I think I read somewhere that the penny slots were paying an average of 85% to 88%. If that is a mixture of machines that pay from 80% to 93% for example, most of the 93's could be shut off and the average becomes lower. No change on any machine is needed, just shrewd placement.
Weird and wonderful: two words that perfectly describe Las Vegas. Well, I suppose that is depending on how you plan your trip to Sin City. There are some of us that keep a little more weird than wonderful in the balance.
In fact, I’d say the most wonderful parts of Las Vegas are the weird ones. If you fall into this category too, what should you see? Where can you indulge in both the entertaining and the bizarre?
If I were to sketch out every strange form of entertainment in downtown Las Vegas, it would take ages. So, let’s tighten the focus a bit and pick just one item of this crazy city: slot machines. They’re iconic, noisy, flashy, and in some instances, utterly whacky. A slot machine can be a good entry point for the weirdness, too. Perhaps you’re looking to dip your toes in first before taking the plunge into absurdity.
I’ve picked five different specific slot machines that are definitely worth a trot out to see. These machines are elaborate, unique, and in one instance, a way to gamble on a historic disaster. If you’re prone to contemplation, you may want to bring a healthy dose of gallows humor for that one. If that doesn’t qualify as both weird and morbidly wonderful, I have no idea what would.
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Sigma Derby
Ahhh, Sigma Derby. I have such a soft spot for this machine. It’s utterly impractical, but also beautiful. Sigma Derby is oversized and breaks down often, and the manufacturer is long out of business by now. This is one of the reasons why you can only find it at two casinos in Las Vegas: The D, and the MGM Grand.
I suppose whoever made this machine decided one classic form of gambling wasn’t enough. Sure, a slot machine is a well-loved cliché…but what if you could cram an entire horse track into that slot machine?! Sounds like double the crazy fun, right?
At least, that’s how I imagine the design process went. This machine does, in fact, have an entire miniature horse track smack dab in the middle of it. The horses have individual odds, which is a nice twist. The stakes are low as well, making it friendly to a wide range of players.
Honestly, if I can nerd out for a moment, Sigma Derby is worth peeking at just for its incredibly unique design. It is a work of art. It’s been labeled a “designation game” for a good reason. If you’re looking for something both odd and beautiful, definitely check out Sigma Derby.
Golden Nugget’s Huge Machine
Yeah, this is more or less precisely what its name implies. This is just a humongous, oversized, stupidly giant slot machine that you can play. You’ll find it at the Golden Nugget Casino.
It may look like something from the set of The Price is Right, but you’ll find this slot at the Golden Nugget. Now, if you’re uncomfortable with feeling a bit conspicuous, this probably won’t be the ideal machine for you. If you don’t win anything at all, pulling the arm on this device feels like standing in a spotlight.
It’s known for attracting crowds. I mean, can you blame the spectators? The machine has four reels that are about the size of a regular slot machine on their own. It also measures over 8 feet tall. If you happen to win, there’s no doubt that everyone in the vicinity will notice.
Don’t miss this enormous oddity. If you have stage fright, just indulge in a couple of beverages and soak up the attention. There’s no other machine around that feels as momentous when you pull the arm.
Golden Gate Classics Collection
Golden Gate has the esteemed designation of being Las Vegas’s oldest casino.
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Appropriately, Golden Gate has a selection of classic slot machines that are still operable. There are plenty of other locations that display vintage slot machines, but not many will let you play them.
The machines are preserved beautifully. If you’re a history nerd like me, you’ll certainly get a sense of wonder as you play machines that date back to the beginning of the 20th century. This was a period when slot machines were commonly marketed as distractions for the bored wives of table players.
Of course, we live in more enlightened times now. Wives are equally as likely to be winning (and losing) money at the tables as their husbands. However, if your significant other gets on a hot streak and you’re feeling a little left out, why not tap into the original purpose of these vintage machines and give them a spin?
Silver Strike
Silver Strike machines can only be found at two locations in Las Vegas: El Cortez and Four Queens. Despite the limited sites, many people consider this specific slot machine to be worth a journey.
