Types of Slot Machines
Five Slot Machine Tips. Finding the best slots to play is a combination of luck, patience, and a good knowledge of all the most effective casino slot machine secrets. In this part of my guide on how to pick a winning slot machine, we go through the five most essential slots tips every player should use. Hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines happens before or when it equals its maximum amount. Hitting the jackpot with progressive slot machines happens before or when it equals its maximum amount, as every progressive slot machine has a maximum progressive jackpot that cannot be exceeded.
Best Slot Machines (home)
Slot Tips
Tips For Winning
Slots Budgets
Slots Budgets Part 2
Slots Mistakes
Slots Mistakes Part 2
All About Slots
House Edge
Slot Fairness
Slot History
Slot Jackpots & Payouts
Slot Percentages
Slot Myths
Slot Reels & Paylines
Slot Terms
Why Online Slots
How to win a huge jackpot
December, 2020 - Slot machines are totally unpredictable. A machine may hit the jackpot twice in a row or may not hit one for months on end. Because the outcome of each spin is independent of any other, one result has no connection to the next. All wining and losing combinations are the result of a Random Number Generator (RNG), which is designed to come up with reel combinations in an arbitrary manner.
The best online slot machines are the ones that, first and foremost, you love to play. Also, those that offer a payout percentage of at least 96% are the slots that you should consider playing.
Basic Slots Tips
First, here are some basic slots tips.
- Always play machines you can afford to play.
- Play a machine that you can take at least 50 and preferably 100 spins on in one session,
- Play machines with high payback percentages (96% or better).
- Play slots that you enjoy.
- Do not play on automatic pilot. Monitor the outcome of each spin.
- Track your profits and losses.
These tips will help ensure you have a good time, get in some extended playing time and have a decent chance of winning some money.
How Progressive Slots Work
A progressive slot machine is one where a certain percentage of what each player bets is pooled into a huge jackpot that keeps growing until someone hits it. The jackpot is extremely hard to hit as it usually involves getting five identical symbols on the exact same payline.
Winnings can start around five figures but can easily reach six and seven. The chance of hitting a massive payout that is accumulated from all of the same machines played by bettors from around the globe is about as tempting as it gets.
Progressive Slots Tips
The excitement of progressive slot machines is undeniable. As far as tips go, you want to first follow the basic ones listed above. But progressive slot machines, which many bettors feel are the best, call for special care and techniques. Here are some tips from Best Slot Machines.
First, you should only play a progressive if you can afford to wager the maximum on every spin. That’s because you can’t qualify for the big payout unless you bet the max.
Prior to playing any progressive perform the necessary research to see which machines payout the most in terms of overall payouts, regular jackpots and progressive jackpots.
If your point is to win the largest progressive possible, then play the machine with the biggest progressive. If that’s won, then switch to the next machine that has the biggest.
When playing a progressive you should play through until you’ve used all of your credits. Use up any credits you’ve won in the session. This advice is based on the premise that you are playing to win the progressive jackpot. Thus, in each session you want to play as much as you can and go for broke.
If the machine has a bonus round be sure to forego the double up option. The double up feature is really a double or nothing side bet where you have the chance to double the credits you’ve won in the bonus round. This is a bad bet. You’re better off taking the credits you’ve won in the bonus round and applying them to your attempt to win the progressive.
Create a progressive budget and use that cash only for progressives. Try to play as often as possible. It may be once a week, twice a week or more. The point is to get in as many spins as possible before the huge jackpot is won. You’re trying to be the one who makes the spin that results in a progressive payout.
Realize that your chances of winning a progressive are extremely slim. It does not mean that you should not play progressives, but it does mean that you should not stress out your budget, get consumed with trying to win or jeopardize any other aspect of your life, job or relationships by playing a progressive slot machine.
Play With Care
Follow these tips from Best Slot Machines. They will help you focus your energy on taking home a huge jackpot and having a gigantic payday.
Although chances are slim that you will win a progressive, it is important to remember that everyone has the same chance, all it takes is one turn. Eventually that progressive will be won. It can be you! Best of luck from Best Slot Machines.
