Slot machines are a really big gambling draw for Las Vegas. More than 60% of the Vegas gaming revenue comes from these types of machines. Not bad for a "diversion" originally created to keep the wives of the big-time gamblers busy!
These days there are so many different types of slot machines to play that they can easily confuse you, and the maximum bets can vary so much that you could lose half your bankroll without even realizing you've spent it.
The "original", or "old school" slot machines are the three-reel versions: 3 spinning reels that land on different symbols and pay off based on two or three matched symbols, or a combination paired with various WILD symbols that can increase your winnings depending on the type of machine you're playing. Many people prefer these machines because they know that they will most likely only bet two or three coins maximum for each spin; for a quarter machine that will be only a 50-cent or 75-cent bet for each spin, and the jackpot payouts can be pretty good for these machines. Some good "old school" machines include Blazing 7's, Haywire, and Red White and Blue 7's.
In the mid-90's, a different version of these machines was introduced: the penny machines. These machines allowed players to wager a penny or nickel per line from one line up to the 7- or 9-line maximum, and up to 5 credits per line. So, you could bet anywhere from 1 penny to 45 cents for each spin (or 5 cents to $2.25 for nickel machines), and probably make your money last a little longer. One of my favorites is Denver Duck - it has an Indiana Jones-type theme with a video bonus round that can be played on the top part of the machine separate from the main reels of play.
In the late 90's, a new version of slot machines started popping up in Vegas: the video slots. In the vein of the 7- or 9-line machines, you could bet anywhere from a penny per spin up to the maximum for that particular machine. Because the new machines now had a video screen for their "spinning wheels", the slot machine companies were able to add a few more bells and whistles and more lines to play. Then it wasn't just the number of reels that could increase, but the number of lines, as well. You could be playing a machine that had 5 reels and a total of 15, 25, 50, or even 100 lines, and accidentally hitting the "MAX BET" button would mean that you were wagering $5.00 per spin on a penny machine! These machines include Lucky Lemmings (50 lines), Lobstermania (9-15 lines), My Rich Uncle (25 lines), and Stinking Rich (100 lines) to name just a few.
Over the past few years, some of the newer slot machines have started to include more extravagant bonus rounds. These are the machines that suck a lot of us slot players in, because the chance to play extra free games, get free spins and points, see all kinds of cool graphics, and listen to catchy music and sound effects coming from the slot machines AND our seat chairs is quite addicting. In addition, some of the games have chairs that vibrate depending on what type of bonus round you are playing, so it's a 4-D experience. These types of slots include Gold Fish (my favorite), Star Wars, Star Trek, and Wizard of Oz. There are several versions of each of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and Wizard of Oz machines; some have more exciting - and easier to reach - bonus rounds than others.
Some of the newest bonus slot machines allow you to play your game and share in bonus rounds as a group. Any person playing a machine in a particular group can trigger the bonus round with their machine, and all the people who are actively playing will also receive some portion of bonus for their play, as well. But be careful; some of these machines are 5-cent machines and require you to play a certain number of lines or credits before you can get the full bonus each time. An example of these types of games are the Monopoly Community slots and the eBay Community slots.
Regardless of what type of machine you decide to play, remember to check and make sure you're playing the denomination you were intending to when you sat down. Some machines now have the ability to change between denominations, so you can play 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents or 25 cents per line on the same machine. Checking the "HELP" and "MENU" screens before beginning to play a new game is advisable to make sure you know what you're doing (sort of - I still don't know what I'm doing on some of them, but I continue to play them, anyway).
The only real bit of advice I have for any slot machine play is this: no matter what type of slot machine you like and decide to play, make sure that you play the maximum number of lines you can, but you don't have to play the max bet to hit some really nice payouts. You should just maximize your chances of hitting winning combinations for that machine.
Good luck and have fun out there!
These days there are so many different types of slot machines to play that they can easily confuse you, and the maximum bets can vary so much that you could lose half your bankroll without even realizing you've spent it.
The "original", or "old school" slot machines are the three-reel versions: 3 spinning reels that land on different symbols and pay off based on two or three matched symbols, or a combination paired with various WILD symbols that can increase your winnings depending on the type of machine you're playing. Many people prefer these machines because they know that they will most likely only bet two or three coins maximum for each spin; for a quarter machine that will be only a 50-cent or 75-cent bet for each spin, and the jackpot payouts can be pretty good for these machines. Some good "old school" machines include Blazing 7's, Haywire, and Red White and Blue 7's.
In the mid-90's, a different version of these machines was introduced: the penny machines. These machines allowed players to wager a penny or nickel per line from one line up to the 7- or 9-line maximum, and up to 5 credits per line. So, you could bet anywhere from 1 penny to 45 cents for each spin (or 5 cents to $2.25 for nickel machines), and probably make your money last a little longer. One of my favorites is Denver Duck - it has an Indiana Jones-type theme with a video bonus round that can be played on the top part of the machine separate from the main reels of play.
In the late 90's, a new version of slot machines started popping up in Vegas: the video slots. In the vein of the 7- or 9-line machines, you could bet anywhere from a penny per spin up to the maximum for that particular machine. Because the new machines now had a video screen for their "spinning wheels", the slot machine companies were able to add a few more bells and whistles and more lines to play. Then it wasn't just the number of reels that could increase, but the number of lines, as well. You could be playing a machine that had 5 reels and a total of 15, 25, 50, or even 100 lines, and accidentally hitting the "MAX BET" button would mean that you were wagering $5.00 per spin on a penny machine! These machines include Lucky Lemmings (50 lines), Lobstermania (9-15 lines), My Rich Uncle (25 lines), and Stinking Rich (100 lines) to name just a few.
Over the past few years, some of the newer slot machines have started to include more extravagant bonus rounds. These are the machines that suck a lot of us slot players in, because the chance to play extra free games, get free spins and points, see all kinds of cool graphics, and listen to catchy music and sound effects coming from the slot machines AND our seat chairs is quite addicting. In addition, some of the games have chairs that vibrate depending on what type of bonus round you are playing, so it's a 4-D experience. These types of slots include Gold Fish (my favorite), Star Wars, Star Trek, and Wizard of Oz. There are several versions of each of the Star Wars, Star Trek, and Wizard of Oz machines; some have more exciting - and easier to reach - bonus rounds than others.
Some of the newest bonus slot machines allow you to play your game and share in bonus rounds as a group. Any person playing a machine in a particular group can trigger the bonus round with their machine, and all the people who are actively playing will also receive some portion of bonus for their play, as well. But be careful; some of these machines are 5-cent machines and require you to play a certain number of lines or credits before you can get the full bonus each time. An example of these types of games are the Monopoly Community slots and the eBay Community slots.
Regardless of what type of machine you decide to play, remember to check and make sure you're playing the denomination you were intending to when you sat down. Some machines now have the ability to change between denominations, so you can play 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents or 25 cents per line on the same machine. Checking the "HELP" and "MENU" screens before beginning to play a new game is advisable to make sure you know what you're doing (sort of - I still don't know what I'm doing on some of them, but I continue to play them, anyway).
The only real bit of advice I have for any slot machine play is this: no matter what type of slot machine you like and decide to play, make sure that you play the maximum number of lines you can, but you don't have to play the max bet to hit some really nice payouts. You should just maximize your chances of hitting winning combinations for that machine.
Good luck and have fun out there!
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