Should Skilled Gamblers Ever Consider Playing Slot Machines?

Casinos provide many games that differ regarding the level of skill that they entail. Blackjack and poker are at the top of the spectrum regarding skill, and these 2 games also give you the best chance to win when you play them using high level skills.

Slot machines, in contrast, are among the least-skillful games in the casino. If you like challenging yourself on the gaming floor, then you may question whether it’s worth playing slots.

This page covers the degree of skill—or lack thereof—associated with slot machines. It also discusses instances where you may consider playing real money slots when seeking skillful games.

Do Slots Normally Require Any Skill?

Slot machines include a basic playing process that requires setting your bet size, spinning the reels, and awaiting the results.

Of course, some slots feature more-detailed betting options. These games may give you the ability to use autoplay, feature buy, and turn the music on/off.

Even in these cases, though, you’re dealing with rather simple games. You can’t really use much slots strategy to win.

Focusing on RTP Is One of the Few Things You Can Control

The biggest component of slots strategy involves considering the return to player (RTP) and volatility. RTP is especially important with regard to winning because it determines how much money you stand to win back in the long run.

Here’s an example on how RTP works:

• You play a slot with 96.5% payback.
• You bet $200 on the game.
• 200 x 0.965 = $193 in winnings

The average online slot offers 96% RTP. That said, you’ll theoretically win more money than the average gambler when playing slots with over 96% payback.

I use the word “theoretically” because volatility must also be taken into consideration. Volatility determines how accurate the RTP will be in the short run.

Slots with low volatility typically see you win more often and stay more in line with the stated payback. High volatility slots, in contrast, can vary heavily from their payout percentages.

Again, you’ll enjoy some semblance of slot strategy when looking for RTP. But you can’t exactly use skill-based play in the middle of a game.

Downsides to Slots From a Skill-Based Gambler’s Perspective

Some people purposely choose slot machines because they like relaxing while gambling and not worrying about using any strategy. However, you might think twice about slots for the following reasons.

No Control Over the Outcome

Slot machines aren’t like blackjack or three-card poker, for example, where you can influence the house edge based on each decision. Instead, these games are completely random.

You merely spin the reels and hope for the best. “Timing your spins” or choosing the “hot machine” will boost your odds of winning.

Again, the only thing you can truly do to influence the long-term outcome involves picking slots with higher RTP. You might also couple this strategy with playing low volatility games. The latter approach provides a stronger chance at notching wins in the short term.

RTP Doesn’t Compare Well to Table Games

Online slots pay fairly well in the general scheme of gaming. An online slot that features 96% RTP, for example, is better than what you’ll experience with Caribbean stud, keno, and land-based slot machines.

Nevertheless, internet slots still aren’t among the highest-paying games. You’ll need to look towards baccarat (98.94% RTP), blackjack (99.3% avg.), French roulette (98.65%), and video poker (99.5% avg.) to enjoy the best RTP.

Now, you can find slots online that offer 98% payback or more. These games are, however, the exception rather than the norm.

Volatility Is Higher

Slot machines are very different from baccarat and roulette and blackjack, for example, when it comes to volatility. Winnings are distributed unevenly due to the varying prizes.

Here’s an example of the payouts that you might see when lining up five symbols in a payline:

• 5 lions = 5,000x your stake
• 5 elephants = 1,000x
• 5 rhinos = 500x
• 5 giraffes = 100x
• 5 zebras = 50x
• 5 monkeys = 10x

As you can see, slots distribute prizes quite differently when compared to other games. With baccarat, for instance, you receive a 1:1 payout when winning either a banker or player bet.

Long story short, slot machines put you through many ups and downs. Unlike when you’re highly skilled at a certain game, you can’t expect to win as consistently with slots.

Situations Where You Can Use Skill in Slots

Again, slot machines don’t give you the greatest opportunity to use skill. But you can yield more control over the results in the following situations.

Skill-based Slots Machine

Up until this point, I’ve only discussed how slots don’t contain any skill. The one exception to this norm, however, is skill-based slot machines.

True to their name, these games provide an opportunity win more money when you’re a skilled player. But where exactly does this skill come into the equation?

These games feature unique bonus rounds that are like video games. Here’s an example:

As can be seen, these games offer bonuses that are vastly different than the traditional free spins or pick’em rounds. The only problem, though, is that these bonuses only account for a small part of the RTP.

If one of these slots offers up to 96% RTP, for example, it’ll probably deliver just 5-6% of the payback through the bonus.

Mystery Progressive Jackpot Slots

A mystery progressive jackpot pays out at a specific amount. For example, it may pay as soon as it reaches $250 or more.

Each bet contributes a small percentage to the jackpot. Therefore, the top prize grows and inches closer to its payout point as more wagers are made.

You stand to gain more from mystery progressive machines when playing as the jackpot reaches a tipping point. If a game’s jackpot pays at $500, then it’ll be very close to hitting when the prize is at $490. At this point, you only need to contribute $5 to the jackpot before it’s yours.

By continually taking advantage of the situation, you can actually gain theoretical profits from mystery jackpots slots. The catch, though, is that other skillful gamblers also know about these opportunities.

That said, you need to stake out casinos and find out where the mystery machines are ahead of time. This way, you can make your rounds and check the jackpot amounts.

Bonus Accumulator Slots

A bonus accumulator slot features a meter that, when full, triggers the bonus round. You fill the meter by collecting scatter symbols.

Much like with mystery jackpots, you benefit more when playing bonus accumulators as the meter nears the top. If the meter requires 10 bars to completely fill, for example, then you benefit more when playing at eight or nine bars.

Of course, knowledgeable gamblers are competitive when it comes to bonus accumulator slots. Many vultures like hanging around these games and pounce when an unsuspecting player leaves just before a bonus.

These machines present another situation where you must know the casino and its games well beforehand. In this manner, you can be more competitive with fellow skilled gamblers and capitalize on opportunities.

Conclusion

Largely speaking, the gaming world doesn’t offer a wealth of skillful opportunities. If you prioritize using your abilities to win, then you should definitely look towards table games like blackjack, Caribbean stud, and three-card poker.

However, some types of slot machines do feature some degree of skill in certain situations. You can play mystery progressive machines, bonus accumulators, and skill-based games.

These slots are mainly found in land-based casinos. Therefore, you won’t normally find skill-based opportunities at online casinos.

Assuming you’re willing to visit a brick-and-mortar casino, then you can look forward to influencing outcomes through your abilities. If not, you’ll still enjoy a nice chance to win through online slots, which feature higher payback.