minimum denom based on day of week (penny during the week moved to nickel on the weekend, for example). The idea being the same as table games whereby the denom (table minimum bet) moves higher when demand is peaking. This maximizes revenue. However, we found that was not the case with our test (likely because tables are limited and full capacity during the increase, but slots generally are not, and because a “penny” player can actually be a “dollar” player regardless of what min denom he is playing). We found more dismay from guests that were used to finding their preferred game/denom and that it was now changed. We also tested changing only the default denom from penny to nickel. This is the denom that shows on screen when the game is idle. The majority of players may not be aware of multi-denom and play the default the majority of time. Again, we found no real difference in revenue.As evidenced by our Loose Troop and Manufacturers Best programs, best blackjack rules, loosest video poker, no ATM fees, etc. we truly believe the player deserves the best gamble he can get. We feel that providing the longest play time for the dollar is the best strategy we can employ. There is no need to play with hold percentages and adjusting them 1-3 points either way for a day or two. Of course, a Strip property may feel differently as they only have a limited amount of time to win the money.
We are hopeful that we can help push the manufacturers to continue to develop SBG in favor of the player. We are hopeful that a player can put his player card in and his preferred games, denoms, etc will appear for his enjoyment at whatever device he sits. There are so many opportunities for this to be a great product for the player, which we believe will be good for our casino and the industry. If cost savings also come, great, but that should not be the main focus of a product like this.' -- Nick Dillon
Hpw To Change Denominations In A Slot Machines
In conclusion, I think you are safe playing server-based slots. If you don’t believe me, keep an eye on the video poker pay tables. If you don’t see those going up and down on a daily basis, chances are the slot returns are being left alone as well.
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This question was raised and discussed in the forum of my companion site Wizard of Vegas.