Which casino has the loosest slots in vegas 2020
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This hotel and casino offers a variety of slot machines to choose from and often organizes a number of high-paying slot tournaments. First things first, there are some basic rules that can be applied in case you have never heard of loose slots before. One of them is that the more active a bank of slots is, the higher the chances are to get your money back. Usually, regular customers know which slots are the loosest, so it could be useful to first order a drink and just look around for some time.
Which casino has the loosest slots in vegas?
One of the most popular places to visit either before your wedding or for the wedding, las vegas certainly is on everyone’s bucket list.
Yet the main reason that brings people from different parts of the world to this fabulous city is definitely the vast number of hotels and casinos offering entertainment games on the highest possible level.
Although they are mainly created for the wealthy part of the population, no one will forbid you to enter a casino with a little less money. However, in that case, you should probably do quick research to learn all about the best establishments for your financial status.
The information you should look for doesn’t include only the cheapest accommodation or places to eat, but also which casino is most likely to return the money you have decided to play with.
This text will mainly be based on the game of slots — one of the most popular games in casinos for both novices and regulars, so if you are interested in finding out where you can find the best slots in vegas, you can start taking notes.
While you are here have a look at our slot youtube channel where we post regular live slot play videos from the vegas casino. Please subscribe to get notification whenever we post new videos.
So which casino has the loosest slots in vegas?
Before we provide you with a list of the best casinos for slots in las vegas, we would like to clarify a few things. A loose slot in one casino can be programmed at a payback of 99%, while the same slot in another casino will be programmed at 90% payback. The programming is not universal and almost always differs from one casino to another.
Also, do not expect that you will win every round with a loose slot. Though it might happen, it usually takes some time to get your winnings, even with the loosest slot that exists.
Now let’s get back to business. We have the NGCB reports, but they don’t examine casinos one by one. They do, however, break it with regards to geographical location. But don’t worry, we analysed it for you and organised the list of the casinos that you can follow to find your best slot game ever.
When it comes to the casino that has the loosest slots in vegas the only evidence we could find was the table ranks of las vegas casinos according to the looseness of their video slot machines. The returns are based on sampling only five different types of machines, although the information is dated and goes back more than two years.
The table includes seventy-one casinos in las vegas listed according to the loosest slots and we list some of the most renowned casinos and the RTP % of sampled slots indicated.
While you are here have a look at real money slots section if you are looking to play the same vegas slots for real money on your phone or on your computer.
Without further ado, find the list of casinos that has the loosest slots in vegas below:
#1 mandalay bay
RTP%: 88.87%
location: 3950 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89119
find it online: https://mandalaybay.Mgmresorts.Com
#2 bellagio
The casino provides more than 2,300 reels, video reels and video poker games, as well as progressives and jackpots.
RTP%: ??
Location: 3600 las vegas blvd S, las vegas, NV 89109, USA
find it online: https://bellagio.Mgmresorts.Com
#3 golden nugget las vegas
RTP%: 90.85%
location: 129 fremont street, las vegas, NV 89101
find it online: https://www.Goldennugget.Com/las-vegas
#4 luxor las vegas
RTP%: 91.92%
location: 3900 S. Las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89119
find it online: https://luxor.Mgmresorts.Com
#5 el cortez
RTP%: ??
Location: 600 E fremont st, las vegas, NV 89101
find it online: https://elcortezhotelcasino.Com
#6 the venetian las vegas
Here you will find more than 1,000 slot machines placed on two premier floors, and at least one of them has to be quite loose.
RTP%: 86.66%
location: 3355 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89109
find it online: https://www.Venetian.Com
#7 MGM grand las vegas
RTP%: 89.81%
location: 3799 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89109
find it online: https://mgmgrand.Mgmresorts.Com
#8 treasure island hotel and casino
RTP%: 89.32%
location: 3300 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89109
find it online: https://www.Treasureisland.Com
#9 harrah’s las vegas
RTP%: 89.32%
location: 3475 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89109
find it online: https://www.Caesars.Com/harrahs-las-vegas
#10 aria resort and casino
RTP%: ??
Location: 3730 S las vegas blvd, las vegas, NV 89158
find it online: https://aria.Mgmresorts.Com
A few other casinos
- Airport in 71st place 85.02%,
- Mermaids 88.26%
- La bayou 88.26%
- Rio 88.72%
- Mirage 89.03%
- Stardust 89.97%
- Silverton 90.57%
- Tropicana 90.71%
- Hilton 91.40%
- Boulder station 91.55%
- Hard rock 92.47%
- Slots a fun 92.65%
How do the slots work?
There is no surprise that all the casinos in the world usually have a lot of slots filling up every corner of the room. Players like slots since they bring a lot of excitement and are very easy to use.
They do not demand a particular skill or knowledge and have no complicated rules. Also, they require minimal investment in order to let you play, so you can keep yourself amused for a longer period of time.
In case you have wondered how slots work, the explanation is very simple. You put in the amount you want to play with, and after the machine registers it, you are good to go.
This will trigger the reels which hold different symbols to start spinning. Eventually, they will come to a halt, and you will get a combination of symbols that give a certain payout depending on how the pictures got lined up.
Now, the important thing to remember is that the house, a.K.A. The casino, always has the edge regardless of the type of game you play. It doesn’t matter if it is the good old dollar slot or a multi-reel penny machine, it is designed in a way that will always keep at least 2% of your money.
However, there is something you can do to give your winnings a little push: choose the loosest slots in the casino.
What is the loose slot?
To put it simply, it is the reason why so many players decide to put their money in this machine. Every slot machine gives a different percentage of payout, meaning that some give more than others. Therefore, all players have the same goal: finding the slot machine that pays more than the rest.
That is where the term loose slot comes into the picture. It is used to describe a slot machine that pays the highest percentage and does that frequently. Another term used for such slot machines is hot slots.
Another belief is that these loose slots also have the lowest edge. In other words, if some other slots always keep 5% of your financial input, these will keep less.
Of course, these findings can make you immediately pack your bags and fly to vegas to earn some money, but then the reason poses a question: how to find the loosest slots in vegas?
Can slots be loose after all?
You might be surprised, but the answer to this question is a big yes. Moreover, there are some tips and tricks that can help you find them in las vegas, and they are listed below.
First things first, there are some basic rules that can be applied in case you have never heard of loose slots before. One of them is that the more active a bank of slots is, the higher the chances are to get your money back. Usually, regular customers know which slots are the loosest, so it could be useful to first order a drink and just look around for some time.
Another saying you can often hear from the regulars is that the higher slot denomination brings higher and more frequent payouts. This basically means that a 100$ machine will, in the end, pay more than a penny-slot.
Then we have some new findings regarding the specific brands or slot games that carry the name of a famous movie. Those are said to pay quite less since the casino is also paying a fee for using the already patented product. Furthermore, the older machines are highly likely to pay more because they have already returned the money a casino invested in them.
Apart from these standard stories, there is something more convincing that can help you in your quest. Namely, all the casinos in las vegas have to report their revenue to the nevada gaming control board. This also includes information about the slot hold percentage. The board then reports the statistics regarding their casino industry in which we can find our answer.
Firsthand information
To make this guide completely real, we wanted to incorporate the response of the people who have visited las vegas and played slots at some of the best casinos in the world. We have checked the trip advisor and found some answers that support the casinos on our list.
Regarding the mandalay bay there are some good reviews:
My best luck on the strip over all has to be mandalay bay. In maybe a dozen stays, I’ve never walked away down more than a few hundred bucks, which is a win to me for 3 or 4 days of fun.
On the other hand, for somebody else, something different might work:
I think the term loosest is kinda relative. For me, I have had the best action on the strip for slots at bellagio and paris. I have also had some nice handpays at aria.
Of course, some people put their trust in the casinos which are located outside the strip, and had a good experience there:
I love this question! It is always fun to hear where people have had the most luck while in vegas! I always stay on the strip when I’m in vegas, but I never do any good playing there. I tend to play more downtown, or any local casino I can find. They are so much better! I love most casinos on boulder highway, and I love southpoint and silverton. But anyway…my biggest win on the strip was at excalibur, but other than that one big win, I don’t think I’ve ever done any good there. I usually can play a while and don’t lose too bad at harrah’s and wynn. The worst in my opinion is flamingo. I can’t win a dang thing there, and never have. All the others have been pretty much the same, win some, lose more….You know how it goes.
There are gamblers who believe that a person can have a dose of luck within themselves and that it has nothing to do with casinos or machines. However, from those that lose frequently, you can hear that there’s no such thing as luck and that the payouts are planned ahead.
Whichever belief you hold, only one is certain, and it is hidden in the name of casino games. They are not randomly called games of chance, and this is something you should always have in mind no matter if you find yourself in las vegas or any other gambling kingdom in the world.
Which las vegas casino has the highest average return slots?
Which are the best las vegas casinos for slots?
How many slots are there in nevada?
Do casinos in las vegas enjoy the same popularity now that players can gamble online?
Is macau casinos now competing with casinos in las vegas?
Doug holmes author
Doug is a passionate slot fan and an expert in the gaming industry and has written extensively about online slot games and various other related information pertaining to online slots. In his spare time, he enjoys time with friends and family, reading, travelling, and of course, playing the slots.
The best casinos to play loose slots on the las vegas strip
The infamous gambling capital, las vegas, is home to more than 100,000 slot machines. The old one-armed bandits have been around for nearly a century now, and over all that time, they’ve evolved to say the least.
