Bad trends in slots ...

[The Shamus]

I play a fair number of slots. I know in the long run, I am going to be a loser (and probably in the short run) ... but at least I want to have lots of fun doing it.

There are some trends in slots which are hindering the fun aspect of slot machines.

For example, "Penny Slots". I love the "idea" of penny slots --- a smaller bet that gives you the fun of playing the games, but doesn't hit the bankroll as hard. In practice, penny slots actually end up hitting your bankroll harder. Why?

The lower the denomination, the worse the payback percentage on a machine (as I outlined in some of my slot tips earlier). The chances of hitting something substial on a penny machine are remote, so people usually continue to play until they drive their $20 bill into the ground. If you were to "graph" the coin-in and coin out averages, you would see a $20 bill does not stretch as far because of the poor payback percentage (less chance to hit a bonus round, less chance to hit something substantial). Even a decent win on a penny machine is not enough to make you stop and "walk away" (say, more than $100). So, you end up better more to try to win more, and this just compounds the issue because you should be playing a higher denomination machine with the same total payout.

My solution -- base the payout percentage on the size of the total bet, not the denomination.

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

[The Shamus]

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 /\/\/\/\

[The Shamus]

On traditional reel slots, the pay table typically looked the same from 1 credit to 3 credits until you looked at the top prize. If the prize for 3 Wild Cherry symbols was 1000 credits for 1 coin played, 2000 credits for 2 coins played, and 10000 credits for 3 coins played ... it pretty much forced you to play the maximum in order to get the best "bang" for your buck. It was a way to "encourage" you to always bet the max.

For years now, multi-line slots did not have this kind of "kicker" in the pay table. Essentially, the payouts were linear (you bet 3 per line, you win or lose three times as much). However, leave it to slot manufacturers to find a way to re-introduce the "kicker".

Aristrocrat has multi-line machines with Mr. Cashman -- where you need to play an extra 5 credits each spin in order to qualify for the random, "Mr. Cashman" bonus. If you opt out of the bonus, the Cashman game has no bonus rounds ... and frankly, it is just another so-so slot (with graphics that are often less than so-so).

IGT jumped in with games like "Giant Wheel" of fortune, but they require a double bet in order to qualify for the wheel bonus (with 40 pay lines, you need an additional 40 credits to qualify for the wheel bonus) (the nerve).

WMS jumped in with the very popular "HOT HOT PENNY" series ... where 3 additional credits are rquired in order to qualify for the free spin bonuses. WMS was already into this with their somewhat innovative Monopoly, "Once Around" and "Free Parking" --- where you could spend more in the bonus round in order to try and win more.

I wonder what happened to the "good old days", where the bonus round was included in the cost of the bet. Sheesh.

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

[The Shamus]

While nobody will accuse the WMS game, "Monopoly Big Event" of not being a watershed event in gaming, it's a watershed some of you might wish never happed.

For those of you unaware, "Big Event" is a shared bonus round which is triggered at a totally random time. When the bonus round is triggered, everyone will win the amount, multiplied by the bonus they have earned on their respective machines (based on the size of the bets).

Sounds like fun ... where do I play?? Okay ... but wait ...

You have to play an extra 3 credits (times your line bet) every time you spin.

Okay ... er ... now, where do I play??

Well ... it is time based, so if you spin too slow, your multiplier will start to fall on your machine. So ... you have to play quickly ... which is exciting ... but, can get expensive.

How often does the bonus occur?

Well ... it is completely random ... so, it could be back-to-back-to-back or it could be an hour between bonuses (and some bonuses are bigger than others. It doesn't help than the underlying games like "X Marks the Spot 2" are extremely volitile -- and spin much faster than your run-of-the-mill fishing game. I will add, playing "X Marks The Spot 2" without the Bonus Round is not very worthwhile -- and WMS has ensured the bonus round doesn't last too long --- since you can still qualify for the bonus while a bonus round is under way.

I would like them to stay away from Time Limits ... I can lose enough money without extra incentives.

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

[The Shamus]

How many times have you played a machine which relies on voice (eg. IGT's "My Rich Uncle") ... and the volume on the machine is cranked to zero. On the other hand, the machine beside you has the volume "cranked" ... and it is the worst repeating soundtrack ever. Maybe you are even sitting beside a player who hits the "SPIN" button because they think stopping the slot prematurely is the key to potential success.

Can't the casninos come up with a way to have a little volume on every machine ... so we can hear more of our machine, and less of the machine next to us. It used to work in the arcades, so there must be a way to solve the problem. Perhaps the manufacturers could help, by turning up the volume on the machines when there are exciting bits, like bonus rounds, or big wins ... and tone it down when we hit "another losing spin".

