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Slot machines are a game of chance, which means that the odds will always be stacked against you. There are opportunities, however, to limit that house edge, including online, and the smart slots player chooses games that he or she enjoys and that has a relatively high RTP.
Return to Player
Return to player or RTP rate is a way of evaluating a casino game. If a slot machine has an RTP of 94 percent, then that means that of all the money that the machine takes in, 94 percent is returned to the players in the form of jackpots and 6 percent is kept by the house as profit. Generally, the RTP should be in the mid-90s, and players can usually find games in casinos and online with RTP rates as high as 98 percent. Keep in mind that the casino win percentage, another way of referring to house edge, can be as high as 15 percent, so not all games of chance are created equally.
Simple Game, Better Odds
As a rule of thumb, simpler slot machines are more favorable to the player. With a classic one-armed bandit, you can actually calculate the odds and determine the house edge. Casinos do not want you doing that, which is why on-the-reels and second-screen bonus features have become so prevalent. On most video slot machines, it is nearly impossible to calculate the effect of a bonus feature, and you can assume that the casino is not doing you any favors.
Published Win Percentages
That does not mean that you have to avoid these slot machines entirely. This information is available. In fact, most reputable gambling commissions publish this information. You might be surprised to find that Megabucks, one of the most popular slot machines in Las Vegas, has a house edge of about 13 percent, which is quite high. That is, of course, offset to some degree by the fact that Megabucks has a progressive jackpot and can pay out millions. Speaking of progressive jackpots, keep in mind in that as a pot grows, the odds change, and those odds can actually shift in your favor.