Las vegas reigns supreme when it comes to the slots. The city’s epicenter shifted from downtown to present-day las vegas boulevard, and the strip is home to over 30 casino resorts. If your main focus is finding the best places on the strip to play slots, this page is for you.
Using the latest payback percentage rates, which are also known as return to player (RTP) rates, a team of gambling researchers from the university of nevada las vegas (UNLV) recently conducted a survey of every las vegas casino’s slot machine inventory.
Based on that payback percentage data, the list below presents the seven best places to play “loose” slots, or machines which offer a higher than average payback percentage, whenever you visit the heart of las vegas.
1 – circus circus hotel and resort
So, let’s start with the glass half empty side of the circus circus to get it out of the way… this place is kind of a dump.
The big top theme hasn’t been interesting in 20 years, and nothing else inside of the circus circus has been updated either. Renovations were announced in the latter half of 2019, but the décor at the time of this writing is significantly dated.
On the other hand, if you don’t mind “slumming it” for a spell, playing slots at the circus circus scoresan average payback percentage of 92.56%, the highest offered by any casino on the las vegas strip. And if you happen to have the family in town, circus circus is still the best casino in town in terms of non-gambling entertainment for the kids to enjoy.
The aptly named slots A fun has been a staple of old-school las vegas gambling for generations now, and this gritty gambling hall is home to a diverse collection of “classic coin machines.” these are the big iron boxes of old, which still take quarters and use a pull-lever to send the reels spinning. You’ll also find classic coin machines for $1 a spin over at the main casino.
Circus circus’ sterling 92.56% payback rate, which outdoes the strip’s overall average of 91.47% by more than a full percentage point, is bolstered by the popular magnificent 7 slot machine. This three-reel design classic produces an average payback rate of 97.4%, good for some of the most favorable slot machine odds out there.
The magnificent 7’s machine uses a $1 coin denomination, and because it pays out the $1,000 jackpot with such regularity, many slot fans exclusively play this game.
If you’re in the mood for a something a little different, take a whirl on the carousel, a spinning platform outfitted with penny slot machines and offers a great view of the daily circus performance.
2 – luxor hotel and casino
Even if you didn’t know its name, the luxor is likely the first casino resort on the strip to catch your eye during the initial after-hours excursion in sin city.
A gleaming black pyramid seemingly taken straight out of the egyptian sands and relocated to the mojave desert, the luxor hotel & casino is best known for shining a bright beam of light straight from its peak into the skies above. This obelisk of light can be seen from miles away, making it one of the dominant features of the strip’s skyline.
Head inside, and you’ll find more than 1,100 slot machines at the luxor, one of las vegas’ largest inventories. They collectively offer an average payback rate of 91.92%. The massive selection covers everything, from classic three-reel machines to modern video slots equipped with movable seats and sound effects, so slot players of all stripes will feel at home.
Coin denominations here range from $0.01 to $100, and those bets put players in the mix for jackpots that can eclipse the eight-figure plateau. As an MGM resorts operated casino, the luxor makes sure to spread all of the best progressive jackpot slot games, including megabucks, wheel of fortune, and millionaire 777’s.
3 – paris las vegas
If you’re loyal to caesars entertainment properties and their total rewards program, rather than MGM resorts and the M life card, you can head across las vegas boulevard to paris and find the exact same 91.92% overall payback rate.
The slot selection at paris is impeccable, with more than 1,700 different machines dotting the well-appointed casino floor.
Playing slots at paris is a treat in more ways than one, thanks to the property’s world-class dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
4 – excalibur hotel and casino
A step up from circus circus if you’re visiting las vegas with little ones, excalibur is famous for its medieval castle theme.
You’ll be greeted at the entrance by “town criers” dressed in traditional medieval garb, complete with old english dialogue all the rest. Every night sees the white and black knights battle it out in a full-on jousting tournament, while audience members munch on oversized turkey legs and swill wine from a goblet.
Indeed, the ambiance at excalibur is certainly unique to say the least…
As for the slot lineup, you’ll find hundreds of slots at excalibur, running the gamut from $0.01 to $100 stakes. All of the most popular machines are here too, including 88 fortunes, buffalo grand, dancing drums, monopoly hot shot, and so much more. All told, excalibur’s slot menu offers a 91.84% payback rate on average, good enough to beat the baseline for casinos along the strip.
One of the coolest things about playing slots at the MGM-owned excalibur is the seasonal tournaments that run once every month or so. Tournaments like the “excaliventure” or the “riptide reels” offer $25,000 prize pools in a unique format, as players try to spin their way to the highest profits over a given period of time.
5 – bally’s las vegas hotel and casino
The caesars-owned bally’s makes up for its worn-down appearance and generally uninspired interior with a long lineup of high-paying slots.
All told, the hundreds of slot machine games spread by bally’s combine for an average payback rate of 91.82%.
Bally’s is the definition of a “no-frills” casino at this point, so expect to find all of the slot industry’s staple titles and jackpots without much in the way of cutting-edge technology.
But while the machines here might be dated, the players grinding them have a much higher chance to win than across the street at bellagio, where the luxurious surroundings and fancy amenities mask one of the strip’s worst payback rates at 87.42%.
6 – O’sheas casino
If the vibe at bally’s is a no-frills affair, playing slots at O’sheas is like stepping into another world altogether.
This irish-themed casino within a casino is technically part of the LINQ, a relatively new addition to the strip’s landscape which was rebranded in 2014 by caesars entertainment. If you visited las vegas before that, you probably know the LINQ as the quad or imperial palace.
As for O’sheas, it previously occupied a location of its own near the flamingo before relocating to the LINQ in 2013. But moving didn’t do a thing to change O’sheas famous irish pub-inspired ambiance, which is best known for $1 drinks, beer pong tables, and an intimate setting.
The slots at O’sheas average a 91.48% payback rate, so even though the selection might be a bit limited compared to other venues on this list, you’ll still be above the strip average.
7 – new york-new york hotel and casino
Coming full circle, the new york-new york casino is what circus circus could be if the latter had any ambition.
This MGM resorts property boasts all of the “extras” gamblers today have come to expect, complete with cafes and restaurants, retail shopping outlets, a variety of bars, and in-house shows. Kids are welcome here too, what with a full-scale video game arcade, carnival games, and the famous roller coaster twisting and turning outside.
New york-new york is also home to more than 1,500 slot machines covering all the bases, including the ubiquitous brands shown below:
- Wheel of fortune
- Megabucks
- Jackpot party
- Blazing 7’s
- Top dollar
- Sex and the city
- Monopoly
- Goldfish
- Wizard of oz
Add them all up and you’ll find an average payback rate of 90.99%. That’s only 1.57% lower than the circus circus, making new york-new york the perfect alternative for sharp gamblers who know the value of a family-friendly casino that’s also safe and clean.
Conclusion
Playing the slots is a time-honored ritual among recreational gamblers, and for many visitors to las vegas, it’s the only game they’ll ever play. Knowing that any spin can potentially produce a life-changing jackpot sets the slots apart from more modest table games like blackjack and baccarat, and the thousands of themes ensure one session will seldom sound, look, and feel like the next.
Naturally, the slot scene along las vegas boulevard is just as eclectic as its multicultural-inspired skyline and carnival-like sidewalks. The games, stakes, themes, and jackpots span the spectrum from traditional to postmodern, but armed with this list of the seven best slot machine venues found on the strip, you’ll always enjoy the best odds around.
The best slots in vegas: where to go to win big
More in breaking news:
The first pit stop in las vegas for most visitors is usually a casino. Whether you are an experienced player on the casino floor or just starting, slot machines are the most profitable and entertaining games available.
Slot machines have proven to be popular among players time and time again. Casinos and other entertainment facilities are profiting tremendously from the revenues collected from slots.
The nevada gaming control board reports that the las vegas strip contained over 160,000 slot machines in 40 different locations in 2019, generating revenues reaching almost $270 million per month.
While these numbers are beneficial to the establishments and their operators, slot machines are also known to be the most profitable game in a casino for the user.
Slot machines, on average, have an RTP, or return to player, between 75% and 98%; in other words, for every dollar a player spends, the slot machine will yield about 75 to 98 cents right into their pocket.
Even with the high RTP and revenue, las vegas and other cities famous for their casinos fill their halls with slot machines because anyone can press a button.
Commitment is never a priority; the player can put down a small individual bet. A poker face is never required, neither is real skill, to win big.
However, research is still encouraged to profit off of slot machines at the highest level, such as reading on user experience on specific games and reading the RTP at each las vegas casino.
Return to player is perhaps the most critical factor in picking the best slot to play in vegas. The higher the RTP percentage, the more likely the slot will payout.
An amateur way to discover a slot’s RTP percentage is to test it with a bet. If a slot claims to have a 94% payout, then after a $100 bet, the payback would equate to about $94. While this may seem straightforward, this method does not fit every player.
Checking message boards and online threads, as well as comparison sites containing slots reviews, are a great way to find the best slots in vegas. Notable websites encourage players to share their experiences with slot machines; most of their reviews focus on the amount of cash they get to keep after playing.
Another tip to finding one of the better slots offered in las vegas is to look for promotions . By signing up to the casino’s player’s club, customers can access unique games, receive free slot plays, and gain eligibility to have freebies on their next visit.
Benefits are significant, especially when the rounds on the slot machines are free, increasing the already high payout.
The most profitable slots are coined as “loose slots” because they pay out the most amount of money to the player and are thus very desirable among customers.
