• How Do Casinos Control Slot Machine Payouts
• How Do Slot Machine Odds Work
• Slot Machine Payout Percentages

Jun 02, 2020 Apart from slot machines, the same applies to winnings from lottery, bingo, keno, poker or other games of chance. So, if the amount won on a slot machine is higher than $1200, the casino is required to report it. In other words, all your gambling winnings have to be reported on your tax return as 'other income' on Schedule 1 (Form 1040), line 8. During a hand payout, a slot attendant collects personal identification sufficient to both complete a tax form as well as any other state-required documentation performs the hand payout (if they have adequate cash on hand) unlocks the machine to allow the player to continue. The maximum bet on these machines is $2 and the maximum payout is limited to $800. Montana gaming regulations require these machines to return a minimum of 80%. There are seven Indian casinos offering video gaming machines that also print out a receipt. The maximum bet on these machines is $5 and the maximum payout is capped at $1,500.

It’s impossible to predict if a slot machine will pay out at a specific moment; anyone claiming otherwise either doesn’t understand how slot machines work or they work as a casino promoter.

Slot machines include their payouts on their pay tables, but they don’t include the probability of achieving any of the winning outcomes. In some countries, the payback percentage is posted on the machines, but not in the United States. Dan from Communication Group 34 takes you through the rules and mathematics of Casino slot Machines!Hub Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOl-ycNvSE.

If it were possible to identify precisely when a slot machine is about to pay, then the casinos would lose money, and we are all aware of the fact that it usually doesn’t happen. Internet gaming establishments are well-oiled machines built to provide you with entertainment in exchange for money.

However, don’t close this article just yet. The fact that there is no foolproof way to win money on slot machines every time doesn’t mean that it is impossible.

As you probably already know, the odds included in slot machine games are based on the mathematical probability. So, if you learn how those odds work, you might be able to use these findings to your advantage and make some profit.

What we’re actually saying here is that with a good strategy in play and a decent understanding of how to recognize (or at least assume) when a particular slot is about to pay out, you can increase your chances of winning.

We’ve done our homework and poured over countless slot machine tips and tricks in order to learn how to recognize the moment when a slot machine is about to pay out. After a lot of digging, we were able to create a list that shows the most effective strategies you can implement to overcome the ‘randomness’ of slot machines.

Play Only Slots With the Biggest Payouts

This piece of advice seems rather obvious but bare with us for a moment. Everyone who has played in either a brick-and-mortar or an online casino is familiar with the phrase ‘house edge’. For those who have heard about this term but aren’t quite sure what it means, we’ll try to clear things up a bit.

The term ‘house edge’ refers to the mathematical advantage that the gaming establishment has over players. This advantage results in a guaranteed percentage that is returned to the online casino over time. In other words, casinos always beat the players in the long run since the odds are stacked in their favor. You must have heard about the phrase ‘the house always wins’? Well, the house in this phrase is a casino, and you can see for yourself why it always wins.

However, don’t fall into despair yet as all is not lost.

Although the odds are stacked against players, it’s still possible to win. In fact, every slot machine has a theoretical return to player based on statistics which is called the RTP (Return to Player).

The average RTP for most slot games is somewhere between 90–96 percent. Therefore, every slot game that has the RTP over 96% is always a good option. A couple of percentage points difference may seem meaningless, but trust us — it makes a lot of difference over thousands of spins. For those reasons, it’s always a good idea to do a little digging before you start spinning the reels.

How to Find the RTP of a Slot Game?

Finding out the RTP of a particular slot game is quite easy. There are plenty of websites which review online casinos and write about their game selection, as well as their respective RTP’s.

Simply put, you stand a better chance with the higher RTP slot games. This particularly is the case when you’re playing through bonus spins.

Entertainment vs Big Wins?

This factor is almost as important as the RTP when it comes to choosing an online slot game. Volatility, sometimes called variance, in slot games measures how often and how much you can expect to win during your playing sessions.

Higher volatility slots usually feature long dry strakes with occasional big wins. Since the payouts are substantially higher with high volatility slots, you might sometimes end up clicking the Spin button relentlessly, only to watch your bankroll dwindle. However, when everything lines up perfectly… boom! You’ve hit the jackpot that made the long dry spell worth it! One of the best high volatility slot games is the Book of Ra, created by Novomatic.

