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Slots Questions From a Slots Virgin

Discussion in 'Slots' started by vegasvic, Aug 27, 2015.

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  1. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    Not quite a virgin but close enough :)

    I've been going to Vegas for 20+ years and play 95% craps/blackjack and maybe 5% VP. My GF and I played a few random slots in May and she wants to play some more next week. I need a bit of info. Is it true that the "themed" machines pay out less than the others? I guess I can understand it since they cost more to make and have licensing agreements. Or is it a myth and there is no real difference in payouts?

    As for game play itself are there any decent slots out there that are a bit "simpler"? A couple that we played we had no idea how we won or lost. So many different lines/combos. I remember back in the day playing a simple red/white/blue 7's or something like that. Or the old fruit machines lol. So if there are any of the more basic machines around I'd like to hear about them. We will be all over the place. Off strip/strip/downtown.
     
  2. joesmom

    joesmom Low-Roller

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    There are still lots of fairly simple 5 and 7 line slot machines out there in various denominations - hit the paytable button and you will see the line pays. I have NEVER won anything really worthwhile on the "themed" machines and you earn less points on those but they are entertaining if you hit a bonus. I also am not a fan of the newer "stacked" machines or the ones where you play multiple games at once. My money just seems to disappear quickly on these. I even think you can still find some red/white/blue 7's
     
  3. Reel Investor

    Reel Investor Low-Roller

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    Yeah there's still plenty of simple single/three line reel machines around in all the strip casinos and I'm SURE they're all over downtown. Even Aria has a bunch up at one of the entrances. The Mirage has some more towards the middle of the casino. My favorite of the reels are the "Shining/Leopard/Sapphire/Ninja/etc Sevens", also the Grab the Money or whatever. They're exciting and hit reasonably often (but the payouts are usually low - top on Shining 7's is 500). Monopoly is fun too but some of the variants can be hard to understand.

    My experience is themed video machines don't pay out, they're always fast money sinks for me, and as joesmom noted are also worth less MLife points (and probably other points too). That said, my mother in law ALWAYS makes money on wheel of fortune, so... I guess only the slot director really knows.
     
  4. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    OK, my .02., as a slot player for over 35 years

    I stay away from the themed machines, because I "feel" that the paybacks are a tad lower because someone's got to pay the licensing fees . . . If you notice, the themed machines also cost more per TC.

    You might look for machines like Wonder 4 and Hot Hot 8. They give you a variety of games and you can play for a low increment.

    Downtown, they have plenty of single and three reelers at lower denominations.

    I typically play machines that have a fun "bonus screen". I stay away from Konami machines (with the exception of Dragon's Way) because they are "low volatility " machines (frequent but low payouts)

    IMHO, the latest machines from Ainsworth are quite fun. The "Rumble" machine is a 3 x 5 reel machine and if you get the Bull character in the one of two special spaces (2nd row, columns 2 and/or 4) it triggers the "Sweet Zone", and makes all 9 spaces wild. The bonus game fills both the lower and upper screen. You can play penny Rumble Machines in increments from $1.00 to $5.00.

    Dragons over Nanjing is a new slot machine from WMS that is pretty fun as well.
     
  5. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    That seems to be the general consensus.
    Also MGM gives you 1 point per $10 on these new slot machines which is about twice of the older slot machines.

    I enjoy both the old and newer machines.
    The theme too makes them fun. I remember playing the Airplane slot machine and laughing out loud at some of the phrases that you hear. "Don't call me shirley."
    Its really the bonus rounds on the newer machines that make them enjoyable.
    Iron Man is pretty awesome.
    Try playing Sinbad with someone.

    All the pay lines can get confusing but just remember when matching symbols always start from the left most side and start matching from there.
    You could have 4 of the same images on a payline showing but if 0 exist is the far left then its not a match.
     
  6. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    I'm wondering though, if the payback is less on a themed machine why does it take more to earn a TC? I guess I don't understand the reasoning in that regard.

    Good to know there are some of the "old" machines still around.
     
  7. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    So the manufacturer/casino can get you on "both ends" . . . .
     
  8. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Mlife casinos being jerks mainly. No other casinos do this to my knowledge.
     