If WMS thinks "BOSE SPEAKERS' are part of the key for selling more slot units, they should be part of the solution to put the product to good use.

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

[The Shamus]

Casinos spend a boatload of money on casino security. Most days, the casino staff has very little to do except keep their on on security cameras and scan for suspicious activity.

What if casinos actually leveraged some of their existing technology to make sure the players are having the best time possible.

My biggest "Pet Peeve" was always waiting for machines to be "filled" -- and the casino never seemed to staff enough people for the busy times, meaning you were waiting up to 30 minutes in order to get your payout. Further frustrating, was the fact the machine could not be played while you were waiting. Thank goodness for ticket out -- ticket in. However, there are still reasons slot techs need to be called --- and a call for a tech has become so infrequent, that it is almost more difficult to get one when they are rarely needed.

I was recently playing an Aristocrat machine which was beside another machine with a flashing light (they call these "candles" in the business). That machine sat there, unable to be played for 60 minutes. Eventually, I became annoyed, and reported it to the cashier cage. The slot techs just missed it.

Why can't the casino use their high-tech security cameras with their paid guards to spot flashing candles and help to alert slot techs on a timely basis?

What ... and actually use the equipment to benefit the gamer instead of just monitor them? Really!

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

[The Shamus]

I used to play an IGT quarter machine called, "Wild Cherry Pie". The idea was that each time the "Wild Cherry Symbol" came up on, above, or below he pay line, it would fill in a piece of a pie, until all 9 sections were complete. While the symbol came up frequently, you had to get all 9 sections before you could review the (usually) minimal prize below the pie. Bottom line, this little incentive would suck you in -- and sometimes, it would be 500 spins later, and the elusive piece of pie would not come up.

IGT did something similar with their version of video "Wheel of Fortune" where a bonus kept building until you "solved" all of the pieces of the puzzle.

WMS was not without fault. On, "BIG BANG PIGGY BANK BANKING", a coin was thrown into the bank every time you bet the max coins and got no symbols on the pay line.

You can understand why the manufacturers like the idea ... it keeps you playing beyond the time you normally would have given up on a machine. In the case of IGT's games, the bonuses were relatively nominal (you could never win close to a jackpot). In the case of BIG BANG PIGGY BANK, you could actually win the bonus with a single coin bet --- although the bonus would only rise if you are playing 3-coins. As well, if a person does not understand the rules of the game, it was easy to sit down on a machine with 80 coins in the bank, and win the 80-coins with a few single coin bets.

For the most part ... it seems like the manufacturers have trended away from this type of incentive. Let's hope they keep it this way!

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

[The Shamus]

Whether you like the North American style of multi-line video slots, you have to like the way IGT and WMS have let you choose the number of lines you want to play. If you want to play 3 lines, 5 lines, 6 lines, or 12 lines of a 20-line capable machine, it's up to you.

For some reason, manufacturers such as Konami, Atronic and Aristrocrat limit you to the five buttons on the machine. These are typically, one line, 3 lines, 5 lines, 10 lines and 20 lines. Of course, these arbitrary buttons change from machine to machine, but what gives? If you like playing 3-lines with 5 credits per line --- that should be your business. Using the video display, you should be able to change the number of lines you play.

This is a trend we could do without ...

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

[ricky]

I've noticed another bad, frustrating trend in slots these days (especially pennies and nickels). After spending a lot of money and finally getting the bonus, there are many times when the bonus payout comes up zero--no payout at all (e.g., Hot Shots and others). Shame on the casinos for programming the machines for that result. The bonus should always pay out something.

Ricky

[The Shamus]

Hi Ricky:

Great example. One of the manufacturers should come up with the "NO BONUS" bonus. I used to love games like JACKPOT PARTY ... but I stopped playing it because it was too disappointing when you picked a "pooper" on the first selection. SUPER JACKPOT PARTY gives you a chance to "save" yourself ... so you have a 60% chance of staying in the game if you pick the wrong spot on your first selection, and 20% change of "saving" the bonus round after that.

Also ... in the newer (and more volitile games), the bonus round is more difficult to trigger ... and this magnifies the issue. Yes ... you can potentially win a lot in these bonus rounds ... but it also means you can win nothing at all. That's no fun.

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

[The Shamus]

In the movie industry, movie sequels rarely equal the original work. In the slot machine world, things are not as "cut and dry".

