Best Betting Strategy For Slots
We’ve distilled the best slot machine strategy advice available online into the following three basic tips. Follow these tips, along with the bankroll management tips in the above section, andyou’ll be putting yourself in the best position to lose less often and hold onto a bit more of your cash. There are some slot machines however, that require a maximum bet to trigger a feature or to be eligible for a progressive jackpot. In this scenario, the best strategy is to always bet the maximum. I also employ this strategy if I have been at the same machine for some time and feel like a feature or bonus is long overdue. In this case, the best strategy is to make the maximum wager of coins. Many virtual machines these days have a wide range of coin denominations, so it’s better to drop down to a lower denomination and bet the max coins most of the time. Slowing down slot game play is not easy but there is a mathematically valid reason to do it other than that you lose money at a slower rate. This is not a betting system that promises you will win more often. This is a system that increases the volatility of your play. It is based on the way random number generation algorithms work.
Many mathematicians have tried and failed to create the perfect betting strategy. Each betting system has its shortcomings no matter how badly someone tries to convince you that their strategy is guaranteed.
But does this mean that all betting strategies are total junk?
No, some strategies do have merit and provide short or even long-term results. The only catch is figuring out which betting systems are worth using.
Let’s discuss 10 wagering strategies that work. Some of these systems only work on specific games like baccarat or roulette, while others can apply to any casino game.
1. Betting 2% or Less of Your Bankroll
A common scenario for casual gamblers is to walk into the casino with around $200 dollars and make bets between $10 and $25.
This seems harmless in theory, if you’re gambling with expendable income. But the problem is that you’re very likely to run out of money this way.
One good idea that comes from sports betting is only risking 2% or less of your bankroll on any given wager.
Professional and serious amateur sports bettors do this to minimize their short-term risk. But you can really apply this system to any casino game.
Here’s an example:- Your bankroll is $2,000.
- 2% of your bankroll is $40.
- You can place bets worth $40 or lower.
Pros of Betting 2% or Less of Your Bankroll
The biggest benefit to wagering 2% or less of your bankroll is that it keeps you in the game. You’re not risking chunks worth 5. 20% of your bankroll like most players.
This is helpful in any casino game from blackjack to Caribbean stud poker. But it’s especially useful in skill-based games like daily fantasy sports (DFS), poker, and sports betting.
The reason why is because skill-based games are prone to more streakiness than house-banked games. In these games, it’s common to experience long dry streaks that make you question if they’ll ever end.
The best way to get through them is by risking small amounts of your bankroll on each wager. Furthermore, you’ll dramatically lower your risk of ruin.
Cons of Betting 2% or Less of Your Bankroll
The first problem with this system is that most players don’t have a large enough bankroll to only wager 2% or less per bet. Under this system, you’ll need at least $1,000 in just to make a $20 wager (2%).
Professionals can afford to be disciplined like this because they have large bankrolls. But if you’re just a casual blackjack or craps player, you probably don’t walk into the casino with thousands of dollars.
Another downside is that some players find that this system doesn’t offer enough action. These same players may like varying their wagers from big to small depending upon how lucky they feel.
But, as long as you have a large enough bankroll, this system is definitely worth using.
2. The Martingale
The Martingale betting strategy has two things going for it:
- It’s easy.
- This system will theoretically provide a profit every time.
The Martingale calls on you to double bets after every loss. The goal is to always win back your losses and earn a small profit in the process.
You should also make even-money bets with the Martingale in order to simplify things and minimize your risk.
Here’s an example:- You bet $10 and win (+10).
- You bet $10 and lose (0).
- You bet $20 and lose (- 20).
- You bet $40 and lose (- 60).
- You bet $80 and lose (- 140).
- You bet $160 and lose (- 300).
- You bet $320 and win (+20).
- Next bet returns to $10.
Pros of the Martingale
The Martingale’s best aspects include its ease of use and how it can theoretically be successful.
As long as you have the funds to continue doubling bets after losses, you’ll eventually win back your money. You’ll also book small profits along the way every time you win.
The Martingale is one of the best systems for those looking for consistent short-term profits.
Cons of the Martingale
Best Betting Strategy For Slots Games
The Martingale’s downside is that it’s an extremely risky strategy. You’ll be betting far more than your original wager after 5 to 6 losing wagers.