A feature of profitable slot machines called “progressive jackpots” has become a popular way to transform a couple of hundred bucks to millions.
Progressive jackpots offer prize money compared to the national lottery games, which can easily make a millionaire in a single evening.
According to the nevada gaming control board , the dollar slots pay back an average of 95% of receipts, 25 cent slots payout 93% on average, and 5 cent slots give back 90% to the players.
The payout from slots at the downtown or other off-strip locations is one or two percent higher than those on the strip. Hotel-casinos frequented by locals, such as sam’s town, pay better than the tourist hotels in the city. Nevada residents well know that fact when they consider which facilities contain the best slots in vegas.
Moreover, the newer and more luxurious hotels are known for having the overall poorest RTP percentages.
Some of those hotels include the bellagio, venetian, mandalay bay, and the new wynn las vegas. Since the amenities of these hotels are off the charts, slot machines do not have to be the most profitable asset (at least to the player).
However, some of these lavish hotels offer great prizes and entertainment that makes a higher payout from the slot machine. The bellagio , for example, provides a slot tournament with 2,300 games as options. From jackpots and progressive features, the bellagio slot machines can grow small bets into millions.
Generally, the best slots in vegas are located in the older properties of the north strip.
Slot machines may look flashy and modern, especially themed slots, but that does not mean they have the highest payout. The more traditional and old-looking games may be a better money’s worth.
Much like the endorphin rush of a “win,” a good-looking slot machine can trick the brain chemistry into wagering more money than intended. With that in mind, a simple-looking slot should be considered to help players gamble responsibly and win big.
Rather than always playing star wars or avengers slot machines, players should have an eye out for the more dated and less appealing slot machines available on the casino floor. Many of them have substantial RTP rates and have stood the test of time.
One of these seemingly unappreciated slots is housed in slots-a-fun at circus circus casino in las vegas. The selection includes classics, such as “double diamond” and “red, white, and blue.” although they are not the flashiest, they are the best slots in vegas.
Slots-a-fun is a classic and exclusive casino that incorporates slot machines paired with an arcade, pool tables, bowling, and other forms of entertainment. Their slots have been proven time and time again as the machines to make the next big vegas winner.
As mentioned before, these slots are not located conveniently for the tourists on the strip . A general rule of thumb to follow: the more touristy the casino, the lower the payback on the slot machines.
While the las vegas strip has a win percentage of about 8%, the slots in reno and boulder have a more generous casino wins of around 5%.
Some of the casinos located in reno, boulder, and north vegas include eastside cannery, sunset station, M resort, jerry’s nugget, texas station, and boulder station.
Geographical location should not be the only consideration when looking for great slots. Some veteran gamblers and websites claim that corners within a specific casino itself have some of the better slot machines.
High traffic areas, such as near elevators, a front desk, aisles, showrooms, registration areas, etc., contain the loosest slots in the casino.
Some people do not even have to go to a casino to access a slot machine. An entertainment facility is perhaps the unrivaled source to use for the best slots in vegas.
Airports, convenience stores, and grocery stores are the first locations to avoid playing slot machines. Even though the majority are in clean and well-run establishments, they do not offer significant returns with their slot machines.
What these three different places have in common is that under nevada law the slot machines in airports, convenience stores, and grocery stores are entirely controlled by large corporations.
With that in mind, it should not be surprising that the slot machines in these facilities provide a much lower payout percentage than the typical slot found in a las vegas casino.
Even though convenience store owners can obtain a lease or purchase of slot machines, the nevada law changed in favor of larger corporations having control over the slots and their payouts.
Nevada grocery stores are the only place that can legally provide slot machines because they have leased the space through a larger company. Although they can offer marginally better odds than the former two, grocery stores should still be avoided when it comes to slot machines.
The loosest slot machines in the past 12 months have been megabucks and penny slots. Megabucks had the tightest slots at over 11% casino win percentage. Penny slots are the most popular denomination, even though their win percentage is not the most generous.
Megabucks offers some of the best slots in vegas with the highest winnings. In 2014, a man playing a megabucks slot machine in rampart casino hit a $14 million jackpot after playing for five minutes on a $20 bill when the slot paid off.
This payout is not the only one from a megabucks machine. Megabucks has produced life-changing jackpots for multiple players for over two decades.
Their slogan markets the casino’s accomplishments perfectly: “dream big. Win big”. Even with players only spending a $1 for a spin, there is always a chance of the jackpot prize of $10 million.
In addition to megabucks and slots-a-fun, there are plenty of casinos offering some of the best slots available in las vegas.
Many websites report O’shea’s, stardust, and older casinos located on the north side of the strip as the places to visit for great and profitable slot machine winnings.
The casino nearest to offering the loosest slots in las vegas is palms resort, which has an average game payout percentage of about 94%.
Lower payout slot machines also have distinct locations on the casino floor. Some of those include the leading slot machine on the floor, those near the table games, and close to the poker room. Since all of these areas have too much action, either from different games or other slots, the RTP does not have to be too high.
Furthermore, it is better to be aware of which specific slot machines should be avoided. The reason behind it is the exact opposite as to why the already mentioned slots are the best: the worst slots have a low percentage of payback.
Several slots have unfortunately been added to the universal list of worst slots found in las vegas, such as wish upon a jackpot by blueprint gaming, adventures in wonderland by ash gaming, and king kong by cryptologic due to their low RTP.
Different software companies specializing in slot machines have reputations that reflect off of the RTP’s. While some developments have been mentioned before for their low percentage payback, others are renowned for their slots having high RTP rates.
Playtech is one of the more famous software companies that develop successful and popular slot machines located in las vegas casinos. Games created by this company include: goblin’s cave, ugga bugga, and ocean princess. All offer reputable and above-average percentage payouts.
Other software companies known for distributing slots with high paybacks are barcrest, WMS, and netent.
In addition to palms casino and resort, there are other casinos in las vegas that have multiple slots maintaining an above-average payout.
Fitzgerald’s casino and hotel has established a favorable reputation for offering the loosest slots in downtown las vegas. Ranked regularly, the machines in fitzgerald’s that are given the best paybacks include reel, penny, and progressive slots.
Slot machines are incredibly entertaining, easy, and a great reason to visit a las vegas casino.
Although research is essential, in-depth research is not necessary unless you are wagering a significant amount of money. Specific slot machines should be sought out to cash in millions, which has been proven to be possible within five minutes of playing.
The different themes, bonuses, promotions, and prizes, prevent slot machines from ever becoming boring. For some lucky few, a slot will transform a single $5 bill to $5 million or more than that colossal amount.
With the press of a button, a slot machine can make an average player into a millionaire, or give the customer an affordable and responsible amount of fun on the las vegas casino floor.
With some of these tips that differentiate the better slots in las vegas, slot machines can become more of a calculated game than intended.
Overall, vegas is the numero uno destination to play slots in the united states. The key is to be wise and risk only as much as you can afford to lose.
It is essential to ask around and try some old slots that have a proven track record of wins. Don’t just be impressed with design and wager money in the excitement!
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How to find the loosest slots in a las vegas casino, guaranteed
Wouldn’t it be great to know the loosest slots in any las vegas casino? Well, you can, and it’s easier than you might think.
A “loose” slot, of course, refers to a machine that pays out frequently and in large quantities, every player’s dream. Those machines are also described as being “hot.”
In the parlance of casinos, loose slots can be said to have the lowest casino “hold.” the hold percentage is the part of a machine’s “coin in” that the casino keeps. Hey, these casinos aren’t going to carpet themselves.
The lower the hold percentage, the more a slot machine pays back to guests. The secret to finding the loosest slots in a casino, then, is knowing which machines have the lowest hold percentage.
Many believe this information is a closely-held secret, but here’s an easy way to find out which slots are the loosest: ask someone who knows.
Crazy, right? Every casino with slot machines has a slot manager, often called the slot operations manager. This person, who you will never see without a suit and tie (yes, they tend to be male), knows precisely what the hold percentages are for given machines, or more typically for banks of machines.
It’s the slot manager’s job to monitor how machines are performing, if they’re delivering sufficient profit to the casino given the space they take, if new machines are needed, where they should be placed on the casino floor and myriad other duties.
If you want to know which slots in a casino are the “loosest,” simply ask a slot manager.
These are some of the loosest slots at the D las vegas. How do we know? We asked.
Ask anyone on the floor if the slot manager is available to chat. Slot attendants and cocktail waitresses can be very helpful tracking them down. Hint: be professional and courteous.
Introduce yourself to the slot manager and let them know you’re interested in locating the slots with the lowest hold percentage on the floor. Slot managers are busy people, so while there’s no harm in schmoozing, don’t be shy about getting to the point.
In most cases, a slot manager will either point you toward a bank of machines or escort you there. Express your appreciation accordingly, and it’s time to play!
That’s it. No, really. It’s that easy.
All this begs the question: why would a casino employee tell a player the best-playing slots in the casino?
Simple: casinos just want people to play, they don’t care which machines they play on.
Why? Because no matter which machine you play, the house has the advantage. It’s built right into the machine’s microprocessor. Even if a machine has a great payback percentage, say 98%, it will keep $2 for every $100 put into the machine. Many machines keep significantly more.
As a rule, slots are looser at locals casinos than downtown casinos, and both pay back more than slots on the strip. The more you know.
Now, if you can’t locate a slot manager, you can fall back on tried-and-true ways to find the best-paying slots.