While there is no "storyline" which needs to be followed. While there are characters we like, it's usually the game rules we fall in love with (eg. A bonus round with 15 free spins, all spins worth 3 times their normal value) -- maybe a soundtrack to generate a little heart pounding excitement.

Let's look at some examples of game sequels. IGT spun a sequel out of the popular "Texas Tea" game called "Texas Tina". The original had two bonus rounds -- one triggered by a scatter (where Ted writes a cheque) and one triggered by at least 3 oil derricks on a pay line. While I can't speak for why this game was so successful, I assume part of it was do to the frequent "hit" rate -- approximately 1 of 3 spins wins something. Having just two of many of the symbols pays back something (although it is often less than what you bet). The game also did not pay out many large sums in the bonus round. However, you could increase your bet, and you would be able to play for longer than you would on most of the newer style machines. Fast forward to Texas Tina. If you have played the IGT game, "Money Storm" then you have essentially played Texas Tina. The bonus round triggers "free spins", with the potential to re-initialize. The second bonus round requires 3 symbols vertically across on lines 1 or 2 or 3. Why both to make "Texas Tina" if they were just going to draw some new graphics and paste them over "Money Storm".

There are pleny of examples ... one of IGT's most popular multi-lines, "Little Green Men" came back in a sequel as "Little Green Men: Family Edition" -- which was better known as, "Enchanted Unicorn".

Not all sequels are destined to be re-treads. WMS Gaming came out with "Super Jackpot Party". They addressed the issue that people hated the abruptness generated by hitting a "POOPER" on your first pick in the bonus round. You are least have a change of "saving" your party. They spiced up some of the gifts with multiplyers, and some bonus rounds within a bonus round "The Dacing Bonus" or "Whack-A-Pooper". True, there are substantial changes to the pay table ... but the core of the game is the same for people who liked the original. The better graphics and sound all add to the experience.

It's not like IGT hasn't learned something. "Lucky Larry's Lobstermania" is a long time favourite with casino goers. In the sequel, "Super Sally's Shrimpmania" ... the dynamics are very similar ... but the onus round has lots of comedic surprises.

Slot companies have to learn not to "PIMP OUT" their best brands -- there are so many "Wheel of Fortune" games ... it feels so milked ... and I can't imagine that brand is not being driven into the ground. The Double Diamond brand from IGT has mostly become a subset of real graphics around a larger game.

Let's hope we get let "Texas Tina's" -- and more Shrimpmanias.

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


I hope we get more

[The Shamus]

There was a time that Casino giant, "Bally" was a "big dog" on the casino slot floor. IGT was always the "biggest" ... but not really the "innovator" --- in fact, "Bally was responsible for many of the technologies" on the modern slot floor ... the electromechanical slot and their dominant slot management package are great examples of this.

Unforunately, Ball fell behind the technology on the casino floor. Although their flagship "Blazing 7's" remain popular, their foray into Video Slots has been less successful. The graphics are inferior, the animation is inferior ... and the overall satisfaction is inferior. There is very little innovation which goes into their slots -- most are copies of other manufacturers. In fact, it has taken a long time for casinos to figure out that BALLY is "out of the game" when it comes to catching up.

Most importantly, casinos have to stop buying their lousy products -- so they get the message and make improvements. For example, I see their "HOT PROGRESSIVES" mostly sitting empty. Although these machines are just making their way on the floors of Canadian casinos, the dates on the cabinets show the technology is already many many years old.

Note to Casinos: Please stop replacing old machines with inferior Bally product, until they can show something interesting.

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

[The Shamus]

If you were to graph out the payouts from a machine which has greater volitility, the wins would be bigger, and the losses would be lower. The multi-line machines are great examples of this ... but many of the new machines are more volitile. Why?

In short, the average time you sit a the machine will, on average, be shorter, the more volitility you add. Think of all the time you spin and win back the same or less than your original bet. If these type of payouts were reduced in favour of paying them out as part of a larger "hit" -- the frequency would be less, but the machine would pay out the same amount.

For the casino owner, it frees up their machines more. Many players tend to remember all of the good wins, and not the bad dry spells ... and this plays right into that.

I have no doubt, the average volitility will increase until slot plays resort back to the machines with more "hits" more often.

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

[The Shamus]

I played the Konami game, "Billionaires", which I think it is very simple, and appealing game for the "low roller". The game was frequenty available -- and there was a good reason. The game had arrived at the casino configured for line bets of 1,5,10,20 or 25 coins (with a total of 9 paylines).

