How to Find a Loose Slot Machine at a Casino

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 26, 2023 References Approved

Many people enjoy slot machines for their ease of use and exciting possibilities. If you love playing slot machines and want to get serious about winning, you need to find a loose slot machine. A loose slot machine is a machine that has a higher than average payout. With a little cleverness and planning you can be winning large amounts in no time!

Things You Should Know

Implement helpful strategies (like playing multiple machines at once) but also, never gamble more than you can afford to lose.
Look for machines with a good payout. Typically, if machines feature multiple payout lines, they'll have a lower payout percentage.
If all else fails, ask an employee! They may have a hunch about where the "hot" machines are in the casino.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Playing to Win

1
Play the maximum number of coins. Many machines require that a player gamble with the maximum amount of money to have a chance at winning the jackpot. Make sure you check the payout table to find out. The payout table is a small printed sticker displaying the percentages of likelihood for the winning combinations.^{[1]
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Research source} If you don’t want to pay the maximum, consider finding a less expensive slot machine.
- For example, if you play on a machine with a 25 cent minimum but a one dollar maximum, you should play with one dollar to see the best results.
- This technique is best for machines with a jackpot. However, this is a good method for regular slot machines as well.
2
Test the payout of your machine.^{[2]
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Research source} Whenever you sit down to a new machine you need to test the payout percentage. Put in a few dollars and see how much you get back. After some time has passed, figure out whether or not you’re breaking even. If you are, stay put! It could be a loose slot machine! If not, move to another machine.
- For example, if you spend about twenty dollars at a machine over half an hour and only get about ten dollars back, that’s probably not a loose machine. Leave and find a better one.
- Avoid choosing a “favorite machine.” If you devote a lot of attention to one particular machine, you won’t be as likely to leave it when it stops paying out.
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3
Play multiple machines at once. Experienced gamblers will often play two or three slot machines at the same time. This is based off of the belief that loose machines are situated right next to tight machines.^{[3]
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Research source} These gamblers believe that increasing the number of machines they use increases their chance to find a loose slot.
- Don’t spread yourself too thin. If you use machines that are too far away from one another, you may lose track of which machines you’re gambling with.
- Take care when using this method as you might lose your money that much faster!
4
Know when to stop playing. Before stepping foot into the casino, figure out how much money you can afford to lose. Never spend money that you need for other obligations. Similarly, if you make a big profit, consider pocketing the profit and limiting your gambling to the money you came in with. Adopting this system will minimize your losses.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Choosing a Machine Type

1
Play machines with good payouts. Typically, the more money you have to use to play, the higher the payout percentage is. For example, machines that require $1 or more generally pay out 95% to 99%, where 25 and 50 cent machines usually pay out 92% to 95%. Be wary of casinos advertising that their machines payout “up to 99.5%.” To make this claim they only have to have one machine that pays out 99.5%. All of the rest can be standard machines.
- Slot machines don’t usually post their payout percentage to the general public. Look in the machines “help” menu or try to find the information online.
- A machines payout percentage doesn’t change throughout the night. This is a common myth. The payout will stay the same over the course of a few weeks, if not years.
2
Don’t play progressive jackpot machines. Progressive slot machines slowly accumulate money from players and display the total as a jackpot.^{[5]
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Research source} When playing on these machines, there’s a possibility that you may win millions of dollars! However, the odds are very, very slim.^{[6]
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Research source} These machines make the casino money by reeling customers in with promises of a million-dollar jackpot and then fleecing them. Don’t be fooled by these marketing tactics.
- If you simply can’t resist playing a progressive jackpot machine, remember to play the maximum amount of money. Otherwise, you may not be eligible for the jackpot.
- Some people will avoid progressive jackpot machines unless the jackpot is very, very high. To reach the payout percentage a machine has to pay out money periodically. Therefore, if the jackpot is large, the machine might be ready to pay out.
3
Don’t play multiple payline slots. These machines display multiple paylines, or the line of numbers or symbols that determine your winnings. These machines typically have many possible winning combinations across the different paylines.^{[7]
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Research source} This can seem like a tempting offer but don’t be fooled! These machines usually have a lower payout percentage than your standard slot machine.^{[8]
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- To spot these machines, look for multiple rows and columns of symbols that advertise “many winning combinations.”^{[9]
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- The most common kind of multiple payline slot has five rows and five columns of symbols.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Scouting a Location

1
Gamble in casinos. Casino slot machines typically have the highest payouts at 95%. This means that for every dollar you put in, the machine is programmed to give back 95% of it at some point. Other gambling locations such as airports, bars, grocery stores, and service stations typically stock machines that have a 50% to 75% payout.
- Las Vegas is famous for having looser slot machines than other gambling cities.
- Many gamblers theorize that the older casinos in Las Vegas tend to have looser slot machines to compete with the flashier, newer casinos.
2
Ask an employee. Casino employees see thousands of people gambling every week. They probably have a good idea of where the “hot” machines are and may be willing to share this information for a good tip. Ask them if there have been any big slot winnings recently and if so where those machines are. Similarly, ask them which machines they prefer to play themselves.
- Remember to tip them generously if they help you out, especially if they’re also serving you drinks.
- If they refuse to help don’t press the matter. It may be against their company policy to pass that information along and doing so may cost them their job.
3
Find “loose slot spots” in casinos. Many people believe that casinos strategically place loose slots in high-traffic areas to encourage passerby to play. Therefore, choose machines that are in highly visible places such as near the change booths or on elevated platforms.^{[10]
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Research source} Slots in the “crosswalk,” or areas that other players must cross through to reach other parts of the casino, are famously loose.
- Keep in mind that this is just a theory. Don’t stick to a bad machine just because it’s in a high payout location.
- If you’re having trouble finding a good machine ask another gambler if they know where the “hot” machines are.
4
Avoid low payout locations. Many experienced gamblers avoid the main slot areas. This is the location that the highly visible slot machines are trying to draw you to, and these machines are notorious for having low payouts. Similarly, avoid the machines next to gaming table areas and ticket lines. These machines might distract the customers that are spending lots of money on other things; therefore, the payout will be low to avoid drawing attention.
- Make a special effort to avoid the slot machines near the poker tables. These machines are notoriously tight.^{[11]
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Community Q&A

Question

If I jackpot, is it a good idea to put another 100 or 200 in it to see if anything else hits, or is it done?

Imhotep

Community Answer

The machines are set to a particular payout rate. They have absolutely no memory of the previous spins.
Question

How do I use the help button to find out payouts on slot machines?

Community Answer

Check the menu screen or the tiny sticker that's showing that info, or go online.
Question

Are the machines fixed to be tight at certain times of the day or night?

Community Answer

They could be in certain casinos, depending on how sleazy the owner is.

Warnings

There are many theories about finding loose slot machines and many of them are myths. Be careful when taking the advice of other gamblers.

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Helpful 76 Not Helpful 22
Never participate in illegal gambling.

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Helpful 43 Not Helpful 38