The misconception is that players are dropping a few pennies per spin. The max bet I've seen is 450 pennies each turn and that's what most are playing.

chrisco123: The misconception is that players are dropping a few pennies per spin. The max bet I've seen is 450 pennies each turn and that's what most are playing.

The article says up to $10 per spin.

Penny slots have the lowest return rate, even worse than Keno. Small wonder that they "brought in $81.1 million in February alone" in Missouri.

The house always wins.

Wow, Grandma you won $60 after playing 25 lines at $1.00 a spin for the last 6 hours!

You're a winner!!!

A friend of mine once won enough on a penny machine to buy all of us breakfast at The Barbary Coast.

chrisco123: The misconception is that players are dropping a few pennies per spin. The max bet I've seen is 450 pennies each turn and that's what most are playing.

I hate that. Penny slots should be for pennies. I sat down in Vegas a while back at a penny slot to kill some time and troll for free drinks. I put in two dollars and it was gone inside of 60 seconds. Seriously, not cool.

I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

Jument: I hate that. Penny slots should be for pennies. I sat down in Vegas a while back at a penny slot to kill some time and troll for free drinks. I put in two dollars and it was gone inside of 60 seconds. Seriously, not cool.


They should make a movie about your experience.

To prolong the entertainment value each penny must be inserted individually aJument: Penny slots should be for pennies.

And to prolong the entertainment value each penny bet must be inserted individually.

Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

Especially a computerized one. Push button. Repeat. It's like playing scratch-off lottery tickets, you could pay a dollar and have the clerk scan it and not even be bothered with doing anything.

Craps, on the other hand, is where it's at.

^WTH, must proof

Roger Arseways: Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

Especially a computerized one. Push button. Repeat. It's like playing scratch-off lottery tickets, you could pay a dollar and have the clerk scan it and not even be bothered with doing anything.

Craps, on the other hand, is where it's at.


Seconded. I stick with that, blackjack, and the sports book.

Side story:

Back in '04, I was in Vegas for a bachelor party. While hanging out at The Rio, we spotted the groom-to-be's dad over by the high limit slots. We walked over to say hi, and my friend Dan said that he was going to play the minimum on a $5 machine.

"Don't be stupid," I said. "Buy yourself a beer, and you'll still have money left over."

He played it anyhow, and it felt like I was watching it in slow motion.....BAR.....BAR.....BAR.

IIRC, he won about $250, and bought us a round of beers.

/He was nice enough to buy one for me, even though I had been a toal Debbie Downer.

Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

What do you do for entertainment? I bet some people wouldn't get that shiat, either.

/loves video poker...in Vegas...where the house is at a disadvantage if you find the right machines...and where you actually know your odds in advance

walking across the slot machines to get to the pokerroom is always the most depressing part of any vegas/casino trip.

Oh, my first time into a casino I went in with $5.00. I had about 7 gin and tonics, played for an hour, left with $60.00 after tipping. It was great. That shiat never happens at a bar (unless you are a hooker).

The_Sponge: Back in '04, I was in Vegas for a bachelor party. While hanging out at The Rio, we spotted the groom-to-be's dad over by the high limit slots. We walked over to say hi, and my friend Dan said that he was going to play the minimum on a $5 machine.

If you're more about the table games than the ambiance in Vegas stay on Fremont St. Find a cheapo room and go get plastered and play the $5 minimums all night long. No kids, lots of booze and a good time.

//saw a $3 craps table at the Fremont on a Friday night

Roger Arseways: Craps, on the other hand, is where it's at.

See you at the tables, amigo!

/going to NV in a few weeks

Never played the penny slots, but after starting with $200 I have made $2000 on nickel and dollar slots in Vegas. It was my first time in Vegas, and winning like that was the worst thing that could have happened to me. Every time after that has been epic fail.

Still, it was a fun night with a woman 25 years older than me, who was also winning. Louis XIII shots at $100 a pop, obscenely decadent dinner...and then

Oh, wait.

