I may just be my luck but it sure seems like "bonus" wins on penny slots are not as lucrative as they were just a few years ago. At my recent stay at Flamingo I was playing Spartacus which is one of those games where if you get three symbols you get free spins. I was playing max bet and hit the symbols for 10 free spins and then in the 10 free spins I hit the three symbols again giving 10 more free spins and then it happened again. So for a total of 30 free spins I won a grand total of 4.50 on a 2.00 bet. Just seems unreal and I see it happening when I watch other players. I watched someone playing Alice with a 2.50 max bet and get the `10 spins and only won the 2.50 for getting the three symbols. I also saw someone get 25 free spins on BrewHaus ( I think that is what it is called, the one where you get at least 5 lady symbols for bonus spins) and on a bet of 1.50 she only got 11.99. Pogo Anyone else notice this?
Yes this is part of the return and hit frequency. Slot manufacturer are putting out PAR sheets and designing games that bonus more often but payouts adjust but adhere to theoretical hold. Slot floor managers can now vary the floor mix to keep people playing longer or generate better return. Rae about this recently in trade mag for casino industry.
You just discovered the secret as to how they pay for all the pretty artwork in the casino's, those money sucking mega-resorts, and the touristy type getaways like Caesar's Linq and The Park at NYNY!
Looking at payback statistics over the last 5 years, they generally are. And also the poorer paying bonus complaint is a factor of many games offering "free spins" as bonuses. It leads to a high variance bonus that you will brick out a lot on for chances to win really big.
Not only are the bonus rounds more stingy, it seems a lot harder to get them IMHO. I can't even remember how many Franklins disappeared into those machines on my last trip without seeing a bonus. This is why I primarily play quarter video reels or dollar slots anymore. If I just have to play the penny slots, I will try and play at nickels or dime denomination.