On the opposite side of the coin are the low volatility games where payouts are much more frequent but more much smaller. We are not saying that large wins are impossible with these games — far from it. It’s just when they do happen, they are not on the same scale as the ones available with the high volatility games.

It’s really up to the player and his preferences — if you prefer playing games where little wins pop up every couple of spins, then go for the low volatility games. On the other hand, if you are hoping for making the big bucks and are willing to take necessary risks, then we recommend high volatility games.

Online casino platforms aren’t quite eager to hand out the information about the game’s volatility, but it becomes obvious after playing it for a certain time. There isn’t such a thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ volatility — it’s just a question of gambling style and personal preference.

Use the Bonuses in Your Favor

One way to put up a fight against the house edge is by taking advantage of the bonuses. As most of you probably already know, the majority of casino sites offer free spins/free money/ bonuses as incentives to lure new customers. Those bonuses can prove beneficial and turn the odds in your favor.

Of course, don’t expect that the bonuses will last forever. But while they last, you can definitely make the most out of them and clean up some easy cash. On that note, there is no reason why you shouldn’t search around and take advantage of different promotions.

Slot Machines FAQ

Below we’ve answered some of the most frequent slot-related questions. We know that slot machines pose a mystery, and we’ll help you unravel it.

Is gambling on a slot machine really random?

Yes, it is. All slot machines in all online casinos operate by using the RNG, a computer-run program that randomly chooses numbers. A reliable RNG generates numbers that are not related to each other in any way, thus ensuring that your games are fair and random. All types of bonus rounds are predetermined by algorithms, regardless of which slot game you play.

Are slot machines really streaky?

Yes, slot machines are streaky, and they tend to get cold and/or hot. But it’s all the same for you as you have no way of predicting when a slot machine will become hot or cold. These patterns that happen from time to time look like streaks of bad luck or good luck, but they are not based on anything — that’s just the nature of random events.

How can I find a slot machine that suits my gambling style?

It depends on your preferences — if you’re up for cheap entertainment, you should find games that allow a cheap max bet.

If you’re looking to win a massive jackpot, you should concentrate on progressive games and games that feature lots of bonus rounds. These games have high volatility, which means that payouts don’t happen very often, but when they do, they are substantially bigger.

If you just want to have a good time and money isn’t an issue, look for the latest developments. These games feature plots and characters from popular TV shows, movies, sports, and so on, and offer bonus rounds and other fun extras.

Is there a strategy I could implement to increase my chances of hitting the jackpot?

Unfortunately, there isn’t. All possible outcomes are controlled by a Random Number Generator and there is no betting amount or a specific strategy that will make it more or less likely for you to hit the jackpot. However, have in mind that in most online casinos (and land-based for that matter) you have to bet max in order to qualify for the slot jackpot payouts.

What’s a good strategy for playing slot machines?

Before you start spinning the reels, find out the payout percentage of the selected slot machine — don’t play anything that has the RTP below 95 percent. If you are a high roller, go for the high volatile games and chase the main jackpot. Make the most out of the available casino bonuses — they can increase your winning chances by providing extra spins. Avoid the latest licensed slots if possible because, according to various sources, they are more likely to feature fewer payouts.

The fact that matters is that you can’t use some special skill to outsmart a slot machine and change the payout percentage of it. But you can try certain strategies that can maximize your chances of winning.

Introduction to Taxable Jackpots

One of the most popular slot machine questions on Google searches is: How do slot machines pay out taxable jackpots? I’ve assumed this question is about the mechanics of the payout process. A different upcoming post deals with explaining when slot machines pay out.

Slot machines are special-purpose computers, like a lot of equipment found in our lives. Specifically, standard tools are televisions, electronic watches, gas station pumps, cash registers, bank ATMs, automobiles, baby monitors, and the list goes on and on.

Each of these devices has one or more computer microprocessors, visual display, audio speaker, and some may also have a way to accept and/or dispense money either physically or virtually online.

Beyond controlling the multiple interfaces to and from the player, the computer within a slot machine also manages the odds of a player winning.

At its core, a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) is a calculation. This PRNG is an element of the computer programming algorithm used by slot machines.