A solid rule-of-thumb is the more active a bank of slots is, the higher the payouts tend to be. Casino regulars see patterns, so follow their lead.
It’s also good to know that the higher the machine’s denomination, the more generous and frequent the payouts. For example, a $5 coin machine is going to have a higher payout percentage than a quarter machine, and so on.
Go big or go home. It’s vegas!
And finally, don’t discount the advice of those slot attendants and cocktail waitresses we mentioned. They, too, can see patterns in machine payouts. They may not be privy to the same information a slot manager has, but they can often point you toward the machines showing signs of being “hot.”
The next time you’re in a casino, remember our simple tip for finding the loosest slots: ask a slot manager.
And remember to have fun when you play. That way, whether lady luck is in the mood or not, you’re always a winner.
Share some vegas.
12 thoughts on “ how to find the loosest slots in a las vegas casino, guaranteed ”
Why would he escort you to a 98% bank, when he could escort you to a more-profitable 96% bank?
Because casinos understand customer service and building trust can mean long-term loyalty. Worth a try, right?
I guess, but my point is, you don’t know if the bank he leads you to is 98% or 96%. And if you have a terrible run at that recommended 98% bank, seems all customer service is lost, because too many customers expect some success in that scenario. How will they feel about the other banks? Might even lose a customer for good over it. I just think it’s too risky. Best to just put out the highest payout machines you can afford, and let it ride.
I’ve always felt that the more entertainment you get on a machine, including the down time waiting for the songs, videos, etc, to play through, the higher hold the house can get by with. Look for the basic machines like double diamond, red white blue, etc, because more money will get run through them, over the same amount of time. Casino will gladly give back some of that, through a slightly lesser hold.
Good article and discussion.
I remember a so called gambling expert once said the nicer the carpet the tighter the slots. Probably some truth to it.
I game a lot on video poker at M, silverton and hard rock. I am gonna try this technique. Will let you know…
SLOTS: significant losses over time, suckers!
This is really good advice and worth a try. Good slot managers/slot directors will listen to players and attempt to help them out. If they point you to “a good paying bank of machines”, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to jackpot on one. You may not even hit a bonus. It’s still all up to the RNG. Some probably won’t be social however, which should give you a sign right then.
Coushatta casino in kinder, LA has what I think is the best slot director of any casino I’ve ever played in. Warren davidson is always asking players what they like, don’t like and helping us out to have a good time and hopefully win. He knows what the hold are, but that again doesn’t guarantee a win or loss in the short time I’m playing.
In the trips I’ve made there, he’s always available to speak with, answer questions and listen. It’s my favorite casino to play at because of that.
This is decent advice, with some caveats in my view.
There is zero risk that a slot manager would or could be held accountable for giving you blatant misinformation. You’re totally at the mercy of a casino employee who mind you (no matter how friendly he/she is), is richly incentivized and pressured to maximize the casino’s hold percentage. I simply don’t believe that EVERY slot manager is going to give you “good information”. Now, do I believe that the guy at the D would? Yes.
So if you follow this advice….As long as enough of them don’t point you to a bank of 85% machines…and the majority give you a solid recommendation, this would probably be better than sitting down at a random machine.
Also, I think anecdotal information from waitresses and other players would statistically be of almost no value. They may be able to separate a high volatility machine from a low volatility machine…that can be apparent relatively quickly. But if we’re talking looseness (pure payout percentage), that can only be calculated by tens of thousands of spins being meticulously tracked. I’ve never seen a player actually doing that in any type of scientific way. If they were, I imagine the same casino manager might back them off.
Thank for this, do you think this is still effective I mean, will the slot manager still tell us players where’s the loosest slot machines is?
Thanks, for general info. Black jack is of course the best game but I can get drunk with slots (as long as the payout is decent, build up free room and food) and go to bed feeling ready to concentrate on cards the next day. I’m tried after poker or BJ intensity and usually only have 1 or 2 beers max. So hopefully this will improve my mindless gaming a little bit
Thanks for the advice. Simple and definitely worth a shot.
My strategy is looking for slots with must hit by progressives and playing them when the progressive is large enough so the the payback is over 100%.
Which casino has the loosest slots in vegas in 2020?
If you are planning to go to las vegas and try out everything that it has to offer, and you simply want to inform yourself about the places to go to maximize your gain, you’re in the right place. Las vegas can be so dazzling that you can fall in love with it the moment you step your foot on its ground. It is one of the most popular cities in the world to visit before the wedding or go tie the knot, but, of course, the most popular thing it is known for are the magnificent casinos that offer unique thrill and excitement that is not easy to find anywhere else.
Where to go to find the loosest slots?
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Before you start hitting the slots, there are a few things that you should know. Some slots in casinos are programmed to a 99% payback, while the others may be programmed at just 90%. Programs differ and it depends from the casino you go to. Even if you find a loose slot, you cannot expect to win every time. Take your time and try not to get frustrated even if you don’t win right away. Here is the list of the casinos with the loosest slots in las vegas.
Mandalay bay has more than 1,200 slot machines where you can play, but it is also interesting that the players get the chance to collect coins during playing the slots and then use them later for shopping. They have high limit slots and progressive slots where you can play. High limit slot rooms offer to the players a personalized and very unique experience. It is a place to go if you want to get huge jackpots, but also to enjoy luxury while playing. Progressive slots give enormous payouts of up to one million dollars. So, how about that? Go, enjoy the great experience, play your favorite slot and go back home with your pockets filled with cash.
Bellagio has various slot machines that the players can choose from, but they also organize the tournaments with great prizes for playing on slot machines. It also provides a great experience and service. You will be served by good looking waitresses that treat all the players with free drinks, so your entire experience will be pleasant. Bellagio has the newest slots, but also various table games if you choose to try something else.
Golden nugget las vegas offers the newest slot games that customers request and various amounts on slot machines that start from one cent to thousands. Their slots are known for paying out big prizes and players win every time they play. How great is that? Well, if you ask us, that is pretty amazing! What is special about this casino is that there is an ATM for gold.
If you decide to invest the money you won, you can get grams of gold to walk away with. Of course, you can invest it right back and increase your winnings. The great thing is that the price of the gold gets determined in real-time and when you select the size you want, you have 10 minutes available to decide if you want the proceed with the purchase or continue playing on the slot machines.
Luxor las vegas has one of the greatest winnings for playing on slots in las vegas. They use “reel” slots, but also have the newest video slots. They are known for great prizes and overall enjoyment while playing. It is definitely worth the visit. If you want to try your luck with online slots before going, click here slotpark.Com
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El cortez slots are more than 40% looser than the average on the las vegas strip, which is why it is favorite for many players who wish to get some money and enjoy while playing. One player even hit the jackpot of one million dollars, which made him a millionaire in record time. There are also various promotions that enable the player to get additional points for playing. Make sure you try them and enjoy some pretty big prizes!
The venetian las vegas is one of the most luxurious hotels in las vegas and one of the best ones, so if you choose to go to this hotel and try your luck you will find thousands of slot machines and enjoy great awards. They are placed on two casino floors, so you can play on numerous slots available and choose one of the most popular games you want to try out. High limit slots give the player a chance to bet $5000 for a spin. The experience of playing slots doesn’t only have to be about winning huge prizes, even though this is truly important, but it can also be a great opportunity to enjoy the game. Also, players get an extraordinary service that contributes to the overall experience that you will remember for a long time.
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MGM grand las vegas has an impressive collection of slots that have brought luck to many players so far. MGM is known for giving the biggest jackpots to the players in las vegas. These slots are very popular because they are very easy to play, so you can win big only by pushing the button, which is a pretty exciting experience.
Once you decide to go to las vegas, make sure you visit these casinos and see how lucky you are by playing some of the loosest slots that sin city has to offer. If playing poker, texas hold’em or blackjack is simply not your thing, but you still want to feel the rush of gambling in the best gambling city in the world, then playing slots is the perfect opportunity to win big by investing small amounts of money. Also, make sure you sign up for promotions because this is one way of increasing your chances of winning big.
Loose slots in vegas & high-paying casinos
… and casino draws (bewares). Finding loose slots in vegas, or higher-paying casinos can make your money last longer and improve your winning changes (first part of this page). At the same time, beware of all those casino draws because you may just waste a lot of money for nothing (second part of this page).
Slot machines are great fun and vegas (especially the most fun casinos or those who keep their casino floor up to date and, above all, with a large variety of machines) offers plenty of fantastic, fun, exciting slot machines.
But you can easily sit at a slot machine and lose hundreds of dollars in a short while without even realizing it… and that’s on just the penny slots! You can lose a lot more at the higher denomination slots! We have developed a basic strategy to maximize our wins but all in all on the strip you have to be careful if you want to avoid losing large sums of money.
The best places to play used to be, traditionally, downtown or anywhere off-strip, generally considered areas with a better chance of offering loose slots in vegas; if you actually wanted your money to last longer or to improve your chances of winning. But, lately, we noticed that this is not necessarily so. In fact, we have won at cosmopolitan quite easily and several times (though this may well be an anomaly); we have also won at MGM grand lately and we often do very well at the excalibur casino (to name but a few). Off strip, gold coast is hit and miss and the orleans, once great, seems to have become a bit too ‘greedy’. Silverton (nice and modern) too seems to want to pay for its expansion through its patrons’ donations much faster these days. El cortez, one of the cheapest (yet perfectly decent and clean) vegas hotels often advertises having ‘loose slots in vegas’ (by as much as 40 per cent) and about having won the award for best paying casino in vegas a couple of years ago. In 2013 we did very well at el cortez but, on our last 3 visits, there was not one slot machine that paid anything significant (and we played consistently throughout the night to test most of them): this, coupled with the fact that the ‘rewards’ given at el cortez are not as enticing as the ones given at mirage (as example of a worthwhile resort in which to play), makes it hard for us to justify playing at el cortez (sorry!), which is a huge shame because they offer incredibly affordable (and decent!) rooms. (we have several videos of el cortez standard rooms, by the way, start by visiting our vegas real videos and asking us for any video you cannot find (we have thousands!).
Moreover, the slots at el cortez are not the newest nor the fanciest (although they do have some new machines and games too, of course), so I would not necessarily recommend you go downtown to try your luck here. Our experience at golden nugget casino, which has a very cheerful atmosphere most times given its fan base, has been quite pitiful compared to even wynn or venetian on the strip! Generally speaking, off-strip casinos should pay out a bit more to entice local traffic but, given our latest experiences, I’d say that keeping to a gambling technique may be better than hoping for lose slots in vegas.
Part 2. Casino draws in vegas
many casinos run events where you win the right to a draw or a competition through the a mount of points you accumulate playing (using your players card). These casinos are very popular amongst the locals and it’s clearly a way to attract those who can regularly frequent those establishments, keeping them coming week after week. Gold coast is one of those, with special days where players amass ten times the amounts of points per play, each score contributing to the number of tickets they will have for the weekly draw. It sounds great on paper but, as a visitor, you will have almost no chance of winning:
This because ‘higher-score’ players will automatically accumulate twice or three times the amount of points (its part of their rules) and, to become a higher-score player you will need to have so many points that only a local can manage to do this, or someone gambling thousands and thousands of dollars in one week’s visit.
Entering and playing for such competitions will keep visitors glued to those slot machines and frankly I think they run the risk of spending too much time and money gambling for nothing. I would not recommend it.
El cortez has its own draws and daily slot competitions which appear to be managed in a much fairer way for everybody, and gaining the right to participate requires a lot less gambling. If you want to know more about loose slots in vegas and other slot strategies, check our page on slots myths and facts.
How to gamble in vegas casinos
How to find the loosest slot machines in any casino
Slot machines often get a bad rap from gambling writers. But the truth is, slot machines are the perfect gambling activity for certain types of people. They’re easy to understand, they’re easy to play, and they offer the possibility of big winnings.
The unicorns that most gamblers are looking for in the casino, though, are the loosest slot machines. What does that mean?
When a gambler describes a slot machine as “loose” or “tight,” she’s usually referring to the payback percentage for the game. Slots with a higher payback percentage than average are loose, while slots with a lower payback percentage than average are tight. Loose slots usually have a higher hit ratio than tight slots, too.
You’ll find plenty of inaccurate information about how to find the loosest slot machines in the casino. I try to avoid most of those inaccuracies in this post, but I do want to begin with a warning:
The probabilities involved with slot machines are “opaque.” that means you don’t have any way of knowing what the payback percentage for any particular slot machine game is. The random number generator that determines the outcomes is programmed to have each symbol come up with a certain probability, but there’s no way of knowing if that number has been set to 1/6 or 1/60. Even observing a large number of spins only provides limited insight into these probabilities.
You do know what the payouts are for the various combinations. But since that’s only half the equation, you can’t really know whether a game is loose or tight except anecdotally. I’m going to assume that anecdotal evidence has some value, but in terms of math, science, and statistics, anecdotal has no value at all.
1- look for the loose slot machines in the locations where loose slot machines are found
Casino mapping is a real thing, but it’s not as simple as some gamblers would have you believe. If finding the loose slot machines were as easy as just playing the games located nearest the walkways, everyone would play those games to the exclusion of the other games.
That being said, it might be worth giving those games a try if they look like fun. They’re not more likely to be tighter than the other machines than any other game on the casino floor.
I’ve read that some areas in the casino have lower payout machines than others, and it might be wise to avoid games in those areas. These might include:
- The main slot machine floor. These games probably see the most action, so it would make sense for them to have lower payback percentages.
- Near the table games. These games see more than their fair share of action, too. The same reasoning would apply.
- Near the poker room. I’ve seen some gamblers swear that these are the worst machines in the casino. You have to wonder about a poker player who spends a lot of time playing slots, though.
Of course, there are other locations where the loosest machines might be located. Depending on whom you believe, these might include:
- Anywhere that gets more traffic than usual. For example, if a slot machine is located near the elevators, it might have higher payouts to attract play from someone who might not otherwise play.
- Anywhere that another gambler recommends. This is, of course, the classic mistake—relying on anecdotal evidence. It’s possible, though, that you might find a slot machine player who’s been paying close attention and knows where the loose machines are.
In fact, that leads me to my next point…
2- don’t be afraid to ask
The obvious person to ask about the location in the casino of the loosest slot machines is someone who works there. This isn’t a guarantee that she’ll be able to direct you to a loose machine, but she might have some insight based on her observations. Depending on how long she’s worked at the casino, she’s probably seen tens of thousands of even hundreds of thousands of gamblers over her career there. She might have noticed that a lot of them seem to be winning on slot machines in a certain location.
If you’re dealing with a cocktail waitress, it’s a good idea to tip generously. For that matter, no matter what they do at the casino, if they try to help you find a loose gambling machine, tip them. At some casinos, employees are forbidden from suggesting specific games. Sometimes you’ll find casino employees who just don’t want to be bothered with such concerns, too. Don’t be a jerk if that’s the case.
3- don’t play slot machines that AREN’T in casinos
In towns like las vegas, slot machines are everywhere, in all kinds of businesses. Every bar in the city seems to have some slot machines. The airport is full of slot machines, too. You can even find slot machines in the gas stations and convenience stores.
We know one thing for certain about slot machine games in these non-casino locations:
Casinos, on the other hand, are competing with other casinos for the mindshare and hard-earned dollars of the casino gamblers. Since they’re in competition with the other casinos, they must offer payback percentages that are as good as their competitors’ or better.
This is one ironclad rule for finding the loosest slot machines in the casino:
ONLY play slot machines in a casino, not the slot machines in other businesses. That’s as good a starting point as any. The difference could be as significant as the difference between a 94% payback percentage and a 74% payback percentage.
Assuming you’re a conservative, low-stakes player, here’s the difference in predicted hourly loss between those 2 examples:
- Assume 400 spins per hour at $1.25 per spin, for $500 per hour in action.
- A game with a 94% payback percentage will see predicted losses of $30/hour.
- A game with a 74% payback percentage, though, will see predicted losses of $130/hour.
If that difference doesn’t seem significant to you, what are you doing playing penny slots anyway?
4- look for the plainest, most boring games with the fewest paylines
Generally, the slot machines with lots of paylines have lower payout percentages. They’re able to compensate for this psychologically by having a high hit frequency. With 25 paylines, you might win something on almost every spin, even if it’s an amount lower than the amount you wagered in total.
For example, you might be playing a penny game with a max bet of 5 coins and 25 paylines. You’re betting $1.25 every time you spin the reels. Many times, 1 or 2 paylines might win, but the payout on those bets might only be 50 cents. That’s a lot compared to the nickel you bet on that individual payline, but you bet on 25 paylines, remember?
Since such games have no bonus features or bells and whistles, the casino can afford to have them pay out more than the big fancy games. I had a lot of fun on the big lebowski slot machines recently, but I can’t even imagine what such a big impressive game like that must cost a casino. The cost of the machine alone must be outrageous.
5- stick with the flat top slot machines
Slot machines can be broadly lumped into 2 different categories:
A flat top slot machine is a game with a jackpot (top prize) of a fixed amount. This amount is usually 1000 times the size of your bet, give or take.
For that matter, you probably won’t get rich playing progressive slots, either. The odds of winning the jackpot are just terrible, comparable to playing the lottery. Sure, some people win the lottery. But I can’t imagine playing a game with a house edge that large repeatedly, hundreds of times per hour.
6- play the highest denomination game you can afford
You’d probably be surprised to know that penny slots are often as expensive to play (or even more expensive) than dollar slots. Here’s why:
Most penny slots require you to wager 5 credits or more per spin. It’s also hard to resist betting on multiple paylines. It’s easy to find a game with 5 coin bets on each line and with 25 paylines. Before you know it, you’re betting $1.25 on every spin.
But you could switch to a dollar slot machine and probably do a lot better. For one thing, you could just bet a dollar per spin on a single payline. Now you’re betting less per spin than you were on the quarter machine. But what’s really impressive is the difference in payback percentage.
Suppose you play 600 spins per hour on that penny machine. You’re putting $750 in action each hour–$1.25 per spin multiplied by the 600 spins per hour. With an 88.49% payback percentage, in the long run, you’ll average $663.68 back per hour. That’s an average loss per hour of $86.33.
No play those same 600 spins on a dollar machine, betting only a dollar on each spin. That’s $600 in action multiplied by 92.63% to get an average payback amount of $44.22. You’ll lose HALF the money on the dollar slot as you would the penny slot! That’s a significant difference, and one you should take note of.
Just be careful and read the pay tables. Slot machines vary a lot from one machine to another, and you should always play enough coins to activate the biggest jackpot. If the ratios change based on playing for fewer coins, you want to avoid that game or bet max coin. You might be surprised at how many slot machines DON’T require you to place a max coin bet, too, though.