Most conventional machines offer line bet buttons of 1,2,3,4,5 or 1,2,3,5,10 and the ability to select another amount using the screen. On a Konami game, using the buttons in the only way. Therefore you could bet 1 nickel on each line (9x5cents=45 cents) -- or the next level was 5 nickels on each line for a total of $2.25.

It is, in my opinion, irresponsible of the manufacturer to not allow a bet between 45 cents and $2.25 (technically, you could reduce the number of lines are you are playing). It is also irresponsible of the casino to not notice this machine was configured in this way. People were staying away because they didn't like the bet options --- it had nothing to do with the game. After about 6 months, the game was converted to something else ... and I assume the casino never knew why this game was never popular with guests.

What if the manufacturers had a system similar to the older single line mechanical reels -- each push of the button raises the bet per line, until the person presses spin.

Better yet --- what if the person could set different bets on each line ... perhaps covering every line with a single bet, but betting 5 credits on line 7 (the person's lucky line).

Slot machines should have more options, not less.

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

[The Shamus]

Kudos to WMS Gaming. On some of their recent games like their multi-lines 3-reeler, Three Alarm Fire or their video game, "Ah Carumba!" -- you can actually select 3-levels of volume (none, medium, high).

Perhaps someone has been reading this message thread. The player should have the ability to adjust the volume to their liking!

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

[The Shamus]

Mohawk Slots in Milton Ontario (about 20 miles west of Toronto) recently installed Wheel of Fortune: Big Wheel. The concept is excellent ... nine seats, extra wide (to accomodate a friend) ... a huge wheel in the middle which can draw a crowd.

Mohawk even made the game 2 cents to have mass appeal to the low demonination players. Unfortunately, at 2 cents, you still have to bet 80 coins (or $1.60) just to have a crack at a maximum of 10000x your line bet. So, it is $1.60 to have a crack at $200. Does this sound appealling?

This game is a total dud --- and it only took a few weeks before the Big Wheel was a giant dud. With 40-lines, it is surprising how many spins yield absolutely nothing.

Another example of using "splashy cabinetry" and a good name to market a lousy product. IGT should take note --- you are slipping.

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

[The Shamus]

Here is a new one to me. A friend of mine and I pooled our money together to double our chances of winning. We both used our respective COMP cards while we played. The amount we played over about 8 hours of playing was approximately the same.

I went for a meal comp and got $20 to use at the cafeteria. My friend did not qualify for a meal comp.

The next day, we did the same thing (as we were quite successful the first day).

This time, I was able to get a $30 meal comp, my friend did not have anything. Finally ... we started to push and asked what was going on. They said my friend was "over comp'd" in March 2008. How is this possible? I thought that if you have not earned a comp, they do not give it to you -- end of story.

Has anyone heard of this practice before? After playing all day on the slots, should the casino at least cover a meal?

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

[blitzed]

hello Shamus,

yes the wheel o fortune bigwheel sucks.

I think compcards are more hassle than they are worth, at least at local indian casinos. more of a gimmick to track my habits, like grocery cards. anyway, In vegas I've had people workin the floor personally come up and offer comps...that is the way it should be done. doesn't seem to be much 'thank you come again' customer service these days.

[The Shamus]

The way casino's comp is a strange mystery ... which the casinos seem to have no intention of changing. At my local slot-holes, the OLGC slots (racetrack and commericial casinos in Ontario, Canada), they have cashback, and meal comps. The amounts are kept separate, but only the cash back amounts are known. Aside from meal comps, I have also had tickets to some concerts ... also, I have been comped tickets at the Niagara Fallsview Casino many times for very good -- top-tier types of acts. Best of all -- I have received comp invites for for limited all-you-can-eat buffets where there are numerous free draws for boths hundreds, and thousands of dollars.

The thing is --- I have also been turned down for comp ticket, comp hotel rooms, comp meals -- and invited to those great all-you-can-eat dinners, and told it was "filled" -- even though I called immediately.

How can I be courted and rejected so much by the same place? Why is the computer programming kept such a secret. Heavens knows I spend enough money in the place ...

Put down the "lack of transperency" for how comps are accumulated as another "bad trend" in slots.

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

[The Shamus]

re: My November 2007 post --- Mohawk Slots in Milton Ontario (about 20 miles west of Toronto) recently installed Wheel of Fortune: Big Wheel. The concept is excellent ... nine seats, extra wide (to accomodate a friend) ... a huge wheel in the middle which can draw a crowd ....

As of May 2008, "Wheel of Fortune: Big Wheel" was removed. For an Ontario casino, 6-months is the shortest amount of time I can ever recall a game being installed. It has been replaced by multi-level Fort Knox IGT progressives (old titles).

