Slot machine etiquettte
A girl who I had never seen in my life walks up to me and asks if I am going to play. I said yes. She says that she was playing at that machine a few minutes ago and went to the ATM to get more cash so she could play again.
What should I have done?
You have no obligation to get up.
Depends on what she looks like. If its a good number on an AP slot, tough luck.Quote: jwblueMy last trip to Las Vegas this past week I decided to play a slot machine. I sat down and received a text message from someone and replied. About 30 seconds had passed by since I sat down.
A girl who I had never seen in my life walks up to me and asks if I am going to play. I said yes. She says that she was playing at that machine a few minutes ago and went to the ATM to get more cash so she could play again.
What should I have done?
Quote: chickenmanJust pull the lever and win the jackpot she would have won :-)
That would be great on the Lions Share machine at MGM
If they start to question about why money would matter to them, you can begin to get emotional. Use your creativity and imagination!
Of course me personally, I'm going to yield the machine in any circumstance and think to myself, "weirdo." But I imagine it would be more fun to one-up any weird that tries to claim a machine if you aren't worried about a negative reputation for tall tales and/or never going to see this person again.
Quote: Ahigh
Of course me personally, I'm going to yield the machine in any circumstance and think to myself, "weirdo."
I thought about this too.
It kind of makes me nervous when people make strange requests like this. What if I don't give up the machine. Is she going to follow me back to my car with her boyfriend and he is going to attack me?
I did not give up the machine but in the future in a similar situation I am going to. People in this world are crazy.
Quote: yy888888You don't owe her anything but usually when it comes to such things, I'd just let them have the machine anyway. Doing something "good" tends to make you feel better and that will affect your subsequent play positively. Likewise, if we let ourselves get into unnecessary arguments or ugly situations, somehow karma bites.
I would give her the machine for the exact reason you described.
Except 'karma'.....there is no such thing.
Quote: onenickelmiracleYou can't be playing a machine and not playing at the same time.
Quantum physics says you can.
Of course it depends on your mass and velocity, and on the scale of the slot machine relative to you.
Quote: jwblueMy last trip to Las Vegas this past week I decided to play a slot machine. I sat down and received a text message from someone and replied. About 30 seconds had passed by since I sat down.
A girl who I had never seen in my life walks up to me and asks if I am going to play. I said yes. She says that she was playing at that machine a few minutes ago and went to the ATM to get more cash so she could play again.
What should I have done?
Its up to you. She could have "reserved" the machine with the customary chair tipping and/or a chat with the Floor Person who puts a reserved sign on it for about six or seven minutes. She might have been setting you up.... if you win, she shows up and says you won "her" money and therefore "owe" her some of your winnings. She might have been legit, she might just have been any number of things.
The rule is its your money and if you have some reason for wanting that machine, its yours. Reservations are through the casino personnel, not by individual arguments.
Quote: NareedQuantum physics says you can.
Of course it depends on your mass and velocity, and on the scale of the slot machine relative to you.
I believe you are referring to the superposition of when the reels are spinning after you pres the button. You are both not playing and playing at that point.
Quantum mechanics is fun to joke about 8)
Quote: kdawgI believe you are referring to the superposition of when the reels are spinning after you pres the button. You are both not playing and playing at that point.
No, you are playing. It's the results are a win and a loss at the same time. It happens in VP, too.
I'm referring to how a macroscopic object can display quantum properties. It needs to be very still and/or very light. Unless you can increase the Planck constant, that is.
Quote:Quantum mechanics is fun to joke about 8)
The alternative is to go insane trying to understand it.
If she had been winning, she would not leave the machine.
She went to get more money, which means she was losing.
So this machine is a cold machine, and likely a tight machine.
No reason to play it!
I hope you are joking, if not, its shows complete ignorance.Quote: pokerfaceI would definitely give the machine to her. The reason is the following:
If she had been winning, she would not leave the machine.
She went to get more money, which means she was losing.
So this machine is a cold machine, and likely a tight machine.
No reason to play it!
Quote: AxelWolfI hope you are joking, if not, its shows complete ignorance.
Wait for the SBG crowd to chime in!
It's funny, over at slotfanatics forum some of them think they lose because of server based gaming and some evil proprietor up in the server booth stalking them personally around the casino and instantly "flipping the switch" as soon as they sit down. You know instead of realizing that you're simply losing $.10-.20 on every dollar you spin through no matter what.
Quote: jwblueMy last trip to Las Vegas this past week I decided to play a slot machine. I sat down and received a text message from someone and replied. About 30 seconds had passed by since I sat down.
I like to play certain VP machines, ie the ones with a better paytable than the bank next to them. So this past trip, a situation occurred where someone was just sitting at the good paytable VP machine I wanted to play at, clearly not playing. There are not a lot of machines with that particular paytable there. So I politely asked if I could play this machine, and they just as politely said "Sure" and found somewhere else to sit. There were dozens of other open chairs, BUT not any other good VP machines.
So, if it was her favorite machine, and I was just sitting there and not planning to play, I would have certainly have moved.
But, if I was going to play and just finishing up checking my phone for a text, then I would have stayed.
Quote: AxelWolfI hope you are joking, if not, its shows complete ignorance.
I didn't make it up. If you go to Barnes & Noble and find any books on "how to beat casino games", you can definitely find somewhere in the books talking about
cold cycles and hot cycles of slot machines. "Don't leave a hot machine" is always the No. 1 advice given.
Quote: AxelWolfI hope you are joking, if not, its shows complete ignorance.
