Percentages can run anywhere from 80%-98%. A payout percentage refers to how much of the money spent on the machine is returned to customers. If a payout percentage is 90%, that means the machine pays out 90% of what it takes in.

This phenomenon is referred to as “volatility” or “variance. " Double check the machine’s maximum jackpot. Two machines might look exactly the same, but one may pay out a 1,500 credit jackpot and the other 10,000 credits. Be aware of the maximum you can win on your machine.

Since you can’t win a progressive jackpot if you don’t bet the maximum, it makes sense to spend your money wisely by betting the max.

Among flat-top machines, the overall odds are generally similar, no matter how high the jackpot is. Sometimes a bank of progressive machines in a single casino are linked together. In other cases, the machines are linked throughout the entire state, which is why they feature a high jackpot amount.

Choose the reel-spinning machines for a retro feel. Alternatively, opt for video slots for a flashier, more entertaining slot machine. You can even find video slots that feature your favorite cartoon or television show characters. the same goes for online slots games, which are becoming more popular than land based ones Both types are controlled by a program called a random number generator (RNG) that determines the outcome of each spin and makes it impossible to determine the outcome of future spins.

On reel-spinning slots, push a button marked “play one credit” until you’ve reached the number of coins you wish to play. Then hit the “spin reels” button or pull the handle. If you want to bet big, you can hit a button marked “play max credits,” which will play the maximum coins allowed on that machine. On video slots, you must push two buttons to complete your bet. First, push one button for the number of paylines you want to activate and then push a second button to chose how many credits you want to bet per line. Video slots generally have five reels spinning on the screen.

Modern multi-line slots may offer 9, 15, 25, 50, or even more paylines. Paylines can be represented horizontally, vertically, diagonally and even in zigzags.

This will keep you from spending more than you can afford at the casino. Plus, setting a win limit will help you come out ahead. If you keep betting, you could lose everything you’ve won. For instance, you may decide that you’ll only spend $50 while you’re in the casino. That’s your “lose limit. " So you’d stop when you run out of that cash or when your winnings equal $100.

Decide how many days you’ll make it to the casino and how long you’ll gamble during each session. Divide your total bankroll by the number of days and then divide that daily allowance by the number of hours you plan to play each day. This will tell you how much you can afford to lose per hour. For example, you arrive in Atlantic City with a $2000 bankroll and plan to stay for 5 days. That allows you to wager $400 per day. You decide that you want to play a total of four hours per day. This means you can afford to lose $100 per hour.

Bring a pre-determined cash amount with you to gamble and leave credit and debit cards at home or in your hotel room to reduce your risk of overspending. Buddy up. Make a pact with a friend that you’ll stop each other from spending more than an agreed-upon amount. Playing with coins rather than feeding bills into the machine will extend the time of your play.

This is harder to do if the casino has a card system; however, you can try cashing out big winnings when they happen.

Compare the benefits of different casinos or sites and choose the casino that offers the best benefits or freebies for your level of play. Some casinos even give some of these points back as cash, making your gambling dollar stretch even further. Be sure you always have your club card inserted in your slot machine before you spin. You want to get credit for every bit of your play time.