Electromechanical slots still operating anywhere?

Hi,

I'm feeling nostalgic and am wondering if there are any places in Nevada where I can still play electromechanical slot machines?

Last year, I played in a Virginia City saloon an electromechanical machine that pays out a cocktail, mine tour, steak dinner, and up to a replica pistol. It was great fun, and I finally won a cocktail on about $4 in quarters.

Any other places that have some playable history? Thanks!

According to John Robinson at Casino City, non-computer chipped slots for actual gambling in Nevada are extinct. The government requirement to monitor play and payout history, makes them unusable for legal gaming nowadays. Due to this regulation, I'd be a little surprised if the machine you refer to in Virginia City was actually government approved to award prizes on a random basis.

I don't think you mean "electromechanical" because all physical-reel games are "electromechanical" and those are all over the place. They use physical reels controlled by stepper motors and a random number generator. Are you talking about games from before the RNG era? Because that started about 30 years ago...

Do you mean games that still take coins? I'm not aware of any major Nevada casinos that haven't gone fully coinless but there may still be some out there.

Back in 1990 when I was a slot tech, security and world's ugliest barmaid, always had customer asking where a machine was that had an arm they could pull. And they would work at using it to win. LOL

No, I did not tell them the arm just worked a switch in parallel to the button. Why bust their bubble ?

Thanks for the replies! Apologies, I do mean the EM slots from before the era of random number generators. I hope it's not true that these slots are now extinct.

It was at least a year ago (maybe two) when I played that slot machine, so it might be gone. I hope that I don't get the saloon in trouble (as if the authorities wouldn't learn about it on their own), because it was great fun playing a coin game that actually had the reels determine the outcome!

Perhaps I'll post some photos somewhere that shows the slot. It's beautiful, and so fun to pull a real handle!

As far as coin slots, is this article about some casinos bringing back coin slots in a special "retro" area outdated?: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/apr/20/many-players-eager-get-their-hands-dirty/

Change, please!

Let me head off the nitpickers: no, I didn't mean that the reels determine the outcome, but I do mean the mechanical doohickeys behind the randomly spinning reels that determine the outcome—not a microprocessor.

Quote: MathExtremist

Do you mean games that still take coins? I'm not aware of any major Nevada casinos that haven't gone fully coinless but there may still be some out there.

The Gold Strike Casino on the I-15 about 20 minutes south of South Point still uses "REAL COINS" and pays out "MONEY YOU CAN FEEL" as stated on its electric billboard sign along the freeway.

I've played video poker there and it's not bad. They have 8/5 Bonus at the $5 level with a progressive. They have a $1 VP progressive game but I don't recall what the game was.

They have bill acceptors but NO TITO. When the hopper is empty, you need a refill and they come with a bag.

While I wouldn't call it a "major Nevada casino" ala MGM or Caesars, it's still more than a bar.

Thanks Alan,

In my next trip to Vegas, I definitely want to stop by a casino that uses coins in their games.

Though I like the speedier games, at times I do want to slow down my games and just soak in the casino atmosphere. It's fun to use coins, especially the dollar tokens, to remind me of the "old days."

There's still a lot of "coin droppers" around (Downtown Vegas, Reno, etc)
My personal favorite are the "Treasure Chest" poker machines at Boyd Properties...

On the subject of that one at Virginia City...there's a few more like that up there too..the pay out/take in Silver Dollars

Quote: TIMSPEED

There's still a lot of "coin droppers" around (Downtown Vegas, Reno, etc)
My personal favorite are the "Treasure Chest" poker machines at Boyd Properties...

On the subject of that one at Virginia City...there's a few more like that up there too..the pay out/take in Silver Dollars

Where are these Tim? I wonder how they get around the play history / documentation requirement?

Quote: Ayecarumba

Where are these Tim? I wonder how they get around the play history / documentation requirement?

Coin In, Coin Out ?

Quote: smoothgrh

Any other places that have some playable history? Thanks!

