Our Simple Slot Machine Strategy
When you watch our YouTube videos of us playing slots, you will often hear us say the phrase, “20X or more, reduce your floor. 100X or more, head for the door!” This mantra refers to our simple slot machine money management strategy that helps us get the most of our entertainment budget by limiting our losses and maximizing our wins. You can use it too!
But let’s be 100% real here. This is not the absolute end-all, best-ever slot strategy known to humanity and it has no guarantees! If you ever want to stop playing because you are winning, want to limit your losses, or just are not having fun, do so! This strategy is just the guide we go by and is how we track the very real money we put into a slot machine.
With that said, here is how our strategy works.
Set Your Average “Base Bet” To Figure Out The “Absolute Floor”
Your average base bet is what you’re going to spend on each spin of the slot machine. Your absolute floor is your concrete stopping point on that slot machine.
Is your bet going to be $1.00? $5.00? $25.00? Whatever the amount, multiply it by 100 to determine your absolute floor, which is the most you're willing to lose on this slot machine session. (And you need to stick to it!) That means if you’re going to be betting an average of $1.00 per spin, you will want to start with $100 as your max budget to spend on that slot machine. If the absolute floor is more than you can afford to lose, then consider finding a machine that allows you to place a lower bet. If you can’t, then you should not play at all.
20X or More, Reduce Your Floor
Now, if you hit a bonus or a line pay that is 20 times or more of your base bet, take 50% of that and reduce your absolute floor.
For example, if we started with $100, betting $1.00 per spin, and after 20 spins, we hit a line pay of $40, we would take half of that win and reduce our absolute floor to $80. If by chance, you do not hit another winning spin, you walk away losing only $80.00 of your original $100.00. This helps minimize losses.
100X or More, Head for the Door
Let’s say you’re lucky enough to win 100 times or more your base bet of $1.00. Great! Now it is time to stop playing and pocket that profit! Even if you’re 50 spins into your $100.00 budget, you would still have $50 dollars in the slot machine when you hit that big 100 times line pay (assuming no other line pays). This means you would be up at least $50! You just added 50% to your entertainment budget!
The Floor is Yours to Set
Nothing says you must make your “head for the door” stopping point 100 times your line bet! You can make it 40 times, 60 times, or another multiple of your base bet. However, we recommend that you never make it more than a multiple of 100 times your base bet, as those types of big payouts are infrequent!
Key Points
Always set aside 50% of all line pays that are 20 times or more your base bet, up to your established “head for the door” stopping point. You can then extend your play with the other 50%, essentially giving you extra spins and more shots at a potential big payout.
Any time you hit a “head for the door” win -- do just that! Take your profit! Maybe you take a few “backup spins” but set a profitable stopping point.
Take breaks between your slot play sessions! The more you play, the more chances you give the casino to win.
If you hit a large line pay or bonus early in your slot machine session, lower your “head for the door” multiplier. Say you get line pay of 40 to 50 times your bet amount within your first 2 or 3 spins -- take the profit!
Things to Remember
Never chase a slot machine bonus or jackpot just because you think it is 'due' - there's no such thing.
Set a maximum gambling budget for the day and stop playing once you reach it! Go sightseeing! Do something else!
Set a winning ceiling as well. For example, if you win two times your budget, stop! Don’t give it back!
Always play with a player’s card if the casino offers one. This can translate to discount (or even free) meals, hotel stays, and more!
Gamble with friends or your spouse. This helps you both stick to your rules!
If you are not having fun, stop playing! Take a break!
Always remember that gambling is not a way to make money. It is entertainment. Never play with more than you can afford to lose.
Now, as you likely know, people play casino slot machines because of the random chance of winning more than they bet. If you are one of the lucky ones, perhaps you will hit one of those big jackpots! However, the odds are very much stacked against you and slot machines are designed to keep you playing. That’s because casino slot machines can have an average return to player (known as RTP) of somewhere between 85 to 95 percent (depending on where and what type of machine you play). That means, over time, you will eventually lose.
Having a solid money management strategy is how you can mitigate those losses and get the most out of your entertainment dollar. Go have fun and enjoy! And if you want to see this strategy in action, subscribe to our YouTube channel!