Nobody You Know: Never played the penny slots, but after starting with $200 I have made $2000 on nickel and dollar slots in Vegas. It was my first time in Vegas, and winning like that was the worst thing that could have happened to me. Every time after that has been epic fail.

Still, it was a fun night with a woman 25 years older than me, who was also winning. Louis XIII shots at $100 a pop, obscenely decadent dinner...and then

Oh, wait.

Wild gramma sex?

*fap*

Roger Arseways: The_Sponge: Back in '04, I was in Vegas for a bachelor party. While hanging out at The Rio, we spotted the groom-to-be's dad over by the high limit slots. We walked over to say hi, and my friend Dan said that he was going to play the minimum on a $5 machine.

If you're more about the table games than the ambiance in Vegas stay on Fremont St. Find a cheapo room and go get plastered and play the $5 minimums all night long. No kids, lots of booze and a good time.

//saw a $3 craps table at the Fremont on a Friday night


Fremont Street is definitely a lot of fun. I've stayed at the Golden Nugget for New Year's quite a few times. I'm not sure if they still do this, but I remember Binion's offering 100x odds on craps. (I only wish I had a large enough of a bank roll to play that.)

I'm heading back to Vegas next month, and we're staying on The Strip. A friend of mine (Vegas virgin) wants to do some serious gambling, so we'll have to head over to Fremont.

Farking Strip....6-5 payout on a blackjack...WTF?

Watch the Jackpot grow (new window)

Feldspar Q. Walrustitty: Roger Arseways: Craps, on the other hand, is where it's at.

See you at the tables, amigo!

/going to NV in a few weeks


Where are you staying at?

I love how everyone in the article is quoted as saying that they are doing it for entertainment only. Was this article sponsored by the Missouri gambling association? I'm surprised no one also added "I only play with an amount I'm comfortable with"

And add me to the group that doesn't understand the entertainment value. Part of me thinks that they are lying to themselves and they really have dreams of hitting it big. If you want to have entertainment while throwing your money away why not just skip quarters in a lake?

/ next up in Vegas: skipping quarters over a moat to win a prize

The_Sponge: I'm heading back to Vegas next month, and we're staying on The Strip. A friend of mine (Vegas virgin) wants to do some serious gambling, so we'll have to head over to Fremont.

About the only places I wouldn't stay on Fremont would be the Plaza, 4 Queens or El Cortez. Everywhere else is all good and you can casino-hop like nobody's business and if you pay more than $70/night you got ripped off.

i'd like to win on HER slot machine. if you know what i mean.

I have won over $600 (after taking out my initial bets) playing nickel slots in a two day period in Reno back in 2004. It was in at least 3 different casinos but all on the same type machine (the Texas Ted one, I forget the actual name). I couldn't lose that weekend. I did find out that the maximum ticket amount was $300 though.

Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

Just another bit of evidence pointing out how much stupid there is out there.

Keeping with the 'theme machines' that they have, they should make an UCB penny slot that is based on the 'Ass Pennies' sketch. It would bring in billions!

I won a few hundred dollars on Penny machines in Vegas.

I play poker whenever I go to a casino, but I hit up the "penny" slots when I am on a table waiting list. . .

The most surprising thing to me was that it is not a penny to play. It a penny per line and you can also make multiple bets on every line. Since I don't want to waste my money, but don't want to change my odds I always play every line for its minimum. I once hit that awesome 777 (not the highest payout for the machine) and won 15 bucks! It could have been 60 if I was playing the maximum, but the money I put in wouldn't have lasted as long if I played the maximum every time.

Another good time waster while waiting for a seat in the poker room is people watching in the casino. People do some weird crap to 'zero in' on their luck. I saw a guy concentrate on his players card with it against his forehead, kiss it, hold it up into the air like Excalibur, insert it into the machine, and then pet each electronic wheel as it spun. Creepy yet hilarious!

WALMART.saves: Wild gramma sex?

*fap*

I'm banging a 60 year-old pensioner right now, so I'm getting a real kick out of these replies...

