Maximizing Slot Wins

Play Slots That Pay Disproportionately for Max Bets

Slot players are often encouraged to bet the maximum number of coins per spin, but does this really work to their advantage? The answer is that it depends on the type of slot you’re playing. This practice is usually recommended for classic games that play on three reels.

First, check the game’s paytable to see whether betting the maximum coins gives you higher value and better payouts. Examine the paytable below and you will see what we mean.

As you can see, the payout multipliers are proportional to the number of coins that triggered the respective winning combination. Wagering two coins per spin brings you exactly double the pay for each winning combo, while three-coin wins earn you triple the payout.

The return percentage here remains the same regardless of your wager size. In other words, there is no incentive for the player to bet the maximum number of coins.

However, this is not the case with slots that come with disproportionate multipliers on top-paying combinations. Below is an example of one such paytable.

Here we see a significant jump in the fixed jackpot for three-coin bets. The game no longer pays proportionally to the size of your bets. The prize for the highest-paying combination of three Gold Nuggets is four times greater for max bets than for one-coin wagers.

This disproportionate increase in payouts benefits players because it raises the average return percentage for maximum-coin bets. The same applies to progressive three-reel slots where the jackpot increases incrementally. In such games, players can qualify for the progressive pot only if they wager the maximum number of coins.

The Discrepancy in Return Percentages for One-Coin and Three-Coin Bets

Now, let’s see how this condition impacts return percentages in a slot with the same paytable as the one above. Suppose a one-coin wager is $1 and the return percentage with three-coin bets is 94.00%.

Let’s say the probability of landing the top jackpot is 1 in 20,000 rounds. This means you are betting $60,000 (3 coins at $1 × 20,000). Because the return percentage is 94.00%, the game would pay around 0.94 × $60,000 = $56,400. You receive $4,000 from the jackpot combination and the remaining $52,400 from lower-value combinations.

With one-coin bets of $1, you wager $20,000 over 20,000 spins. The game pays proportionally for other winning combinations, so you end up winning one-third of $52,400, or $17,466 on average.

The jackpot for one-coin wagers is only $1,000 when you land three Gold Nuggets. Therefore, your returns from $20,000 in bets average $18,466. What is the theoretical return percentage for one-coin bets?

To calculate this, divide your average returns by the total amount you have wagered: 18,466 / 20,000 = 0.9233. This results in a payback percentage of 92.33%.

The conclusion is that the classic slot in the example offers a 94.00% average return for maximum bets of three coins. If you do not bet the maximum credits, this percentage drops to 92.33%.

Keep in mind that betting the maximum number of coins does not affect the odds of the jackpot hitting. Nevertheless, the odds built into the slot, combined with the disproportionate top payouts for three-coin bets, have a positive effect on the game’s theoretical return percentage.

Play All Available Paylines on Video Slots

What about modern video slots that run on five instead of three reels? Their payouts are proportional to the credits you bet per payline, and there is no extra reward for wagering the maximum number of coins.

As a result, return percentages in these games remain static; they do not increase when you bet maximum coins. If you examine the paytable of a video slot, you will notice several things.

• First, such games use more symbols, grouped into two categories – high-value and low-value. This allows for more winning combinations than those found in three-reel slots. Some games even award payouts for as few as two matches.
• Second, the player is awarded a given number of credits when matching symbols align on an active payline. The number of win lines varies among five-reel slots. Winning combinations fail to pay if the symbols land on a deactivated payline, i.e., a line that is not covered by a coin bet.
• Third, multi-line slots have much higher maximum bets because each line must be covered with a wager to pay. Many video slots support bets of up to five coins per line. For example, a 25-line slot requires 25 coins if you bet a single coin per spin and 125 coins for five-coin bets.

These games do not offer an additional incentive to place maximum-coin bets. Nevertheless, players are advised to bet on all available paylines, as this increases their chances of landing winning combinations.

