​WHEN to play Slot Machines??

Margie Lopez (and numerous other people) asks, "In your opinion and experience do you think there’s a better time of day to play and win at casinos?”

I’m not sure if there has been one question I have been asked more than this one! Nor have I heard more opinions on the matter. All I can offer is my best informed and educated response based on speaking with slot manufacturers and casinos.

• Morning.
• Afternoon.
• Evening.
• Weekends.
• Holidays.
• End of the Month.
• Beginning of the Month.
• End of the Quarter.
• Brian's Birthday. 

I’ve heard it all, these are the times when you feel a casino is paying or when you feel it is tight. Perhaps the easiest thing to consider is this. If you are a casino and you want to attract people to come, are you going to make some people happy and piss off others based upon when they decide to visit? Probably not.

Secondly, what is the process involved in changing a slot machines payout percentage (the percentage in which a slot machine is designed to pay back to the player)? Many people believe, and use the saying, “they flicked the switch”, meaning they’ve made the slots pay out poorly. Well there is no actual switch I’m sorry to report. There was a movement to make casinos server based, but that went to the wayside years ago. When I recently visited Scientific Games, I asked them what the process was like. Well you may be surprised to learn that in order to change the payout percentage, a casino must appoint at least 2 employees to go up to a machine, open it up and make adjustments inside. This process takes up to 45 minutes per machine. PER MACHINE. So in Cosmopolitan with around 1300 slots machines, that would take them 975 hours, or 40 days to complete. Or San Manuel would take 140 days nonstop, while employing 2-3 employees to complete the task. My guess is that it may not make sense for them to do that.

What they can do instead is move some machines to another area of the casino, which takes a LOT of work and effort to do, and then adjust it at that moment if they chose to.
What you need to remember is that Casinos must follow strict laws set out by the government. They are not about to jeopardize their future on a few slot machines or percentage points
.
Now, I can already hear some of you screaming “NOPE, you’re wrong. I always lose when I go there on holidays, and I always win when I go first thing in the morning. Well, I will just place you in the same category of people who swear that by slapping the button, stopping the reels or touching the screen helps their odds. It’s something we believe because we’ve seen it work with our own eyes – but it doesn’t always work. I’ve seen screen rubbers rub that darn screen 20 times before getting a bonus and then think they did that on their own (insert face palm here). If they think so, that’s great. But it’s not based on fact. Just like YOU always winning in the mornings is a true thing, otherwise quit your job and become a full time morning button pusher, haha.

Another theory that I'll couple into this blog, is the thought that corner slot machines pay out more than others. Well I’ve learned that it is in fact TRUE that corner or end machines do pay out more! The catch - that doesn’t mean they have a higher payout percentage. It just means they are played more. It’s the same as being on an airplane – who wants the middle seat? Not me! The best example of this ringing true for me was when I attended Hard Rock Casino’s grand opening (great video) in Atlantic City. I got to play the slot machines before it was open to the public. All progressive machines started at the base amounts, so you could clearly see that the ones on the ends had higher progressives since they were played more. Therefore it only makes sense that they pay more (often!). 

Based on all of my jackpot wins, they have occurred at all times of days including holidays and weekends. It’s all about timing and it only takes one. Just don’t get #SlotBlocked!

I tell you, slot machines can be darn confusing. Gone are the days of 3 reel machines with just bars, cherries and 7’s. What else is confusing is navigating through all of my blogs, so next week I'll guide you through the best of the best!

Til then,
Brian xoxo ❤️

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