• Slot Machine Par Sheet
• Wizard Of Odds Slot Machine Par Sheet Music
• Wizard Of Odds Slot Machine Par Sheet Template
• Slot Machine Percentage Sheet
• Understanding Slot Machine Par Sheets

Slot Machines - Wizard of Odds PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play:Implications for problem and non-problem gambling by Kevin A. Harrigan and Mike Dixon, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This is an outstanding academic paper that details how some popular slot machines were designed. This one.part 4.you don't want to miss! I start with.10c 5 play wheel poker ($3 a spin), then go to.10c 10 play deuces ($5 a spin), and lastly 100 play. Slot and video poker players also get comped and in general treated much better. These are things to consider when deciding which game to devote your time to. Bluejay adds: When you consider tips, video poker can lose less per hour than table games but only slightly, while slot machines. The Wizard is working with an attorney to get PAR sheets for various slots through the Freedom of Information Act. Harrigan and Mike Dixon, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada got PARS sheets from the Canadian government for their article entitled. Appendix 1 shows the details and analysis of almost 4000 actual spins on a Reno slot machine. Appendix 2 shows an example of the virtual reels behind a hypothetical slot machine and how the average return is calculated. Appendix 3A: 2003 Las Vegas slot machine rankings. Appendix 3B: 2002 Jean/Primm slot machine rankings.

• Appendices
• Slots Analysis
• Miscellaneous

Introduction

When it comes to gambling, the easier a game is to understand the worse the odds usually are. This is certainly the case with slot machines. Playing them is as easy as pressing a button. However, between the high house edge and fast rate of play, there is no quicker way to lose your money in a casino.

Before going further, let me make clear that this page addresses the way slot machines work in most parts of the United States and the world. However, some parts of this page do not apply everywhere. For example, I state that slot machines have a memory-less property, where the odds of every spin are the same. In some places, like the UK, some machines in bars, called 'fruit machines,' have a mechanism that guarantees a certain profit over the short run, which causes the game to go through loose and tight cycles. These games do not have the usual independence property of the major slot makers.

How They Work

Whether you're playing a 3-reel single-line game or a 5-reel 25-line game, the outcome of every bet is ultimately determined by random numbers. The game will choose one random number for each reel, map that number onto a position on the reel, stop the reel in the appointed place, and score whatever the outcome is. In other words, the outcome is predestined the moment you press the button; the rest is just for show. There are no hot and cold cycles; your odds are the same for every spin on a given machine.

Slot machines are just about the only game in the casino where the odds are not quantifiable. In other words, the player doesn't know how the game was designed, so it is difficult to look at an actual game to use as an example. So, to help explain how they work, I created the Atkins Diet slot machine (link). It is a simple, five-reel game with a free spin bonus round, much like IGT's Cleopatra game.

For information on how it works and all the odds, please visit my Atkins Diet par sheet.

For a more complicated example, featuring sticky wilds in the bonus, please try my Vamos a Las Vegas slot machine.

For information on how it works and all the odds, please visit my Vamos a Las Vegas par sheet (PDF).

Odds

The following table shows the casino win for Clark County Nevada (where Las Vegas is) for all slots for calendar year 2012. They define 'slot' as any electronic game, including video poker and video keno. I've found video keno to be about equally as tight as reeled slots, but video poker has a much higher return. So, the return for reeled slots should be higher than these figures.

Clark County Slot Win 2012

Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Gaming Revenue Report for December 2012 (PDF, see page 6).

Most players play penny video slots. Based on past research, I find the house edge on those to usually be set from 6% to 15%. In general, the nicer the casino, the tighter the slots.

Advice

While there is no skill to playing slots, there is some skill in selecting which machine to play and ways you can maximize your return. What follows is my advice, if you must play slots at all.

• Always use a player card. Slots may be a lousy bet, but the casinos treat slot players very well. A $1 slot player will probably get comped better than a $100 blackjack player. Of course, don't play for the reason of getting comps. You'll give them a lot more than they'll give you.
• The simpler the game, the better the odds. The fancy games with big signs and video screens tend to not pay as well as the simple games. However, slot players always tell me the fancy games are more fun.
• The higher the denomination, the better the odds. For that reason, it is better to play one coin per line on a 5-cent game than five coins per line on a 1-cent game.
• Don't forget to cash out and take your ticket when you leave. It is easy to forget after hitting a jackpot.
• Try to play slowly and as little as possible to get your fix.
• In some games there is a skill feature, like Top Dollar. In such games, advice is usually offered, which you should take.

Myths and Facts

Just about everything that players believe about slots is untrue. Here are the most common myths and facts. As a reminder, this page is based on slot machines commonly found in the United States. Some machines, like 'fruit machines' found in the United Kingdom work differently.

