Welcome to Slots Guy. My site offers over 450 pages of content about the best Las Vegas style slots and the best online slot machines and casinos. I focus on guides to the loosest games, and I also cover the companies which design and manufacture the games.
To get started, visit the pages about free slots and real money slots. My most popular page on the site used to be my strategy for red screen slot machines. You’ll find those in Oklahoma casinos. My new most popular page, though, is my post about the loosest slots in Las Vegas.
Recommended Online Casinos
| # | Casino | Signup Bonus | Start Here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wild Casino | 250% up to $5,000 |  |
| 2 | Slots of Vegas | 250% up to $2,500 | |
| 3 | Planet 7 Casino | 250% up to $2,500 | |
| 4 | Las Atlantis | 280% up to $14,000 | |
| 5 | BetUS Casino | 125% up to $2,500 | |
These pages are the opening salvo in my battle to create the best how to guide for new slot machine gamblers.
My specific reviews of Las Vegas slot machine favorites like Cleopatra and Double Diamond should interest you, too. I also offer lists of the games available at specific casinos like Bellagio and the Mirage.
Visit some of the other popular pages on the site. These include this review of Cops and Robber slots online and this post about Louisiana slot machines.
My site also offers information about these topics:
- The history of slot machines
- How to play the different kinds of games
- How paylines work
- What are the best strategies for winning
- How online slot bonuses work
More about Me and My Online Las Vegas Style Slots Guide
Hi, my name is Steve, and this is my website. My wife and I love to play slot machines. We enjoy going to the casinos to play with our friends and making new friends when we get there. My goal with this website is to create a guide to slot machines and have some fun along the way.
My friends ask me, “Why do you play those damn machines? You know they’re money pits. You should play blackjack like me. And, you might actually win once in a while.”
I DO play blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat. And I DO win money playing slots too. One of the reasons I decided to create this website is to dispel some myths about playing these machines.
With that in mind, let’s move on to…
Free Las Vegas Style Slots Online (The Pros and Cons)
If you’ve played a slot machine in a traditional brick-and-mortar casino, you won’t have much of a learning curve when switching to free slots online. The gameplay is almost identical. You put in your money, the machine assigns you credits, you choose which lines you want to play, and then you push the spin button.
One of the biggest pros of playing online slots is how convenient they are. You don’t have to walk from machine to machine. You never have to worry about your favorite machine being occupied. And you won’t have to move because the slot machine gambler next to you hasn’t showered in days, either. Everything about online slots is convenient.
In fact, if you don’t have any money, you can still play slots online. You just need to stick with the free slots games.
What are the cons of online slots?
Not many, really. The cons of online slots are similar to the cons of traditional brick-and-mortar slots. Often the return to player is low. You can burn through more money than you expect and faster than you expect, too.
If you run into a shady casino operator, you might have trouble cashing out your winnings. Stick with my advice on this site about which casinos to choose and how to choose them. That will go a long way toward preventing that kind of hiccup.
I’ll eventually add more pages with more free slots games that you can play from your browser, but I’m still working on that.
The Top 9 Slots Myths
1. Higher denomination slots machines pay out at the same rate as penny slots.
The larger the denominations, the lower the casino win rate. That means a better payout percentage for the slot player.
Here’s why:
On larger denomination games, you put more money thru the machine faster. The casino earns the same amount on a large denomination slot with a lower win rate. And this is true even when the lower denomination slot machine game has a higher win rate.
2. Casinos don’t like slot players, so you can’t get rated and earn comps.
This one kills me. Many believe that casinos place slot machines on their floor so that wives stay busy. The casinos don’t want the blackjack, craps, and roulette players distracted by their wives.
Are you kidding me?
Casinos LOVE slots players.
Casinos earn 2 times as much money from slots as from all the table games combined.
Also, look at how much casino floor space slot machines occupy. Look at how many people play the machines.
Never feel sheepish about being a slot player.
The casinos love you.
That’s why all their players clubs used to be “slots clubs.” In fact, as far as comps go, casinos rate a quarter slot player at the same rate they do a $25 a hand blackjack player.