Slot machines are just a hidden tax on the poor. Gambling in general does far more damage to the surrounding community than good, since a lot of people gamble more than they can afford. For instance, if I gambled $500 and lost it all, it wouldn't hurt me too much (not that I'm stupid enough to), but if someone who rarely has more than $100 in his bank account gambles $500, he's in big trouble. Gambling destroys people, and benefits only a few.

Roger Arseways: The_Sponge: I'm heading back to Vegas next month, and we're staying on The Strip. A friend of mine (Vegas virgin) wants to do some serious gambling, so we'll have to head over to Fremont.

About the only places I wouldn't stay on Fremont would be the Plaza, 4 Queens or El Cortez. Everywhere else is all good and you can casino-hop like nobody's business and if you pay more than $70/night you got ripped off.


Ugh...the Four Queens. I stayed there during New Year's Eve '04. The room wasn't too bad (for some reason, they gave us a handicapped accessable room), so we had extra space and large bathroom.

However...they only had one working elevator the entire time. WTF?

j0ndas: Slot machines are just a hidden tax on the poor. Gambling in general does far more damage to the surrounding community than good, since a lot of people gamble more than they can afford. For instance, if I gambled $500 and lost it all, it wouldn't hurt me too much (not that I'm stupid enough to), but if someone who rarely has more than $100 in his bank account gambles $500, he's in big trouble. Gambling destroys people, and benefits only a few.

I'll bet you're a blast at parties.

j0ndas: Slot machines are just a hidden tax on the poor. Gambling in general does far more damage to the surrounding community than good, since a lot of people gamble more than they can afford. For instance, if I gambled $500 and lost it all, it wouldn't hurt me too much (not that I'm stupid enough to), but if someone who rarely has more than $100 in his bank account gambles $500, he's in big trouble. Gambling destroys people, and benefits only a few.


So you're basically saying that stupid people screw themselves over? Sounds like a good idea to me. If they're stupid enough to gamble more money than they can afford to, they deserve whatever disadvantages await them.

/Consequences
//You can has them

The "entertainment value" of penny slots is limited to the free drinks.

Killed many hours at conferences in vegas by playing penny slots, minimum bets, and drinking. Counting the bets, and tipping for drinks, its not hard to stay close to breaking even. Factor in the $$ you would have spent actually buying the drinks, and you end up well ahead.

Oh -- it helps if you find the penny slots near a very active table game of some sort. Waitresses are more frequent.

Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

It helps a lot if you're a) old, b) senile, and c) had too many of those little drinks with pineapple in them. I've seen old ladies parked at slots not move, except for the lever-pull, for literally hours at a stretch. Kind of like watching an autistic kid stim in a corner all day.

I have had some great times playing the quarter and dollar slots. I think in my life I have come out even, ahead if you count the free drinks. One time late at night my friend and I had to hide our drinks because the waitress would come by too quick. I have only gambled maybe 5 times.Out of those I have hit one $60 and one $50 jackpot on the dollar machines. The other times on the quarters I would usually just break even. Always wanted to hit the 21 tables, usually to drunk to do myself good though.
/I hate gambling and watching money go away scares me.
//never play more then 40 bucks a night.
///work the free drink and have fun.

voodoowizard: /I hate gambling and watching money go away scares me.

Exactly. I was able to spend a whole night at the $5 craps table with $100/night. First night I won $40, the second night I lost $70. Didn't pony up more than $100 either night. Leave all the plastic in the room, carry your ID and whatever cash you're willing to lose with you. When it's gone it's gone. I like throwing the bones, it's a lot of fun and the most social table game there is. But sitting at a slot machine for hours on end? boring.

Gyrfalcon: Robo Beat: I can't for the life of me figure out how slot machines count as "entertainment." Shoving money into a hole and pulling a lever. Wild.

It helps a lot if you're a) old, b) senile, and c) had too many of those little drinks with pineapple in them. I've seen old ladies parked at slots not move, except for the lever-pull, for literally hours at a stretch. Kind of like watching an autistic kid stim in a corner all day.