This slot machine has a legitimate fan base. I can’t think of too many others that can claim that. In fact, when you run a Google search for a Silver Strike machine, one of the most common searches is “Silver Strike machine for sale.” You know a machine has something unique to it when slots hobbyists are looking to acquire one!
Lock it link slot machine jackpots. Honestly, I can’t say that I understand the appeal of having a slot machine in your living room. I’d instead go try and “strike silver” on a casino floor and save the space.
The primary appeal of this machine is its unique payout. Silver Strike machines, in keeping with their name, spit out silver coins for winnings. The value can range from $10 to $300. The higher-value ones tend to come out with a protective cover.
As you can see on the fan website, people tend to hold onto the coins. If you’d rather cash them in, then you can, of course, do so with the casino’s cashier.
Titanic
Okay, I’ll come clean: you have to be a bit historically minded to see the weird in this one. A dark sense of humor will help tap into that wonderful, too.
This Bally-made machine is a spin-off from the blockbuster movie everyone loved twenty years ago. Licensed slot machines are undoubtedly old news; I’ll admit that. Still, can you claim in good conscience that it isn’t bizarre to see people cheer when they spin for three icebergs? This is hard “too soon” territory, but it fits into the category of “weird” in my mind.
This machine captures the Las Vegas spirit perhaps better than any other. I’d say no other machine on the list manages to capture the optimism of gambling money right alongside such a weirdly fatalistic theme. After all, over a thousand people died on the real ship!
If it all feels a bit odd, maybe you can donate some of your winnings from this machine to victims of sea vessel accidents. That should straighten out the karma of celebrating those icebergs.
Wrapping Up
You’re going to spoiled for choice is you’re searching for the weird and wonderful in Las Vegas. If you’ve got a specific penchant for slot machines, you can trust the list I’ve put together here to steer you in the right direction. There are cult favorites, disaster games, and trips to Las Vegas’ historical past to experience. I can assure you, these slot machines are well worth checking out, so get to it!
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.- Factoid: Gambling is not evil. But, like consuming alcohol, can become addictive when individuals cannot control themselves. To most casino players, gambling is a hobby.
- Factoid: The two objectves of all gambling games is to have fun and to make money. It is wiser to place more emphasis on the former than the latter.
There are many ways to gamble in Las Vegas. The main games of chance are slot machines (and we consider video poker a slot machine), blackjack, craps, keno, poker, roulette, baccarat, vertical wheels of fortune, bingo, and sports betting. But there are many others. The two most popular are slot machines and blackjack.
It is not the intention of this website to try and make you an expert on casino games ..nor are we qualified to do so. There are thousands of books on the subject. Frankly, most are a total waste of money. Simply stated, winning 'systems' and complex betting strategies do not work. Over time, the house always wins. Except for card counting in Blackjack, casinos welcome system players with open arms. There are no 'Secrets that casinos don’t want you to know!'
Frankly, we don’t think vacationers should go to Las Vegas with the belief that they are going to make money gambling. Visit Las Vegas with the idea of having fun ..going to a show or nightclub, sightseeing, lounging at the pool, shopping, ..eating at nice restaurants.
The average Vegas visitor spends $500 gambling on slots, table games or betting on sports. Most lose. Casino betting should be considered as just another form of entertainment. Your objective should be to bring as much of that $500 back home with you as you can .. and hopefully (but not likely) more.
You’ll have just as much fun playing in casinos that have small minimum tables and you will play longer and lose at a slower rate. Minimums in casinos on the Strip (especially those that are newer and more luxurious) are almost always higher than those downtown or at casinos frequented by 'locals' (Las Vegas residents.) The off-strip Sam’s Town is worth a side trip and they have free shuttles from the center and south strip ..also downtown.
Some games are better than others. That is, the house odds are lower. Some you should not play. First off, do not play a game you do not understand. Two games that you want to skip entirely are Keno and those vertical spinning 'Wheels of Fortune.' The odds on these games are heavily in favor of the house.
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Keno
Every casino has a Keno lounge. But you can also play Keno in hotel restaurants or lounges where tickets are collected and winnings delivered by Keno runners. You watch the progress of the game over a television monitor. Keno is very much like a lottery.
