Mosca
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August 17th, 2012 at 6:18:02 PM permalink
I saw a new one the other day; a bank of slots where you could pick the way they play. (I know it's been there a while, but I just noticed it.) You can pick lots of small payouts, a mix, or lots of losses and a few big hits.

Question, would the overall payout be the same? ie, is the machine going to pay out the same % regardless? My thought is yes, but I'm sure someone actually knows the answer. I'd look it up, but I don't remember the manufacturer, or the machine name (it had cats and made a meow sound).
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tsmith
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August 17th, 2012 at 7:04:07 PM permalink
Payout percentage and hit frequency are two different things. I've never seen a machine that offered this option, but AFAIK the payout percentage should be the same for all the different types of play.

For example, you might get paid $5 twenty times on the small hits option, $50 twice for the big hit option, or $25 twice and then $10 five times for the mixed hits option, but it still all adds up to $100.
Mission146
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August 17th, 2012 at 7:24:45 PM permalink
Quote: tsmith

Payout percentage and hit frequency are two different things. I've never seen a machine that offered this option, but AFAIK the payout percentage should be the same for all the different types of play.

For example, you might get paid $5 twenty times on the small hits option, $50 twice for the big hit option, or $25 twice and then $10 five times for the mixed hits option, but it still all adds up to $100.



I would think that it would be the same, and you know that the payouts for each version must be within the parameters of the Gaming Regulations. However, I think that it would take a full deconstruction of each version of the game determining reel assignments and probabilities to make absolutely certain that it is so.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
Mosca
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August 17th, 2012 at 7:51:55 PM permalink
Yeah, that's what I think, too; just wondering if anyone actually knows.
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Wizard
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August 17th, 2012 at 7:53:59 PM permalink
I would also think it would be the same. Most places pretty much set all their slots of a given denomination the same way if they have a choice in the matter. With Participation Slots, they will not have as much of a choice.
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Tiltpoul
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August 18th, 2012 at 5:36:49 AM permalink
Quote: Mosca

Question, would the overall payout be the same? ie, is the machine going to pay out the same % regardless? My thought is yes, but I'm sure someone actually knows the answer. I'd look it up, but I don't remember the manufacturer, or the machine name (it had cats and made a meow sound).



The machines are Aristocrat (I have a friend who works for them, and on my WoVCon trip, he pointed some out to me).

According to him, they are set to paybacks based on the casino's preference but each game can be set either independently or collectively, as long as it's consistent. He also said they have really tanked so far, mostly because the average ploppie who plays slots doesn't really seem to care as long as they win. It was actually a way to get gamblers into the games. They haven't tied a successful franchise (like Mr. Cashman) to it yet; you probably found a Miss Kitty slot machine, which is popular, but not a top-5 franchise for them.

His prediction is they won't be on the floors too much longer. It was a nice idea that tested well, but sometimes great results in a controlled setting don't translate well to the general public.
"One out of every four people are [morons]"- Kyle, South Park
tsmith
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August 18th, 2012 at 6:06:59 AM permalink
I play Miss Kitty machines in the Tunica casinos and I don't recall ever seeing anything about being able to select hit options.

I don't know if it's that most slot players don't care, Tiltpoul, but that video slots, especially the Aristocrat line, seem to confuse some of the older players. I like Aristocrat games, my favorite being Pompeii, where there are no paylines per se, but you get paid for symbols simply being on adjacent reels. I got my friend to play them and she enjoys the heck out of them, but has no idea why she wins on any spin.

The Miss Kitty game has what they call "sticky wilds" during the bonus free spin round, where when any of the Miss Kitty symbols show up, they stay where they are for any subsequent spins. You can rack up quite a nice amount that way, but the bonus doesn't come around all that often.

Another of my favorite games is 50 Lions, where there are stacked lion symbols. Some of the other companies, like WMS, are integrating stacked symbols now, as in their Zeus II game.

But as I was saying, I notice that when I go to the casinos, I see most of the older folks playing familiar games like Monopoly and Jackpot Party and video slots that have the simple pick 'em type of bonuses or bonus rounds that come with a story, and very few playing the Aristocrat games (unless they're locals).
Mosca
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August 18th, 2012 at 9:42:55 AM permalink
Thanks for the good info, tsmith. So they can be set either way! I didn't really care for them myself, but Mrs loves 'em. She hit that Miss Kitty for almost $700, betting $1.50. (Yes, I know her win is only temporary.)
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FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 10:07:50 AM permalink
Quote: Mosca

Thanks for the good info, tsmith. So they can be set either way! I didn't really care for them myself, but Mrs loves 'em. She hit that Miss Kitty for almost $700, betting $1.50. (Yes, I know her win is only temporary.)



At Casino Arizona, if you put a voucher into the cash machine, it will give you bills and another voucher for the change portion, which left me with a voucher for 35 cents. I popped that into a Miss Kitty and spun for 20 cents, then 10, then 5--and hit the bonus. The bonus paid over $5 for a nickel spin, so I believe I'll try it out when I go to Vegas!
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tsmith
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August 18th, 2012 at 1:20:25 PM permalink
Since I mentioned Zeus II with its stacked symbols, I thought I might also mention that you can play it free if you're on Facebook, at their Jackpot Party Casino game app. The game plays exactly like it does in the casino, but of course you're only playing with points.

There's also a site that will let you download the 50 Lions game and it too plays exactly the same as the real thing minus the real money part.

I hope I don't get in trouble for saying any of this. It's not meant to be an advertisement of anything and I get absolutely nothing if you play either game.
Tiltpoul
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August 18th, 2012 at 5:23:36 PM permalink
Quote: tsmith

I play Miss Kitty machines in the Tunica casinos and I don't recall ever seeing anything about being able to select hit options.



At this point, I believe the slot machines have only been approved and tested in Nevada. If you're dying to know, I'll text my friend and find out the distribution points for the Variance-choice games.

Quote: tsmith

I don't know if it's that most slot players don't care, Tiltpoul, but that video slots, especially the Aristocrat line, seem to confuse some of the older players. I like Aristocrat games, my favorite being Pompeii, where there are no paylines per se, but you get paid for symbols simply being on adjacent reels. I got my friend to play them and she enjoys the heck out of them, but has no idea why she wins on any spin.



If a machine gets installed and gets little to no play, there can be a number of reasons. I think the concept is great, but they are appealing to the wrong players. I suggested to my friend that it should be on recognizable commodities, but he said that brand protection at Aristocrat is really important; why screw up a good thing?

Quote: tsmith

The Miss Kitty game has what they call "sticky wilds" during the bonus free spin round, where when any of the Miss Kitty symbols show up, they stay where they are for any subsequent spins. You can rack up quite a nice amount that way, but the bonus doesn't come around all that often.



Yeah, my Mom hit for almost 1000 dollars on Miss Kitty one time. That "Meow" can get really annoying if you're sitting nearby though.

Quote: tsmith

But as I was saying, I notice that when I go to the casinos, I see most of the older folks playing familiar games like Monopoly and Jackpot Party and video slots that have the simple pick 'em type of bonuses or bonus rounds that come with a story, and very few playing the Aristocrat games (unless they're locals).



The Aristocrat games have a much stronger following in the Midwest markets. They definitely get a following, but it takes a while to grow it.
"One out of every four people are [morons]"- Kyle, South Park
FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 5:51:55 PM permalink
Quote: tsmith

Since I mentioned Zeus II with its stacked symbols, I thought I might also mention that you can play it free if you're on Facebook, at their Jackpot Party Casino game app. The game plays exactly like it does in the casino, but of course you're only playing with points.

There's also a site that will let you download the 50 Lions game and it too plays exactly the same as the real thing minus the real money part.

I hope I don't get in trouble for saying any of this. It's not meant to be an advertisement of anything and I get absolutely nothing if you play either game.



Zeus II is probably the game I play most, but I don't do Facebook. I might consider joining some day, but have resisted so far. I do enjoy playing the free games at Bovada and LED gaming to get a feel for them before playing them in a casino.

It's funny--my two sisters who married men with very common last names are on Facebook, and the one sister and I who married men with very unusual last names aren't. I guess it's a safety concern for both of us--we're too easy to find if someone got the notion.
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tsmith
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August 18th, 2012 at 6:21:44 PM permalink
There's no rule that says you have to use your real name on FB. You can join using Far From Vegas as your name and play all the games you want and nobody will ever know it's you.

If you're interested in downloading the 50 Lions game, shoot me a PM and I'll give you the website name. It has nothing to do with FB; it goes directly onto your hard drive so you don't even have to go online to play it.
Mission146
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August 18th, 2012 at 6:34:23 PM permalink
I think the game designers are out of their minds for making some of these games freely available. I can sort of understand the theory that one may be enticed to go to the casino if they perform well in the free version, but alternatively, if the ER is still set to be negative, one would think that would discourage people from going to the casino, and if they do, at least, from playing that game.

Furthermore, there are many who play the slots for the experience, and really aren't concerned with anything besides hitting a jackpot or its opposite. If such a person is satisfied by playing the games they love for free, perhaps the casino will never see them again.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
tsmith
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August 18th, 2012 at 6:46:56 PM permalink
Well, the way it works on Facebook is that the people who put these "real" games out there are hoping that people will get hooked by them (because they are familiar) to the point that they will actually buy credits in order to play the games. To me this is the stupidest thing in the world, to spend real money in order to win fake money, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who will spend $20 or $50 ... a day!

I have no idea if this is true, but I would imagine WMS Gaming would get a share of the payments coming in too.

I like the idea of playing a "real" slot game at home without risking anything on it, and when I go to the casinos I will seek out these machines.
FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 6:50:48 PM permalink
Quote: tsmith


I like the idea of playing a "real" slot game at home without risking anything on it, and when I go to the casinos I will seek out these machines.



Yes! I'm an analytical person, so I like to know what I'm getting myself in for before taking a risk, but it still doesn't always stop me from taking the risk. I just like to be prepared for it.
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
Mission146
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August 18th, 2012 at 7:22:16 PM permalink
Quote: tsmith

Well, the way it works on Facebook is that the people who put these "real" games out there are hoping that people will get hooked by them (because they are familiar) to the point that they will actually buy credits in order to play the games. To me this is the stupidest thing in the world, to spend real money in order to win fake money, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who will spend $20 or $50 ... a day!

I have no idea if this is true, but I would imagine WMS Gaming would get a share of the payments coming in too.

I like the idea of playing a "real" slot game at home without risking anything on it, and when I go to the casinos I will seek out these machines.



I am certain that they would either get a commission, or some kind of blanket royalty for use of the likeness of the game. My main concern is that you may detract people from actually going to the casinos to play the real games. I'm awfully worried about that. Hopefully they will conduct surveys of people who have already gambled prior to a few of these games being available on-line to see if they average more, less or equal action than they did before these games became available. If it is less, then the plug needs pulled in a real hurry, but I wonder if there is a contract giving FB (and associated acts) the rights for some amount of time...

How about you? Do you gamble more, less or the same than you did before these became available?
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
rdw4potus
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August 18th, 2012 at 7:31:07 PM permalink
When I saw this thread, I hadn't ever seen a user-controllable slot like this. Then I was at Harrah's Chester today and I saw a $1 3x1 machine that had a user-selectable "bonus" feature. as a "bonus" blank-blank-blank can pay 2 instead of 0, anybar-anybar-anybar can pay 25 instead of 10, bar-bar-bar can pay 50 instead of 20, 7-7-7 can pay 2,500 instead of 1,000 etc. So the user can determine whether they'd rather have lots of small wins (blank-blank-blank) or fewer huge wins (7-7-7).

I guess I need to pay more attention as I'm walking through the casino on the way to the tables!
"So as the clock ticked and the day passed, opportunity met preparation, and luck happened." - Maurice Clarett
FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 7:35:25 PM permalink
Quote: Mission146

I am certain that they would either get a commission, or some kind of blanket royalty for use of the likeness of the game. My main concern is that you may detract people from actually going to the casinos to play the real games. I'm awfully worried about that. Hopefully they will conduct surveys of people who have already gambled prior to a few of these games being available on-line to see if they average more, less or equal action than they did before these games became available. If it is less, then the plug needs pulled in a real hurry, but I wonder if there is a contract giving FB (and associated acts) the rights for some amount of time...

How about you? Do you gamble more, less or the same than you did before these became available?



While casinos discourage you from filming slot machines, WMS has a collection of those slot bonus films collected on their YouTube channel. They will leave a comment congratulating the poster on their win. I suppose it's free advertising for them, along the lines of; "See? You CAN win big on our games!"

I don't change my gambling budget much, but I do tend to concentrate my slot money on those slots that I've tried first online, or have seen a video of how the bonus works. It gives me a better feel for the machine's volatility. I also play the free table games at Bovada for the same reason. I can bring a realistic bankroll.
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 7:45:39 PM permalink
Here is the WMS page I mentioned. Video #4 has me considering playing a game with a $4.80 max bet, which I normally wouldn't do with a penny slot.
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
Mission146
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August 18th, 2012 at 8:02:36 PM permalink
Quote: FarFromVegas

Here is the WMS page I mentioned. Video #4 has me considering playing a game with a $4.80 max bet, which I normally wouldn't do with a penny slot.



I don't know if an extremely unlikely hit is worth going outside of your normal betting parameters. Assuming the EV of the Max Bet is the same on that machine as many others, you'll simply lose your money faster, in all liklihood. If time-at-machine is a non-consideration to you, however, go for it!
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
FarFromVegas
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August 18th, 2012 at 8:11:13 PM permalink
Quote: Mission146

Quote: FarFromVegas

Here is the WMS page I mentioned. Video #4 has me considering playing a game with a $4.80 max bet, which I normally wouldn't do with a penny slot.



I don't know if an extremely unlikely hit is worth going outside of your normal betting parameters. Assuming the EV of the Max Bet is the same on that machine as many others, you'll simply lose your money faster, in all liklihood. If time-at-machine is a non-consideration to you, however, go for it!



I know--but the familiarity with the machine might make me play MORE, rather than LESS as you had feared. Logically, I see 5 buck bet on a penny slot and walk away. But emotionally, I can now connect that machine with an $11,000+ payout and project that happening to me. I think putting the machines online is a plus and not a minus.
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
tsmith
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August 18th, 2012 at 8:11:57 PM permalink
WOW! What a win! Why can't I do that?

To answer the question about how playing online affects my real-life play ... I don't go to casinos any more frequently, but when I do go I end up spending more money on the games I've played at home and tend to do less experimenting with other games.

It's funny, tho, because when I get back home I usually don't want to play any games at all for a couple of days. I'll log on to collect my daily ration of credits but then log right back off.
Mission146
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August 18th, 2012 at 8:28:56 PM permalink
Quote: FarFromVegas

While casinos discourage you from filming slot machines, WMS has a collection of those slot bonus films collected on their YouTube channel. They will leave a comment congratulating the poster on their win. I suppose it's free advertising for them, along the lines of; "See? You CAN win big on our games!"

I don't change my gambling budget much, but I do tend to concentrate my slot money on those slots that I've tried first online, or have seen a video of how the bonus works. It gives me a better feel for the machine's volatility. I also play the free table games at Bovada for the same reason. I can bring a realistic bankroll.



It is excellent advertising. In a game of negative ER, big winners are just as important to a casino (and-by extension-slots manufacturer) as people who lose. If absolutely nobody won, then nobody would gamble, of course.

The second paragraph interests me. I wonder if most people feel that way, perhaps there is some value in offering the games for free on-line. You should check out some of the videos on YouTube for the QuickHits games.

Here's one for a little over 23x the bet, which is pretty average:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqsd9zwOsrg

Here's one for 108.67x the bet, which is pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUt3275MaCU

I couldn't find any Handpays deriving from Free Games, I'm afraid. That's how my 4k hit went, I found jackpots, but they were all off of one spin.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
tsmith
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August 19th, 2012 at 8:58:10 AM permalink
All these videos with $11k hits and 108x wins and multiple bonus re-triggers and such was too much for me to take so I just made my reservation for next Monday :)
FarFromVegas
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August 19th, 2012 at 10:34:15 AM permalink
Quote: tsmith

All these videos with $11k hits and 108x wins and multiple bonus re-triggers and such was too much for me to take so I just made my reservation for next Monday :)



Sorry to have sucked you in! I rarely get to visit casinos, so it's relatively safe for me to watch those. This year, I got to visit Atlantic City for the first time in two years, and I'll be in Vegas next month for the first time in 20 months. We have a place in Scottsdale so I'm near those casinos a few times a year, but I have four kids and my neighbor who is my partner in crime out there works nights during the week, so I'll get maybe one weekend visit with her.
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tsmith
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August 19th, 2012 at 11:30:38 AM permalink
I like to try and get to Tunica at least once a month so it was getting to be about time for me to be going back anyway. I just used those videos as an excuse :)
Mosca
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September 2nd, 2012 at 12:26:44 PM permalink
Mrs corralled me into going to Mohegan Pocono for the brunch buffet, she had a pair of free coupons. I hit one of these games for $365, on a $1.50 bet. It had pirates on it. I had it set on medium. I got the free spin feature and got nothing, then on the next to last spin it hit for more free spins, and nothing again, and on the next to last spin it hit MORE free spins, and then I got a whole shitload of skulls all over the place and two 3X squares. I still don't really like them all that much, but it was fun to win.
A falling knife has no handle.
FarFromVegas
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September 2nd, 2012 at 12:41:47 PM permalink
I honestly need to get to Vegas more often, because with all the games I want to try this trip I estimate I'll need a bankroll about the size of my son's tuition payment at this point. Not gonna happen.

Oh, well. I'll just hope to have fun at the ones I get to!
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
FarFromVegas
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September 2nd, 2012 at 12:50:43 PM permalink
Quote: Mosca

Mrs corralled me into going to Mohegan Pocono for the brunch buffet, she had a pair of free coupons. I hit one of these games for $365, on a $1.50 bet. It had pirates on it. I had it set on medium. I got the free spin feature and got nothing, then on the next to last spin it hit for more free spins, and nothing again, and on the next to last spin it hit MORE free spins, and then I got a whole shitload of skulls all over the place and two 3X squares. I still don't really like them all that much, but it was fun to win.



Sounds like Captain Cutthroat, now that I looked around. Lots of free spins with tiny payouts. You hit a good one for that game!
Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts. Preparing for a fight about your bad decision is not as smart as making a good decision.
Mosca
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September 2nd, 2012 at 1:09:14 PM permalink
Quote: FarFromVegas

Sounds like Captain Cutthroat, now that I looked around. Lots of free spins with tiny payouts. You hit a good one for that game!




Yeah, that was the one. Several times I hit the free spin feature and got something like $2.60 on a $1.50 bet. This time I got lucky. I sort of thought it was going to hit something because I kept getting two more guys, which kept triggering 5 more free spins. After the third one I figured something had to hit, and it did.
A falling knife has no handle.
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