Golden Touch Craps

I just realized something about myself. I am a dolt when it comes to slot machines. Yes, a complete and utter dolt. I have my fellow Strictly Slots columnist Frank Legato to thank for this revelation. He doesn’t know that he is the one who has allowed me to realize something very important about the slot machines – or, rather, the buying and/or renting of slot machines by the casinos’ slot directors.

Oh, yes, I know about the programming of slots as I’ve actually done consulting work for slot manufacturers; and, yes, I know about the (pseudo) RNG (random number generator); and I certainly know what a payback percentage means and how those various payback percentages translate into house edges on the various machines.

Yes, I also know what areas of the country have the best slot paybacks on various denominations thanks to the charts in magazines telling which areas have the lowest returns on the various machines. In some venues such as Atlantic City I even know what the paybacks are at distinct casinos.

Okay, so what didn’t I know about the slot machines?

In just about every issue of Strictly Slots, Frank Legato, a funny and insightful slot writer, describes many of the new and sometimes old machines. He explains how they are played and usually which manufacturers have made the machines. Then he informs us as to what locations have already booked these machines (or are about to book them).

That’s not the revelation. What grabbed my attention when I was last reading Frank’s section on the new machines was a single line that said: "Payback % Range." Under this Frank gave the manufacturers’ range of paybacks. That’s when I had my revelation!

I have read this line and the line under this line for years and it never dawned on me that it shouldn’t be the casinos’ choice as to what payback they have on these machines – it should be me – and you – and all slot players!

If new machines are hitting the floors, why shouldn’t they be the variety with the highest payback?

Let’s take a look at one machine of the hundreds that Frank has written about to get some idea of what I am talking about. The name of the machine is "Anything But Six" created by International Game Technology.

The "Payback % Range" goes from 85 percent to 98 percent. That’s a monstrous 15 percent house edge down to a mere two percent house edge. What do the outer edges of this payback mean in terms of your money? Well, at the 85 percent range, for every $100 you wager in the machine, your expectation is to lose $15. While the 98 percent machine is expected to lose you a mere (meaning tiny, measly, and relatively small) two dollars for every $100 you wager. That is some great difference isn’t it?

So what can you do about this? First, you must read my personal new guru Frank Legato’s slot machine articles each month. Then you must write letters to the casinos where these new machines are at asking, demanding, pleading with the casino to only install the highest percentage payback that the machine allows.

Yes, I’ll admit, a few letters night not sway the slot machine directors to make their machines as loose as they can possibly be – but thousands of letters might have a positive effect.

Here is a sample letter that you can use – adapt as you see fit:

Dear [Name of Slot Director]:

It has come to my attention that you have the [name of slot machine] as a part of your inventory or that you are planning to have that machine as a part of your inventory. According to Frank Legato of Strictly Slots magazine the range of possible paybacks is [give "Payback % Range"].

I am asking you to please use the highest possible payback on that machine. I think you will find that with more wins the players will in fact play longer at the machines, be more satisfied with their play, and keep coming back for more because they are getting a good deal at your casino. You can even advertise that you are giving the highest payback possible on these machines [give highest payback percentage] and that will make players know that you are giving them the best machine possible.

I really hope you follow my suggestion and let me know. If you do, I will be there to play as a loyal customer!

Yours truly,

Your Name

Okay, this is something new and unheard of. By using Frank Legato’s slot machine descriptions the citizens of the slot machine world, can now rise up and ask what we want – the best payouts on the machines!

And that is why I am a dolt because I never realized what this information could be used for. Thank you Frank!