To play Keno, you select at least 4 and no more than 10 numbers between 1 and 80. You mark your ticket with a crayon and give it to the Keno clerk. You get a duplicate ticket.
Twenty numbered balls out of 80 are randomly drawn and they are posted on keno boards throughout the Casino. The amount you bet is low ..as low as $1 per ticket (sometimes even less) and you can play as many tickets as you wish.
A chart tells you how much you win if you catch some or all of your selected numbers. (Different casinos have different payoffs.) In some cases, you win if none of the numbers are chosen The big attraction is the amount you can win can be huge ..as much as $50,000 on a $1 wager in some casinos. There is a new game every five minutes or so.
The problem is that the house advantage on Keno is also huge. The casino keeps about 30% of each dollar wagered ..generally making it the worst casino game you can play. There are a variety of strategies for selecting numbers. None of them work.
In an article on Keno written by Andrew Glazer, a professional who teaches gambling seminars and author of 'Casino Gambling the Smart Way,' Andrew said 'The best way to play keno is not to play, because the odds are terrible. ..casino keno has a 25 percent to 30 percent house edge.'
But he also added: 'If you substitute playing casino keno at $1 per ticket for other forms of gambling, you are making a good decision: Despite the huge house edge, the game moves so slowly that you will lose very little money in an evening, but you might die of boredom.'
Big Six 'Wheel of Fortune'
These are vertical spinning wheels ..about six feet in diameter that are adorned with various symbols and currencies. It is also called the 'Wheel of Fortune' ..or just the 'Big Wheel.' (The Wheel of Misfortune is a better name.) Like on all spinning wheel games, you bet on where the wheel will stop. To play, you select any of 5 currency denominations: $1, $2, $5, $10 or $20 plus the joker or another symbol (such as the casino’s logo.) You get the amount it lands on if you bet it, $40 if it stops on the Joker or logo.
Here is the fine print. The wheel is divided into nine areas with each containing six sections, a total of 54 stopping spots. (Which is why it is called the Big Six.) The sections have $1, $2, $5, $10 or $20 dollar bill symbols scattered around them. There are also two different $40 payout symbols.
There are twenty-four $1 spots, fifteen $2, seven $5, four $10, two $20, one $40 Joker and one $40 symbol. The house advantage on the Big Six wheel is between 11 and 24 percent ..making it the second worst game to play in a casino.
Other Games to Avoid
Avoid blackjack games that pay only 6 to 5 (or worse yet, even money) for blackjack (an Ace and a ten or face card.) Do not play any blackjack that does not pay 3-2.
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Forget all those weird poker and blackjack game variations and side bets. Casinos only install them if it is to their advantage. Let it Ride (based in five card stud poker), Caribbean Stud, Three-Card Poker, Wild Hold’em Fold’em, Spanish 21 (blackjack played with no 10-cards), and Casino War (which pits a player’s card against the dealer’s) all have big house advantages or are confusing to play. Some are played very quickly (such as Casino War ..about 2 hands a minute.)
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There ARE low limit ($5) single zero roulette wheels in Las Vegas where the house advantage is half that of the double-zero wheel. We have seen them at the Mirage, Treasure Island and the Monte Carlo ..but there are others. A double-zero roulette wheel has a house advantage of 5.26% making it a big casino money-maker.
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Most casinos offer free lessons during the day for many table games especially black jack, craps, roulette, and baccarat ..and it is fun to see what they are about. If you are confused at all the options, do not play the game.
The Race & Sports Book
Sports betting is where you predict the results and place a wager on the outcome. In Las Vegas you can bet on almost anything. A 'Sportsbook' is a section of a casino that handles these bets. The sportsbook accepts bets and maintains a spread which will ensure a profit to the casino regardless of the outcome of the wager.
Over the long haul, you will lose betting on sports. This is because the odds are stacked in favor of the casinos. This built in advantage (about 10%) guarantees the gambler will lose money. There are all sorts of bets you can place but, as a rule, you must bet $11 for every $10 in potential winnings. There are more than fifty licensed sportsbooks in Las Vegas. The Wynn, Hilton, Mandalay Bay, Palazzo and Caesars Palace are perhaps the most popular.
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