Once had 12 hours to kill before my flight with only $5 left of gambling money (ok ok actual money but friends had money to pay for cab) Sat down at a penny slot and wasted 6 of the hours on penny slots getting probably 10 watered down drinks in the process. After the first hour started filling like a autistic kid, but had nothing else to do besides wonder around aimlessly as we had already checked out of our room (yes had a backpack will all my stuff in it as well) waitresses probably knew I was a bum but they put up with me.. At least until I tried to nap in the sports bet arena..

I like the penny slots. Yeah, it's sort of silly, but I it's just not playing them, a lto of it just enjoying the atmosphere and whatnot. Especially if you are into people watching. I'll take 40 bucks, get 8 five-dollar bills and and play for 4-6 hours. After the cocktail waitress brings your first drink, tip her a five, she'll really take care of you after that. I'll usually play five on a machine and find another. Find a bank of machines that are next to a bank of dollar or higher machines, it's easier to flag down the cocktail server. And I usually drink beer, their drinks, while mixed decent, are usually small.


I've had nights where I spent sixty books, drank for free all night, and was so drunk I had to spring for a cab to get home. Had a lot of fun.

If I am out to make money, really gamble, I hit the 5-dollar BJ tables. There are a few casinos that still have 3-dollar tables, but the company usually leaves a lot to be desired. If you play using sheer logic, you'll at least break even. If you don't like the dealer, don't be afraid to find another table.

Some casinos are now offering 50-dollar buy-in Hold 'Em tourneys now, too.

Penny slot machines are awesome. A bit of luck and ten bucks lasts nearly forever. My luck is nuetral (I always seem to break even) but penny slots have given me cash worth writing home about.

/"Dear Mom; it's green."

Love the craps table. Problem is that I get a sore back after 5 - 6 hours. Any advice?

/protip: to avoid being thrown off the table, avoid telling the box man to 'go fark your muther'.

A fried of mine talked me into going to a place with slots once. I live near Winchester, VA, so we went to Charles Town, WV. They had penny slots that you could bet a single penny on, and I think the max was 9 cents. The slot machine had an Alien vs. Predator theme. It was silly as hell. I put in one dollar, and after about 10 minutes I was betting more per spin just to lose my money more quickly. It was boring as hell.

I'm an IGT Engineer, getting kicks...etc

/loses enough at work

chachi88: Love the craps table. Problem is that I get a sore back after 5 - 6 hours. Any advice?

/protip: to avoid being thrown off the table, avoid telling the box man to 'go fark your muther'.



Whatever Frank is huffing. Or Percocet and coke.

//don't forget to tip your waitress and dealer

Funny part about finding this thread is that im flying to Vegas from florida tomorrow night. First time flying and in vegas. good to hear there are happy stories to hear from the vegas strip

/going for the Blackjack tables
//i love turning 21
///slashies!

cYn21: So you're basically saying that stupid people screw themselves over? Sounds like a good idea to me. If they're stupid enough to gamble more money than they can afford to, they deserve whatever disadvantages await them.

/Consequences
//You can has them

No, because the rest of us still have to deal with the end results, which are crime, a downturn in productivity, children being brought up in broken homes and/or destitution, etc. Society as a whole does much better when the poor make it to middle class, which they never will if they're blowing what little money they have on the slots.

Thank goodness our local Congressman has been able to keep gambling out of the area.

j0ndas: cYn21: So you're basically saying that stupid people screw themselves over? Sounds like a good idea to me. If they're stupid enough to gamble more money than they can afford to, they deserve whatever disadvantages await them.

/Consequences
//You can has them

No, because the rest of us still have to deal with the end results, which are crime, a downturn in productivity, children being brought up in broken homes and/or destitution, etc. Society as a whole does much better when the poor make it to middle class, which they never will if they're blowing what little money they have on the slots.

Thank goodness our local Congressman has been able to keep gambling out of the area.



Ok, then here's an idea. Educate people to the point that they have enough sense to not throw away money they don't have.

I just got back from Biloxi, so I'm getting a kick out of these replies.

Came out ahead :)