This can make you hesitant to pull the trigger on the next double bet. Even worse is that your bankroll will vanish if the losing streak continues.
Another problem is that casinos impose table limits to prevent wealthy gamblers from the using the Martingale to the fullest. Otherwise, Mark Zuckerberg ($56 billion net worth) would always win with the Martingale because his bankroll would likely never run out.
You’ll eventually run into a losing streak that’s long enough to hit the table limit. In this case, you take a big loss because you can no longer double wagers to win everything back.
3. The Martingale in Skill-Based Games
We just covered how the Martingale is a very risky betting strategy. What’s more is that this system doesn’t do anything to alter the house edge.
But what if you could combine the Martingale’s effectiveness with skill?
This betting strategy can be profitable in skill based games like DFS and sports betting. Not only can you win back your losses with the Martingale, but you can also swing the odds in your favor with enough skill.
Here’s an example of how this works in DFS:
- You lose a $10 + $1 (fee) head to head contest (- 11).
- You lose a $20 + $2 head to head contest (- 33).
- You lose a $40 + $4 head to head contest (- 77).
- You win an $80 + $8 head to head contest (- 5).
- You win a $10 + $1 head to head contest (+5).
The tough thing about DFS contests is that you have to pay an extra 10% entry fee to the sites. But as the above example shows, the Martingale strategy can still help you book a profit even if you lose the majority of contests.
Let’s look at one more example involving sports betting:
- You lose an $11 bet (- 11).
- You lose a $22 bet (- 22).
- You lose a $44 bet (- 77).
- You lose an $88 bet (- 165).
- You win a $176 bet and earn a $160 profit (- 5).
- You win an $11 bet and earn a $10 profit (+5),
The drawback to sports betting is that the house takes 10% juice from the losing side. But the Martingale can still help you be profitable when you string together two or more wins.
Pros of Using the Martingale in Skill-Based Games
The great thing about using this system in skill-based contests is that you can overcome short-term variance by consistently winning back losses.
The sports betting example above shows how you can earn back your losses plus a small profit even after several losing wagers.
Another advantage is that you’re not just using the Martingale in a casino game with a house edge. Instead, you’re playing skill based games.
The end result is that you get the enviable combination of getting your losses back and having a chance to win long-term profits.
Cons of Using the Martingale in Skill-Based Games
You’re taking a risk on three fronts with this betting strategy:
- You might be at a skill disadvantage to opponents/other bettors.
- You’re still dealing with the Martingale risks.
- You must pay 10% fees (DFS) or 10% juice on losses (sports betting).
The first point is key because you could be facing an even worse proposition than house-banked casino games if you’re not better than opponents.
Add in the standard Martingale risks along with sportsbook/DFS fees, and non-skilled bettors are looking at a potential bankroll disaster.
4. Betting on Baccarat’s Banker Hand
Baccarat gives you three different betting options, including the banker hand, player hand, and tie bet. And the top system for playing baccarat involves making the banker bet every time.
The reason why is because the banker hand only has a 1.06% house edge. Compare this to the player hand and tie wager, which have 1.24% and 14.36% house edges, respectively.
Given that all you need to do is bet on the banker hand every time, baccarat is great for casual players who don’t want to deal with in-depth strategy.
Pros of Betting on the Banker Hand
The banker hand wager is one of the best in gaming. Only a handful of casino games offer a lower house edge than 1.06%.
The other advantage to wagering on the banker hand is that you don’t have to study strategy. Instead, you simply need to make the same bet every time.
Cons of Betting on the Banker Hand
The banker hand’s 1.06% house edge isn’t as harmless as it seems.
Mini baccarat games see anywhere from 120. 200 hands dealt per hour. This is 2. 3 times the hand rate that you’ll see in blackjack games and this exposes you more to the house edge.
Let’s look at the theoretical losses that you’d be facing in a fast-dealt baccarat game:
- You’re making $10 bets on the banker
- The table is seeing 200 hands per hour.
- This adds up to $2,000 in total hourly bets.
- We take 2,000 x 0.0106.
- Your theoretical losses are $21.20 per hour.
5. Value Betting
Value betting is the process of getting maximum value out of situations where you have a long-term advantage. This term is most often used in poker, but it can also describe how blackjack card counters operate.