• Myth: Slot machines are programmed to go through a cycle of payoffs. Although the cycle can span thousands of spins, once it reaches the end the outcomes will repeat themselves in exactly the same order as the last cycle.

  Fact: This is not true at all. Every spin is random and independent of all past spins.

• Myth: Slot machines are programmed to pay off a particular percentage of money bet. Thus, after a jackpot is hit the machine will tighten up to get back in balance. On the other hand, when a jackpot has not been hit for a long time it is overdue and more likely to hit.

  Fact: As just mentioned, each spin is independent of all past spins. That means that for a given machine game, the odds are always the same. It makes no difference when the last jackpot was hit or how much the game paid out in the last hour, day, week, or any period of time.

• Myth: Machines pay more if a player card is not used.

  Fact: The mechanism that determines the outcome of each play does not consider whether a card is used or not. The odds are the same with or without one.

• Myth: Using a player card enables the casino to report my winnings to the IRS.

  Fact: That makes no difference. If you win $1,200 or more they will report it either way. If you have a net losing year, which you probably will, at least the casino will have evidence of it. Such annual win/loss statements may be used as evidence to declare offsetting loses to jackpot wins.

• Myth: The slot department can tighten my game with the press of a button remotely. Thus, you better be nice to the staff and tip them well, or they will use a remote control to have the machine take you down in a hurry.

  Fact: There is now some truth to the myth that the odds of a machine can be changed remotely. Such 'server-based slots' are still experimental and in a minority. Even with server-based slots, there are regulations in place to protect the player from the perceived abuses that could accompany them. For example, in Nevada a machine can not be altered remotely unless it has been idle for at least four minutes. Even then, the game will display a notice that it is being serviced during such changes. (source) Meanwhile, for the vast majority of slots, somebody would physically need to open the machine and change a computer chip, known as an EPROM chip, to make any changes.

• Myth: The machines by the doors and heavy traffic flow areas tend to be loose while those hidden in quiet corners tend to be tight.

  Fact: I've studied the relationship between slot placement and return and found no correlation. Every slot director I've asked about this laughs it off as just another player myth.

• Myth: Slots tend to be looser during slow hours on slow days of the week. However, when the casino is busy they tighten them up.

  Fact: Nobody would take the trouble to do this, even if he could. The fact of the matter is the casinos are trying to find a good balance between winning some money while letting the player leave happy. That is best achieved by slots loose enough to give the player a sufficiently long 'time on device,' as they call it in the industry, with a reasonable chance of winning so he will return to the same casino next time. If the slots are too tight, the players will sense it and be unlikely to return.

  The kind of place you're likely to find tight slots are those with a captive audience, like the Las Vegas airport. So, if the slot manager feels that 92% is the right return for a penny game, for example, he is likely to set every penny game all that way, and keep them that way for years.

Play

Reviews

• Dazzle Me (NetEnt)
• Mr. Vegas (Betsoft)
• Sparks (NetEnt)

Internal Links

• Appendix 1 shows the details and analysis of almost 4000 actual spins on a Reno slot machine.
• Appendix 2 shows an example of the virtual reels behind a hypothetical slot machine and how the average return is calculated.
• Appendix 3A: 2003 Las Vegas slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3B: 2002 Jean/Primm slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3C: 2002 Tunica slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3D: 2002 Henderson/Lake Mead slot machine rankings.
• Appendix 3E: 2002 Quarter and dollar returns for Las Vegas slots
• Appendix 4 shows how the return is calculated for my Wizard's Fruit Slot Machine.
• Appendix 5 analysis of the 21 Bell Slot Machine.
• Appendix 6 Analysis of Red, White, & Blue Slot Machine.
• Lock and Roll analysis of the skill-based slot machine found in North Carolina.
• Deconstructing Jackpot Party analysis of the video slot machine.
• Deconstructing Lion's Share analysis of the classic MGM progressive game.
• Deconstructing Cleopatra analysis of the popular IGT game.
• Deconstructing Lionfish analysis of the slot game found on many Game Maker machines.
• Deconstructing Megabucks.
• Deconstructing the Atkins Diet slot machine.
• Deconstructing Lucky Larry's Lobstermania.
• Deconstructing Hexbreaker.
• Deconstructing Blazing Sevens.
• Deconstructing Hot Roll.
• Mystery progressives on Ainsworth slots.
• Mystery progressives on WMS slots.
• Baltimore Sun article, in which I am quoted.
• 100% Rebate on Slot Losses Promotions: When to quit playing when all losses are refunded.

