Casinos have more slot machines than all of the other games combined. But unlike many casino games, the slots still have some secrets.
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Here's a list of 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know about.
1. Slot placement isn't random
Although casinos would like you to think that everything on the floor is placed in a completely random way for ease of access and aesthetics, this certainly isn't the case.
Every square foot of the casino is analyzed, measured, and reported on by the casino gaming department. Traffic patterns are monitored and value is placed on certain areas of the casino to determine which slots or games to place in that area.
Usually, the highest yield slots are placed in the most popular locations in the casino. On top of this, the most popular slots are also placed in these areas to attract players into the casino to play.
So now you know that those slots that are most prominent and visible are the ones that make the most money for the casino, which means they're also the most disadvantageous for the player. Head towards the back of the casino next time you want to play slot machines to find a better value.
2. Some slots pay out more than others
Not all slot machines are created equal, and this means they all don't pay out at the same rate.
Generally speaking, video slots pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because reel slots are cheaper to run and maintain, and aren't as appealing to the player as the video slot.
Video slots are now extravagant and have pop-culture themes, which attracts more players. Because of this, the casinos can dial down the payout rate.
Alternatively, the classic slots aren't as popular or appealing anymore so the casinos will dial up the payout rate to attract more players, and subsequently keep you at the slot longer. I suggest you do a bit of searching on the internet about slot payout rates as this information is widely available, particularly for popular gaming locations.
3. The slots club doesn't exist to reward you
This is one of the biggest cons in the gambling industry. You know how the casinos promote themselves as giving back to the player and rewarding you for your play? This is all a lie.
Now, I'm not saying you won't get some free play credits, access to promotions, and other comps for being a part of the slot or player's club, but this isn't why it exists. It exists to provide the casino marketing department with player data so that they can attract and retain you as a customer.
Yes, that's right, all the free money and comps you get out of the casino are from the marketing department. They will analyze your play, movement, likes, dislikes, and betting patterns to determine how best to market themselves to you so that you return.
The slots club is a powerful marketing tool, and while it's always a good idea to join and use your card whenever you play, don't fool yourself into thinking that this is all done to reward you.
4. You can't win at slots in the long run
People do win at slots all the time. They have big wins and small wins; the problem is that on a long enough timeline it's impossible to win.
Slots are manufactured and programmed in a way to ensure that they only pay back a certain percentage of the money that's placed into them by players. Usually, this is in the range of 70-90% but it can be far worse or better depending on where you're playing.
No one would ever play if you didn't win from time to time, so this is also built into the machines. Some casinos don't want you to know this and in some US states, they don't even have to tell you what the payout rate is. Fortunately, there are many states that do provide it to players, and I highly recommend taking advantage of that information.
Although it's pretty common these days for players to know that you can't win in the long run, some still don't know, and those that are oblivious to this fact are loved by casinos.
5. Max betting is the best option
This one may seem counter-intuitive but it's true. On most slots, max betting activates all the bonuses and jackpots and increases your odds of getting lucky and winning, which makes it the best option for players.
Although it doesn't make too much of a difference, it still creates more favorable conditions for the player. The casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to bet small and more often at a worse payout rate, which makes them more money in the long run.
One thing you certainly don't want to do though is max-bet above your bankroll and burn through more money than you intended to. Playing more than you can afford to lose is playing right into the casino's hands. If you can't afford the max bet on a slot then drop down in denominations or move to a machine where the max bet is smaller and works within your bankroll.
6. Class 2 slots aren't really slots at all
Sometimes you'll come across slot machines that are classified as class 2 slots. These are usually found on native Indian reservations or racinos in the United States.
These aren't traditional slots like what you would find in Las Vegas. Vegas slots are Class 3 slots and are proper slot machine games.
Class 2 slots are actually pre-programmed bingo games which present a slot face for entertainment purposes. Class 3 slots are usually illegal in the jurisdictions that have these slots bingo games, so game manufacturers and casinos combined their forces to come up with this alternative.
Sometimes you'll see a small bingo card on the bottom corner of the screen which will straight away tell you that this is a class 2 slot machine. So, be warned, these machines are not slots at all and you'll be effectively playing computer bingo when you start spinning on these.
7. Video slots pay out less than classic slots
Big fancy video slots will almost always pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because of the fact they're more entertaining, draw more players and action, and cost the casinos a lot more to run and maintain.
These big machines often take up two to three times the amount of space compared to classic slots and tend to cost the casinos a lot more to keep them running. In order to maximize profits, the casinos will then dial down the payout rate on these machines so they still make enough money on them.
Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don't go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you're looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
8. Slots are completely random
Casinos don't want you to know this, but slot machines are completely random in nature. Although they are weighted to pay out at a certain rate, this is still in line with the randomness of results that a slot will produce.