Value betting requires being able to spot and take advantage of favorable situations.
One example is when a poker player believes they have the best hand and bets in a way that extracts maximum value from their opponent. Going further, their wagers need to be large enough to get the most value from the opposing player, yet small enough that the opponent won’t fold.
Another example involves how card counters keep track of the deck until the count swings in their favor. They then make larger bets to maximize situations where the deck is rich in 10s and aces.
Pros of Value Betting
Anybody who wants to make long-term profits through gambling can benefit from value betting. This is how poker pros and card counters earn their living.
In poker’s case, being good at value betting can separate you from opponents. Getting the most value out of your great hands will improve your profits in the long run.
Cons of Value Betting
The problem with this betting strategy is that it calls on you to have the following qualities:
- Being good at math.
- Being skilled in the game you’re playing.
- Being able to walk a fine line with betting.
Wagering too little prevents you from capitalizing on your best poker hands. Wagering too much pushes your opponents out of hands and keeps you from making money on future streets.
For card counters, betting too high in favorable situations can attract the casino’s attention. In turn, they’ll find out that you’re a card counter and ban you for life.
6. Taking Craps Odds
The best regular bets in craps include pass line, don’t pass line, come, and don’t come. But there’s another craps wager that’s even better than these called odds.
Craps odds is the best bet in the casino because it doesn’t have a house edge. Instead, you’re paid at your true odds of winning. And one of the top betting strategies that you can use includes continually backing regular bets with odds.
To place an odds wager, you need to first make a pass line or don’t pass line bet after a point has been established. You should also inform the dealer that you’re making an odds bet.
Here are the payouts for when you back a pass line bet with odds (a.k.a. taking odds):
- 2 to 1 on point numbers of 4 and 10.
- 3 to 2 on points of 5 and 9.
- 6 to 5 on points of 6 and 8.
Here are payouts for when you back a don’t pass line wager with odds (a.k.a. laying odds):
- 1 to 2 for points of 4 and 10.
- 2 to 3 for points of 5 and 9.
- 5 to 6 for points of 6 and 8.
Pros of Taking Craps Odds
Odds is the only bet where the casino doesn’t have a house edge. And what’s great is that you can reduce the house advantage to almost nothing by taking higher odds.
Here’s a look at how far the house edge is reduced based on the odds you take:
| Odds | Pass Line/Come | Don’t Pass Line/Don’t Come |
|---|---|---|
| 0x | 1.41% house edge | 1.36% house edge |
| 1x | 0.848% | 0.682% |
| 2x | 0.606% | 0.455% |
| Full Double Odds | 0.572% | 0.431% |
| 3x | 0.471% | 0.341% |
| 3x 4x 5x | 0.374% | 0.273% |
| 5x | 0.326% | 0.227% |
| 10x | 0.184% | 0.124% |
| 20x | 0.099% | 0.065% |
| 100x | 0.021% | 0.014% |
Cons of Taking Craps Odds
Casinos cap the size of odds because they don’t make long term profits off these wagers. The highest most casinos go is 5x odds, while others don’t even allow this amount.
A few Las Vegas casinos offer anywhere from 10x to 100x odds. And this seems like a dream based on how higher odds reduce the house edge further.
But the problem is that most players don’t have the bankroll to continue taking the highest odds available. If you put $10 on pass line and take 20x odds, you need an additional $200.
The average gambler doesn’t have this kind of money for a single bet, even if there’s no house edge involved.
7. The Labouchere
The Labouchere (a.k.a. cancellation system) is a negative progression betting strategy like the Martingale. The main difference, though, is that it’s less risky.
You start this system by creating a unit size. And the simplest way to do this is by choosing the table’s minimum bet.
The next step involves deciding how many units you want to win during your session. After deciding this, you create a string of numbers that adds up to your desired unit win.
You then add the first and last number in the sequence to determine your bet.
You cross off both of these numbers after a win. And you add the combined number to the end of your string after a loss.
Here’s an example of the Labouchere in action:
- You want to win 18 units.
- Your number string is: 3, 4, 5, 3, 3.
- Your first bet is 6 units (3 + 3).
- You win and your new string is: 4, 5, 3.
- Your next bet is 7 units (4 + 3).
- You lose and your new string is: 4, 5, 3, 7.