External Links

• For a simplified explanation of slots, please see my companion site Wizard of Vegas
• German translation of this page is available at richtigspielen.com
• Another decent overview of how slots work and some practical advice for playing them is How Slot Machines Work at VegasClick.com.
• PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play: Implications for problem and non-problem gambling by Kevin A. Harrigan and Mike Dixon, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This is an outstanding academic paper that details how some popular slot machines were designed.
• PAR Sheets, probabilities, and slot machine play: Implications for problem and non-problem gambling - Academic paper based on the par sheets for some modern slot machines

INFORMATION FOR VIEWING AND DOWNLOADING

To download, right-click on link and 'Save Target As..'

Bally Bingo Green Book -- Parts List and Exploded Diagrams of components.

Introduction to Bally Flipper Games.

Bally Broadway Bingo Pinball Operating Instructions. A schematic is available but must be commercially reproduced.

Pace Slot Machine Award Cards, Hi-Res Scan.

Autobell Circus Schematic.

Bally Sportsman Flasher Slot Machine operating instructions, pay tables, etc. A schematic of the machine is available on request.

For Amusement Only sign furnished with Bally bingo pinball machines. Print on cardstock and put one on your machine.

Mills Bell Machine Parts and Service Manual HiTop 7-7-7 Model.

PAR sheet for Fourth of July.

Example of a Bally Bally SMI Sheet (PAR Sheet) in PDF format.

PAR Sheet possibly for a Double Bucks machine in PDF format.

Coin Mechanisms, Inc. See National Slug Rejectors and Coinco below.

Bally V-1088 and V-1090 Operator Instructions Manual.

Bally V-1297 Instructions and Bally V1297 Parts.

Japan used slotting machine. 10th,2020.Buy (4) of the I Game Plus 3902's get one free.

Bally Double Progrressive Operator Instructions using version 6 for use with Series 1000, E-2000, V-2000, S-5000 and V-5000.

Bally Deluxe Draw Bell Instructions and Award Cards. The award cards provided different values for the Special and Super Special for both Replay and Automatic Payout operation. Operators could tailor the payouts to the location. These cards are scanned at 300 dpi for quality reproduction. For other similar Bally machines, these cards can provide a guideline. Edit them with a photoshop-type program.

Two Mills catalogs from the early 1900's: The Mills Commercial trade stimulator and Mills Amusement, Skill & Vending Machines.

Keeney's Super Bell Operators Manual in PDF format. 1941 document.

Keeney's Bonus Super Bell Instruction Manual. This is a copy of a manuscript and is not the final manual, however it may assist you to understand the operation of the machine.

Mills Vest Pocket Slot Machine Operators Manual, 16 pages in PDF format.

Evans Consoles This is the 1941 Instructions and Parts Catalog for Galloping Dominos, Pacer, Bang Tails and Lucky Star. Much of this information can be applied to machines into the late 40's. The wiring diagram shows how it is laced together. This document is in PDF format. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

Evans Winterbook Parts Manual in PDF format.

An Introduction to Bally Slot Machines, Manual 6000 1979. This is a good primer for Bally electro-mechanical slot machines. Page 22 corrects the myth of how the slot machine got its name--it certainly wasn't what I thought. This manual, in PDF format, is 45 pages in length and it is broken down into five parts for easier downloading. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

National Slug Rejector and Coinco Service Manuals in .PDF format for some older equipment. Coin acceptors normally operate transparently, but they can surely be a nuisance when needing service or adjustment.

Mills Story and Catalog, Late '40s, an issue of Spinning Reels, has a brief history of Mills Novelty Co. with descriptions and depictions of then current Mills products. Ancillary equipment is described such as jack-in-the-box safes, regular safes, coin changers, coin counters and a bell machine tool set. In its day, the tool set cost about as much as a bell machine.

Jennings Chief Parts and Service Manual in PDF format. The scanned doucment was a poor copy so this is possibly just better than no manual at all.

Bally Slot Consoles parts list and description including Triple Bell and Deluxe Draw Bell. This includes pictorials of the reel assembly. A schematic for the Triple Bell is available from Internet Direct.

Bally Reflex Unit With Snap Switches used in Champion games through Serial No. 9053. They were not used in the companion game, Kentucky.

Slot Machine Par Sheet

Buckley Track Odds 1938 Machine description, troubleshooting, partsand diagrams. About 80 pages. The file number = page number.

Buckley Track Odds Circuit Tracing Guide for machines 12,000-12,500.

***Some electrical drawings are available for the Buckley Track Odds machines on request. They must be commercially reproduced.

Buckley Track Odds Remote Control installation instructions.

Bally Electro-Mechanical Slot Machine Manual. Covers Money Honey up to the 'computers' took over. The file numbers = page numbers in the manual.

Need more than a manual? Bally Electro-lMechanical Video Guide is available at nominal costs.Bally Electro-Mechanical Troubleshooting Reference. File 0000 is the index.

