Quest for the Gilded Slots
Why do people enjoy playing slots so much? In many ways, playing slots is like an exciting roller coaster ride and a thrilling treasure hunt rolled into one. First, there is the emotional high of pulling on the lever or pushing the spin button; the few seconds of suspenseful wait for the reels to stop spinning; and, the peaceful or joyful resolution of knowing if you won or lost your bet. Then, there is the exhilarating adventure of looking for loose slots on the casino floor that will make your game a profitable and memorable experience.
There are so many theories about loose slots. Some people doubt if these really exist but, but far more players believe that these fabled machines are out there just sitting somewhere on the casino floor waiting to be discovered by the lucky player. If you are a newbie, who is wondering whether loose slots really exist, the short answer is "yes, they exist." You would not think that the thousands of game machines that are delivered every year from the factories to the casinos are programmed with the same exact pay out percentage would you? A machine that pays out more coins more often that the other machines in the casino is loose—and these are the gilded slots that many slots enthusiasts look for every time they enter a casino.
Casino floors are rife with so many anecdotes and speculations about where to find these gilded slots that it could fill a book. Some slots players think that these elusive machines could be found at the end of rows or squeezed into corners where they will be hardly noticed and be played less. As a result, most of the players will then be playing tight slots which will be good for the casino. Others believe that these are located in highly visible areas where the commotion at a winning machine will entice people to walk into the casino and get some action on the slots floor. These high visibility areas included locations near casino entrances, elevated podiums and carousels or cash windows. Still other players try to size up slot machines near restaurants and snack bars, bistros and souvenir shops in the belief that the elusive slots are placed there to get people who are eating or shopping to play some slots when they see the clanging of coins on the slots trays of lucky winners.
As to which of these speculations are true, no one outside of the casino manager's inner circle will, and should ever know. And, rightly so because half of the enjoyment of slots comes from the excitement of the game, and the other half comes from the mystery of the location of the loose slots.