Each spin is completely independent of the previous spin. As an example, if you were to win the jackpot on one spin, then the likelihood of winning the jackpot on the next spin is exactly the same. No previous events impact future events. This isn't how they work.
Casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to think slots are 'hot' or 'cold', because that will cloud your judgment in respect to how much you play and gamble. This works out better for them in the long run so they are happy for these myths to grow and spread.
9. All of your play is tracked
From the moment you sit down at a slot and enter your player card and cash, every movement you make is tracked automatically by the casino. Slot machines are now networked and have sophisticated hardware and software to track everything you do.
This information is collected, analyzed, and insight reports are developed and delivered to the casino marketing department so they can work out the best possible way to market their casino and slots to you so that you keep coming back and play more. If you don't want your play tracked then simply don't use your player's card, but then you won't get any casino comps.
In the near future, if it's not being used already, casino marketing departments will start using security infrastructure to monitor and track your play irrespective of whether you use your card or not. Facial recognition programs will detect you, associate you with a player's card or create a new player account and track everything you do on a video feed.
This is a bit scary and it shows the lengths casinos will go to. If you play online, everything is tracked under your player account, so it's easier for online casinos to monitor what you do in this respect.
10. Payout tickets are more likely to be put back into a machine
Over the past 20 years, casinos have slowly phased out cash payouts at slots. These days you'll likely receive a ticket when you cash out, which you then must take to a cash-out machine or the cage to exchange for cash.
While the casinos will claim this is for your convenience, one of the main reasons they've made this change is to disassociate you from the fact you're holding money. This is similar to what they do with chips on table games.
Psychological studies have proven that people are far more likely to gamble more with a ticket or chips, as opposed to cash. So don't be fooled into placing your ticket into another slot on the way to cashing out, they've done this on purpose. I'd recommend that you always cash the tickets out for cash every time, instead of keeping it for play later.
11. Slot arms don't exist as much anymore because they slow down play
Back in the day, pretty much every slot machine had an arm, or lever, that you pull to activate the spin. These days it's much harder to find machines that have these.
While there are a few reasons for this, the main reason and the one the casinos don't want you to know is because using a lever is much slower when compared to pressing a button. Casinos want you to be playing as quickly as possible when it comes to slots because the more you spin the more the odds move in their favor.
So by having buttons instead of levers the game moves a lot faster. Some may even say they've removed the lever so people don't refer to slot machines as one-armed bandits anymore, but that may just be here-say.
12. Games are designed to be played as fast as possible
As we touched on in the previous secret, casinos want you to play whatever game you're on as quickly as possible. While one of the main measurements on a slot is the time spent playing, they also want you to play as quickly as possible.
This increases the yield on the machine for the casino, meaning they make more money. Consider this, if you have a bank of widely popular slots which many people want to play, and it takes 20 seconds per spin, that's quite a lot of time.
If a spin takes five seconds then you're getting four times the amount of play on that machine which results in much more money passing through. So, all the time the casinos are trying to think of ways to make games happen much faster. They don't want you playing slowly, so make sure you take your time next time you sit down at a slot. After all, the more time you play the more entertainment value you get.
13. Slot sounds and graphics are designed to make you feel happy
One thing that casinos certainly don't want you to know about is the fact that slot machine manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers that provide advice on what sounds, colors, movements and graphics to use in games in order to make the player feel as happy as possible.
This is both good and bad. Firstly, it's good if you're playing for entertainment's sake and know your limits when it comes to how much money you're willing to play with. If this is the case then why not play a game that's designed to make you feel happy.
Secondly, it's bad when it comes to problem gamblers who don't know when to stop and are chasing that happy feeling that the games give them. So this is a two-way street; that's for sure. Casinos probably don't want you to know this because it isn't a great look.
14. Sometimes a win isn't a win
One recent trend on slots is to play a jingle and show an animation showing that a player has had a win; this used to be a good thing and it meant you were making a profit, but not so much these days.
Much to the ire of lawmakers and the regulators, slot machines now play this jingle and imply a win, even when the spin results in less money won than you actually wagered on that spin in the first place. So this is essentially a loss and it's trying to trick the player into thinking that they won.
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Regulators are trying to have this outlawed but it will take some time. So, next time you're playing don't be fooled by the animation and sounds and the on-screen advice that says you've had a win. Make sure you check how much you ‘won' when compared to how much you bet, before you celebrate.
15. Major progressive jackpots are played across multiple venues
How Much Do Casinos Pay
Have you ever walked past a progressive jackpot slot machine and stared in awe at the huge jackpot which is currently available and is running into the millions of dollars?
If so, then you may not be aware that these slots are actually linked nationwide and the jackpot is played across thousands and thousands of machines and the casinos actually have no part in this prize.
Casinos don't want you to know this of course; they want you to think that it's just that machine so that you sit down and play and spin away thinking that you're the only person who could possibly win that prize at that time.