Find a Target store near you quickly with the Target Store Locator. Store hours, directions, addresses and phone numbers available for more than 1800 Target store locations across the US. We find 7 Target locations in Tucson (AZ). All Target locations near you in Tucson (AZ). Target in tucson closest to diamond casino. Tucson is home to Desert Diamond Casinos and Entertainment Sahuarita. Visitors appreciate Tucson for its top cultural attractions such as the museums and theater. If you're looking for things to do in the area, you might want to stop in and see Casino del Sol and Mission San Xavier del Bac. Hotels near Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita, Tucson on Tripadvisor: Find 13,113 traveler reviews, 30,730 candid photos, and prices for 30 hotels near Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita in Tucson, AZ.

Limited Bally Coil Reference in a zip file for quick download.

Wizard Of Odds Slot Machine Par Sheet Music

The Last of the Bingo Kings -- Not exactly the Sopranos.

Bally Victory Special Setup Instructions showing some adjustments available to the operator.

Be sure to check the Links page for additional resources.

Pace Slotmachine Manual. Print sheets 1 to 10, turn paper over and print sheets 11 to 20. Fold to make booklet.

Bally Citation and Lexington One Balls A schematic is also available, but too large to scan. Documents for Bally Trophy, Jockey Club, Turf King, Grandstand and Futurity are available on request.

Directions for Operating Mills Operator's Bell COK and FOK Mint Vender.

Bally Triple Draw Bell adjustments. Schematic and Relay/Switch chartsare available from Internet Direct Also available from Internet Direct are documents forBally Triple Bell, Bally Spot Bell, Bally Turf King and Kentucky.

Williams: An Introduction To Coin Operated Amusement Games This document is long --66 pages in .PDF format. Amusement machine components are discussed however many aspects apply to gambling machines. Schematics are explained. There is a lexicon of coin machine terms. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

Metal Forms Products Company I have not seen this company referenced anywhere on the WWW, however they manufacture hard to find mechanical slot parts for Mills, Jennings, Caille, Watling, etc. Their inventory includes vendors, springs, reel tins, discs, disc plugs, cash boxes, back doors, decals and back door paper for restoration. If you have been looking for a hard-to-find part to get your project working, you may find it here. The file number = catalog page.

Mike Munves catalogstill missing 4 pages. Here is a look back in history to 1956 and the machines available. All these games were before video games. The pricing is interesting. Keep in mind that a very good job in 1956 paid $500 monthly. There are 6 files in PDF format to facilitate downloading. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

This is a 16-page Mike Munves 1940 Catalog. The catalog was scanned from a b/w xerox copy of original (or perhaps another copy) and does not have very good detail. It does give a feel for what was then available. This file is in PDF format.

This Ray Oakes & Sons Amusement Trade Catalog from 1960 is of interest to our outdoor amusement friends. I do not believe that they are in business any longer.

Keeney Big Tent Manual. This is a flasher slot. I have the schematics but they are too large for my scanner. I can have them reproduced on request.

K. C. CARD CO CATALOG, 1960. This catalog is a textbook all its own in controlled gambling equipment. An 8-page supplement added near the middle of the catalog offered devices manufactured by H C Evans Co or their successors. The original H C Evans Co was liquidated in 1956 following the death of its owner. PDF format. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

Tax Matters.The operators were not without their hassles. From my experience with bingos, it is hard to believe the payoff percentages of the machines discussed. This document is in PDF format. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

H C Evans Co Catalog. For those who have never seen a copy, this catalog is a tell-all of controlled gambling and carnival equipment. If you ever thought that you were fleeced at a gambling game, you may find the answer here.

Evans Club, Park and Carnival Equipment with 1961 price list. This catalog was issued by the Evans Park & Carnival Device Corporation, successors to H. C. Evans & Co. I do not believe any catalogs of Evans equipment were published after this one. I do not know how long the company remained in business after 1961.

More for our outdoor amusement friends -- A collection of Wurlitzer Band Organ Music.

Games, Inc WILDCAT Service Instructions and Parts Catalog in a 10-page .PDF format document. Adobe's free Acrobat Reader may be obtained Here.

H C Evans 1909-1910 Catalog. This Evans catalog includes pages advertising sporting goods such as baseball gloves, firearms (a shotgun for $5) and fishing rods, reels and tackle.

Bally Series E Link Progressive System Operators Manual.

Mills Automatic Money Makers, a catalog of early Mills machines.

Caille Brothers Catalog of early slot machines and trade stimulators.

Mills Trade Stimulators catalog, early 20th century.

Wizard Of Odds Slot Machine Par Sheet Template

PEPLUS video poker machine info.

Program Summary Reports examples for some S Plus machines.

IGT Program Index.

Slot Machine Percentage Sheet

Williams Upright Video Slot information.

Understanding Slot Machine Par Sheets

Pot Of Gold manual.