3. If you see someone put a lot of money into a slot machine and they don’t win, you should rush over to play that machine as it is due to hit.
Many gamblers believe this one. I’ve seen slot players watching me and waiting for me to leave so that they can sit down and play the slot machine I dumped my money into.
A long time ago, when mechanical slots ruled the world, this might have been true. In the age of computers and random number generators this is not the case. Slots are pre-programmed to pay out a certain rate over the life of the machine.
You’re as likely to hit a jackpot on your next spin as your are your 100th spin, or tomorrow ,or next week.
All the same, if I see someone put a lot of money in a machine and they don’t win, I’m making a beeline for that machine when they get up.
4. All casino slots have the same payout rate.
One survey in Las Vegas listed slots payout rates by casino. It turned out that The Palms had the highest slots payout percentage, and The Venetian had the lowest. I can attest to the latter. The slots at the Venetian killed me and my wife.
Each casino sets their slots payout percentages where they want them, and they’re all different. Some casinos even advertise their payout rates.
Generally, the slots in Louisiana pay out better than those on the Las Vegas Strip.
And the tribal casinos in Oklahoma pay out better still.
Here’s a tip for you:
If you want better slots payout rates in Vegas, go Downtown or to the off-Strip casinos like The Palms, The Orleans, or one of the Station Casinos.
This works for better blackjack games or more generous craps odds, too.
Better yet, ask someone who works in the casino where you are staying. They almost always gamble and are happy to share their knowledge.
I told a blackjack dealer at the Venetian once that the casino slaughtered us at the slot machines.
She said, “I never play slots here. You can’t win. Try Casino Royale next door.”
We did and had great luck there. Not one of your ritzier places, but they have better slots odds.
5. The slots in at the Indian casinos don’t pay out as well as the ones in Vegas or Atlantic City.
No, they do not pay out as well – they pay better.
Here’s the big story here in Dallas, TX:
People drive north over the Red River into Oklahoma and play the slots at Winstar World Casino and Choctaw Casino.
And they win.
I know a lot of people making the drive weekly. My buddy Hal had 17 IRS tickets from Choctaw Casino in 2009 and was up over $15K.
In 2010, I saw him win $4.5K, $3.6K and $2.2K.
The wife and I have started going to Choctaw on Sundays.
And we’re up over $2K so far in 2010. Hal got us started on playing the $1 VGT slots with the red screen free spin feature. They’re fun to play, and they pay out.
Our favorites include:
6. You cannot win playing Las Vegas style slots.
As compared to what?
Blackjack?
Craps?
Roulette?
First, if you’re trying to gamble to make a living, forget it. Casino games always favor the house. Play for fun. Enjoy yourself. Gamble smart, learn the rules, and search for the best payouts. Manage your money and yourself, and you’ll win almost half the time.
Here’s the key to winning at slots:
Learn to be a winner. Quit while you’re ahead once in a while ,and you’ll have more fun playing slots.
7. Slots strategies are worthless – unlike the other games such as baccarat, blackjack, craps and roulette.
Let me ask you this:
Do you have a favorite betting strategy for blackjack?
How about craps, baccarat and roulette?
Most gamblers answer yes.
Are you a consistent and long term winner at these games?
For most players, the honest answer is no.
So , why is playing with a strategy for these games any different than using a strategy for playing slots?
I use several Las Vegas style slots strategies. My favorite is the one I use for playing the VGT slots at the Indian casinos in Oklahoma.
Here’s another thing about strategies:
The most important ones are the ones dictating how much you are going to win and lose.
You cannot be a successful gambler unless you know going in how much you are going to win or lose for each gambling session. You can read more on this in my slots strategies section.
9. If I put a player’s club card into a slot machine and hit a jackpot, the casino will report my earnings to the IRS.
I have news for you:
You’re getting an IRS ticket on any win over $1200. It doesn’t matter if the player’s club card is in the machine.
But you only earn points and comps if your card is in the slot machine.
9. If a casino advertises “our slots pay off at 97%”, all their slot machines pay off at 97%+.
Another slots myth is the idea that all the slot machines in a casino pay out at the same rate.
