Being a profitable slot machine player is impossible. All slot machines are specifically made to be able to give the house a longterm edge, so the house will always turn out ahead if you play long enough. The sole way to counteract the house edge on slot machine games is to play a casino game with a truly big jackpot, bet the max each time you play, and hope that you hit the jackpot. When you do hit the really big jackpot, guess everything you do next? Stop playing that game.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t play slot machines. In fact, I think slot games, especially the really good ones, are plenty of fun slotth. But you wish to retain in the forefront of the mind that mathematically, what you’re doing when you’re playing a slot machine on a longterm basis is investing in entertainment. You are able to calculate simply how much you’re investing in that entertainment by multiplying the house edge times your average bet times your amount of spins per hour.
Like, if you’re playing a slot game with a payout of 95%, then the house edge is 5%. (The casino keeps 5% of each bet you make long term.) And if you’re average bet is $3, then you’re going to pay for typically 15 cents per spin to the house. (5% times $3.) Assuming you’re making 500 spins hourly, that game costs you $75/hour to play, which can or may not be a fair price for you entertainment. That depends on your bankroll.
Another thing to factor into your calculation is simply how much the perks and bonuses you’re getting back from the casino are worth. If you’re playing in a land-based casino where you’re getting free drinks as you play, then you can certainly subtract the price of those drinks from you’re hourly cost. (Or you can add the price of those drinks to the worth of the entertainment you’re receiving–it’s merely a matter of perspective.) My recommendation is to drink top-shelf liquor and premium beers to be able to maximize the entertainment value you’re receiving. A Heineken could cost $4 a jar in a great restaurant. Drink two Heinekens one hour, and you’ve just lowered what it costs one to play each hour from $75 to $68.
Slot clubs also give back a share of your losses each hour, so definitely make sure to join the casino’s slot club and ALWAYS use your card to track your play. There’s zero reason not to accomplish this. Casinos also reward their larger slot players with comps like meals, show tickets, and free rooms, which all soon add up to reduce the amount of money you’re spending each hour that you’re playing on the machine.
Just how to be a winning slot machine player? I’d sum it down by saying discover how much it’s costing one to play each spin and each hour, take advantage of all of the comps and the perks, and go for the big progressive jackpot.