Yeah, those relics in VC can be fun for a couple of tries if you brought "souvenir" money...!

Next time you're in the area, check out the Carson Horseshoe Club. It's located downtown across from the Carson Nugget in Carson City. One side of the bar has a token bar, and according to their website, it is "the ONLY DOLLAR TOKEN BAR still in Nevada." These are strictly coin-in, coin-out and pay after every win. Not sure if they are computer "controlled," but they do allow you to track points for the slot club, so I would imagine that they are.

Each of these machines offer a HI and a LO option and allow bets from 1 to 4 coins. The HI is basically JOB 8/5 with a community Royal Flush progressive that resets at $3,000 (instead of $3,200) and often gets up over $6,000 (probably due to short plays and a LOT of action from the older crowd!), and the LO is A-5 Lowball with 1 Joker (the paytable is below and is proportional whether you bet 1, 2, 3, or 4 coins).

HAND PAYS
4-3-2-A-JOKER...100
5-4-3-2-A............20
SIXTY-FOUR........15
SIXTY-FIVE.........10
SEVENTY-FOUR.....5
SEVENTY-FIVE......4
SEVENTY-SIX........3
EIGHT-high...........2
JOKER-any............1

In this game, suits are of no consequence, so no penalty for flushes/straight flushes (or straights for that matter), but matching ranks will lose the hand without a Joker to save it. Also, the Aces are lower than the Two's, and the Joker is lowest, so 5-3-2-A-JOKER pays 20, not 1. Note that "SIXTY-FOUR" means a hand with a 6, a 4, and three more lower ranks.

The structure of the game is simple enough that I was able to analyze it on a spreadsheet. Optimal strategy isn't too complicated as long as you can get yourself to disregard suits, straights, and face cards. I calculate the return with optimal play at 98.5698%.


Also, these machines work in the negative for both games - you select discards as opposed to holding cards. There is a cancel button if you make a mistake and wish to see all cards again. Hitting DRAW without a selection throws all (redraws), so if you wish to keep a pat hand, be sure to hit STAND.

Not sure if this is what you want, but the upper floor of the Ditz is essentially a playable slot museum. I'm not sure what they have, beyond the loose deuces VP machine (it takes bills and coins, but pays off only in coins) and a Sigma derby.

The machine the original poster is talking about is still in Virginia City and is as described. It looks much older than 30 years and is set for prizes. They have a full casino with modern games so I would assume someone from Gaming has visited them before.

As a sidenote, I recommend Virginia City as a side trip for anyone that visits Reno/Tahoe and needs something to do for a day. Interesting history, even if it is touristy.

Quote: Boz

It looks much older than 30 years and is set for prizes.

In 1984 Inge Telnaes received a patent for a device titled, "Electronic Gaming Device Utilizing a Random Number Generator for Selecting the Reel Stop Positions" (US Patent 4448419), which states: “It is important to make a machine that is perceived to present greater chances of payoff than it actually has within the legal limitations that games of chance must operate.” The patent was later bought by International Game Technology and has since expired. In modern slot machines, the reels and lever are for historical and entertainment reasons only.

Machines older than this would have very limited payouts since there are not enough combinations. I doubt that anyone would program higher than 100:1 payout.

With modern machines, if the display disagrees with the RNG setting, the casino can legally refuse to pay based on a machine error. There would be no such protection on these older machines. Now one could argue that the limited jackpots minimize the risk of a broken machine.

They would also be susceptible to mechanical tampering.

I would be surprised if any establishment would take a risk on one of these machines with cash prizes.

The replica pistol is the best prize and it doesnt have a high value. The other prizes are items they offer for sale such as the Steak Dinner and Mine Tour.

Thanks for confirming that the machine is still at the saloon. There's something organic-feeling, if you will, about seeing the reels stop oh-so-close to being a winner—and knowing you actually WERE close to winning!

I really want to visit Virginia City again—it's not just retro-themed, it IS retro!

Here are photos of the slot machine that I mentioned, taken at the Delta Saloon of Virginia City in 2011. Sadly, whoever bought the place wound up getting the saloon's gaming license stripped, and now the machine apparently sits behind a velvet rope—unplayable.

The cocktail In the last photo is what I won, and the menu has the choices for winners. It looks like the same drinks as for people who came in on bus tours and got a free cocktail with their fare.

Thanks for the photos! Good trip down memory lane. Sad what happened to this place and much of Virginia City as far as casinos. The Bonanza was closed as a fire trap and Delta lost its games. The only thing left are a few slots at the Bucket of Blood I believe.

Thanks Boz! Yeah, I'd been wanting to visit again, but without action from those establishments, there's much less incentive to make the trek.

Here's a (corrupted) photo someone posted of their vintage gaming machines: Delta Saloon, January 2017

Think they'd sell me their Flip It?

Now this one answered my long overdue question on why casinos at Neveda have a electromechanical slot that I really miss. I can only see those kind of slot a Skyline casino but it is only for display. Lately it becomes a collectors item and if you happened you own one it is not legal to commecially operate them but only for private use only.

One still exists! And I played it!

This Bally model 809 slot machine was manufactured in 1970, and is ready to take your quarters at Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada.

I learned about it from a YouTube video that someone made. I played about $5 in quarters on Aug. 5, and didn't get a winner. People gathered around to watch me play, and a few said they'd never seen anyone win on it. Though later one elderly woman said she won it three times—I interpreted her comment to mean she won a silver coin three times back in the 1970s, but perhaps I'm making up her story. I should have asked for clarification.

Anyway, it had a worn-down feel when I pulled the handle—much moreso than my home Bally machine from the '70s. I took a video, so I'll see if I can combine mine with that other guy's to figure out the reel strips. I enjoyed the experience of playing it, but it felt like a huge money pit.

Quote: smoothgrh

One still exists! And I played it!

This Bally model 809 slot machine was manufactured in 1970, and is ready to take your quarters at Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada.

I learned about it from a YouTube video that someone made. I played about $5 in quarters on Aug. 5, and didn't get a winner. People gathered around to watch me play, and a few said they'd never seen anyone win on it. Though later one elderly woman said she won it three times—I interpreted her comment to mean she won a silver coin three times back in the 1970s, but perhaps I'm making up her story. I should have asked for clarification.

Anyway, it had a worn-down feel when I pulled the handle—much moreso than my home Bally machine from the '70s. I took a video, so I'll see if I can combine mine with that other guy's to figure out the reel strips. I enjoyed the experience of playing it, but it felt like a huge money pit.

my question is what is that "number pad" thing to the lower right towards the back of the machine it looks like an old cell phone from the 80s

and i love the fact that you came back 4 years later, i mean you must have been feeling super nostalgic if you were looking for 4 years haha

edit #2 - i see a label toward the upper left corner of the machine... i bet this is retrofitted to be connected to the central system for legality like other people are saying for the slot to be legal in NV

closest I've seen to this was the ancient video poker machines at Eastside Cannery. Whenever you won, the quarters would immediately drop in the tray. Machine would not hold any credits beyond max bet! They were fun to play, and very crowded as they were 9/6 Jacks or Better.

Quote: heatmap

my question is what is that "number pad" thing to the lower right towards the back of the machine it looks like an old cell phone from the 80s

and i love the fact that you came back 4 years later, i mean you must have been feeling super nostalgic if you were looking for 4 years haha

edit #2 - i see a label toward the upper left corner of the machine... i bet this is retrofitted to be connected to the central system for legality like other people are saying for the slot to be legal in NV

Nowadays, you can hook up 1980s (or older) pinball machines to accept payment through Bluetooth phone apps, so you're probably correct in that doohickey tracks coin in and coin out. The downtown Las Vegas coin video poker machines probably also have a similar setup, but I didn't really look for it.

I love old Bally slot machines, and would love to visit this guy's collection—or own it!