This title must be proving to be a major disappointment for IGT -- who is struggling to keep up with the flood of innovative games from WMS Gaming and Aristocrat.

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

[The Shamus]

Hey Folks:

Here are some guidelines I wish slot manufacturers would follow. Feel free to add in your own:

1. The bonus round shall never pay zero.

2. The bonus round shall never pay less than twice the total bet.

3. A $20 bill should be enough to trigger at least one bonus round no less than 50% of the time.

4. If 3 symbols trigger a bonus round, 4 and 5 symbols should pay significantly more than just capturing the minimal 3 symbols.

5. Sometimes the touch screen is not working. Enable a secondary way to select things without using the screen -- make it clear how this is accomplished.

6. Don't make people pay extra for a bonus round.

Add your own ... or discuss whether you disagree with some of these.

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

[The Shamus]

As ticket systems have replaced the old coin in/out, it signalled a new level of convenience. No more soiled hands, long lines at the cashier, stacks of coins in containers, or waiting for hand fills of the machines.

With these great advances, the number of slot techs and cashiers have been drastically reduced.

Utopia? Usually ...

Just ask patrons at the Niagara Fallsview casino on May 25th how they liked the tickets. The system started only being intermittently available starting in the late afternoon. The first sign of trouble was machines not accepting the paper tickets. Then, machines were giving handpays for low abouts --- like 25-cents ... when people tried to cash out of their machine. Within 30 minutes, hundreds of patrons were standing around waiting for "hand pays" of less than $10 each. The reduced number of slot techs had to put up with increasingly aggravated customers -- once a runner manually wrote out the number of payouts, they had to put an "out of order" sign of every machine. It took nearly an hour for many people to receive their funds. Some may have been longer. There was never an announcement made not to put $$ in the machines (as you may not get it out).

On the Memorial Day long weekend, the casino looked like a weekday by 9:00pm --- when things should have been bustling.

With lots of time to talk, we found out this is an all-too frequent occurrence at this location. A recent upgrade was supposed to ensure this did not happen again. This is only a 2000 slot operation. Something is very wrong when they can not track down the source of the issue. At very least, everything should be redundant -- this should not be able to happen any longer.

To summarize ... Ticket in/out is great -- as long as it is not broken.

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

[The Shamus]

IGT is the largest machine manufacturer in the world. It is a post IGT may not be able to hold on to. If you invested in a slot machine company such as IGT or WMS Gaming back in 1998 -- you certainly can not complain. An investment in IGT has gone up about 400%, while WMS Gaming has gone up about 1100%.

While both have provided a good investment return, WMS has pulled away in term of the bottom line. Yes, WMS is much smaller, and has more room for growth -- but most slot players who notice, see the difference. WMS Gaming and Bally are eating away at the slot floor dominence once held by IGT. When the name of the game was mechanical slots, "Double Diamond", "Haywire", "Red, White and Blue", "Pays 5 Times" were all mainstays.

When the trend on the casino floor switched to video slots, IGT was a follower, rather than a leader. IGT pulled a rabbit out of a hat with the paper in/out systems. WMS Gaming was carving out casino floor with hits like Monopoly.

IGT reached "peak" popularity when "Double Diamond" was incorporated into the "Wheel of Fortune" brand of slots. This slot still enjoys some success today. A testiment to a good game. In recent years, the "Wheel of Fortune" name has been "pimped out" for a video slot (where players would keep playing in order to solve puzzles), there was the "Big Wheel" -- which was a great concept, but didn't catch on with a lot of players (don't beleive me -- a seat is almost always available on this game ... if anyone is even playing. Especially true as the denomination goes up from 1-cent). In recent years, IGT has shifted to "Server Based Gaming" -- likely the future of gaming -- but the games released on this platform ... well ... have not proven popular. I rarely see people playing games like, "Ducks in a Row", "Shinobi", "Alien vs Predator" or "Alien". IGT's marketting strategy appears to be attempting to attract the younger male demographic. Does IGT think "violence" is the answer to a good slot. How many people remember games like, "Texas Tina", "Moolah", "Sea Monkeys", or "Snow Globes"?

If you look at WMS, they have been innovating -- getting back into mechanical reels, with 9-line innovations. While IGT took their video reels and converted games like "Little Green Men" into mechanical versions -- same game, different displays ... WMS was making new, original titles. WMS has at least doubled the number of new multi-line video releases. They have embraced low-denomination gaming, with games that have volatility -- copying the popularity of Aristrocrat games, but adding in graphics, sound, animations and originality lacking by other makers. There is also Community Gaming and Cascading Reels machines -- which proves the company can cause new trends..