These major progressive jackpot machines actually take a small cut from each bet you make and divert it to the major jackpot. So you should never play on one of these unless your ultimate goal is to win the life-changing money, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Conclusion
Casinos are designed to make money just like any business. The slot machines are a big piece of the profit puzzle so the casinos do everything they can to make them more profitable.
Now that you know these 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know you can gamble as an informed player. If you love slots there's no reason to stop playing, but you should know these secrets before you play again.
INSIDE LOOK AT CASINO JUNKETS
By Henry Tamburin
Casino Junkets began in the mid-50's as a way to entice players to Las Vegas to gamble. Junket programs in those days were pretty straightforward. Casino operators would hire junket reps to fill a plane with qualified gamblers. These players would get free airfare, free hotel accommodations, free meals, free shows (and just about anything else they wanted) in exchange for their commitment to gamble a specific number of hours per day at an explicit average bet size. The casinos of course were gambling that the players would lose more than their out of pocket expenses for bringing, housing and feeding them.
That was the past. To get a fresh look at how junkets operate in 2005 and what benefits they provide players, I interviewed junket rep Sandy Crammer, owner of S&S Casino Tours, and Jeffrey Hoss, Director of National Casino Marketing, for Harrah's. What I learned about junkets might surprise you (it did me).
So let's begin by defining what exactly does a Junket rep do?
Jeffrey Hoss: First off, in the Harrah's organization we refer to our third party reps as Independent Agents rather than Junket Reps. Independent Agents send us customers (i.e. players) and in return they get a commission based on a player's theoretical. We have about 185 Independent Agents representing 47 states and 5 international countries that have a specific territory that they can market and promote our properties to their customers. In total our Independent Agents have scheduled about 300,000 customer trips annually to Harrah's properties.
I'd like for you to explain 'theoretical' to our readers but before you do, let me ask Sandy how she got started in this business.
Sandy Crammer: Before I started my own company, I ran a junket office as in-house employee for many years and I decided it was something I liked and wanted to try on my own. So my husband, Scott, and I started our own business and thankfully, Harrah's decided to take a shot with us four years ago to represent them. We have three employees in our company and currently we are one of the top 5 Independent Agent producers for Harrah's.
What areas do you represent for Harrah's?
Sandy Crammer: I currently represent Harrah's in Boston, MA; Providence, RI; Detroit, MI; and I'm expanding to Grand Rapids, MI.
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How many package trips do you typically offer your clients?
Sandy Crammer: On a monthly basis I usually schedule into Atlantic City 2 flights from Boston (except 3 to 4 flights in the summer months), one flight from Providence, RI, and one from Detroit, MI. These are flights on a 120 seat chartered plane. Also every month we contract commercial airfare to Harrah's properties in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. We usually do about 20 seats per month from our markets to those areas. We also run about 6 charter flights a year (130 passenger planes) to Laughlin and Reno/Lake Tahoe. In an average month we probably have 800 or more customers flying somewhere to Harrah's properties.
What are the play and front money requirements for a junket?
Sandy Crammer: There are no front money requirements. The play requirements depends upon what our guest is looking for, e.g. do they want to go on a charter flight, do they want their airfare comped, or are they driving to their destination and only looking for a room comp. We offer different packages in which some are totally comped and others it's buy one get one free or we charge the customer a nominal fee for the air and accommodations.
What would be the play requirement to get free airfare and free accommodations?
Sandy Crammer: As a rule of thumb, to get free airfare and accommodations, a quarter machine player is expected to play 5-6 hours per day (less time if playing dollar or higher machines) and for table game players its 5-6 hours per day at an average bet of $75+. If a player historically meets those requirements he or she would qualify for comped airfare and accommodations on one of our packages.
What if a player doesn't quite meet those requirements?
Sandy Crammer: They would have to pay a nominal fee for the air and room. For example, we recently offered our Boston and Providence customers the following 3 day/2 night discounted Atlantic City package that included round trip airfare from Boston (or Providence) airports, room accommodations, and transfers to and from the hotel for only $179 per person.
So how do you go about scheduling the trip you just mentioned and getting the plane filled with qualified players?
Sandy Crammer: I work with the marketing folks at Harrah's Atlantic City casino that support junket programs. They send me a schedule usually months in advance of dates that are available for me to bring in my customers. I decide which dates I want and Harrah's then charters the plane for me.
Jeffrey Hoss: Outside of Atlantic City, we have an individual dedicated to scheduling the 6 rotations in service for our casinos in Laughlin and Reno/Lake Tahoe. The schedule is determined in advance of three to four months and we work collectively with independent agents on dates and how they will market to them.
So now you are responsible to fill the plane with 120 qualified players. How do you do that?