PRNGs (or more commonly RNGs) determine the outcome of a player’s bet based on the pre-determined odds of winning as set by the casino operator within the limited options provided by the slot machine manufacturer.

As previously mentioned elsewhere, winning a jackpot involves using the PRNG twice:

1. To determine if a jackpot is won
2. To determine how much was won

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The Slot Machine Gambling Process

Once a player selects a specific slot machine, that machine operates to accept or reject the inserted cash, ticket voucher, and reward card.

Next, it accepts the player’s selection for denomination amount and amount of credits to be bet, although it will merely reject one or both settings if insufficient funds are available to make such a bet.

When the bet is placed, the machine immediately selects the latest random number generated by its RNG to determine the outcome of the bet and well as updating the players club card with the points earned for placing the bet.

At the end of this process, the machine turns the reels to show the outcome of the bet. See below for this player-machine sequence of events.

During slot machine gambling, a sequence of actions and reactions take place between the player and machine. The player:

• selects a specific machine, inserts money in the form of cash or ticket voucher
• chooses from the denominations available
• chooses the number of credits to bet
• places a bet
• observes the results of the bet including any bonus round
• receives winnings from the bet (if any)
• then, either:
  • leaves the machine empty handed
  • cashes out any remaining funds and leaves with a ticket voucher
  • continues playing the machine.

The player may choose to insert a player card at any time before or during play, then later remove it before leaving the machine.

Jackpot!

Between determining the outcome of the bet and turning the reels, the machine executes programming code that sets the reels.

The reels turn in a way the machine’s game designers consider most entertaining to the player – such as stopping on reel symbols for non-wins which are next to the symbols for sizable jackpots.

As mentioned, the bet’s outcome is determined when the bet is placed, not when the reels stop moving, despite the entertainment value derived by the player when observing the “action” of the slot machine.

In the event of a win, the machine executes further programming to activate sequences of lights and sounds while updating the information display for the player, which is referred to as a roll-up.

Now What? – The Jackpot Pay Out Process

If a jackpot less than the taxable limit is won, slot players can simply proceed with continuing to play or cash out from that slot machine. The current taxable jackpot limit is $1,200 in the United States.

Meaning, if you have a win of $1,200.00 or more at a slot machine, there is an immediate tax bill resulting in an IRS Form W-2G. If you have a win of $1,199.99 or less, there is no immediate tax bill.

Jackpots that require immediate payment of taxes results in the slot machine locking up.

How Do Casinos Control Slot Machine Payouts

Many, many slot players have been surprised by their slot machine locking up when a taxable jackpot is won. It can only be unlocked by a casino employee, a slot attendant.

Whether a casino is old or new, a slot attendant will arrive shortly to administer a hand payout. During a hand payout, a slot attendant

• collects personal identification sufficient to both complete a tax form as well as any other state-required documentation
• performs the hand payout (if they have adequate cash on hand)
• unlocks the machine to allow the player to continue.

If the attendant is not carrying enough cash with them, or if the player wishes to have a cashier’s check instead of a cash payout, the slot attendant leaves the player with a receipt and returns a short while later with the check or cash.

If the attendant leaves, they typically unlock the slot machine beforehand to allow the player to continue betting while waiting for the slot attendant to return.

Summary of Taxable Jackpots

The most important thing to remember about winning a jackpot is to make sure you’ve brought your government-issued I.D. If you don’t have it, then you cannot receive a taxable jackpot.

And, no, your friend sitting next to you cannot claim the jackpot for you – the eye in the sky knows it’s your winnings and not someone else.

The second thing to be aware of is what is or is not a taxable jackpot, a single win of $1,200 or higher. Many people have never won a taxable jackpot, so it can be challenging to get useful information on this unless you’ve done it more than a few times. But I have.

If the machine locks up, it’s either had an error or you’ve won a taxable jackpot. Being out of paper is a machine error, for example. Either way, a slot attendant will show up shortly to help. For goodness sake, don’t walk away until you know which!

As a final note, as of this writing, a decade ago, casinos moved away from using coins. Nowadays, they use cash, checks, and vouchers redeemable at cash machines and cages.

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Slot Machine Payout Percentages

Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC