- Appendices
- Slots Analysis
- Miscellaneous
Introduction
Vegas slot machine that hasn't hit the jackpot in almost 20 YEARS attracts gamblers eager to win the $2.3M prize. A slot machine in Las Vegas is harboring a $2.3 million jackpot. The Most Commonly Played Slots Mega Moolah. Mega Moolah has been a favorite of slot players for quite some time. It is developed by Microgaming and features the standard 5 reels, 25 paylines, and a.
A must-hit-by jackpot, or mystery jackpot, is one that is guaranteed to hit by a certain point. So, there are two good things about a large jackpot:
- The jackpot itself is larger.
- The probability of winning it is greater.
As with any progressive game, at some point the jackpot becomes large enough to sway the odds in the player's favor. This page will examine these 'target points' on some new slots by Ainsworth with mystery jackpots. I also have a page on the same subject about WMS mystery progressive slots.
General Rules
Following are generally how must-hit-by progressives work.
- The jackpot starts at a defined minimum amount.
- A point at which the jackpot will hit is randomly chosen on a uniform distribution between the starting value and maximum possible jackpot.
- A certain percentage of money bet, known as the 'meter rise,' will be directed towards the jackpot.
- When the meter crosses the predestined win point, the player will be awarded the jackpot.
This is how the Ainsworth games appear to work. To be specific, the ones I played at the Red Rock casino have these specifications:
Ainsworth Red Rock Slots
| Jackpot | Minor | Major |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | $20 | $350 |
| Must hit by | $50 | $400 |
| Rate of increase (based on bet) | 0.45% | 0.20% |
Please be advised that other Ainsworth games may have different criteria than the above. The tables on this page apply only to the type of games I played at the Red Rock casino on May 9, 2013.
This page assumes that a jackpot is equally likely to trigger anywhere between the starting value and must-hit-by maximum. This seems to be true for all makers except AGS. The reader should be warned that AGS must-hit-by jackpots almost never hit until they are near the must-hit-by point. For example, the large jackpots are supposed to hit by $5,000, but it is rumored in the advantage player slot community that they rarely hit below $4,990. So, please do not apply the information in this page to AGS machines.
Math
The general formula for the Target Point can be given as:
t = m × (h + r) / (h + 2r), where:t = Target Point
m = Max jackpotr = Rise of meter rate
h = House edge of game (taking into consideration the average value of the progressive)
An unknown piece to this equation is h, the house edge of the game. No casino is going to tell you exactly what a given slot machine is set to. So, you may have to resort to industry averages. The following table shows the averages for Clark County, Nevada (where Las Vegas is). You can see for penny slots, which must-hit-by jackpots tend to be on, the overall house edge is 10.77%.
Clark County Slot Win to 11/1/2017 to 10/31/2018
| Denomination | Casino Win (pct) |
|---|---|
| $0.01 | 9.97% |
| $0.05 | 5.54% |
| $0.25 | 7.11% |
| $1.00 | 6.34% |
| $5.00 | 5.51% |
| $25.00 | 4.99% |
| $100.00 | 6.22% |
| Megabucks | 12.34% |
| Multi-denomination | 5.26% |
| Total | 6.82% |
Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Gaming Revenue Report for 12-month period ending October 31, 2018 (PDF, see page 4).
Although the information from 2001 is a bit dated, you may wish to also consider the returns of random games I sampled in my page on Slot Machine Odds in Las Vegas. All things considered, I think it is safe to assume a house edge of 8% to 12% in Las Vegas. The nicer the casino and closer to the Strip the casino is, the higher the house edge will generally be. Outside of Vegas, you're on your own.
Ainsworth Target Points
The first table shows the Target Point for the Major jackpot, according to the house edge on the game and the amount of the Minor jackpot. In most situations, it will need to be about $392.
Ainsworth Major Jackpot Target Points
| Minor Jackpot | House Edge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 6% | |
| $25 | $395.51 | $394.94 | $394.20 | $393.22 | $391.84 |
| $26 | $395.50 | $394.92 | $394.19 | $393.20 | $391.81 |
| $27 | $395.49 | $394.91 | $394.17 | $393.18 | $391.77 |
| $28 | $395.47 | $394.90 | $394.15 | $393.15 | $391.73 |
| $29 | $395.46 | $394.88 | $394.13 | $393.12 | $391.69 |
| $30 | $395.45 | $394.86 | $394.11 | $393.09 | $391.64 |
| $31 | $395.43 | $394.84 | $394.08 | $393.05 | $391.59 |
| $32 | $395.42 | $394.82 | $394.05 | $393.01 | $391.53 |
| $33 | $395.40 | $394.80 | $394.02 | $392.97 | $391.47 |
| $34 | $395.37 | $394.77 | $393.98 | $392.92 | $391.39 |
| $35 | $395.35 | $394.74 | $393.94 | $392.86 | $391.30 |
| $36 | $395.32 | $394.70 | $393.89 | $392.79 | $391.20 |
| $37 | $395.29 | $394.66 | $393.83 | $392.71 | $391.08 |
| $38 | $395.25 | $394.60 | $393.76 | $392.61 | $390.93 |
| $39 | $395.20 | $394.54 | $393.68 | $392.49 | $390.76 |
| $40 | $395.14 | $394.46 | $393.57 | $392.34 | $390.53 |
| $41 | $395.06 | $394.37 | $393.44 | $392.16 | $390.24 |
| $42 | $394.96 | $394.24 | $393.27 | $391.91 | $389.86 |
| $43 | $394.83 | $394.07 | $393.03 | $391.57 | $389.31 |
| $44 | $394.65 | $393.82 | $392.69 | $391.06 | $388.49 |
| $45 | $394.37 | $393.44 | $392.16 | $390.24 | $387.10 |
| $46 | $393.88 | $392.78 | $391.18 | $388.69 | $384.24 |
| $47 | $392.86 | $391.30 | $388.89 | $384.62 | $375.00 |
The second table shows the Target Point for the Minor jackpot, according to the house edge on the game and the amount of the Major jackpot. In most situations, it will need to be about $48.
