Slot machines are the most popular games in land-based and online casinos. However, they’re also the worst-paying games.

Slots in brick and mortar casinos especially carry poor odds. Some of them feature return to player (RTP) as low as 88%. Online slots pay much better than this. But with the average online game featuring 96% RTP, they offer below-average odds compared to many table games.

As if the weak payout percentages aren’t bad enough, slot machines also feature a fast play rate. You’ll play approximately 10x faster with a slot than you will most other games. Considering the sizeable house edge, you’re going to lose more money with slots as well.

At this point, you may be wondering, “Why do people even play slots!?” Below, you can see the biggest reasons why slot machines are still viable games despite the bad odds

The Most Weird and Wonderful Slot Machines Ever Created Slot machines have long been a staple of the gambling sector. The very first machine, in fact, was crafted by two savvy New Yorkers in 1891, Pitt and Sittman, who aimed to make gambling available to every man. Slot machines have a reputation for being extremely expensive. Assuming you’ve ever quickly lost $100 with one of these games, you can understand this reputation’s origin. However, slot machines don’t have to be expensive. In fact, you can actually enjoy them pretty cheaply.

Win Big With a Small Bet

Slot machines originally became popular in casinos because of their top prizes. Back in the 1960s, gamblers were pumped to play for payouts worth up to 500 coins.

Those same players would be overwhelmed with excitement to spin for the jackpots available today. Certain games feature top prizes worth millions of dollars or more.

The nice thing about playing for these jackpots is that you don’t have to bet much in relation to the payouts. Slots with seven-figure jackpots cost anywhere from $0.25 to $3 to play.

Microgaming’s Mega Moolah and NetEnt’s Mega Fortune both commonly feature multimillion-dollar jackpots. Each costs just a quarter to play.

IGT’s Megabucks, which is found in Las Vegas, costs more at $3 per spin. However, it has also paid a record jackpot worth $39.7 million.

Slot machines are essentially like the lotteries of the casino, except with animations, bonuses, and more action.

Dream Big and Get Rich

Games like baccarat and blackjack are certainly fun to play. They give you close to a 50% chance of beating the casino and allow you to extend your bankroll.

Unfortunately, you can’t win big with these games unless you bet big. Assuming you don’t have $100 or more to wager per hand, then you’re highly unlikely to make serious money.

Slot machines differ, because they don’t require you to be a high roller to win. Instead, you can walk into the casino with $20 and hit a life-changing jackpot.

Of course, odds are that you’re going to lose the $20 before this happens. But you can at least dream of winning the big one with a relatively small bet.

Play in Solitude

Table games can be intimidating. They feature more complex rules than slot machines along with unspoken etiquette.

For Example:

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You’re not supposed to say the word “seven” at a craps table. You should also bet with the shooter (e.g. pass line wager) to stay in the good graces of other gamblers.

Even strategy mistakes draw the ire of a table. Blackjack players are particularly notorious for getting salty if you make a mistake that helps the dealer win.

You don’t have to worry about any of this on a slot machine. Sure, you need to keep a reasonable level of good behavior by not yelling over wins and losses.

However, you needn’t fret over strategy mistakes, saying certain things while paying, or any other unspoken rules. You may also appreciate the sheer solitude of slot machines. If you just want to gamble by yourself, then you can do so with both land-based and online slots.

Control the Game Pace

Many casino games are run by a dealer or multiple dealers (e.g. craps table). The croupier’s main job is to facilitate the game and make sure that everybody follows the rules.

Their secondary role is to ensure that games move at a reasonable pace. They don’t want you or anybody else halting the action and costing the casino money.

On the other hand, croupiers can only deal so quickly. You can’t get action any faster than the dealer and other players move. Slot machines have yet another advantage in this department. They allow you to control the game speed and when the action stops.

If you want to enjoy 800 spins per hour, then you can hit spin as quickly as possible. Assuming you want to slow the game down and take frequent breaks, then this path is fine, too.

In the end, slot machines give you far more control over the pace than almost any other casino game.

Enjoy the Theatrics of Slot Machines

Jackpots and solitude are definitely big reasons why slots have become popular. However, these games would be mere relics if they still operated on mechanical reels and had just one payline.

The slots of today are loaded with paylines (or “ways”), features, and animations. Some slots offer over 100,000 ways to win in each round and lucrative bonuses to boot.

These games also feature cool themes that make them more enjoyable. You can spin the reels and watch animations involving Egyptian gods, pirates, wildlife, and much more.

Modern slot machines also offer high-quality graphics. Slots are becoming more and more lifelike thanks to these impressive visuals.

Try the Latest Features

Slot machines are constantly evolving. The same type of games that are popular today may not be so hot in the future.

The industry is always looking for new ways to entice players. “Megaways” slots are the latest hot invention that’s drawing hordes of players.

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A Megaways game features reels that carry different amounts of symbols in each round. For example, one reel may hold five symbols during one spin and three the next.

The higher reels can grow, the more winning possibilities there are. For example, a six-reel slot that holds up to seven icons in each reel features up to 117,649 ways.

Older features that are still popular today include 243 ways, cascading reels, second-screen bonuses, and random wilds.

Play for Cheap (Especially Online)

Slot machines have a reputation for being extremely expensive. Assuming you’ve ever quickly lost $100 with one of these games, you can understand this reputation’s origin.

However, slot machines don’t have to be expensive. In fact, you can actually enjoy them pretty cheaply.

Brick-and-mortar casinos offer slots that cost as little as $0.20 to play. With a $20 bankroll, you’d have 100 units (20 / 0.2) in this scenario.

Online slots are even cheaper to play. Some internet games give you control over the coin size and number of paylines. With a $0.01 coin and just one line, you can spin the reels for a single cent.

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I don’t recommend that you use a single line. After all, this severely reduces your chances to win and leaves you waiting forever for payouts.

But the point is that you can play slots cheaper than any other casino game. Even if you’re spending $0.20 or more, you should still last for a relatively large amount of rounds.

Here’s an example:

• $100 bankroll
• You play a slot with 96% RTP (4% house edge)
• You wager $0.25 per spin
• You perform 500 spins per hour
• 500 x 0.25 x 0.04 = $5 in hourly losses
• 100 / 5 = 20
• Your bankroll will theoretically last for 20 hours

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The high volatility of slot machines make it difficult to predict exactly how long your bankroll will last. However, you can see that you at least have a chance to play quite a while with slots under the right circumstances.

Conclusion

Slot machines will always be considered among the most-expensive games in casinos. After all, they feature a quick play rate and, in some cases, carry really high house advantages.

But gamblers don’t seem to care about the drawbacks. In fact, land-based and online slots are just as popular as ever.

Going back decades, slots have always been popular thanks to their ability to deliver huge prizes. Some games give you the opportunity to win millions of dollars for bets as small as a quarter.

Slots also feature solitude that only video poker and a few other games offer. This seclusion is perfect for when you want to gamble in a non-intimidating environment or just play alone.

You can also control the pace with slot machines. These games let you dictate how slow or fast you want to go in any given session.

Slot machines have also evolved to deliver the latest features, animations, and graphics, You can now enjoy advanced gaming that’s complete with 3D graphics, detailed bonuses, and numerous winning ways.

Finally, slots aren’t as expensive as you think. You can theoretically enjoy some of these games with light losses, especially at online casinos.

In summary, slot machines boast many attractive qualities. They may have high house edges in some cases, but they’re still very popular games from an overall standpoint.

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