- Appendices
- Slots Analysis
- Miscellaneous
Introduction
A must-hit-by jackpot, or mystery jackpot, is one that is guaranteed to hit by a certain point. So, there are two good things about a large jackpot:
- The jackpot itself is larger.
- The probability of winning it is greater.
As with any progressive game, at some point the jackpot becomes large enough to sway the odds in the player's favor. This page will examine these 'target points' on some new slots by Ainsworth with mystery jackpots. I also have a page on the same subject about WMS mystery progressive slots.
General Rules
Following are generally how must-hit-by progressives work.
- The jackpot starts at a defined minimum amount.
- A point at which the jackpot will hit is randomly chosen on a uniform distribution between the starting value and maximum possible jackpot.
- A certain percentage of money bet, known as the 'meter rise,' will be directed towards the jackpot.
- When the meter crosses the predestined win point, the player will be awarded the jackpot.
This is how the Ainsworth games appear to work. To be specific, the ones I played at the Red Rock casino have these specifications:
Ainsworth Red Rock Slots
| Jackpot | Minor | Major |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | $20 | $350 |
| Must hit by | $50 | $400 |
| Rate of increase (based on bet) | 0.45% | 0.20% |
Please be advised that other Ainsworth games may have different criteria than the above. The tables on this page apply only to the type of games I played at the Red Rock casino on May 9, 2013.
This page assumes that a jackpot is equally likely to trigger anywhere between the starting value and must-hit-by maximum. This seems to be true for all makers except AGS. The reader should be warned that AGS must-hit-by jackpots almost never hit until they are near the must-hit-by point. For example, the large jackpots are supposed to hit by $5,000, but it is rumored in the advantage player slot community that they rarely hit below $4,990. So, please do not apply the information in this page to AGS machines.
Math
The general formula for the Target Point can be given as:
t = m × (h + r) / (h + 2r), where:t = Target Point
m = Max jackpot
r = Rise of meter rate
h = House edge of game (taking into consideration the average value of the progressive)
An unknown piece to this equation is h, the house edge of the game. No casino is going to tell you exactly what a given slot machine is set to. So, you may have to resort to industry averages. The following table shows the averages for Clark County, Nevada (where Las Vegas is). You can see for penny slots, which must-hit-by jackpots tend to be on, the overall house edge is 10.77%.
Clark County Slot Win to 11/1/2017 to 10/31/2018
| Denomination | Casino Win (pct) |
|---|---|
| $0.01 | 9.97% |
| $0.05 | 5.54% |
| $0.25 | 7.11% |
| $1.00 | 6.34% |
| $5.00 | 5.51% |
| $25.00 | 4.99% |
| $100.00 | 6.22% |
| Megabucks | 12.34% |
| Multi-denomination | 5.26% |
| Total | 6.82% |
Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Gaming Revenue Report for 12-month period ending October 31, 2018 (PDF, see page 4).
Although the information from 2001 is a bit dated, you may wish to also consider the returns of random games I sampled in my page on Slot Machine Odds in Las Vegas. All things considered, I think it is safe to assume a house edge of 8% to 12% in Las Vegas. The nicer the casino and closer to the Strip the casino is, the higher the house edge will generally be. Outside of Vegas, you're on your own.
Ainsworth Target Points
The first table shows the Target Point for the Major jackpot, according to the house edge on the game and the amount of the Minor jackpot. In most situations, it will need to be about $392.