Sandy Crammer: I have an extensive list of 20,000 or so casino players in our computer database. For each player I know their past play history as far as how many trips they have taken, how long they play, what their average bet size is, how much they won or lost and their theoretical. I then mail out about 7,000 letters per month to those players that have in the past met the play requirements that Harrah's is looking for. The qualified players that respond to our mailings get a seat on the plane. If I can't fill the plane completely with qualified players then I invite players on the next tier that would have to pay the $179 fee for air and room.
Jeffrey Hoss: It is actually working so well with Sandy's customers and others that we have made a commitment to bring in a 150-seat MD-83. Sandy has done such a wonderful job in marketing to her customers, we are confident that there is demand for additional seats. Rummy 500 casino.
How do you get all that play information on your customers?
Sandy Crammer: Every player that I send to a Harrah's property gets coded to me. At the end of each of my packaged trips I get a report from Harrah's that summarizes for each of my customers their entire play history during their trip. This information for each player in put in our database and it's how we determine which customers qualify for different packages that we might offer.
Do you have the power of the pen in a casino?
Sandy Crammer: No, I can't approve comps for my players nor do I have access to Harrah's computers to review player information. But what I will do is contact the marketing department and tell them so and so in my group wants a comp to a specific restaurant. They would look up the playing history of that player in their computer database to see how many comp dollars the player has in his account. In most cases our players have accrued more than enough comp dollars based on their play to cover the cost of meals.
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Total Rewards program allows the customers to decide when and where they want to spend their comps. This alleviates the Independent Agent from making those decisions.
What benefits can an Independent Agent provide their customers?
Sandy Crammer: Besides providing travel arrangements for them, we provide our customers with just about anything else they need such as making reservations for dinners, shows, casino events, golf, ground transportation, you name it. Our guests know that they can call us for all their bookings at all of Harrah's properties. Plus someone from my office will travel with the group to assist them in their needs.
Jeffrey Hoss: A player who wants to visit multiple Harrah's properties can benefit from the services of an Independent Agent. They not only can provide the customer with services for say our property in Laughlin, NV but also our properties in New Orleans, Atlantic City, or elsewhere.
Are there different types of Independent Agents and do they have to be licensed?
Sandy Crammer: Yes, some are responsible for full charter aircrafts (which I am) while others Agents might only send a property an individual reservation (they are known as splinter reps). Independent Agents have to be licensed in all jurisdictions that they represent. For example, in the Atlantic City market we have to be licensed every 4 years and it costs $3,000. We must go through a detailed licensing process to obtain and maintain our Enterprise License. Other gaming jurisdictions that we do business in have a similar,but not as expensive, licensing procedure.
Jeffrey you mentioned that Independent Agents get paid a commission based on theoretical. Can you explain what that means?
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Independent Agents get a commission based on each player's theoretical or their expected long-term value to the casino. The latter is dependent on the players average bet size, length of play, and the casinos mathematical advantage over the player in whatever game he or she is playing. We track these variables for each player either through the use of a player's card if the player is playing slots or video poker or in the case of table play, our floor supervisors will rate the player and input the above information in our data base. We can then compute the theoretical for each player or roll the numbers up to a theoretical for all the players coded to Sandy. An Independent Agents commission is based upon a percentage of the groups theoretical with a sliding scale depending upon the total group expenses so the more expenses incurred by the group, the lower will be the Independent Agents percent commission. This way our Independent Agents would get penalized if their players didn't play up to their expected playing levels or were over comped for their play.
Why would a casino player use the services of an Independent Agent rather than a casino host? Harrahs casino council bluffs events.
Sandy Crammer: We consider ourselves one-stop shopping for all our customer needs and we have the ability to get it all done at more than one property. Because we represent a company like Harrah's we can offer our customers many more options. For example a player doesn't have to have a casino host in Atlantic City, another in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Reno, etc. They just call us for all their travel needs regardless of the destination.
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Independent Agents can market more than one Harrah's property to their customers. People like to travel more and visit different parts of the country. Harrah's owns or manages casinos in 12 different states including Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Our casino hosts and their staff at each property also provide support to our Independent Agents. So using the services of an independent Agent makes sense if you like to travel and visit more than one property.
Sandy, is there a turf issue for players between an Independent Agent and a casino host?
Sandy Crammer: Let me put this way. Our customers are coded to us internally in each property and it is how we get paid. If one of our guests starts dealing with a casino host we could lose that code and our commission payment. We spend thousands of marketing dollars every month for mailings to our customers to keep them informed of our upcoming trips and special events that are not reimbursed by the casino.
Jeffrey Hoss: We view this relationship similar to that of a pitcher and catcher, using a sports analogy. A property host will treat an Independent Agent's customer just as they would treat one of their own. Harrah's Entertainment prides itself on customer service and once they visit a casino, whether it is an invitation by Sandy or by a property host, we will do everything in our power to make their stay an enjoyable experience.
Have you ever had an issue with a customer not playing up to his or her expectations?