Pros of the Labouchere
One good thing about the Labouchere is that it gives you more freedom than most betting systems. You decide your unit size, desired profit, and how to achieve this profit.
Another good aspect to the cancellation system is that it’s not as risky as systems like the Martingale. Rather than doubling your bet following every loss to win back losses, you’re merely wagering a certain amount of units.
Cons of the Labouchere
The biggest problem with this system is that you’re forced to make a series of big bets during a losing streak. Let’s look at how this works by going back to the number sequence in the first example:
- Your number sequence is: 3, 4, 5, 3, 4.
- Your first bet is 7 units.
- You lose and your new string is: 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 7.
- You lose a 10-unit bet and your new string is: 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 7, 10.
This isn’t as bad as doubling your bets after every loss. But most players won’t feel comfortable wagering between 7 and 10 units for several bets in a row.
8. Making Even-Money Bets in French Roulette
Roulette offers three main variations, which are American roulette, European roulette, and French roulette. The best version is French roulette because it only has a 1.35% house edge.
French roulette is played on a European wheel (37 numbers). But the difference between European and French roulette is that the latter has the la partage rule.
La partage pays half your bet back on losing even-money wagers that land on zero. This effectively cuts the European roulette house edge (2.70%) in half as long as you stick with even-money bets.
Pros of Even-Money French Roulette Bets
The best aspects to making even-money bets with French roulette include the low house edge and excellent probability of winning.
As for the latter, you have a 48.64% chance of winning red/black, odd/even, and high/low. This is even better than your chances of winning a blackjack hand (42.22%) or baccarat hand (45.85%) when ties are accounted for.
The high probability of winning and the low house edge combine to create low volatility. And this is perfect for players with small bankrolls who want to last in casino games.
Cons of Even-Money French Roulette Bets
The biggest problem is that you can’t find French roulette in most land-based or online casinos.
France, Germany, and Monte Carlo offer a fair number of French roulette games. But the game is sparsely found in most other countries.
Any online casino with Microgaming or Realtime Gaming software will offer French roulette. Cryptologic (NYX Gaming) also has a European roulette variation that’s actually French roulette.
But beyond this, you’ll have a hard time even finding French roulette online.
9. Oscar’s Grind
Oscar’s Grind is another negative progression strategy in the same vein as the Martingale or Labouchere. But this one is more complicated.
You start off by betting 1 unit. And you keep your unit size the same when you’re in a winning or losing streak.
You increase your bet by 1 unit whenever you win following a loss. The bet size stays at this level until you lose, then win again.
The overall theme is to chase losses following losing streaks. Here’s an example to illustrate Oscar’s Grind:
- You bet 1 unit and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 1)
- You bet 1 unit and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 2)
- You bet 1 unit and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 3)
- You bet 1 unit and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 4)
- You bet 1 unit and win – Next bet becomes 2 units (bankroll at. 3)
- You bet 2 units and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 5)
- You bet 2 units and lose – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 7)
- You bet 2 units and win – Next bet becomes 3 units (bankroll at. 5)
- You bet 3 units and win – Bet stays the same (bankroll at. 2).
- You bet 3 units and win – Next bet becomes 1 unit (bankroll at +1).
Once you book a profit following a losing streak, you start the process over again.
Pros of Oscar’s Grind
The good thing about Oscar’s Grind is that it allows you to chase losses without going overboard. You’re only increasing bets by 1 unit following a losing streak, which is less risky than both the Labouchere and Martingale.
The other benefit is that Oscar’s Grind is less likely to reach the table betting limit than the other two systems. This minimizes the problem of running into the table limit during a lengthy losing streak.
Cons of Oscar’s Grind
The first downside to Oscar’s Grind is that it’s more confusing than both the Labouchere and Martingale.
Examples help with learning Oscar’s Grind. But it’s not the easiest to start with if you’re new to betting strategies.
The other problem is that this system is also subject to risk and table limits if you use it over a long time period. The risk is minimized with Oscar’s Grind, but there’s still a small chance that you’ll run into a table limit.
10. No. 12 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed in March Madness
One of the worst kept secrets about March Madness betting is that No. 12 seeds are a good bet to beat No. 5 seeds.
The four No. 12 seeds in the NCAA Tournament usually face long odds to beat the No. 5 seeds. But they also have a high success rate when considering the disparity in rankings.