Ainsworth Minor Jackpot Target Points
| Major Jackpot | House Edge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14% | 12% | 10% | 8% | 6% | |
| $350 | $48.68 | $48.51 | $48.28 | $47.97 | $47.53 |
| $352 | $48.68 | $48.50 | $48.27 | $47.96 | $47.51 |
| $354 | $48.67 | $48.50 | $48.26 | $47.95 | $47.49 |
| $356 | $48.67 | $48.49 | $48.25 | $47.93 | $47.47 |
| $358 | $48.66 | $48.48 | $48.24 | $47.92 | $47.44 |
| $360 | $48.65 | $48.47 | $48.23 | $47.90 | $47.41 |
| $362 | $48.64 | $48.46 | $48.21 | $47.88 | $47.38 |
| $364 | $48.63 | $48.45 | $48.20 | $47.85 | $47.35 |
| $366 | $48.62 | $48.43 | $48.18 | $47.83 | $47.30 |
| $368 | $48.61 | $48.42 | $48.16 | $47.79 | $47.26 |
| $370 | $48.60 | $48.40 | $48.13 | $47.76 | $47.20 |
| $372 | $48.58 | $48.37 | $48.10 | $47.71 | $47.13 |
| $374 | $48.56 | $48.35 | $48.06 | $47.66 | $47.05 |
| $376 | $48.54 | $48.32 | $48.02 | $47.60 | $46.95 |
| $378 | $48.51 | $48.28 | $47.97 | $47.52 | $46.81 |
| $380 | $48.47 | $48.23 | $47.90 | $47.41 | $46.64 |
| $382 | $48.42 | $48.16 | $47.81 | $47.27 | $46.40 |
| $384 | $48.36 | $48.08 | $47.68 | $47.08 | $46.05 |
| $386 | $48.27 | $47.95 | $47.50 | $46.78 | $45.49 |
| $388 | $48.13 | $47.76 | $47.20 | $46.27 | $44.42 |
| $390 | $47.90 | $47.41 | $46.64 | $45.21 | $41.67 |
| $392 | $47.41 | $46.64 | $45.21 | $41.67 | |
Example: You suspect the Minor jackpot may be high enough to play. The Major jackpot is at $370 and you assume a house edge of 10%. The table above shows the Target point is $48.13.
Jackpot!
In playing one of these games to determine the rate of increase I won a minor jackpot. I just had to take a couple pictures to share with you.
Further Reading
- The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives, by Frank Kneeland
- Million Dollar Slots by Peter Liston
Written by: Michael Shackleford
It’s impossible to predict if a slot machine will pay out at a specific moment; anyone claiming otherwise either doesn’t understand how slot machines work or they work as a casino promoter.
If it were possible to identify precisely when a slot machine is about to pay, then the casinos would lose money, and we are all aware of the fact that it usually doesn’t happen. Internet gaming establishments are well-oiled machines built to provide you with entertainment in exchange for money.
However, don’t close this article just yet. The fact that there is no foolproof way to win money on slot machines every time doesn’t mean that it is impossible.
As you probably already know, the odds included in slot machine games are based on the mathematical probability. So, if you learn how those odds work, you might be able to use these findings to your advantage and make some profit.
Slot Machines Most Likely To Hit In Golf
What we’re actually saying here is that with a good strategy in play and a decent understanding of how to recognize (or at least assume) when a particular slot is about to pay out, you can increase your chances of winning.
We’ve done our homework and poured over countless slot machine tips and tricks in order to learn how to recognize the moment when a slot machine is about to pay out. After a lot of digging, we were able to create a list that shows the most effective strategies you can implement to overcome the ‘randomness’ of slot machines.
Play Only Slots With the Biggest Payouts
This piece of advice seems rather obvious but bare with us for a moment. Everyone who has played in either a brick-and-mortar or an online casino is familiar with the phrase ‘house edge’. For those who have heard about this term but aren’t quite sure what it means, we’ll try to clear things up a bit.