Sandy Crammer: It's rare when this happens and when it does it's usually because the player wasn't feeling well. You've got to remember that the players who get invited on our packages have a history of playing at a certain level over a certain time period. They usually maintain that playing level from one trip to the next.
What if they don't? What do you do?
Sandy Crammer: The player is dropped from our qualified list of players and if we invite them on another package trip they would have to pay the nominal fee we charge for air and room.
Do you have to be a high roller to go on one of your junkets?'
Sandy Crammer: As I mentioned, there are specific play requirements if you want your air and accommodations comped. However, we offer Tour and Travel packages to different Harrah's properties that require a nominal charge for air and hotel. We find that a lot of customers start out through our Tour and Travel packages and then if their play warrants, get qualified for comped airfare and accommodations.
Can a qualified player bring his spouse on a junket?
Sandy Crammer: In most cases, yes. However, we would review the play history of the qualified player to be sure it's enough to cover the added expenses of his spouse.
This one may seem counter-intuitive but it's true. On most slots, max betting activates all the bonuses and jackpots and increases your odds of getting lucky and winning, which makes it the best option for players.
Although it doesn't make too much of a difference, it still creates more favorable conditions for the player. The casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to bet small and more often at a worse payout rate, which makes them more money in the long run.
One thing you certainly don't want to do though is max-bet above your bankroll and burn through more money than you intended to. Playing more than you can afford to lose is playing right into the casino's hands. If you can't afford the max bet on a slot then drop down in denominations or move to a machine where the max bet is smaller and works within your bankroll.
6. Class 2 slots aren't really slots at all
Sometimes you'll come across slot machines that are classified as class 2 slots. These are usually found on native Indian reservations or racinos in the United States.
These aren't traditional slots like what you would find in Las Vegas. Vegas slots are Class 3 slots and are proper slot machine games.
Class 2 slots are actually pre-programmed bingo games which present a slot face for entertainment purposes. Class 3 slots are usually illegal in the jurisdictions that have these slots bingo games, so game manufacturers and casinos combined their forces to come up with this alternative.
Sometimes you'll see a small bingo card on the bottom corner of the screen which will straight away tell you that this is a class 2 slot machine. So, be warned, these machines are not slots at all and you'll be effectively playing computer bingo when you start spinning on these.
7. Video slots pay out less than classic slots
Big fancy video slots will almost always pay out less than classic reel slots. This is because of the fact they're more entertaining, draw more players and action, and cost the casinos a lot more to run and maintain.
These big machines often take up two to three times the amount of space compared to classic slots and tend to cost the casinos a lot more to keep them running. In order to maximize profits, the casinos will then dial down the payout rate on these machines so they still make enough money on them.
Immersive video slots are a huge moneymaker for the casino, so don't go in thinking you have the same chance of winning on these compared to traditional old school slots. If you're looking for better chances to win on slot machines, then stick to the classic slots.
8. Slots are completely random
Casinos don't want you to know this, but slot machines are completely random in nature. Although they are weighted to pay out at a certain rate, this is still in line with the randomness of results that a slot will produce.
Each spin is completely independent of the previous spin. As an example, if you were to win the jackpot on one spin, then the likelihood of winning the jackpot on the next spin is exactly the same. No previous events impact future events. This isn't how they work.
Casinos don't want you to know this because they want you to think slots are 'hot' or 'cold', because that will cloud your judgment in respect to how much you play and gamble. This works out better for them in the long run so they are happy for these myths to grow and spread.
9. All of your play is tracked
From the moment you sit down at a slot and enter your player card and cash, every movement you make is tracked automatically by the casino. Slot machines are now networked and have sophisticated hardware and software to track everything you do.
This information is collected, analyzed, and insight reports are developed and delivered to the casino marketing department so they can work out the best possible way to market their casino and slots to you so that you keep coming back and play more. If you don't want your play tracked then simply don't use your player's card, but then you won't get any casino comps.
In the near future, if it's not being used already, casino marketing departments will start using security infrastructure to monitor and track your play irrespective of whether you use your card or not. Facial recognition programs will detect you, associate you with a player's card or create a new player account and track everything you do on a video feed.
This is a bit scary and it shows the lengths casinos will go to. If you play online, everything is tracked under your player account, so it's easier for online casinos to monitor what you do in this respect.
10. Payout tickets are more likely to be put back into a machine
Over the past 20 years, casinos have slowly phased out cash payouts at slots. These days you'll likely receive a ticket when you cash out, which you then must take to a cash-out machine or the cage to exchange for cash.
While the casinos will claim this is for your convenience, one of the main reasons they've made this change is to disassociate you from the fact you're holding money. This is similar to what they do with chips on table games.
Psychological studies have proven that people are far more likely to gamble more with a ticket or chips, as opposed to cash. So don't be fooled into placing your ticket into another slot on the way to cashing out, they've done this on purpose. I'd recommend that you always cash the tickets out for cash every time, instead of keeping it for play later.
