Slot Payout Misconceptions
By Gayle Mitchell

This article is from Casino Players Ezine published twice/month online.Slot Misconceptions abound and one of the myths that most players determine to be truth is that casinos ‘flip a switch’ or somehow manipulate payout percentages. Players are convinced that payouts are lowered on the weekends during the busiest playing times. Or a machine that paid off big time before has now been changed to the ‘stingiest slot’ known to humankind.

Here are the facts that mandate casinos’ compliance by Gaming Commissions in regulated gaming areas. To begin, there is no ‘program adjustment’ to change payouts in or on the slot machines. Following are the steps if such a change was undertaken by the casinos:

--Slot manufacturer rep. or designated casino rep. would be required to make the change on the casino premises.

--A report must be filed with the local Gaming Commission for removal plus a report for a slot addition.

--Casinos would have to account for the removal of coins from the old version plus tag and fill the newer version with coins.

--The change of program could necessitate a new glass front or graphics for the newer version.

Now, multiply this by 1000 or more machines in a particular casino. Wow, this makes me tired just thinking about these procedures.

I will grant you that slots in bars, restaurants, airports and some small Indian casinos are suspect and are not monitored to the high degree of larger gaming venues that must ‘live and die’ by the rules and regulations of their Gaming Commissions.

Therefore, my advice, as in the past, is avoiding these potential nasties that play ‘games’ with our games. These casinos and all casinos, for that matter, are ‘playing with fire’ not just with their gaming licenses but the wrath of  casino visitors who don’t take kindly to ‘messing with their slots’.

I know that there are slot players out there who get downright paranoid about casinos lowering their payouts. “It’s a casino conspiracy; they are out to get us!”

I say, calm down, chill out and save your paranoia for real concerns, like the evening news.

Now that’s a Valium moment!

If I breathe deeply, maybe my paranoia will disappear--in, out, in, out, in out...

Until next we meet in the Slots Playground.

(Gayle Mitchell is author of Casino Gambling Made Easier books, E-Books, booklets & Slots Trilogy. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed)