Books have been written on this subject, and the contention and discussion about where the "hot" slot games are located in a casino are still ongoing – more than 60 yrs after the slots were first placed in the casinos.
The classic rule is that the superior slot games were placed just inside the entrance of the casino; so that everyone walking by would see real jackpot winners … be keen enough to come unto the gambling floor and play. Our finding is that this is no longer the case.
Practically all of the large casinos nowadays are grand complexes … it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to have the ‘loose’ slot machines close-by any doors.
Another standard rule is that loose slot machine games are placed on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more fun seekers could see winning jackpots and be encouraged to play. Importantly though, 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 philosophy about where to place the loose slot machines.
September 6th, 2025
Darius
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