At least one No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5 seed in the first round in 16 of the past 17 NCAA Tournaments. Over the past five years (2013 to 17), nine No. 12 seeds have triumphed in the first round.
Pros of Betting on No. 12 Seeds
You can win quite frequently by betting on No. 12 seeds to beat the spread.
In the last nine March Madness events, No. 12 seeds have gone 23-12-1 against the spreads (ATS). This includes an impressive 11–4–1 ATS over the past five seasons.
These low seeded teams can also earn you big profits through straight up bets. No. 12 seeds have a decent chance of winning versus the long odds they carry.
Cons of Betting on No. 12 Seeds
The problem with betting on No. 12 seeds is that they lose a majority of the time.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t still bet on No. 12 seeds, because they’ve been profitable over a long time period. But you still need the handicapping skills to determine which No. 12 seeds have a chance of winning, or at least covering the spread.
One more drawback is that you only have four chances to make these bets every year. This leaves you with a very limited opportunity to take advantage of No. 12 seed bets.
Conclusion
Betting strategies should never be viewed as a way to make guaranteed profits and replace your day job. But some of them can be highly effective over the short run and spice up your gambling sessions.
The most reasonable strategies include betting less than 2% of your bankroll, wagering on the banker hand, taking craps odds, and making even-money bets in French roulette. These help you pull in consistent wins and limit the risk factor.
Riskier systems include the Martingale, Labouchere, and Oscar’s Grind. The latter is the safest of these betting systems because you don’t increase your bet as much following losses.
You can also make long-term profits with betting strategies if you’re skilled enough. These strategies include value betting, using the Martingale in skill based games, and wagering on No. 12 seeds in March Madness.
As you can see, there are a variety of working systems that cater to different interests. And wagering strategies can also make gambling more exciting.
Casino games are all based on random chance. Even the players at a poker table don’t know which cards will be played next and many a poker strategy entails folding before you get too deep into betting if you have a weak hand. That’s a great lesson to keep in mind when you think about any type of gambling strategy because the element of the unknown sooner or later renders all strategies moot.
Nonetheless most experienced players fall into comfort zones where they feel like they have some control over the outcomes of their games of chance. This tendency to trust in the zone is just another form of the Gambler’s Fallacy. If you really want to gamble then why not try a few strategies that fall outside of your comfort zone? There are some pretty interesting things you can do without sacrificing the statistical position you want to maintain in facing down the house edge.
In fact, there are even acknowledged ways of reducing the house advantage but they are few and far between. Gambling would be very boring and monotonous if everyone played the same games the same ways. So in the spirit of “no risk, no reward” here are a few strategies that will keep the pundits arguing for weeks and the players scratching their heads over what you are doing. You don’t have to give up anything other than a habitual style of play.
If you like these strategies enough to add them to your comfort zone you’ll find you can change things up when other players fall into a rut. Even if that doesn’t give you an advantage over the house you’ll at least be less likely to get bored.
1. Never Play Blackjack Again
Blackjack has earned a lot of respect among gamblers because, unlike most other casino games, you can bring some skill to the table. The pundits are most likely to tell you that the house edge in blackjack is pretty good, too. But there is one problem with standard blackjack: it’s not the most generous version of this game that you can play.
Although most people have learned to avoid single deck blackjack games that pay only 6:5 odds the majority of players are most comfortable in playing standard blackjack with 6 to 8 decks in the shoe because they like those 3:2 odds. But there is another way to enjoy this game with a slight advantage over the usual blackjack player.
If your casino offers Spanish 21 you should try it out. Although there are several rule differences between regular blackjack and Spanish 21 the most distinctive difference is that the Spanish 21 game is played without any 10 point cards. In other words, a Spanish 21 deck has 48 cards (all the face cards are left in) instead of 52 cards. By removing those 10 point cards the game reduces the chances of either player or dealer drawing a natural 21.
The downside to playing Spanish 21 is that the theoretical house edge is about 3% versus the 1% in standard blackjack. But cheer up! There are some unusual rewards in Spanish 21. Foremost among those player advantages is the fact that players always win 21 to 21. Even when the dealer has a blackjack you win if you also have a blackjack. Better yet, the house pays 3:2 on player blackjack instead of a push.