Many modern video slots do not give players the option to deactivate win lines. The number of coins per line is fixed. Such slots are known as “forced bet” games. A 20-payline slot of this type may feature buttons that read Bet 20, Bet 40, Bet 60, Bet 80, and Bet 100 for one, two, three, four, and five coins per win line.

You also sometimes need to play all available paylines to qualify for the bonus game. In such cases, you trigger the bonus by landing a specific symbol combination on an active payline.

If that combination occurs on a deactivated line, you will not unlock the bonus event – be it a round of free spins, a pick-me game for extra cash prizes, or a wheel-based feature.

Bonus games, no matter their format, give players the opportunity to build a balance without placing extra bets. Therefore, you can increase your rewards by ensuring you qualify for these features. It is best to cover all available paylines when you play video slots, even if you use coins of lower denomination.

Research the Games' Return Percentages

Many land-based casinos refrain from publicly revealing the return percentages (RTP) of their slot machines. If you play online, you will face no such issue, as all reputable web-based casinos publish the long-term return of their slot games.

The RTP is even listed in the paytables of slots developed by certain software suppliers. This information matters because it indicates how a given slot performs over the long term.

Like all casino games, slots pay at less than true odds. Their average return is always under 100%. The return percentage denotes what portion of all money wagered goes back to players. The house keeps the remainder, which gives it a permanent edge.

A slot with an RTP of 95% pays an average of ¢0.95 per dollar wagered and retains the remaining ¢0.05. Likewise, a game with an RTP of 98% returns ¢0.98 per dollar wagered, while the house keeps ¢0.02.

It follows that slots with lower RTP give the house a bigger advantage because it retains a larger portion of the money players feed into the machines. Slots with high payback percentages are better for players because they come with a lower house edge.

A higher return percentage does not guarantee you will end up a winner. The more spins you make on a machine, the greater your chances of losing.

Even so, games with high payback percentages are preferable because they drain your bankroll at a slower rate.

Always do your research before you spin the reels online. Compare how the games perform return-wise and pick the ones that offer the highest long-term payback.

Play High-Denomination Games If Your Budget Allows It

Slot coin denominations are a good indicator of whether a game offers a high return percentage. Games with higher coin denominations generally have better return percentages and lower house edges.

Quarter slots perform better than nickel slots, nickel slots deliver higher paybacks than penny games, and so on. Because of this, the general recommendation is to play the machines with the highest coin denominations you can afford. That said, you should never overbet your bankroll if you are playing on a limited budget.

Keep in mind that this approach is mainly recommended when you play slots in land-based casinos where the payout percentages are not readily available. It is a good reference point, but it does not guarantee consistent profits in the long term.

Use a Slot Player Card and Participate in Casino Promotions

Slot players are among the most valuable customers to the casino. They tend to lose the most money because they play against some of the biggest house edges on the floor. The silver lining is that this makes them eligible for the best comps.

Most land-based casinos allow reel spinners to sign up for a player card. You insert this card into the machine before you start playing, and it tracks your action – that is, the amount of money you wager on a given game.

By using a card, you ensure you get something back for the expected value you generate for the casino. The rates at which comp points are awarded differ from venue to venue, but as a rule players receive about one-third of the amount they have played in the form of comps.

Some casinos run promotions where they multiply the comps you generate by 3×, 5×, or even 10×. It is wise to visit the casino when it benefits you the most. The bottom line is that you should avoid playing if you are not being rewarded in one way or another.

Several factors determine the rate at which you are comped, including average bet size, average playtime, the game’s house edge, and your customer status. The most loyal spinners who frequent the casino qualify for the biggest perks.

The goodies you receive differ across casinos but usually include airfare, dinner and entertainment comps, free hotel accommodations, free slot-tournament entries, and so on.

Online slot players also earn comp points, but these do not come in the form of free beverages, meals, or show tickets. Instead, you accumulate loyalty points when you bet real money and can exchange them for free spins, free-play credits, or withdrawable cash.

The average online casino converts points at the rate of 100 points for $1. At some websites, you can even convert your points into free merchandise like smartphones or cruise trips. While these perks cannot completely overturn the house edge in slots, you still receive more value for your action.