In years past....If casinos wanted to change the percentage of payout in their machines......they had to physically turn off the machine......open it up.....change the appropiate chip out.....and turn the machine back on. This meant....removing the machines from the gaming area....to a secure technicians shop.....perform the change and relocate the machine back onto the casino floor.


With server based system.....you just logon.........(computer)........ open up the software in the machine.......make the change and that is it. Machine never moves......no one ever touches it.......no one ever sees. This can be done remotely from a hidden control room in the sky!

Scarey!

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It may be a Myth......but I have hit so many times over the years when I have not played the max......and did not get paid.....I am a believer.....

Bottom Line.... it IS gambling.....and the good hits are so few and far between......I won't get caught again....not playing the max......if you can't afford to play max coins........you either need to play a smaller denomination....or stay home.....or just be resigned to know that while you probably won't lose big.........you won't win big either..........IMHO.


The main thing is stay in control of the game and have fun.

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What runs contrary to this now is that many of the games like Wheel of Fortune have so many lines of play that 1penny per line is now 1.00 per spin.

You would be better off playing a 3 reel game at 25c for a 75c max spin.

The sad part of this is that you are not at the max at 1.00 as it allows up to 5 coins per line to be bet. Thats a 5.00 spin.

So much for playing the Penny slots !!!

Regarding "Server Based Gaming" ... I don't think the "Payback Percentage" of the game will be changed on the fly. Instead ... I think this is more about being able to change the theme of the game in order to suit the customer demand. For example, if a casino tends to have a majority of seniors, they can loud themes which appeal more to seniors. In the evening, the game can be changed from a central location to something that appeals more to a younger crowd.

Ultimately, you could allow the person sitting at the console to "load" the game they would like --- and the casino could keep track of the popularity of the game.

I don't think it would be legal for the casino to be able to play with "Payback Percentages" on the fly. Why would they need to? They make enough under the current system. Why change?

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

In it's most simplest form, Server Based gaming is where you have a central computer with many terminals. This is very similar to class 2 games where the "slot machine" is nothing more than a terminal. Think of it as a machine with many players (could be 1000's) buying for the same prize.

Currently the big problem companies have is the requirement by gaming, that a machine (to be considered a class3 slot) has to have an RNG. Today they are testing a version of the Server Based machines that is only used to change the game and settings from the slot shop. But, each machine controls the payback.

Regardless of what you hear, all slot machines work from a combination pool (there could be winning or non-winning combinations). The Random Number Generator selects one number at a time until the pool (cycle) is complete, then starts again.

Video Poker machines are too complicated to discuss at this time. Good Luck!

Why play slots if you don't "max bet" every time? Like Stormwatcher says, it is indeed gambling and you should go ahead and accept the fact that more likely than not you'll lose. And hey, if you happen to hit a good payline, that max bet comes in reallllll handy. I usually don't go above $.25 machines. Recently have I started to like the video penny slots...I think it's kind of fun just hitting max bet and seeing what happens. More times than not it tends to hit SOMETHING and they can be pretty big. The more lines you play the more chances you have to win!

Last thing I'll say for now- sure, if you play max bets all the time, your money will go quicker. But the thing is, and I'm sure you've seen this or read this- set a limit. If you max bet say 5 times and get absolutely nothing in return, not even a little cherry...well, nevermind....anyways, walk. Pull the ticket out and find another machine. Sometimes those one or two hits that result in a pretty good amount ($100.00 or more) can keep you going all night long, depending on your budget.

We come to Vegas with a set amount of money, fully understanding that it will most likely be lost. But hey, those hours and hours of playing, drinking and going from casino to casino are worth every bit. If we do walk away with some green, groovy. It HAS happened....

I'm always curious to know what people think are the "loosest slots" in vegas. I've read The Palms, Sahara, Orleans, The Three Stations in N. Las Vegas and the Stratosphere. Anybody agree or disagree?