The term ‘house edge’ refers to the mathematical advantage that the gaming establishment has over players. This advantage results in a guaranteed percentage that is returned to the online casino over time. In other words, casinos always beat the players in the long run since the odds are stacked in their favor. You must have heard about the phrase ‘the house always wins’? Well, the house in this phrase is a casino, and you can see for yourself why it always wins.
Hot Hit Slot Machines
However, don’t fall into despair yet as all is not lost.
Although the odds are stacked against players, it’s still possible to win. In fact, every slot machine has a theoretical return to player based on statistics which is called the RTP (Return to Player).
The average RTP for most slot games is somewhere between 90–96 percent. Therefore, every slot game that has the RTP over 96% is always a good option. A couple of percentage points difference may seem meaningless, but trust us — it makes a lot of difference over thousands of spins. For those reasons, it’s always a good idea to do a little digging before you start spinning the reels.
How to Find the RTP of a Slot Game?
Finding out the RTP of a particular slot game is quite easy. There are plenty of websites which review online casinos and write about their game selection, as well as their respective RTP’s.
Simply put, you stand a better chance with the higher RTP slot games. This particularly is the case when you’re playing through bonus spins.
Entertainment vs Big Wins?
This factor is almost as important as the RTP when it comes to choosing an online slot game. Volatility, sometimes called variance, in slot games measures how often and how much you can expect to win during your playing sessions.
Higher volatility slots usually feature long dry strakes with occasional big wins. Since the payouts are substantially higher with high volatility slots, you might sometimes end up clicking the Spin button relentlessly, only to watch your bankroll dwindle. However, when everything lines up perfectly… boom! You’ve hit the jackpot that made the long dry spell worth it! One of the best high volatility slot games is the Book of Ra, created by Novomatic.
On the opposite side of the coin are the low volatility games where payouts are much more frequent but more much smaller. We are not saying that large wins are impossible with these games — far from it. It’s just when they do happen, they are not on the same scale as the ones available with the high volatility games.
It’s really up to the player and his preferences — if you prefer playing games where little wins pop up every couple of spins, then go for the low volatility games. On the other hand, if you are hoping for making the big bucks and are willing to take necessary risks, then we recommend high volatility games.
Online casino platforms aren’t quite eager to hand out the information about the game’s volatility, but it becomes obvious after playing it for a certain time. There isn’t such a thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ volatility — it’s just a question of gambling style and personal preference.
Use the Bonuses in Your Favor
One way to put up a fight against the house edge is by taking advantage of the bonuses. As most of you probably already know, the majority of casino sites offer free spins/free money/ bonuses as incentives to lure new customers. Those bonuses can prove beneficial and turn the odds in your favor.
Of course, don’t expect that the bonuses will last forever. But while they last, you can definitely make the most out of them and clean up some easy cash. On that note, there is no reason why you shouldn’t search around and take advantage of different promotions.
Slot Machines FAQ
Below we’ve answered some of the most frequent slot-related questions. We know that slot machines pose a mystery, and we’ll help you unravel it.
Is gambling on a slot machine really random?
Yes, it is. All slot machines in all online casinos operate by using the RNG, a computer-run program that randomly chooses numbers. A reliable RNG generates numbers that are not related to each other in any way, thus ensuring that your games are fair and random. All types of bonus rounds are predetermined by algorithms, regardless of which slot game you play.
Are slot machines really streaky?
Yes, slot machines are streaky, and they tend to get cold and/or hot. But it’s all the same for you as you have no way of predicting when a slot machine will become hot or cold. These patterns that happen from time to time look like streaks of bad luck or good luck, but they are not based on anything — that’s just the nature of random events.
How can I find a slot machine that suits my gambling style?
It depends on your preferences — if you’re up for cheap entertainment, you should find games that allow a cheap max bet.
If you’re looking to win a massive jackpot, you should concentrate on progressive games and games that feature lots of bonus rounds. These games have high volatility, which means that payouts don’t happen very often, but when they do, they are substantially bigger.
If you just want to have a good time and money isn’t an issue, look for the latest developments. These games feature plots and characters from popular TV shows, movies, sports, and so on, and offer bonus rounds and other fun extras.
Is there a strategy I could implement to increase my chances of hitting the jackpot?
Unfortunately, there isn’t. All possible outcomes are controlled by a Random Number Generator and there is no betting amount or a specific strategy that will make it more or less likely for you to hit the jackpot. However, have in mind that in most online casinos (and land-based for that matter) you have to bet max in order to qualify for the slot jackpot payouts.
What’s a good strategy for playing slot machines?
Big Hits On Slot Machines
Before you start spinning the reels, find out the payout percentage of the selected slot machine — don’t play anything that has the RTP below 95 percent. If you are a high roller, go for the high volatile games and chase the main jackpot. Make the most out of the available casino bonuses — they can increase your winning chances by providing extra spins. Avoid the latest licensed slots if possible because, according to various sources, they are more likely to feature fewer payouts.
Slot Machines Most Likely To Hit The World
The fact that matters is that you can’t use some special skill to outsmart a slot machine and change the payout percentage of it. But you can try certain strategies that can maximize your chances of winning.