Axel is right. If she put all that money in it without hitting, it must be due. :)
Right next to the books that have proof of Big foot?Quote: pokerfaceI didn't make it up. If you go to Barnes & Noble and find any books on "how to beat casino games", you can definitely find somewhere in the books talking about
cold cycles and hot cycles of slot machines. "Don't leave a hot machine" is always the No. 1 advice given.
If its in a book it must be true.
I can explain with logic and examples what I'm saying(can you?). You just seem to be repeating what some idiots wrote in a book.
I can think of a few rare examples that can support a hot streak situation but I know this is not a part of your theory.
Most machines have no such things as hot or cold cycles. Sure after the fact you might be able to say it was on a cold or hot streak. But what you are talking about is just nonsense as far a "hot cycle there is no real reason to believe its better to keep playing a machine because you think its on a hot streak. I believe there are far more reasons to believe just the opposite is true nowadays, but this would be only on particular machines.
Gambler's Fallacy - Hot Hand Fallacy
Quote:The gambler's fallacy is a deep-seated cognitive bias and therefore very difficult to eliminate. For the most part, educating individuals about the nature of randomness has not proven effective in reducing or eliminating any manifestation of the gambler's fallacy.
But, for the main topic of this thread, it doesn't matter to me if the reason for someone wanting that seat has some reasonably rational basis (to me) or is some stark raving nuts slot machine voodoo belief or just a preference for the pretty colors on the display, and is no different on the casino floor than elsewhere. If I'm not using it for the intended purpose then the thing to do is let them have it, or if I am about to play it then politely let them know that while refraining from extra little flourishes that involve the phrase "suck it." I haven't heard of any special informal slot rule making it different than what common sense and civility would tell you anywhere else.
Quote: DrawingDeadBut, you need to rub the juice of a cocktail olive on the bill acceptor slot to remind the machine that it is due. These gizmos can tend to be forgetful.
Now that, there, is funny. Thanks for the tip! Can it be from my usual glass of Virgin Mary with extra olives, or does it have to be from a Martini?
I am playing fast. Its a slot machine. Playing it like a slot tournament. Just hit spin over and over again.
Conscious of the line behind me.
Once on my last trip, I checked out the Lions Share machine several times seeing how long the line is and if anybody was on the machine.
Once I saw a group of 4 friends playing the machine and playing real slow milking the expereience.
For example, instead of hitting the spin button which automatically bets 3 dollars, were slowly hitting the 1 dollar bet button 3 slow times.
Each person would take a slow turn, sometimes hitting the spin button, sometimes hitting the dollar bet button 3 times.
I felt like saying something but instead walked away frustrated.
Quote: AxelWolfYou just seem to be repeating what some idiots wrote in a book.
The people who wrote the book aren't idiots; they are scammers.
The people buying and believing the books, on the other hand...
Quote: jwblueWhat should I have done?
It would depend on how nicely she asked and the availability of similar machines. You're under no obligation but I generally favor being a nice person.
Somebody brought up Lion's Share, which is the only slot I'll play long periods of time. However, if I'm getting close to the indifferent point to leaving, and somebody else is waiting, then I'll get up and let them have it.
Quote: DrawingDeadI haven't heard of any special informal slot rule making it different than what common sense and civility would tell you anywhere else.
Now there's a thought.
Random mini-Rant:
Groups of 5 to 8 people who stand in a circle and block half or more of the walkway bug me.
That's impossible, because they're all busy attending the loitering convention and obstruction festival at the bottom of the escalator.Quote: JohnnyQNow there's a thought.
Random mini-Rant:
Groups of 5 to 8 people who stand in a circle and block half or more of the walkway bug me.
Personally I don't care much about playing slots so if I am just playing one to kill time or use up free play or whatever I will gladly give it up to be nice or avoid a confronation. But that's just me.
That said, as others have said you are under no obligation to give it up, if their card is not in and there are no credits in, and there is no "reserved" ticket on the machine then it is an open seat. So there is really no wrong answer in that scenerio, whatever makes you feel good I suppose. If she really wanted it that desperately she should have asked the attendant to post a reserved sticker or at least left her card in.
Quote: GandlerWhat I would have done is just let her have it, because some slot players can be irrational and if you sit at their lucky machine or even look like you are about to they will start making nasty comments and sometimes get aggressive (especially if they are on a losing streak and in a very bad mood).
Personally I don't care much about playing slots so if I am just playing one to kill time or use up free play or whatever I will gladly give it up to be nice or avoid a confronation. But that's just me.
That said, as others have said you are under no obligation to give it up, if their card is not in and there are no credits in, and there is no "reserved" ticket on the machine then it is an open seat. So there is really no wrong answer in that scenerio, whatever makes you feel good I suppose. If she really wanted it that desperately she should have asked the attendant to post a reserved sticker or at least left her card in.
Other posters alluded to doing this. I think that is why I just froze. I didn't know what the heck to do. Is her angry boyfriend around the corner?
Personally, in this situation I wouldn't even think to ask someone to get up. It is nuts.
I am surprised that other posters think the the same way I do with regards to just giving it to her since she might be crazy. I am glad I am not the only one.
I have too much going for myself to take chances with a loon like that.
But on the other hand, it can be a trick to chase you away from her favorite slot machine.
It happened to me before, I went to collect my winnings and wanted to play some more. By the time I got back, someone had taken my spot. But there were still other slot machines of the same game available or there are still other great games available to play. It's not as if that one slot machine is going to be particularly favorable to me, although some people believe in those things :-)