7- try online slot machines
Since online casinos don’t have all the brick and mortar expenses of land-based casinos, their games sometimes offer higher payback percentages. You must balance this with the trustworthiness of the casino, though. Some internet casinos are notoriously hard to cash out of.
Of course, if you stick with the casinos recommended on this site, you probably won’t have to worry about that. Our team of casino reviewers and researchers has thoroughly vetted the properties we list here on our site.
And if you take how competitive they are as a measure for how loose their games must be to attract customers, you’ll find that the casinos on the web are even more competitive than the casinos in las vegas.
8- track your results and make some assumptions
I recently visited a casino and tracked my results carefully on a machine. Of course, there’s nothing especially scientific about 200 spins on a machine, but you’re still operating from more data than most players if you do this.
It’s not hard to project a payback percentage, either. Start by writing down how much money you put in the machine. Then count how many spins you make on that machine. When you cash out of the machine, take a note of how much you’ve lost. You multiply the number of spins you made by how much you were betting per spin. You divide the total amount of money you lost by how many spins you made. Then you know the average loss per spin and can convert it into a payback percentage.
In my case, I was betting $1.25 per spin, so I put $250 in to action over 200 spins. I lost $50, which amounts to 25 cents per spin. 25 cents divided by $1.25 is 20%, which is the house edge. The payback percentage is the amount you get to keep—in this case, 80%. (you just subtract it from 100%.) your goal is to find a payback percentage that’s better than average. Tracking your results this way also makes playing slot machines more interesting, because you have something to pay attention to.
Gambling at a casino—especially on slot machines—should be considered an entertainment expense. Budget for it accordingly, and if you occasionally win, great. But don’t count on it.
Loosest slots
Our 13th annual guide to the best slot paybacks in the nation
By frank legato
Welcome to the 13th edition of our annual “loosest slots” awards. This is where we tell you the casinos and regions in north america that have, for the past year, given their players back the highest percentage of the money put into their slot machines.
As we do every year, we first mark the occasion with the story of how the awards—and the concept of “loose slots”—got started. Players, in fact, began referring to slots as “loose” or “tight” in response to information first published by player. Shortly after the magazine published its first issue in 1988, our editors decided to take the information publicly reported by regulatory agencies (only two at the time, in nevada and new jersey) on slot “hold” or “win”—the percentage of slot wagers kept by the casino as profit—and presenting it in a way that would be useful to slot players.
CP took the reported hold percentages and reversed them to show the “payback percentage”—the percentage of slot wagers returned to the players in jackpots. The regulatory agencies reported the information to the public every month, so we began publishing monthly charts showing slot payback in nevada and atlantic city. The charts grew as the industry grew, to include every new riverboat and native american jurisdiction as their payback numbers became public.
Before long, players were referring to casinos with low slot paybacks as “tight.” generous casinos inevitably became known as having “loose slots.”
It didn’t take long for the casinos to get over their initial misgivings about having their generosity logged by a magazine, and to start considering “loose” as a potential marketing hook. Billboards began to herald “loose slots” as something to differentiate one casino from another.
And, when player began tallying up each year’s actual payback numbers for annual “loosest slots” awards, the awards themselves became badges of honor, to be shouted from billboards and advertisements.
Annual calculations of the loosest slots by casino and jurisdiction are recognized as a much better gauge of casino payback policy than examining the charts from any single month. It takes several months for slots on the floors to reach payback numbers similar to their theoretical settings. One month’s actual numbers will often reveal short-term aberrations—such as a single-month percentage exceeding 100 percent, for instance, if there happened to be several large jackpots.
Four or five months offer a much more accurate picture of slot payback, and a year’s worth of actual numbers gives a fairly accurate picture of a casino’s payback policy.
The numbers you find in the following pages will show you where the loosest slots are in 2006, based on the percentage numbers reported over the past 12 months. Before we give you this year’s highlights, there are questions that our readers always ask concerning this subject which we feel should be addressed up front.
First, a word on the nature of payback percentage: it is a long-term number that does not reflect the odds of any one player of winning or losing in the short term. A 100 percent payback percentage does not mean you win every time. It means that, over time, that machine will return as much in jackpots as it takes in wagers. The flip of a coin is 100 percent payback. Over time, it will come up heads as many times as it comes up tails.
Nevada and a few other jurisdictions publicly report their percentages by region rather than individual casino. In the case of nevada, the sheer number of casinos makes individual casino listings impractical, so the state breaks the numbers into regions including reno/tahoe in the north, and six sub-regions of clark county in the south—las vegas strip, downtown, boulder strip, laughlin, north las vegas, and balance of county.
Next, it is possible that the jurisdiction in which you play is not included in the listings—particularly if the casinos you frequent are native american casinos. Not all casinos are required to report their hold percentages publicly, and if they are not required to make those numbers public, the casinos view the percentages as proprietary information, and will not reveal them to us or anyone else.
Finally, no, pennies are not yet broken out in our payback percentage charts. The penny phenomenon hit the slot business so quickly that the regulatory agencies have not yet caught up. Though they are probably played by at least as many players as choose the nickel denomination, the agencies have not yet broken their payback numbers out of the “other” category that includes dimes, half-dollars and two-cent denominations. We can only report and analyze what is made public. When penny numbers are made public, you will have them.
So who gets the crown as having the loosest slots in 2006? Not who you may think. This year’s survey reveals some firsts.
For the first time in more than a decade, our survey shows that the loosest slots in america are not in nevada, and that the loosest slots in nevada are not in clark county.
For years, we have been reporting the loosest slots in the nation can be found in the locals casinos surrounding las vegas—in the northeast suburbs (“north las vegas” on the charts), along the boulder strip, and in other off-strip areas of clark county.
A survey of percentages for the past 12 months shows that the loosest slots in the nation are in illinois, at the casino queen riverboat casino in east st. Louis. Casino queen has been in the top 3 in our survey before. This year, the riverboat casino hotel beats them all, returning 95.13 percent of all slot wagers to players in jackpots over the past 12 months.
Casino queen was the only place in the nation to record overall slot payback percentage for the year that exceeded 95 percent. Congratulations to these folks for giving more back to players than anyone else.
No. 2 on our loosest slots list was in nevada, but not in the las vegas valley. This year, the second-loosest slots in the nation—and the loosest in nevada—are in the reno/tahoe area, with 94.96 percent of wagers returned to players. That was enough for reno to squeak by our third-place finisher nationwide, the boulder strip—the group of properties along boulder highway in southeast las vegas that includes sam’s town, boulder station and arizona charlie’s boulder.
There were few surprises elsewhere in our survey this year. In atlantic city, borgata turns in the highest payback again—the third loosest slots award in the resort’s three years of existence—returning 92.51 percent of wagers. Close behind were trump plaza at 92.25 percent and trump taj mahal at 92.15 percent.
Everywhere else, there were repeat winners: president in missouri; new orleans in louisiana; cripple creek in colorado; mohegan sun in connecticut; casino queen in illinois; argosy in indiana; the gulf coast in mississippi; prairie meadows in iowa; and lac-leamy in quebec.
A few tidbits within the numbers: although failing for the second year in a row to reach our top three (after six years as number one), north las vegas does have the loosest dollar slots in the nation, returning a hefty 96.49 percent of wagers to players last year. The highest annual payback number on our chart was 97.25 percent, returned by $5 slots at the lakeside casino resort in iowa. The “lowest loosest” number was 89.22 percent, returned by nickel slots at foxwoods.
As always, our loosest slots results are certified by the ventnor, NJ, accounting firm rimm, lavinsky, horowitz and pollard LLC.
To all of our loosest slots winners, congratulations from casino player. You have proven you know how to give slot players a fair shake.