Perhaps WMS Gaming success is partially due to its roots. It was one of the few "arcade Survivors". It has talents from Bally, Midway, Atari and Williams (Williams became Bally). The name of the game was to capture quarters from game players -- to keep the parent company, Williams afloat. With this pedigree, it should be no surprise that WMS Gaming has prospered.

If IGT is to get back on track, they need to acquire the "Passion" -- to create original machines ... which capture the players excitement. Good products from, "Action Gaming" like 100-pays Poker, Multi-strike power in the type of ingeniuty this company needs.

Credit: The Shamus (www.slotmachinesforum.com)

[blitzed]

hiya Shamus, good suggestions for bonus rounds.

you are right, they should at the very least payout chump change simply for making it to the bonus round.

immediately following a ZERO bonus round, a courtesy 2x multiplier could be somethin at least.

later,
blitzed:D

[The Shamus]

Hi Folks. I recently had a visit to the casino called "Casino Du Lac-Leamy" located in Hull (Quebec) in Canada (a $10 cab fair from Ottawa, Ontario). The place is nice ... high ceilings, etc. The selection of slot machines is a great representation on how "not" to outfit a successful slot floor. Being located in a French-speaking province, I'm sure there are some special requirements Quebec gaming officials have for slot manufacturers. That said, it's unclear exactly what the requirements are ... slots may have a french language display, but could have english graphics and english voice effects.

Here is a list of the no-no's from this casino:

Age of machines --- it's not a bad thing to have some vintage titles. There are some timeless classics. However, the number of single line IGT slots is quite staggering. It is litterally hundreds of 25-cent machines ... barely touched. What a waste of space. It's no wonder players would drive out to the Ottawa Carlson race track slots. How about the old 5-line , "Wheel of Fortune" machines from 10 years ago ... the one where you had to pump in more bills in order to get to the bonus round and solve the puzzle.

Major Manufacturers Not Represented --- There is not a single WMS Gaming, Atronic or Aristrocrat machine in the building. They are not represented at all. The combination of IGT, Bally and Konami take of the lions share of floor space. Surprisingly, there are machines by little known slot manufacturers like BLUBERI (a local Drummondville, Quebec company) and Spielo (now part of the same company as Atronic). In short, the Bluberi games were only 10% occupied. A bank of 10 "Cool Cat" machines had one or two players. While the graphics and animation were fine, the payouts were dismal ... and the bonus round was near impossible to acheive. Either ditch the unproven local product ... or bring up the standards. A small company should be offering greater innovation and new options in order to break into the big time. Bluberi seems content on cheap and tired ripoffs from the same tired conventions.

Part II to follow ...

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

[The Shamus]

Machine Selection - I wonder how this casino decides how many of each title should be ordered. In most 2000 slot casinos, they might buy 5 machines with the same title if they feel it is a "hit" (usually they get to try the machine at the gaming shows, and they put in an order). So, I guess the Konami game "Billionaires" must be a major hit -- because there are over 20 of this machine. Hey, the game is fine --- but with so many other Konami themes and titles from the same time period (think of Mariachi Madness, Sgt Fritter, Money in the Bank, 3 Wild Bees, etc etc) -- why 20 of the same title. They are not connected to a progressive -- in fact, there is no rhyme or reason. Strangely, there is an old IGT machine ... at least 15 years old, called, "Triple Bucks" --- this is still the most popular machine in the casino ... with at least 20 machines ... nearly always filled to capacity. It's a good game ... but when people play old games over new releases, you know something is really wrong.

Mixing Denominations - Going back to those Billionaire machines ... have you ever seen 1-cent machines mixed with 5-cent machines ... alternating in a row. This is routine in this casino. There are no "multi-denom" machines ... they are fixed denominations -- and they are all mixed up.

Paying out in Coin - Okay ... so there is no good way to know if the slot you are on in going to pay out in coin ... or with a paper slip. If it is coin, you will be paid in quarters --- regardless of the denomination. Unfortunately, if you have an odd amount ... it will necessitate a visit to deal with that fractional 15-cent or 20-cent amount remain in the machine. This was not isolated. On of their newest machines, Konami's "Rocky" progressive ... still had the issue. When a casino decides to go "paper slip" ... they should retrofit all machines ... and get rid of the machines which are too old to handle the technology (like the SEGA horse racing game called, "Royal Ascot").

