Loose and Tight Slots: the Tell Tale Signs

If you have never played a slot machine before in a casino, there is one thing you need to be aware of immediately: not all the machines are created equal, because some pay better than others. Those that are more likely to pay are called "loose" while those that often do not are "cold" or "tight".

This should come as a surprise to non slot players, but it is a fact. To understand how this works, you need to be familiar with some concepts, beginning with the RNG and the payout percentage. RNG is the random number generator, a small computer chip inside

the slot that tells it what numbers and symbols to produce. At the same time, this device instructs the machine how much of the money being put into it should be paid out. This is expressed in the payout percentage, and usually they range from 80% to 99%, the remainder of which is the casino's profit.

The higher the payout percentage, the more often the machine will pay out, making it a "loose slot". The lower the percentage, the more difficult and scarcer the yields will be.

So how does a player determine which are the loose slots and those that are cold and tight? One way is to just play one. If you don't get a hit after five or six tries (not necessarily the jackpot, but any sort of winning combination), chances are that machine is cold. Go and try another one, if you get a hit within after a couple of spins, then you found a loose slot; ride it out for as long as you can.

Another way is to make inquiries. If you have friends or colleagues that play regularly at the casinos, ask where the loose slots are. But even if you don't know anyone local, you can make some very educated guesses.

Because casinos want players to win (as this guarantees more customers and clients) they'll often position the loose slots in conspicuous places, so that the spectacle of a player winning millions can be seen by as many people as possible.

Taking the time to learn which are the loose and tight slots are extremely important. It will save you time and more importantly money. With the cash you have avoided spending on cold machines, you can now splurge on those better paying ones and end up with the big bonus wins.