11. Slot arms don't exist as much anymore because they slow down play
Back in the day, pretty much every slot machine had an arm, or lever, that you pull to activate the spin. These days it's much harder to find machines that have these.
While there are a few reasons for this, the main reason and the one the casinos don't want you to know is because using a lever is much slower when compared to pressing a button. Casinos want you to be playing as quickly as possible when it comes to slots because the more you spin the more the odds move in their favor.
So by having buttons instead of levers the game moves a lot faster. Some may even say they've removed the lever so people don't refer to slot machines as one-armed bandits anymore, but that may just be here-say.
12. Games are designed to be played as fast as possible
As we touched on in the previous secret, casinos want you to play whatever game you're on as quickly as possible. While one of the main measurements on a slot is the time spent playing, they also want you to play as quickly as possible.
This increases the yield on the machine for the casino, meaning they make more money. Consider this, if you have a bank of widely popular slots which many people want to play, and it takes 20 seconds per spin, that's quite a lot of time.
If a spin takes five seconds then you're getting four times the amount of play on that machine which results in much more money passing through. So, all the time the casinos are trying to think of ways to make games happen much faster. They don't want you playing slowly, so make sure you take your time next time you sit down at a slot. After all, the more time you play the more entertainment value you get.
13. Slot sounds and graphics are designed to make you feel happy
One thing that casinos certainly don't want you to know about is the fact that slot machine manufacturers have teams of psychologists and researchers that provide advice on what sounds, colors, movements and graphics to use in games in order to make the player feel as happy as possible.
This is both good and bad. Firstly, it's good if you're playing for entertainment's sake and know your limits when it comes to how much money you're willing to play with. If this is the case then why not play a game that's designed to make you feel happy.
Secondly, it's bad when it comes to problem gamblers who don't know when to stop and are chasing that happy feeling that the games give them. So this is a two-way street; that's for sure. Casinos probably don't want you to know this because it isn't a great look.
14. Sometimes a win isn't a win
One recent trend on slots is to play a jingle and show an animation showing that a player has had a win; this used to be a good thing and it meant you were making a profit, but not so much these days.
Much to the ire of lawmakers and the regulators, slot machines now play this jingle and imply a win, even when the spin results in less money won than you actually wagered on that spin in the first place. So this is essentially a loss and it's trying to trick the player into thinking that they won.
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Regulators are trying to have this outlawed but it will take some time. So, next time you're playing don't be fooled by the animation and sounds and the on-screen advice that says you've had a win. Make sure you check how much you ‘won' when compared to how much you bet, before you celebrate.
15. Major progressive jackpots are played across multiple venues
How Much Do Casinos Pay
Have you ever walked past a progressive jackpot slot machine and stared in awe at the huge jackpot which is currently available and is running into the millions of dollars?
If so, then you may not be aware that these slots are actually linked nationwide and the jackpot is played across thousands and thousands of machines and the casinos actually have no part in this prize.
Casinos don't want you to know this of course; they want you to think that it's just that machine so that you sit down and play and spin away thinking that you're the only person who could possibly win that prize at that time.
These major progressive jackpot machines actually take a small cut from each bet you make and divert it to the major jackpot. So you should never play on one of these unless your ultimate goal is to win the life-changing money, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Conclusion
Casinos are designed to make money just like any business. The slot machines are a big piece of the profit puzzle so the casinos do everything they can to make them more profitable.
Now that you know these 15 slot machine secrets the casinos don't want you to know you can gamble as an informed player. If you love slots there's no reason to stop playing, but you should know these secrets before you play again.
INSIDE LOOK AT CASINO JUNKETS
By Henry Tamburin
Casino Junkets began in the mid-50's as a way to entice players to Las Vegas to gamble. Junket programs in those days were pretty straightforward. Casino operators would hire junket reps to fill a plane with qualified gamblers. These players would get free airfare, free hotel accommodations, free meals, free shows (and just about anything else they wanted) in exchange for their commitment to gamble a specific number of hours per day at an explicit average bet size. The casinos of course were gambling that the players would lose more than their out of pocket expenses for bringing, housing and feeding them.
That was the past. To get a fresh look at how junkets operate in 2005 and what benefits they provide players, I interviewed junket rep Sandy Crammer, owner of S&S Casino Tours, and Jeffrey Hoss, Director of National Casino Marketing, for Harrah's. What I learned about junkets might surprise you (it did me).
So let's begin by defining what exactly does a Junket rep do?
Jeffrey Hoss: First off, in the Harrah's organization we refer to our third party reps as Independent Agents rather than Junket Reps. Independent Agents send us customers (i.e. players) and in return they get a commission based on a player's theoretical. We have about 185 Independent Agents representing 47 states and 5 international countries that have a specific territory that they can market and promote our properties to their customers. In total our Independent Agents have scheduled about 300,000 customer trips annually to Harrah's properties.