You can also split Aces a second time in Spanish 21. Okay, you may not be very likely to be dealt three or four Aces but in the rare event when this happens you can split again.
Why play Spanish 21 if the house edge is worse than in standard blackjack? There is really too much discussion of “the house edge” among gambling pundits. Technically the edge is only realized across a large number of bets, which means the house sometimes does better than you expect and sometimes worse. That volatility is a good thing because it means that sometimes players can win a lot of money.
Instead of comparing house edge statistics look at the flexibility and greater rewards you get when you play Spanish 21. It will break you out of your comfort zone but you’ll be happily surprised when you are paid better odds for some combinations that don’t pay well in regular blackjack.
You just may never want to play blackjack again.
2. Only Play in Tournaments
This strategy is fairly well known. Almost every basic strategy pundit tells you to only play in tournaments at some point in time. That is because if you just pay a flat fee up front but win the tournament the value of the prize could be substantially more than your buy in fee. Even slot game tournaments can be rewarding for the first, second, and third place players.
What makes tournament play really interesting is that you can plan ahead for the buy in. This almost reduces your gambling to a predictable wager. Of course, you may want to gamble more than the tournaments allow so limiting yourself to only playing tournaments may not be practical.
Joining tournaments allows you to gamble on two levels, and that additional risk may make the tournament experience more satisfying for you.
3. Play One on One with the Dealer Whenever Possible
Casinos don’t like it when you are the only player at the blackjack table. Part of the casino’s advantage is derived from the dealer playing against several customers at the same time. Whether you count cards or not, you will see less volatility in the distribution of the cards if you are the only player facing the dealer.
The pit boss may close other tables or send over some house players to fill up your table if you get a lucky break and can play the dealer by yourself. Don’t get upset when this happens.
Why does it matter how many players are at the table? Because your chances of getting those high value cards decline as more people draw from the shoe. When it’s just you and the dealer you have an even chance of drawing the cards you need. As more people join the table your chances drop radically.
The dealer doesn’t need to draw high value cards as often as the individual players do. That is because the dealer wins every time a player busts. Hence, if you play a conservative game in a one on one situation with a dealer you have a pretty good setup. But the house advantage will never fully vanish. Sometimes all you are going to get for a third card is a bust card and there is nothing you can do about that.
4. Play Two of Three Outside Bets at Once in Roulette
Gaming pundits like to pick on roulette and there are surely many good reasons to dissuade you from playing a game that is cleverly designed to emphasize high risk bets. Most of the betting options on the table are the single numbers and players tend to think in terms of betting only on single numbers when playing the inside.
Savvy players may play the lines in roulette but even when you bet on six numbers the house has a huge advantage over you, and the odds are terrible, too.
Your best chances of winning in conventional roulette strategy guides are to play the “safe” outside bets: black or red, odd or even. Pundits reluctantly agree you can also place bets in the 1/3 categories: 1st twelve, 2nd twelve, and 3rd twelve numbers. These 1/3 groups each pay 2 to 1 odds.
You can improve your chances of winning by playing 2 groups. You reduce the odds to even payoff when you do this but you get a better coverage with this kind of bet (24 numbers) versus the standard safe bets (18 numbers), which also pay even money.
So which way would you like to bet: win even money for betting on 18 numbers or win even money for betting on 24 numbers? Do the math. You may never bet black or even again.
5. Only Play Max Lines in Slot Games
The so-called “penny” slot games have been evolving since they first appeared. The game manufacturers have added more and more pay lines to these games and now they even add more screens to handle more pay lines. Early versions of these games allowed you to choose how many pay lines are active during spins. While this may have seemed like a generous gesture to the players who felt uncomfortable placing bets on 15, 20, or 25 pay lines the reality was that the theoretical return to player was brutally reduced to very low levels.
If you only play 1 out of 25 active pay lines you will almost never win. It’s not the same as playing a single pay line slot game. Players who try to conserve their money by playing fewer pay lines are in fact throwing it away. That is because the games are designed to pay the best percentage when all the pay lines are active.
The multi pay line games often provide better theoretical return to player percentages than the older single pay lines, too. If the pay table shows you an RTP better than 96% your game is approaching Spanish 21, roulette, and blackjack territory.