Ainsworth Major Jackpot Target Points
| Minor Jackpot | House Edge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 6% | |
| $25 | $395.51 | $394.94 | $394.20 | $393.22 | $391.84 |
| $26 | $395.50 | $394.92 | $394.19 | $393.20 | $391.81 |
| $27 | $395.49 | $394.91 | $394.17 | $393.18 | $391.77 |
| $28 | $395.47 | $394.90 | $394.15 | $393.15 | $391.73 |
| $29 | $395.46 | $394.88 | $394.13 | $393.12 | $391.69 |
| $30 | $395.45 | $394.86 | $394.11 | $393.09 | $391.64 |
| $31 | $395.43 | $394.84 | $394.08 | $393.05 | $391.59 |
| $32 | $395.42 | $394.82 | $394.05 | $393.01 | $391.53 |
| $33 | $395.40 | $394.80 | $394.02 | $392.97 | $391.47 |
| $34 | $395.37 | $394.77 | $393.98 | $392.92 | $391.39 |
| $35 | $395.35 | $394.74 | $393.94 | $392.86 | $391.30 |
| $36 | $395.32 | $394.70 | $393.89 | $392.79 | $391.20 |
| $37 | $395.29 | $394.66 | $393.83 | $392.71 | $391.08 |
| $38 | $395.25 | $394.60 | $393.76 | $392.61 | $390.93 |
| $39 | $395.20 | $394.54 | $393.68 | $392.49 | $390.76 |
| $40 | $395.14 | $394.46 | $393.57 | $392.34 | $390.53 |
| $41 | $395.06 | $394.37 | $393.44 | $392.16 | $390.24 |
| $42 | $394.96 | $394.24 | $393.27 | $391.91 | $389.86 |
| $43 | $394.83 | $394.07 | $393.03 | $391.57 | $389.31 |
| $44 | $394.65 | $393.82 | $392.69 | $391.06 | $388.49 |
| $45 | $394.37 | $393.44 | $392.16 | $390.24 | $387.10 |
| $46 | $393.88 | $392.78 | $391.18 | $388.69 | $384.24 |
| $47 | $392.86 | $391.30 | $388.89 | $384.62 | $375.00 |
The second table shows the Target Point for the Minor jackpot, according to the house edge on the game and the amount of the Major jackpot. In most situations, it will need to be about $48.
Ainsworth Minor Jackpot Target Points
| Major Jackpot | House Edge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 6% | |
| $350 | $48.68 | $48.51 | $48.28 | $47.97 | $47.53 |
| $352 | $48.68 | $48.50 | $48.27 | $47.96 | $47.51 |
| $354 | $48.67 | $48.50 | $48.26 | $47.95 | $47.49 |
| $356 | $48.67 | $48.49 | $48.25 | $47.93 | $47.47 |
| $358 | $48.66 | $48.48 | $48.24 | $47.92 | $47.44 |
| $360 | $48.65 | $48.47 | $48.23 | $47.90 | $47.41 |
| $362 | $48.64 | $48.46 | $48.21 | $47.88 | $47.38 |
| $364 | $48.63 | $48.45 | $48.20 | $47.85 | $47.35 |
| $366 | $48.62 | $48.43 | $48.18 | $47.83 | $47.30 |
| $368 | $48.61 | $48.42 | $48.16 | $47.79 | $47.26 |
| $370 | $48.60 | $48.40 | $48.13 | $47.76 | $47.20 |
| $372 | $48.58 | $48.37 | $48.10 | $47.71 | $47.13 |
| $374 | $48.56 | $48.35 | $48.06 | $47.66 | $47.05 |
| $376 | $48.54 | $48.32 | $48.02 | $47.60 | $46.95 |
| $378 | $48.51 | $48.28 | $47.97 | $47.52 | $46.81 |
| $380 | $48.47 | $48.23 | $47.90 | $47.41 | $46.64 |
| $382 | $48.42 | $48.16 | $47.81 | $47.27 | $46.40 |
| $384 | $48.36 | $48.08 | $47.68 | $47.08 | $46.05 |
| $386 | $48.27 | $47.95 | $47.50 | $46.78 | $45.49 |
| $388 | $48.13 | $47.76 | $47.20 | $46.27 | $44.42 |
| $390 | $47.90 | $47.41 | $46.64 | $45.21 | $41.67 |
| $392 | $47.41 | $46.64 | $45.21 | $41.67 | |
Example: You suspect the Minor jackpot may be high enough to play. The Major jackpot is at $370 and you assume a house edge of 10%. The table above shows the Target point is $48.13.
Jackpot!
In playing one of these games to determine the rate of increase I won a minor jackpot. I just had to take a couple pictures to share with you.
Further Reading
Progressive Slot Machines Tips
- The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives, by Frank Kneeland
- Million Dollar Slots by Peter Liston