I'd like for you to explain 'theoretical' to our readers but before you do, let me ask Sandy how she got started in this business.
Sandy Crammer: Before I started my own company, I ran a junket office as in-house employee for many years and I decided it was something I liked and wanted to try on my own. So my husband, Scott, and I started our own business and thankfully, Harrah's decided to take a shot with us four years ago to represent them. We have three employees in our company and currently we are one of the top 5 Independent Agent producers for Harrah's.
What areas do you represent for Harrah's?
Sandy Crammer: I currently represent Harrah's in Boston, MA; Providence, RI; Detroit, MI; and I'm expanding to Grand Rapids, MI.
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How many package trips do you typically offer your clients?
Sandy Crammer: On a monthly basis I usually schedule into Atlantic City 2 flights from Boston (except 3 to 4 flights in the summer months), one flight from Providence, RI, and one from Detroit, MI. These are flights on a 120 seat chartered plane. Also every month we contract commercial airfare to Harrah's properties in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Reno, and Lake Tahoe. We usually do about 20 seats per month from our markets to those areas. We also run about 6 charter flights a year (130 passenger planes) to Laughlin and Reno/Lake Tahoe. In an average month we probably have 800 or more customers flying somewhere to Harrah's properties.
What are the play and front money requirements for a junket?
Sandy Crammer: There are no front money requirements. The play requirements depends upon what our guest is looking for, e.g. do they want to go on a charter flight, do they want their airfare comped, or are they driving to their destination and only looking for a room comp. We offer different packages in which some are totally comped and others it's buy one get one free or we charge the customer a nominal fee for the air and accommodations.
What would be the play requirement to get free airfare and free accommodations?
Sandy Crammer: As a rule of thumb, to get free airfare and accommodations, a quarter machine player is expected to play 5-6 hours per day (less time if playing dollar or higher machines) and for table game players its 5-6 hours per day at an average bet of $75+. If a player historically meets those requirements he or she would qualify for comped airfare and accommodations on one of our packages.
What if a player doesn't quite meet those requirements?
Sandy Crammer: They would have to pay a nominal fee for the air and room. For example, we recently offered our Boston and Providence customers the following 3 day/2 night discounted Atlantic City package that included round trip airfare from Boston (or Providence) airports, room accommodations, and transfers to and from the hotel for only $179 per person.
So how do you go about scheduling the trip you just mentioned and getting the plane filled with qualified players?
Sandy Crammer: I work with the marketing folks at Harrah's Atlantic City casino that support junket programs. They send me a schedule usually months in advance of dates that are available for me to bring in my customers. I decide which dates I want and Harrah's then charters the plane for me.
Jeffrey Hoss: Outside of Atlantic City, we have an individual dedicated to scheduling the 6 rotations in service for our casinos in Laughlin and Reno/Lake Tahoe. The schedule is determined in advance of three to four months and we work collectively with independent agents on dates and how they will market to them.
So now you are responsible to fill the plane with 120 qualified players. How do you do that?
Sandy Crammer: I have an extensive list of 20,000 or so casino players in our computer database. For each player I know their past play history as far as how many trips they have taken, how long they play, what their average bet size is, how much they won or lost and their theoretical. I then mail out about 7,000 letters per month to those players that have in the past met the play requirements that Harrah's is looking for. The qualified players that respond to our mailings get a seat on the plane. If I can't fill the plane completely with qualified players then I invite players on the next tier that would have to pay the $179 fee for air and room.
Jeffrey Hoss: It is actually working so well with Sandy's customers and others that we have made a commitment to bring in a 150-seat MD-83. Sandy has done such a wonderful job in marketing to her customers, we are confident that there is demand for additional seats. Rummy 500 casino.
How do you get all that play information on your customers?
Sandy Crammer: Every player that I send to a Harrah's property gets coded to me. At the end of each of my packaged trips I get a report from Harrah's that summarizes for each of my customers their entire play history during their trip. This information for each player in put in our database and it's how we determine which customers qualify for different packages that we might offer.
Do you have the power of the pen in a casino?
Sandy Crammer: No, I can't approve comps for my players nor do I have access to Harrah's computers to review player information. But what I will do is contact the marketing department and tell them so and so in my group wants a comp to a specific restaurant. They would look up the playing history of that player in their computer database to see how many comp dollars the player has in his account. In most cases our players have accrued more than enough comp dollars based on their play to cover the cost of meals.
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Total Rewards program allows the customers to decide when and where they want to spend their comps. This alleviates the Independent Agent from making those decisions.
What benefits can an Independent Agent provide their customers?
Sandy Crammer: Besides providing travel arrangements for them, we provide our customers with just about anything else they need such as making reservations for dinners, shows, casino events, golf, ground transportation, you name it. Our guests know that they can call us for all their bookings at all of Harrah's properties. Plus someone from my office will travel with the group to assist them in their needs.