I don't know what the "payback percentages" are --- but they seem dismal. Sure, they have a few 1-cent denomination machines --- but often in places where it goes not make sense (eg. 9-line machines). There are no frequent hit modern 40, 50 and 100 line games.

For a slot destination, I'm sure you can find a few fun machines to park your money in ... but don't go looking for big payouts on low-denomination machines. The machines are older (which is good, if you are into the 5-cent video "Wheel of Fortune" game --- where you have to keep plugging in nickels until you solve the puzzle).

On the night I was there ... certain machines were busy, and the rest of the place was virtually dead. I can understand why. They need a slot manager who knows something about what the slot players want. I wonder if the management is the same at the Casino Du Montreal --- because I noticed similar trends there. Finally ... apparently Quebecers really like playing, IGT's "Wild Bear" (not the more modern "Salmon Run" ... but the original, "Wild Bear") ... because they have at least 30 to 40 of these machines. Seriously!

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

[The Shamus]

The individuals who make the decisions on planning a casino slot floor have an important job. They need to purchase good machines (months in advance of receiving them). They need to order the right payback percentage (to match the objectives of the casino. They need need the right mix of denominations ... and they need to locate them in a spot where they will be played.

At best ... when this is done well, you will increase business, and lure patrons to your casino.

Setting the the denomination for a machine requires a basic understanding of the slot in question. For example, on a recent trip to the Bariie (Ontario) Racetrack slots (in Canada), I witnessed a number of "Goldfish" machines, some of the most popular machines at Fallsview Casino (Niagara Falls, Ontario) and Seneca (Niagara Falls, New York) sitting idol throughout most of the day. Curious, on an otherwise busy day. The "Goldfish" game really requires a 20-line bet, and a 10-coin top-up to qualify for the extra bonus rounds (30 credits total). In Fallsview and Seneca, these were 2-cent and 1-cent machines (or 60-cent / 30-cent) to cover all lines+bonus. In Barrie, it was a nickel machine ($1.50 to cover all lines+bonus). The fallsview and Seneca were multi-denom machines ... so they could also accomodate a nickel slot player ... however, the Barrie machine was fixed at 5-cents. Why?

Take the example of IGT's "Carnival of Mystery". As a 1-cent or 2-cent machine, it can be a fun game. As a 5-cent machine, it's over $1.25 to minimally cover all lines. At Mohawk Raceway casino (near Milton, Ontario), it is a 25-cent machine -- or a minimum of $6.25 per spin, at minimum, to cover all lines. Does it surprise anyone that nobody is every playing this machine? In the same line are a number of newer IGT titles which also do not get played for the same reason. There are also 10 Atronic machines, like "The Wild Bunch" which would have been popular as nickel machines, but are rarely played as quarter machines. A new machine should do plenty of business in the first 3 months ... not sit empty on the slot floor -- clue ... someone ... anyone ... the denomination is not working! Try something else. Also at Mohawk, the popular, "Texas Tea" machine has never been anything but a quarter machine at this casino.

Take, Casino Lac Lemey (in Hull, Quebec, Canada), they have the Konami game, "Billionaires" -- a 9-line game, in 1-cent denominations. So, 9-cents to cover all the paylines. Even if you play 27-cents, it's tough to win anything substantial in the game. In this case, the low denomination does not make any sense for the game. On the other end of the scale, Grand River Slots (Elora, Ontario), had a "Billionaires" machine they removed in the winter of 2008 (presumably because it was underpeforming other Konami games). The reason? You could play 1x, 10x, 20x, 30x, 40x times the line bet -- so it jumped from a 45-cent total bet, to a $4.50 total bet by just switching to the next button. Yes, I think this was an error in the configuration ... but nobody noticed ... and maybe, nobody cares (except from of the players).

Slot Managers, please examine the number of $1 dollar 20-line slots you have on your slot floor -- do you have enough high rollers to justify $20 to $100 spins? Many modern, volitile slots can swallow $20 on a nickel machine in 5 minutes. How much fast do you want to vacuum the money out of our wallets?

I suggest you give the people what they want to play -- low denom. You can always bet more lines, but you can't bet less ... unless it is a multi-denomination machine. If multi-denom is an option, use it!

Slot players are resigned to the fact they are going to lose over the long haul. It is a slot manager's job to give us a positive experience while doing it. If you are going to take our money, you owe us that much.

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

[The Shamus]

When you gamble on Blackjack, Keno, Roulette -- or any other table game, the house advantage is easy to find. With one of the more favourable payback percentages, Blackjack has become one of the most popular games.