Slot games may not be your gambling game of choice but most people play them eventually. If you choose more recent slot games that have fixed pay lines (you cannot deactivate them) you can enjoy some quiet time spinning the reels without taking much more risk than if you were playing cards.
Best Betting Strategy For Slots Real Money
6. Play Keno Instead of Other Games
If you know anything about which casino games are recommended then you know keno is at the very bottom of the list along with all other lottery style games. So how can playing keno be a good strategy to recommend in place of other games? Well, as a regular gambling activity it’s still not recommended but most people when calculating just how bad keno is usually go after the large pick options and don’t look at the probabilities on the lower pick options. But there is another component to this “insane” strategy.
First, let’s take a look at the worst and best case scenarios. In a typical keno game you can usually select 2 numbers to 10 numbers. The rule of thumb is that the more numbers you pick the worse your chances of winning become, although the payoff odds improve. Who would not want to pick 10 numbers that are drawn in keno? Of course, that is the appeal behind keno and most players seem to go for the big win rather than the more achievable wins.
If you are going to play keno you had better do some number crunching and look at which pick options offer the best chances for winning. Now the probabilities can vary from casino to casino because there are a few variations on the game. For example, in one version of the game you may be able win something for getting two of the three numbers in a Pick 3 whereas in another version of the game you may not be able to get something for two out of three. The casino publishes a win table that explains the odds for you.
The best versions of the game pay at least a little bit for getting some of your numbers. The fewer numbers you are required to choose in order to get at least 2 winning combinations the better. Say, for example, you can play a Pick 5 and win for 5 numbers, 4 numbers, and 3 numbers. That’s a pretty good payback spread. It’s not great, most modern slot machine games offer better theoretical returns to player, but you’re in the realm of 70% to 75% RTP with this kind of option. If you can play a Pick 4 you might feel that’s a little less risky. In fact, in some versions of the game Pick 4 offers the second best theoretical return to player if it allows for three catches that pay prizes (4 numbers, 3 numbers, and 2 numbers).
So having selected your preferred Pick, why on Earth would you choose to play keno if the best theoretical return you can hope for is about 70% to 75%? That’s quite simple, really. You are going to stop gambling for a while. Take a break. Go eat something, or take in a show. One great thing about keno is that it is a slow round game. You only see a few drawings per hour at most and this is a way to gamble while you are not gambling. Keno is completely passive, even more so than playing a slot machine.
Among the numerous money management schemes that gaming pundits recommend to players is to slow down your rate of play. That’s impossible to do at a card table because the dealer has to keep the action going for the other players (and the pit boss is watching). And it’s not possible at the other table games for the same reason. It’s theoretically possible for you to slow down your slot play but that Spin button is sitting there right in front of you and frankly you will sit too long if you just play the slots all night.
So get up, walk around, lay down $10 on a few keno cards with Pick 4 or Pick 5 numbers, and then go relax. Get something to eat. Take care of business. You’re still gambling but not risking much and you have almost as good a chance of breaking even or winning a small amount of cash as if you played a few rounds of the slots. This is all for fun anyway, right?
7. Don’t Pass in Craps and Lay Odds
Craps is the most complicated game in the universe and it’s also considered one of the most player unfriendly table games if you try to use all the fancy bets. Just about every introduction to craps tells you that the best bets are the Pass and Don’t Pass line and that you should always Take The Odds if you bet Pass or Lay The Odds if you Don’t Pass.
These plays are simple, you almost don’t have to think about them, and everyone recommends them. But most players choose to bet Pass because they want to support the guy throwing the dice. Opinions vary on all this but in comparing the two options the biggest drawback to betting Don’t Pass is that you may lose on the Come Out roll.
Now you might be looking at how players win with Pass and Don’t Pass on the Come Out roll and thinking, “You win with 2 numbers either way. Why is Pass the better bet?” It’s because to win on the Come Out roll with a Pass bet you need a 7 or 11. There are eight ways the dice can fall to get one of those two numbers. To win with a Don’t Pass bet you need a 2 or 3 and there are only three ways to get one of those two numbers, so the shooter has a better chance of rolling 7 or 11 (and that is why in movies people are usually yelling, “Come on seven!”).