Jeffrey Hoss: A player who wants to visit multiple Harrah's properties can benefit from the services of an Independent Agent. They not only can provide the customer with services for say our property in Laughlin, NV but also our properties in New Orleans, Atlantic City, or elsewhere.
Are there different types of Independent Agents and do they have to be licensed?
Sandy Crammer: Yes, some are responsible for full charter aircrafts (which I am) while others Agents might only send a property an individual reservation (they are known as splinter reps). Independent Agents have to be licensed in all jurisdictions that they represent. For example, in the Atlantic City market we have to be licensed every 4 years and it costs $3,000. We must go through a detailed licensing process to obtain and maintain our Enterprise License. Other gaming jurisdictions that we do business in have a similar,but not as expensive, licensing procedure.
Jeffrey you mentioned that Independent Agents get paid a commission based on theoretical. Can you explain what that means?
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Independent Agents get a commission based on each player's theoretical or their expected long-term value to the casino. The latter is dependent on the players average bet size, length of play, and the casinos mathematical advantage over the player in whatever game he or she is playing. We track these variables for each player either through the use of a player's card if the player is playing slots or video poker or in the case of table play, our floor supervisors will rate the player and input the above information in our data base. We can then compute the theoretical for each player or roll the numbers up to a theoretical for all the players coded to Sandy. An Independent Agents commission is based upon a percentage of the groups theoretical with a sliding scale depending upon the total group expenses so the more expenses incurred by the group, the lower will be the Independent Agents percent commission. This way our Independent Agents would get penalized if their players didn't play up to their expected playing levels or were over comped for their play.
Why would a casino player use the services of an Independent Agent rather than a casino host? Harrahs casino council bluffs events.
Sandy Crammer: We consider ourselves one-stop shopping for all our customer needs and we have the ability to get it all done at more than one property. Because we represent a company like Harrah's we can offer our customers many more options. For example a player doesn't have to have a casino host in Atlantic City, another in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Reno, etc. They just call us for all their travel needs regardless of the destination.
Jeffrey Hoss: Our Independent Agents can market more than one Harrah's property to their customers. People like to travel more and visit different parts of the country. Harrah's owns or manages casinos in 12 different states including Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Our casino hosts and their staff at each property also provide support to our Independent Agents. So using the services of an independent Agent makes sense if you like to travel and visit more than one property.
Sandy, is there a turf issue for players between an Independent Agent and a casino host?
Sandy Crammer: Let me put this way. Our customers are coded to us internally in each property and it is how we get paid. If one of our guests starts dealing with a casino host we could lose that code and our commission payment. We spend thousands of marketing dollars every month for mailings to our customers to keep them informed of our upcoming trips and special events that are not reimbursed by the casino.
Jeffrey Hoss: We view this relationship similar to that of a pitcher and catcher, using a sports analogy. A property host will treat an Independent Agent's customer just as they would treat one of their own. Harrah's Entertainment prides itself on customer service and once they visit a casino, whether it is an invitation by Sandy or by a property host, we will do everything in our power to make their stay an enjoyable experience.
Have you ever had an issue with a customer not playing up to his or her expectations?
Sandy Crammer: It's rare when this happens and when it does it's usually because the player wasn't feeling well. You've got to remember that the players who get invited on our packages have a history of playing at a certain level over a certain time period. They usually maintain that playing level from one trip to the next.
What if they don't? What do you do?
Sandy Crammer: The player is dropped from our qualified list of players and if we invite them on another package trip they would have to pay the nominal fee we charge for air and room.
Do you have to be a high roller to go on one of your junkets?'
Sandy Crammer: As I mentioned, there are specific play requirements if you want your air and accommodations comped. However, we offer Tour and Travel packages to different Harrah's properties that require a nominal charge for air and hotel. We find that a lot of customers start out through our Tour and Travel packages and then if their play warrants, get qualified for comped airfare and accommodations.
Can a qualified player bring his spouse on a junket?
Sandy Crammer: In most cases, yes. However, we would review the play history of the qualified player to be sure it's enough to cover the added expenses of his spouse.
Jeffrey, can you give some examples of some recent trips your Independent Agents have scheduled for their customers to different Harrah's properties and their cost?
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As an example, Sandy has a trip that is going out of Detroit on June 23rd for five nights for $449 to Tahoe or $419 to Reno.
Here are a couple of other dates and costs:
6/2-6/7 Peoria, IL for $369 to Tahoe or $339 to Reno
6/4-6/8 Atlanta, GA for $379 to Laughlin
6/21-6/25 Columbia, SC for $399 to Laughlin
Jeffrey, how can a player contact a local Independent Agent?
Jeffrey Hoss: You can call our call center at 1-800-HARRAHS and ask for the name and phone number of the Independent Agent closest to where you live.