  9. flyguyfl

    flyguyfl MIA

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    A popular one today is one of the Quick Hit types. Chance for big payout when betting max which normally is $1.50 to $2.50 depending on the machine. Chance to win some serious cash if you are lucky enough to get 8 or 9 QH symbols. They all have a bonus round that is similar and gives another means to win enough to extend play. Here is a free online demo of one type.

    http://casinogamesonnet.com/?game=quick-hit-platinum&id=493
     
  10. benbrownjr

    benbrownjr Low-Roller

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    Themed slot machines are also wide area progressives which are machines in the state all tied together with a large progressive. The maker of the machine pays the top award not the casinos and the casinos pay a fee to have the machines in there casino. I was doing some work with a slot tech and he looked up a chip for wheel of fortune on the IGT website and it had a payback of 87.5%.

    All slot machine makers base there payback percentages on all lines with max coins BUT a few machines have ways to capitalize on them. Aristocrat has machines were you don't bet on the lines you bet on the columns (wicked winning, buffalo) so even if you only bet on 3 lines you still get one position on column 4 and 5 so it's still possible to get 5 of a kind. Now here is an example of playing all lines on buffalo at a times 5 bet (max lines max coins) you are betting $2.50 a spin. If you only play lines 1-3 with a 5 times bet your spending .50 a spin. Since the majority of winning combinations are on lines 1-3 your getting max return with minimal risk. So if you get one buffalo on line and 2 it pays .50, if you get 1 buffalo on line 1 and two on line 2 you win $1.00, If you were betting max lines and max coins you would get the same amount of money. And with this game the bonus coins are valid on all positions even the ones you didn't pay for and during the bonus round the wild multiplier is also valid.

    This came out longer then I expected..sorry about that
     
  11. FuzzyDiceCraps

    FuzzyDiceCraps VIP Whale

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    These are my wife's favorites. As an aside, there is a "quick hits" app which is free and Is exactly like some of their games in Vegas, including the sound effects and bonus music. When I'm going through Vegas withdrawal hearing her play that before bed is just torture.

    But whats funny is when we're in Vegas, after playing in the Casino for 12 hours, while laying in bed waiting to fall asleep, there she is playing her quick hits app! :)
     
  12. benbrownjr

    benbrownjr Low-Roller

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    I like that game too. FYI The El Cortez has a bank of Quick Hits next to the blackjack tables that are only .60 cents a spin
     
  13. cphllps

    cphllps High-Roller

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    I try to find machines that will let me bet max, but still not bet large sums of money in a single roll.
     
  14. Geogran

    Geogran VIP Whale

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    Yes that would be me....Sign of a real player....
     
  15. Robertintx

    Robertintx Low-Roller

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    What about the "Wheel of Fortune" is that considered a theme game or what is it ?
     
  16. KellyLovesVegas

    KellyLovesVegas Earthling/retired space nerd

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    I really enjoy the Quick Hits Platinum machines, although I've never won more than $500.00 on a bonus round (I usually bet $1.50/spin). I'm not a huge slot player compared to many here. My only hand pay (so far) happened on a Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers (a themed machine) during our March Madness 2015 trip.
     
  17. vegasvic

    vegasvic VIP Whale

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    Good responses and we will play some of them. I played a machine at GVR last night I think it was called Hot Dice or something like that. I feel you get the bonus you get to "Roll" dice until you roll a 7. Like craps. Won $80 and cashed out, bought in for $20. I will always be a table games guy but I'm enjoying dabbling in slots.
     
  18. bshowell

    bshowell VIP Whale

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    Another vote for Quick Hits. Love those things. But my favorite are the Crystals machines. I tend not to do a lot of themed machines. Closest to themed that I like is probably MJ.
     
  19. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Because some illogical manager decided to do this. Someone that is not customer focused at all.

    Let me explain. Let's assume that most machines in a casino have a 88% payback. Then some of them have to pay 2% to the license holder. They have opted to reduce the points you earn to make up that difference. Why not just lower the payout to 86% on those machines instead. Nobody would know the difference, and people would be less pissed off about the reduced point earnings.
     
  20. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Pretty close. It's called hot roll. I think it's pretty fun and you can often play for an affordable 20 cents. The Wizard of odds actually video taped the game and took the data to better estimate one machine's payback.

    http://wizardofodds.com/games/slots/hot-roll/

    They also have hot roll video poker at GVR, but the bonus is just a dice roll that creates a multiplier similar to Super Times Pay poker and the machine auto rolls for you. [emoji35] I'll be writing about this game in my TR soon.
     
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