However, after you get past the Come Out roll Don’t Pass starts to look pretty sweet compared to the Pass bet. That is because after the shooter establishes his Point the Don’t Pass bettor wins about 2/3 of the time whereas the Pass bettor wins about 1/3 of the time. So you can make up the lost opportunity on the Come Out roll with Don’t Pass on the Point.
The Pass bettor Takes the Odds by placing additional chips on his first bet. The Don’t Pass bettor Lays the Odds by placing chips next to his first bet. This is not the same as playing the odds where you place another bet on the colorful dice representations in the Odds box. This is one of the reasons why craps confuses some players.
Taking Odds on a Pass bet pays better than Laying Odds on a Don’t Pass bet, but you’re more likely to win on the Don’t Pass bet. In fact, that advantage is exactly why the casino pays less money for Don’t Pass bets.
8. Use a 17 Second Delay between Spins
Slowing down slot game play is not easy but there is a mathematically valid reason to do it other than that you lose money at a slower rate. This is not a betting system that promises you will win more often. This is a system that increases the volatility of your play. It is based on the way random number generation algorithms work.
There are two things you should understand about random number generators, those complicated little chips that all modern slot machine games depend on to determine where the reels stop spinning. First is that we don’t yet have the science to produce a truly random number via a mathematical algorithm. Second, the numbers generated by these chips are drawn from huge pools of possible results which makes them more than random enough to be unpredictable in casino game play. That is why the chips are allowed and regulated in most if not all gaming jurisdictions around the world.
This insane strategy is designed for slot players who believe the random number generators fall into patterns. The likelihood of that happening is relatively small but because the random numbers are not truly random it is possible. What happens is that the generated numbers fall into what is termed a “local pattern”. This means that for a short run they do follow some sort of pattern. This is okay because you never see the random numbers or how they are used. That black box effect ensures that the slot game is honest. But let’s take a closer look at how this black box effect is achieved.
The random number generator is constantly producing new numbers. Each new number is placed in a part of the chip’s memory called a “register”. The number waits there for a fraction of a second and is then replaced by another number. Meanwhile the machine is running its game software. When you spin the reels one the game begins fetching random numbers from the RNG’s registers. In the United States a random number is required for each reel and those numbers are used to determine where the reels stop spinning. In other jurisdictions a single random number is used to determine the outcome of the game.
The idea behind the 17 second delay is that after the reels stop spinning and you are awarded your prize you count off 17 seconds. A watch is really good for this but a smart phone can do it, too. In a pinch if you just count slowly by saying (or thinking) “one thousand one, one thousand two, etc.” that will be good enough.
Waiting 17 seconds after each spin increases the chances that you move out of any local pattern in fewer spins. The local pattern might be randomly awarding you a lot of prizes or it might be handing you a lot of losing spins. You have no way of knowing if this rare phenomenon is occurring but if you feel like you’re stuck in a random number rut you can change up the game by pausing and taking your time in between spins. And as it so happens this insane strategy falls in line with most money management strategies, which suggest that you slow down your rate of play to conserve money.
But why pause for 17 seconds? Why not choose, say, 5 seconds? That’s a good question and the answer may seem a little lame to you. 17 is a prime number and in any algorithm that attempts to randomize activity it’s much easier if you base your computations on a prime. The larger the prime number the better. You could choose a prime like 53 seconds but most people will give up before that many seconds ticks away. In 17 seconds your slot game’s RNG could cycle through hundreds or thousands of new numbers.
Also, when you force yourself to stop and count to 17 in between spins of the reels you shake off some of the mental cobwebs that form from clicking on Spin repeatedly. This strategy helps you stay aware of the passing of time while you’re in a casino, and that is always to your advantage. In the long run you won’t see any better or worse chances of winning with the 17 second strategy but you’ll have more control over your actions and your money.
Conclusion
There are crazy gambling strategies, dumb gambling strategies, and crazy dumb or just plain stupid strategies. We want to shake things up a little bit without increasing our risk (or losses) by using alternative strategies. The usual gambling advice you find in books and blogs starts to look homogenous and boring after a while. If you are gambling for entertainment you will be more open to changing things up and trying a new approach. That helps to keep your gaming experience fresh and interesting.
And the up side of playing an insane strategy is that if you are not satisfied with the results you can switch back to gaming the way you are more comfortable playing. But do give these strategies a try. You just may fall in love with them simply because they are different from the usual tips and tidbits.
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