Why then, is the payback percentage of a slot machine such a secret? The casino does not want us to know the payback percentage. It's no secret that the slot machine is the "cash cow" of the casino floor. If you knew machine "Machine X" has a better payback percentage than "Machine Y" would it cause you to make a different choice? If you knew Casino X has a lower payback percentage than "Casino Y", would you reconsider your casino destination. They kinds of questions shake the very foundations of a casino operation.

I think you should be asking your state or provincial government to legislate that every machine should post the payback percentage. In the lottery, I can check how many tickets are printed, and how many prizes there are ... but I have no idea what my odds are on my favourite slot.

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

[gdhchula]

you are right about carnival of mystery, the machine says 243 ways to win, it should say 243 ways to lose

[GoodShootin]

Getting $0 in a bonus round drives me crazy. Last happened to me on a Powerball Roman Free Spin machine. This guy complains about it too on this blog I just found.

http://thebadgambler.blogspot.com/2008/07/slot-machine-spotlight-wizard-of-oz.html

[The Shamus]

Getting $0 in a bonus round drives me crazy. Last happened to me on a Powerball Roman Free Spin machine. This guy complains about it too on this blog I just found.

http://thebadgambler.blogspot.com/2008/07/slot-machine-spotlight-wizard-of-oz.html

I understand why slot companies do it --- by giving out "nil" in the bonus round, it allows them to pay out higher jackpots to other users. If you think about it --- if everyone got a medium credit win (200 to 600 coins), the average play duration would be longer (assuming most people who do not win a significant jackpot will continue to play until they hit something good, or run the machine down to nil. Although this sounds like a positive thing to the players, the casino and the slot manufactures are working to turn the machines over as much as possible to make more money ... but still have you walk away satisfied (or wanting to play again). So, instead of the frequent medium wins, you get lots of lows, some mediums, and the occasional big bonus round win.

One of the reasons for the popularity of "Jackpot Party" -- is that it has lots of medium wins ... however, there are also a lot of very small disappointing wins. Eventually, it is the "pooper" on the first pick which turns people off.

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

[Deb]

While nobody will accuse the WMS game, "Monopoly Big Event" of not being a watershed event in gaming, it's a watershed some of you might wish never happed.

For those of you unaware, "Big Event" is a shared bonus round which is triggered at a totally random time. When the bonus round is triggered, everyone will win the amount, multiplied by the bonus they have earned on their respective machines (based on the size of the bets).

Sounds like fun ... where do I play?? Okay ... but wait ...

You have to play an extra 3 credits (times your line bet) every time you spin.

Okay ... er ... now, where do I play??

Well ... it is time based, so if you spin too slow, your multiplier will start to fall on your machine. So ... you have to play quickly ... which is exciting ... but, can get expensive.

How often does the bonus occur?

Well ... it is completely random ... so, it could be back-to-back-to-back or it could be an hour between bonuses (and some bonuses are bigger than others. It doesn't help than the underlying games like "X Marks the Spot 2" are extremely volitile -- and spin much faster than your run-of-the-mill fishing game. I will add, playing "X Marks The Spot 2" without the Bonus Round is not very worthwhile -- and WMS has ensured the bonus round doesn't last too long --- since you can still qualify for the bonus while a bonus round is under way.

I would like them to stay away from Time Limits ... I can lose enough money without extra incentives.

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\Indeed! I love Monopoly themed games but this Big Event thing is annoying at best. I have only seen them in nickels here in CA at the a couple of Indian Casinos. Even betting your min bet with that extra bet for the bonus you run out of money is 10 secs. and then when you have 15 cents left and cannot cover all of your lines anymore you cannot cash out incase the "big event" triggers . This is soooo annoying to me. When I am ready to leave a machine I am ready, I do not want some message to come on a machine scolding me!!!

[The Shamus]

Indeed! I love Monopoly themed games but this Big Event thing is annoying at best. I have only seen them in nickels here in CA at the a couple of Indian Casinos. Even betting your min bet with that extra bet for the bonus you run out of money is 10 secs. and then when you have 15 cents left and cannot cover all of your lines anymore you cannot cash out incase the "big event" triggers . This is soooo annoying to me. When I am ready to leave a machine I am ready, I do not want some message to come on a machine scolding me!!!

I just wanted to point out that some people walk away from their machine before the time runs out. There are 3 occasions where people have walked away ... and I have pocketed their bonus round. Once, this was only $10, but one time it was $60.

If you play these games, don't leave the game until your elegibility runs out. I have had it trigger with 1 second left!

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