Companies like Aristocrat were pioneers of the 100 line slot (1/2 credit bet per line). The North American manufacturers like IGT have jumped in ... and I have to wonder how long WMS can stay on the sidelines.

I like playing nickel machines, with a reasonable 1 credit per line bet. I would play a 9 line machine, and it was 45-cents a spin. Maybe I would bet two per line, because I could afford it. When IGT came out with "Enchanted Unicorn", it had a 20 line configuration -- which meant a one credit bet was a dollar.

Konami now routinely publishes games with 30 lines, such as "Splash Party" (which brings you to $1.50) just to cover a nickel on each line.

I hope games like IGT's "Carnival of Mystery" bomb with players (and it does not seem to be popular) because there has to be a line where slot players say, "enough!". A minimum bet on a nickel machine should not look like the maximum bet on a dollar machine (and only pay back money as if it is a nickel machine).

The volitility of these machines is also through the roof. It plays so differently from spin-to-spin, you never know what to expect. This is part of the attraction, but when the volitility gets too high, you just lose people's interest.

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\