Penny slot machines appeal to many players because they seem to offer the lowest cost to play. For just a cent, you could spin the reels and win big. Except, that’s not always how it works in reality. Here’s everything you need to know about penny slots, as well as some of our favorites to play in 2019.
Image Credit: poptower.com. This is one of the most cunning methods of cheating at slots and was popular with scammers in the 1970s and 1980s. They used a special tool that was split into two parts. Since I own stock in a casino, based on state laws there, the Annual Report for stockholders shows the exact money in, money out total for the year and per machine which is $220 per day average. Yes they put totals in and how many machines per day were in working order. No its not listed separately for each machine.
How much do you have to wager on penny slots?
You might think that penny slots just cost one cent to play. However, this often isn’t the case. Particularly at brick-and-mortar casinos, you’ll find that minimum spin values can be 50 or 100 credits on the penny slots. This means that you’re still wagering $1 per spin. No wonder penny slots account for 50% of casino income.
This is because while the unit of credits is worth a penny, you’ll be prompted to wager on all available paylines, often with multiple credits per line. Betting 5 credits a line on a 20 line, 5 reel slot machine means you’ll be wagering 100 credits on each spin of the reels. Even if you take things slow and spin the reels every 10 seconds (the average players spins every 6 seconds) you’ll still be looking at 6 spins per minute – or $360 worth of spins in an hour of play. That’s not quite what penny slot fans were planning on.
But not all slots require you to bet the maximum. If you play the best penny slots online, you’ll often find that they have minimum spins of 25 or even just 5 cents. This means that you can put a penny on all available paylines without breaking the bank.
Can you win big with penny slots?
Many people have stories about winning big with penny slots. How much is a big win when you’re betting pennies? $500 and up certainly sounds worthwhile when you’re spinning the reels. All the games list their maximum payouts, such as this one that had a maximum payout of $6500, despite one gambler believing she’d won millions.
In fact, some penny slot games are linked to massive progressive jackpots. These can be truly lucrative, in the tens or even hundreds of thousands. But before you get excited, make sure that you read the terms and conditions to activate the jackpot.
Usually, you will need to wager the maximum amount on each spin, or at least have wagers on every available payline. Check the rules before you spin because there’s nothing more disappointing than thinking you’ve just won a life changing prize, only for it to turn out to be pennies on the dollar.
What are the best penny slot machines?
When you play at physical casinos, you’ll often find that the best penny slot machines have different odds from the same games offered at higher stakes. In fact, you might come out ahead on your bankroll by playing higher stakes slots at casinos.
That’s why it’s often best to play at online casinos, where the odds for a game are stable no matter your wagering level.
Whether you wager a penny, a nickel, a quarter or a dollar, you’ll face the same house edge when you play online. Plus, you’ll get access to a much broader range of the best penny slots online.
So, what are the best penny slot machines? That will depend on your play style. Are you all about the bonus rounds, or are you just interested in the core slot action? Are you planning to play from the US or another country?
You can choose from a variety of the most popular slots online. From Wheel of Fortune to The Wizard of Oz, The Dark Knight to Wonder Woman, Monopoly to Guns N Roses, you can play tons of top-rated online slot games for penny credits. Just remember that playing for pennies doesn’t mean that your spins are cheap, but nor are your winnings.
Check out our guide on playing slots online for free.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/jun/08/slot-machine-lose-lose-situation
https://www.dummies.com/education/math/using-probability-when-hitting-the-slot-machines/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29750-i78-k4046492-Any_penny_slots_worth_it-Atlantic_City_New_Jersey.html
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/11/02/woman-denied-slot-machine-win/93206170/
Paylines
A payline is a lineup of specific symbols on which a payout will be awarded. Today's slots feature many symbols and paylines. Paylines can line up in horizontal, vertical, diagonal or even zigzag patterns for a win. Plus, you can bet on as many paylines as you want.
Credits and coins
When it comes to slots, your money is converted into “credits” or “coins”, which are valued from pennies to $100. That’s why players talk about penny slots or nickel slots – they’re referring to the machine’s credit value, called the denomination.
Putting money into a slot? Be sure to check how much one credit is worth on that machine.
Tip
The denomination or value of a credit is rarely the same as the cost of a spin on that machine. Even machines called “penny” or “nickel” may actually have minimum bets that are much higher. In other words your spin will never cost only one cent on a penny machine.
What’s the most important thing in slots? Know what prize you’re playing for. When it comes to prizing, every machine is different. Even if they look the same, two machines can pay very differently.
The paytable is the key to knowing your slot machine’s payouts. It shows you the prize value, winning symbol combinations, and which bet sizes correspond to each prize.
Be sure to understand the winning combinations so you’ll know how to tell a real win from a disappointment.
Tip
Find pay tables and help screens on the machines – through a ‘help’ button or “i” on the touch screens. Or ask a slot attendant for assistance. Slot attendants are always available and happy to answer any questions.
Tip
Check the paytable to know that machine’s top prize and your odds of winning it.
Real Wins vs. False Wins
Sometimes on slot machines, it’s not always easy to tell if you win or lose. It’s possible to get winning combinations of paylines and earn back credits, but not necessarily the full amount that you bet. Pay attention to the amount of the win versus how much you paid for that spin.
Tip
Sometimes a machine will flash and make noises that seem like a win when you’ve actually lost money on that spin.
FALSE WINS IN ACTION
When you win less than what you bet, you've actually lost.
This is called a 'False Win'.
The flashy lights, loud noises and fancy graphics, make it look like you've won, but they’re for your entertainment only. How do you tell the difference?
Hit SPIN to see the difference between a false win and a real win.
FALSE WIN
The win is less than the bet.How Much Money To Put In A Slot Machines
REAL WIN