07.26
Slot Machine positioning
Books have been set forth on this item, and the controversy and ruckus about where the "hot" slot games are placed in the casino are still taking place – over sixty yrs after slot machines were first installed in gambling houses.
The traditional rule is that the very best slot games were placed just inside the main entry of the casino; so that individuals going by would be able to see real jackpot winners … be captivated to come inside … play. Our position is that this is definitely no longer the case.
Most of the major casinos today are grand complexes and it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to position the ‘loose’ one armed bandits near any entrances or exits.
Yet another classic rule is that loose slot machines are positioned on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more potential gamblers could see winning jackpots and be galvanized to play. Notably however, we find that this also isn’t a universal rule any more.
What casinos found over the years is that people walking down the busy aisles were frequently on the way to somewhere else. If they played the slots at all, they would simply put in their loose change because they happened to be walking by. Win or lose, they would very often not stop to keep playing. And the last thing a casino wants is for someone to win a jackpot by playing only a few coins and then not stay to put it all back in!
Nowadays, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slots.