Atlantic city
5¢
borgata 90.74
trump marina 90.33
trump taj mahal 89.93
25¢
harrah’s 92.63
AC hilton 92.19
showboat 92.18
50¢
harrah’s 94.15
trump plaza 93.02
trump marina 92.40
$1
trump taj mahal 93.98
trump marina 93.35
bally’s park place 93.23
$5
trump plaza 95.77
trump taj mahal 95.15
AC hilton 94.80
Overall
borgata 92.51
trump plaza 92.25
trump taj mahal 92.14
Connecticut
5¢
foxwoods 89.22
mohegan sun 89.20
25¢
foxwoods 91.00
mohegan sun 90.21
$1
foxwoods 92.44
mohegan sun 92.13
$5
foxwoods 94.34
mohegan sun 93.76
Overall
mohegan sun 91.48
foxwoods 91.46
5¢
cripple creek 93.54
black hawk 93.16
central city 92.84
25¢
black hawk 94.99
cripple creek 94.99
central city 94.64
$1
central city 95.53
cripple creek 95.30
black hawk 95.27
$5
black hawk 95.83
cripple creek 95.46
central city 94.53
overall
cripple creek 94.29
black hawk 94.15
central city 94.04
5¢
casino queen 93.18
alton belle 92.72
jumer’s casino 92.31
25 cent
alton belle 95.03
casino queen 95.02
jumer’s casino 94.94
$1
casino queen 96.25
alton belle 95.39
harrah’s joliet 95.29
$5
alton belle 97.14
casino queen 96.94
empress joliet 95.81
Overall
casino queen 95.13
alton belle 94.11
grand victoria 93.83
5¢
caesars 90.47
belterra 90.24
argosy 90.17
25¢
trump 93.64
belterra 93.42
caesars 93.32
$1
argosy 94.70
trump 94.58
majestic star 93.95
$5
argosy 96.55
trump 96.36
caesars 95.40
Overall
argosy 93.32
caesars 92.53
belterra 92.44
5¢
mississippi belle 2 93.00
diamond jo 92.29
prairie meadows 92.06
25¢
diamond jo 94.48
isle of capri bettendorf 94.29
mississippi belle 2 94.07
$1
prairie meadows 95.76
argosy of sioux city 95.58
rhythm city 95.28
$5
lakeside 97.25
argosy of sioux city 96.45
isle of capri marquette 96.25
Overall
prairie meadows 93.69
diamond jo 93.20
dubuque greyhound
park & casino 93.08
5¢
new orleans 91.24
baton rouge 91.07
shreveport/bossier 90.03
25¢
new orleans 93.03
baton rouge 93.03
lake charles 91.99
$1
new orleans 94.66
baton rouge 94.22
shreveport/bossier 93.76
$5
new orleans 95.83
baton rouge 95.25
shreveport/bossier 93.78
Overall
new orleans 92.78
shreveport/bossier 92.40
baton rouge 92.25
Mississippi
5¢
coastal region 92.23
south river region 91.76
north river region 90.38
25¢
coastal region 94.34
south river region 93.39
north river region 92.76
$1
south river region 95.70
coastal region 95.23
north river region 95.20
$5
north river region 95.94
south river region 95.80
coastal region 95.69
Overall
coastal region 93.76
north river region 93.33
south river region 93.15
missouri
5¢
harrah’s N. KC 92.22
ameristar st charles 91.44
mark twain 91.29
25¢
isle of capri KC 93.98
president 93.88
argosy riverside 93.75
$1
president 95.63
argosy riverside 95.63
isle of capri KC 94.85
$5
argosy riverside 97.23
president 96.63
isle of capri KC 96.36
Overall
president 93.25
isle of capri KC 92.63
argosy riverside 92.62
5¢
mesquite 93.81
boulder strip 93.50
north las vegas 93.15
25¢
boulder strip 96.32
north las vegas 96.24
balance of county 95.08
$1
north las vegas 96.49
boulder strip 96.17
reno 95.84
$5
laughlin 96.31
balance of county 96.25
reno 96.01
Overall
reno 94.96
boulder strip 94.95
balance of county 94.91
5¢
charlevoix 91.41
lac-leamy 90.78
montreal 90.70
25¢
montreal 91.59
lac-leamy 91.57
charlevoix 91.08
$1
lac-leamy 94.38
montreal 93.78
charlevoix 93.52
$5
lac-leamy 95.23
montreal 94.85
charlevoix 94.24
Overall
lac-leamy 92.76
montreal 92.57
charlevoix 92.3
How to find the loosest slot machines in any casino
Slot machines often get a bad rap from gambling writers. But the truth is, slot machines are the perfect gambling activity for certain types of people. They’re easy to understand, they’re easy to play, and they offer the possibility of big winnings.
The unicorns that most gamblers are looking for in the casino, though, are the loosest slot machines. What does that mean?
When a gambler describes a slot machine as “loose” or “tight,” she’s usually referring to the payback percentage for the game. Slots with a higher payback percentage than average are loose, while slots with a lower payback percentage than average are tight. Loose slots usually have a higher hit ratio than tight slots, too.
You’ll find plenty of inaccurate information about how to find the loosest slot machines in the casino. I try to avoid most of those inaccuracies in this post, but I do want to begin with a warning:
The probabilities involved with slot machines are “opaque.” that means you don’t have any way of knowing what the payback percentage for any particular slot machine game is. The random number generator that determines the outcomes is programmed to have each symbol come up with a certain probability, but there’s no way of knowing if that number has been set to 1/6 or 1/60. Even observing a large number of spins only provides limited insight into these probabilities.
You do know what the payouts are for the various combinations. But since that’s only half the equation, you can’t really know whether a game is loose or tight except anecdotally. I’m going to assume that anecdotal evidence has some value, but in terms of math, science, and statistics, anecdotal has no value at all.
1- look for the loose slot machines in the locations where loose slot machines are found
Casino mapping is a real thing, but it’s not as simple as some gamblers would have you believe. If finding the loose slot machines were as easy as just playing the games located nearest the walkways, everyone would play those games to the exclusion of the other games.
That being said, it might be worth giving those games a try if they look like fun. They’re not more likely to be tighter than the other machines than any other game on the casino floor.
I’ve read that some areas in the casino have lower payout machines than others, and it might be wise to avoid games in those areas. These might include:
- The main slot machine floor. These games probably see the most action, so it would make sense for them to have lower payback percentages.
- Near the table games. These games see more than their fair share of action, too. The same reasoning would apply.
- Near the poker room. I’ve seen some gamblers swear that these are the worst machines in the casino. You have to wonder about a poker player who spends a lot of time playing slots, though.
Of course, there are other locations where the loosest machines might be located. Depending on whom you believe, these might include:
- Anywhere that gets more traffic than usual. For example, if a slot machine is located near the elevators, it might have higher payouts to attract play from someone who might not otherwise play.
- Anywhere that another gambler recommends. This is, of course, the classic mistake—relying on anecdotal evidence. It’s possible, though, that you might find a slot machine player who’s been paying close attention and knows where the loose machines are.
In fact, that leads me to my next point…
2- don’t be afraid to ask
The obvious person to ask about the location in the casino of the loosest slot machines is someone who works there. This isn’t a guarantee that she’ll be able to direct you to a loose machine, but she might have some insight based on her observations. Depending on how long she’s worked at the casino, she’s probably seen tens of thousands of even hundreds of thousands of gamblers over her career there. She might have noticed that a lot of them seem to be winning on slot machines in a certain location.
If you’re dealing with a cocktail waitress, it’s a good idea to tip generously. For that matter, no matter what they do at the casino, if they try to help you find a loose gambling machine, tip them. At some casinos, employees are forbidden from suggesting specific games. Sometimes you’ll find casino employees who just don’t want to be bothered with such concerns, too. Don’t be a jerk if that’s the case.
3- don’t play slot machines that AREN’T in casinos
In towns like las vegas, slot machines are everywhere, in all kinds of businesses. Every bar in the city seems to have some slot machines. The airport is full of slot machines, too. You can even find slot machines in the gas stations and convenience stores.
We know one thing for certain about slot machine games in these non-casino locations:
Casinos, on the other hand, are competing with other casinos for the mindshare and hard-earned dollars of the casino gamblers. Since they’re in competition with the other casinos, they must offer payback percentages that are as good as their competitors’ or better.
This is one ironclad rule for finding the loosest slot machines in the casino:
ONLY play slot machines in a casino, not the slot machines in other businesses. That’s as good a starting point as any. The difference could be as significant as the difference between a 94% payback percentage and a 74% payback percentage.
Assuming you’re a conservative, low-stakes player, here’s the difference in predicted hourly loss between those 2 examples:
- Assume 400 spins per hour at $1.25 per spin, for $500 per hour in action.
- A game with a 94% payback percentage will see predicted losses of $30/hour.
- A game with a 74% payback percentage, though, will see predicted losses of $130/hour.
If that difference doesn’t seem significant to you, what are you doing playing penny slots anyway?
4- look for the plainest, most boring games with the fewest paylines
Generally, the slot machines with lots of paylines have lower payout percentages. They’re able to compensate for this psychologically by having a high hit frequency. With 25 paylines, you might win something on almost every spin, even if it’s an amount lower than the amount you wagered in total.
For example, you might be playing a penny game with a max bet of 5 coins and 25 paylines. You’re betting $1.25 every time you spin the reels. Many times, 1 or 2 paylines might win, but the payout on those bets might only be 50 cents. That’s a lot compared to the nickel you bet on that individual payline, but you bet on 25 paylines, remember?
Since such games have no bonus features or bells and whistles, the casino can afford to have them pay out more than the big fancy games. I had a lot of fun on the big lebowski slot machines recently, but I can’t even imagine what such a big impressive game like that must cost a casino. The cost of the machine alone must be outrageous.
5- stick with the flat top slot machines
Slot machines can be broadly lumped into 2 different categories:
A flat top slot machine is a game with a jackpot (top prize) of a fixed amount. This amount is usually 1000 times the size of your bet, give or take.
For that matter, you probably won’t get rich playing progressive slots, either. The odds of winning the jackpot are just terrible, comparable to playing the lottery. Sure, some people win the lottery. But I can’t imagine playing a game with a house edge that large repeatedly, hundreds of times per hour.
6- play the highest denomination game you can afford
You’d probably be surprised to know that penny slots are often as expensive to play (or even more expensive) than dollar slots. Here’s why:
Most penny slots require you to wager 5 credits or more per spin. It’s also hard to resist betting on multiple paylines. It’s easy to find a game with 5 coin bets on each line and with 25 paylines. Before you know it, you’re betting $1.25 on every spin.
But you could switch to a dollar slot machine and probably do a lot better. For one thing, you could just bet a dollar per spin on a single payline. Now you’re betting less per spin than you were on the quarter machine. But what’s really impressive is the difference in payback percentage.
Suppose you play 600 spins per hour on that penny machine. You’re putting $750 in action each hour–$1.25 per spin multiplied by the 600 spins per hour. With an 88.49% payback percentage, in the long run, you’ll average $663.68 back per hour. That’s an average loss per hour of $86.33.
