Let me just be upfront here and say that while there are plenty of methods for playing slots, there is no real “slot secret”. There are plenty of books and the like out there telling you how to make money off of slot machines. Probably the best method for making money of slot machines consistently is to write a book telling people you know how to make money off of slot machines.

There are a few tips that will help you out some. Some of these actually make sense while others are just a little bit silly and steeped in wives’ tales. Or in this case granny tales. I don’t know.

Picking the one armed bandit you are about to bleed dry is definitely something that you want to do. Pick one that is played often but hasn’t paid out much yet. While it’s true that someone hasn’t come up with a way to spot a winner right off, picking the right machine is a good thing. Consider this: the machine that has not paid off in a while is most likely due to. Play that one for a bit and stick with it.

If there are no other players about or you can’t quite figure out which machines are the ones most played, pick one on the end of an aisle near a high traffic spot. These machines are usually played much more than the ones tucked away somewhere. That’s just human nature; everyone wants to be able to order a drink as fast as possible and the waitresses make the rounds on the main aisles more often.

Pick a slot you understand. This is important. Not all slot machines play exactly the same. Some require all kinds of strange combinations and the days of just three cherries to win are gone. Some will actually have 8, 9 lines or more for you to bet on. Some slot machines are combo games where one can play video poker at the same time. Bingo slots have always confused me. With bingo slots every person playing slots is also involved in a bingo game. The machines are linked via a network. The chances of winning something are increased because you are playing slots anyway; it’s the game play I don’t understand. It has been explained to me several times, but I just smile and nod a lot.

Gimmick slots are interesting. These would be the bank of slot machines with a car hanging over the top of them. Win the jackpot, win the car (and pay the taxes). Some busy casinos will have people pushing the play button day and night to win one of these prizes, but mostly they turn into a “well I have one dollar left” game that everyone gives one shot on the way out. They are not high volume machines, but then again, a game could hit at anytime. What would frustrate an owner would be to install one of these and the first person to drop a dollar in wins the car. Ouch! That’s got to hurt!

Penny slots are often overlooked a bit too. This is kind of sad when you think about how they are all shiny and bright and lonely. Most casinos have a slip system in place now, you put in cash and it gives you a slip to cash in. People throw away their little $.46 slips all the time and call it a night. Do you realize that is 46 credits in a penny machine? It’s your money, but personally, I go to gamble baby! With most slots, these slips just slide right in like money, you might as well use them.

Slots are great in that you don’t have to deal with too much in the way of rules if you don’t want to. But still, knowing what you are playing and where will help you choose a better machine than flopping down in the first available chair and throwing some money in. Knowing the rules and which machines are likely to hit will help you better choose a machine for sure.