Introduction:

Las Vegas Slot machines play an important role in the growth of the Las Vegas casino industry. Slot machine make up a major part of most Las Vegas casinos, and according to Nevada Gaming Almanac 2001 Edition, slots machines take up 60.4% of casino floor at Caesars Palace, 66.8% in the Bellagio, 71.4% in the Excalibur, 70.2% in Mirage. It is also widely know that profit margins for the slots are just as impressive. Again, according to Nevada Gaming Almanac 2001 Edition, in Las Vegas Strip Casino almost half of the total gaming revenue comes from slot machines. This figure is even higher in outlying local casinos estimated at about 75% of casino revenue in Las Vegas, and as high as 84.3% in Laughlin's, a small casino city an our from lost Vegas. This figure is even higher on the Boulder Strip accounting for 86.6% of the casino revenue. So it is easy to surmize that slot machines are very important in terms of square footage and overall revenue for land based casinos.

Therefore, in other words, Las Vegas slot machines eat your money fast, if you don't know certain facts.

Strategies When Playing Las Vegas Slot Machines

For anyone who enjoy playing slot machines in Las Vegas, it is always their hope to walk away with the jackpot or at least with more money than they started with. It could be possible if you are familiar with Las Vegas slot machines and their perks.

The first thing you should do is to go to the Players Club (aka. Slot Club) counter and sign up for a players card. Membership is free and you will earn comps and points towards many of the different perks that the casino offers. Some of the different offers that casino¡¯s award based on play are:

* Free dinners or a percentage off your bill
* Invitations to free private slot tournaments
* Show tickets
* Cash back
* Free hotel rooms
* Free merchandise
* Mailings that will contain special Players Club member only offers

Rules to Remember When Playing Las Vegas Slot Machines:

Get to Know the Local's of Las Vegas Slot Machines

Making a new friend in Las Vegas can also be beneficial for smart Las Vegas slot machine players. Most of the Las Vegas locals know where the loosest slot machines are because they play them often. Frequently these machines are found at casinos not located on the Las Vegas strip. Try playing at some of the lesser known casinos. They may not be as flashy, fancy or have on-site shopping but if you want to leave with more money than you came with, it is definitely worth the trip to these smaller casinos.

Should you stay or leave a Slot Machine?

A few basic rules to follow when playing slot machines in Las Vegas

* If a slot machine does not hit anything (even a 2 credit win) in 4 spins then it is probably a cold slot machine and you might want to try a different slot machine.
* If the slot machine hits - even if only in small amounts, you might want to give it a little more time and see what happens.

Common Questions about Las Vegas Slot Machines

Q: If someone has just hit a large jackpot on the slot machine you just left. Would you have hit the jackpot if you had stayed on it?

A: No - The Random number Generator determines the winning combination at that exact millisecond. It is highly unlikely that you would have stopped the RNG at the exact microsecond as the person who played the machine after you.

Q: A slot machine has not been paying for a long time. Is it due to hit?

A: No - Each spin is a random occurrence and is not affected by what has taken place before that spin.

Q: Once a slot machine pays out a large jackpot, should you quit playing because it will not hit again for a long time? No- Slot machines have no memory and they do not keep track of what has happened before. The results are totally random.

Q: If you play maximum coins you will produce more winning combinations?

A: No - The number of coins you play has no bearing on the frequency of payoffs but if you do hit a jackpot it will be considerably less if you did not play maximum coins.

Q: A slot machine will pay more if the player plays from the credit meter instead of inserting coins by hand?

A: No- the Random Number Generator does not discern between a coin drop or a credit played. This has no bearing on where the reels stop.

Final Tips

* Dollar and higher denomination machines will usually pay out better than the lower denomination machines, the reason being that these machines generate a profit for the casinos quicker than the lower denomination machines.

* Slot machines close to high traffic areas or where people congregate will usually be looser because the casinos have found that if players see lots of payouts it will entice them to keep playing for a longer period.

* As with gambling nothing is full proof but using some of these strategies will work to your advantage and will also give you a slight edge over the average person who plays Las Vegas slot machines.

Good luck playing Las Vegas Slot Machines!