Here’s what I read in multiple books when I started learning about slots:
Casinos put their better paying machines in strategic locations. Their goal is to draw players into the casino.
Here’s the theory:
If people see someone winning, they’ll want to play too. Therefore, the loosest slots are outside the coffee shops, the buffets, close to the elevators, near the hotel registration counter, and by all the entrances and exits.
I can’t tell you if casinos really do this.
There’s a certain amount of logic to it, though.
I do know this:
Many casinos have big signs advertising 99% payout slots.
This number might only apply to the few machines underneath the sign.
But that means other machines do not pay out that well.
Here’s my advice:
Search for and play these machines. If their average payout is 97%, and they have a few 99% payout machines, then they also have slot machines that pay out less than 97%.
Count on it.
Also, keep this in mind:
Progressive slots have huge jackpots. How do they afford these? They pay out less often and for lower amounts on their non-jackpot wins.
My Slot Machine Hobby
My wife and I have been playing Las Vegas style slots for decades now. We live in Dallas, TX.
But we’ve traveled all over the country and played slots everywhere. From the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, we’ve played them all.
My goal is to host an unequaled guide to slots games and online slot machines.
You get my opinionated and honest opinions about slot machines here.
Playing the slots has changed over the last century. Progressive jackpots have made the chance of a life-changing win a real possibility.
And higher stakes slot machines have changed slots from a bit of silliness to a real exciting way to gamble. Dropping $25 a spin will keep anyone interested in the outcome.
And the availability of online casinos with slots has increased the variety of games.
The menu leads to the main sections of the site. On the pages there, you’ll find links to pages about online slots, progressive jackpots, and free games.
Here’s an example:
On the progressive page, you’ll find links to pages about some of the following specific progressive games”
- Major Millions
- Shopping Spree
- MegaBucks
- Quartermania
This site aims to be a complete guide to slots gambling. I will also discuss some of the slot machine systems used by experienced players.
I also feature content about popular IGT based slot machine games like The Price is Right.
Casinos
Taking a trip to the casinos to play the slots is something I have enjoyed for years.
You want to feel a big rush?
Try hitting a jackpot in the casino. Do it surrounded by your friends. Celebrate.
But I warned you that I’m opinionated.
And I’ve included my opinions on the slots selections at some traditional land based casinos too. Some of those include:
And I just replaced this old page about Reno slot machines with completely revised information.
Slots Manufacturers
IGT designs and manufactures most games in traditional casinos.
But several other slot machine manufacturers have made their mark in the business too.
I’ve included comments on some of the more significant makers of slots machines here:
Free Online Slots
When I gamble, I like to gamble for real money.
Some of my readers like free slots, though. For them, I’ve included information about free games.
Most online casinos let you play their slots for free without having to make a deposit.
You can play free slots almost anywhere online.
5 Truths About Las Vegas Style Slots
Finally, here’s a list of 5 things I’ve learned about slots:
1. The house always has the edge.
There’s only one exception:
If a slot machine has a huge progressive jackpot, it might offer the player a mathematical edge.
Even then, you have no way of knowing when the jackpot has gotten large enough to make the game a positive expectation bet.
If you’re looking for a game where you can get an edge, look to video poker, blackjack, or poker.
2. You can’t win money playing free slot machines.
But you can’t lose any money playing free slots either.
And that’s something.
3. :as Vegas style slots are addictive by design. Slots manufacturers invest millions into making slot machines more attractive and addictive.
The occasional small wins are random rewards, and the human brain seeks out more random rewards.
4. Playing slots can be fun.
And you shouldn’t let anti-gambling moralists guilt-trip for enjoying them.
Something being addictive doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun.
Some people ruin their lives by becoming alcoholics; that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a beer from time to time.
5. When it stops being fun, it’s time to quit.
Trust me.
The casino will still be there after you’ve had a chance to rest and replenish your bankroll.
But if you’re no longer enjoying the potential of a win, it’s time to find a more worthwhile activity.
Good luck, friends. Please only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Be a responsible gambler.