No play those same 600 spins on a dollar machine, betting only a dollar on each spin. That’s $600 in action multiplied by 92.63% to get an average payback amount of $44.22. You’ll lose HALF the money on the dollar slot as you would the penny slot! That’s a significant difference, and one you should take note of.
Just be careful and read the pay tables. Slot machines vary a lot from one machine to another, and you should always play enough coins to activate the biggest jackpot. If the ratios change based on playing for fewer coins, you want to avoid that game or bet max coin. You might be surprised at how many slot machines DON’T require you to place a max coin bet, too, though.
7- try online slot machines
Since online casinos don’t have all the brick and mortar expenses of land-based casinos, their games sometimes offer higher payback percentages. You must balance this with the trustworthiness of the casino, though. Some internet casinos are notoriously hard to cash out of.
Of course, if you stick with the casinos recommended on this site, you probably won’t have to worry about that. Our team of casino reviewers and researchers has thoroughly vetted the properties we list here on our site.
And if you take how competitive they are as a measure for how loose their games must be to attract customers, you’ll find that the casinos on the web are even more competitive than the casinos in las vegas.
8- track your results and make some assumptions
I recently visited a casino and tracked my results carefully on a machine. Of course, there’s nothing especially scientific about 200 spins on a machine, but you’re still operating from more data than most players if you do this.
It’s not hard to project a payback percentage, either. Start by writing down how much money you put in the machine. Then count how many spins you make on that machine. When you cash out of the machine, take a note of how much you’ve lost. You multiply the number of spins you made by how much you were betting per spin. You divide the total amount of money you lost by how many spins you made. Then you know the average loss per spin and can convert it into a payback percentage.
In my case, I was betting $1.25 per spin, so I put $250 in to action over 200 spins. I lost $50, which amounts to 25 cents per spin. 25 cents divided by $1.25 is 20%, which is the house edge. The payback percentage is the amount you get to keep—in this case, 80%. (you just subtract it from 100%.) your goal is to find a payback percentage that’s better than average. Tracking your results this way also makes playing slot machines more interesting, because you have something to pay attention to.
Gambling at a casino—especially on slot machines—should be considered an entertainment expense. Budget for it accordingly, and if you occasionally win, great. But don’t count on it.
The best off-strip casinos to play loose slots in las vegas
For slot machine enthusiasts, there’s no place on earth quite like fabulous las vegas. Most of the 40 million tourists who flock there each and every year stay on the strip, where corporate operators like MGM resorts and caesars entertainment run mega-casino resorts.
But during its heyday, all the action was confined to downtown las vegas, where iconic casinos like the el cortez and golden gate lined fabulous fremont street. Over time, las vegas’ outlying areas—including the suburbs of summerlin and henderson, the “boulder strip,” and north las vegas—attracted mid-market operators like station casinos and boyd gaming.
If slots are your game of choice, ditching the strip is best. This page presents the seven best off-strip casinos in las vegas for slot players based on the venue’s average payback percentage.
A quick look at las vegas slot payback percentages
According to the latest nevada gaming control board (NGCB) survey of las vegas casino operators and their respective slot machine payback percentages, which are commonly referred to as return to player (RTP) rates, the strip is home to the “tightest” slots in town.
Las vegas slot machine payback percentage rates (by region)
The NGCB also provides data on regional slot machine payback averages broken down by the player’s preferred coin denomination.
Las vegas slot machine payback percentage rates (by coin denomination and region)
1¢ slot machines
5¢ slot machines
25¢ slot machines
$1 slot machines
$1 megabucks machines
As you can see, the data reveals the strip to be the worst place in las vegas to find “loose” slots, or machines which offer a higher than average payback percentage.
If you don’t mind ditching the fountain shows and $14 cocktails behind for a better bargain, taking your slot machine bankroll to an off-strip casino offers the best bang for your gambling buck. Keep reading for the seven best off-strip casinos to play loose slots in las vegas.
1 – palms casino resort
The best slot machine selection in las vegas can be found at the palms casino resort, home to more than 1,500 machines which combine for an average payback rate of 93.42%.
Given the 91.47% and 92.67% payback rates found on the strip and downtown, respectively, spinning slots at the palms immediately provides an improvement of over 1% over the long run.
And fortunately for the folks who still like hitting the strip for shopping or a show, the palms is located just minutes from all the action.
Just head to caesars palace and turn westbound onto flamingo road, cross over the interstate 15 bridge, and drive for another minute or so before looking to your left for the ultra-modern palms tower.
Locals love the palms for combining the look and feel of casinos on the strip with perks like 3:2 blackjack, single-zero roulette, and of course, the loosest slots in las vegas.
You’ll find all of the greatest slots here too, including megabucks and its $10 million starting progressive jackpot award, wheel of fortune with its unique prize wheel waiting up top, and every major new release from designers like aristocrat, scientific games, and international game technology (IGT).
2 – gold coast hotel and casino
If the loud music and pool parties that make the palms so attractive for younger gamblers just aren’t your thing, don’t fret, because the nearby gold coast boasts a completely different vibe.
Located directly across flamingo from the palms, gold coast is a classic “old school” off-strip casino. The same staff members have worked here for decades, so they know their regulars by name and treat them like royalty.
The odds are always the best available on table games and video poker, and the slot machine menu running 1,900+ machines strong sports a 92.84% average payback rate.
One of the iconic venues operated by boyd gaming, the gold coast supplements its casino with a massive bowling alley upstairs, and comfort food like subway and TGI fridays.
While the amenities lean towards the quaint and casual side, the gold coast offers one of the more modern slot machine menus in las vegas. Using the website’s convenient slot search tool, you can easily pull up complete listings for either reel-based or video slots that can be further sorted by coin denomination.
The reel-based lineup includes staples like 88 fortunes, blazing 7’s progressive, double diamond, megabucks, and super times pay.
And over in the video slot section, you’ll find popular titles like 50 dragons, aztec temple, buffalo, geisha, mr. Cashman, sex and the city, and white orchid.
When you use the search tool, don’t forget to click the little “MAP” tab to the right of every game’s entry. This will pull up a color-coded map of the gold coast showing the section where your favorite slot machine games can be located.
3 – ellis island hotel, casino, and brewery
You’ll only find a couple hundred slot machine installations at the independently owned ellis island hotel, casino and brewery, but it’s the last part there that makes this place something special.
Well, all the cold suds you can drink and a 92.56% average slot payback rate, that is…
The bulk of ellis island’s selection is devoted to slots and other machines, but you’ll also find a few blackjack, craps, and roulette tables, too.
It’s the slots that bring sharp spinners here though, as the overall payback percentage is better than any of the glitzier and more glamorous casinos towering overhead on the strip. And whether you win or lose, you can always tip back a brew or two straight from the source.
4 – el cortez hotel and casino
If you appreciate a sense of history to go along with your gambling, paying a pilgrimage to el cortez downtown is a true “bucket list” item on the agenda.
After first opening its doors in 1941, el cortez hasn’t closed them for 77 years and counting, making it the longest continuously operating casino in las vegas.
The joint was owned by legendary mobsters bugsy siegel, meyer lansky, gus greenbaum, and moe sedway in the early days, and with its exterior signage unchanged all this time, el cortez is home to an unmistakable air of nostalgia writ large.
Fittingly, you can find over 200 coin-operated three-reel slots that still use nickels and quarters to grease the reels. That lineup is supplemented by hundreds of modern video slots as well, a combination providing the best of both worlds for players. And so does the 92.56% average payback rate, which makes el cortez the loosest slot parlor found along famous fremont street.
5 – the orleans hotel and casino
Another member of the boyd gaming family, the orleans hotel & casino is like a slightly more hip, mardi gras-themed version of the gold coast.
In the casino, hundreds of slot machines ranging from traditional to modern will be running to the tune of 92.56% payback.
6 – fiesta rancho hotel and casino
The wilds of north las vegas are home to the best penny slot machines in sin city at an average payback rate of 90.88%.
And of all the north las vegas casinos to choose from, the best of the bunch is fiesta rancho, which combines class-leading penny slots with higher denominations for a 92.53% overall payback average.
Getting here is a bit of a trek. Take the I-15 north to highway 95, head west, then hit the 95 northbound for a while. But trust us, this station casino property is worth the extra mile.
Per the las vegas review-journal annual rankings, fiesta rancho regularly earns the “best-paying slots” and “best slot club” awards as judged by local players.
7 – arizona charlie’s (decatur and boulder)
The two arizona charlie’s casino locations in las vegas can be found on decatur boulevard and boulder highway.
Both offer a generous 92.50% payback rate on average for slot players, along with a long lineup of new games, including the exciting titles found below:
- $1 wheel of fortune
- Bally quick hits
- Buffalo legends
- Buffalo golds
- Buffalo grands
- Dollar mega bucks
- Downton abbey
- Elvira
- Good fortune
- Konami selexion
- Lightning link
- Lock it link
- New generation megabucks
- Space invaders
- Wacky races
- Walking dead II
- World of wonka
Conclusion
Venturing away from las vegas boulevard to score improved odds has been a time-honored tradition among savvy gamblers for decades now. Forced to compete with their corporate counterparts on the strip just to survive, off-strip gambling halls like the seven listed above do everything in their power to attract customers.
That means selecting slot machines that offer generous payback percentages across the board, while still providing the best in modern slot game design.
So, let's see, what we have: when it comes to the casino that has the loosest slots in vegas the only evidence we could find was the table ranks of las vegas casinos according to the looseness at which casino has the loosest slots in vegas 2020
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