On slots, knowledge is the only strategy
Given that strategy to win playing slot machines is nonexistent, except for the worthless systems hatched in the fertile imaginations of the purveyors of get-rich-quick schemes who prey on the general public's lack of knowledge about how the games really work, what's a slot player to do?
First and most important is to make it a point to learn the truth about slot machines and not be held captive by the mystery, superstition and misinformation that cloud our perception of them. You can do this by buying a good book by a reputable and recognized expert on the subject.
One of the best (and just in time for holiday gift-giving for the slot aficionado on your shopping list) is the revised 2005 edition of The Slot Machine Answer Book: How They Work, How They've Changed and How to Overcome the House Advantage (Bonus Books) by John Grochowski.
Once you are an informed player who knows exactly what you're up against, there's little else you can do save for three vital factors which can directly affect the level of enjoyment you derive from playing slots: Correct decision making, wise money management and the pace at which you play.
An important consideration to take into account prior to delving in to the how's and why's of intelligent slot play is to recognize how much the machines have changed in the last decade. Traditional spinning reel units now play second fiddle to interactive video games that offer a complete entertainment experience, including state-of-the-art sensory technology and game-within-a-game bonus features.
Because the vast majority of the money wagered on the new wave of video slots is on penny, two-cent and nickel games, your entertainment comes at a high price. They pack the highest "hold" percentage of any slot machines. Somebody has to pay for the features we all find so alluring. That somebody is us.
Further complicating the situation is the fact that even though the machines are marketed as penny and nickel slots, it really takes dollars to play them, sometimes as much as or more than quarter and dollar games, which have a substantially lower house edge. Subjecting your money to a casino advantage ranging from slightly less than 9 percent to more than 14 percent, especially at rapid-play games like slots, can become a mighty expensive gambling proposition.
One thing to keep in mind while playing video slots is to not be held captive by the buttons on the cabinet that activate the number of coins that you choose to play per line. Some cabinets have buttons for one, two and three coins, followed by five, 10 and even 15 with nothing in between.
If, for example, you wish to play four coins per line but can't find the corresponding button, look near the bottom of the video screen for the "coins per line" touch icon. You'll be able to play the number of coins that's comfortable for you without being intimidated into thinking you have to bet more.
