Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with topics to write about, but sometimes I get a brilliant idea – usually in the form of a question I haven’t seen answered anywhere else.

1. What Are The Different Slot Machines Wins
2. Types Of Slots
3. What Are The Different Slot Machines Games
4. Types Of Slot Machines
5. What Are The Different Slot Machines Made
6. What Are The Best Type Of Slot Machines To Play
7. What Are The Different Types Of Slot Machines

Nov 24, 2020 Class 2 slot machines are generally found in smaller gambling locations. The players are all playing against each other and competing for the jackpot. The more people that lose money to the game, the higher the jackpot is. Class 3 slot machines are more common in large gambling cities such as Las Vegas. 1 month ago 0 2. Slot machines can be classified into different types; these classifications are established based on several factors. In virtually every casino, there can be several types of slot machines accessible, such as video slots, touch-screen, multi-coin, and online slot machines sites such as Betcoin.ag, etc.

Today I was thinking about the wide variety of slot machine games.

And it made me realize that I’ve never seen a website that tried to come up with a total number of slot machines that exist in the world.

On top of that, how many different kinds of these games are available?

When you factor in the games available online, the number might be more staggering than you’d think.

How Many Casinos Are There in the World?

According to the information I found on Statista.com, it looks like there are at least 3600 casinos in the world. That’s a statistic from 2011, though, and I think the industry has expanded since then.

If you wanted to extrapolate the total number of actual physical slot machines from that number, you’d need to know the average number of slot machines per casino and multiply.

It’s safe to assume that there’s at least an average of one slot machine per casino, so we know there are at least 3600 slot machines in the world.

But we also know that most casinos have more than a single slot machine on the floor.

In Nevada, for example, there’s an estimated total of 165,000 machines throughout the entire state.

Since we know that there are 334 casinos in Nevada, calculating the average number of machines per casino is easy. It’s just 165,000 divided by 334, or 494 slot machines per casino.

Let’s call that 500 slot machines per casino on average.

Let’s also recognize that in some countries, slot machines make up a lower percentage of the gambling games on the floor. (In Macau, for example, 80% of the casino seems to be devoted to baccarat.)

The average worldwide might be 250 slot machines per casino.

If you have 3600 casinos in the world with between 250 and 500 slot machines in each, you have a worldwide total of between 900,000 and 1.8 million slot machines.

But How Many Different Games Are There?

Obviously, not every slot machine in every casino is different from the game next to it. Most casinos have a variety of games available.

Again, we’re stuck making estimates, and here the math is going to get even fuzzier. I’m just not sure how many of each kind of game are available in each casino.

We might be able to make some estimates based on the number of different games available from a single manufacture. The biggest slot machine manufacturer in the world is IGT.

Can we look at their site to see how many different games they make?

When I go to the IGT website and look at their library of games, I see that they claim to have the largest library of slot machine games in the world.

When I do a search of their games, I get the option to choose “all games.” This results in a list of 559 different games.

This is obviously above average, so maybe we can assume that the average number of different games from each manufacturer is much lower than that – let’s call it 200 games per manufacturer on average.

You still can’t extrapolate an average number of different kinds of games per casino, because a lot of casinos are going to have games that are also found in other casinos.

How Many Different Companies Manufacture Slot Machine Games?

When I search for “how many different companies manufacture slot machine games,” the top result claims to list 31 different companies which make slot machine games.

It might make sense to assume a lower average, though, since the biggest manufacturer only has a library of 559 games.

Let’s assume an average of 250 games per company instead.

Now we have an estimate of 7500 different slot machine games in the world.

What About Online Slot Machine Games?

It’s still not that easy to answer this question, because it doesn’t account for the number of software companies which make slot machine games that are available exclusively online. Even if you look up the number of different casino software providers online, it gets sticky with overlap.

Some companies make games for both brick and mortar casinos, while others make games exclusively for real money online casinos, and still others do both.

Maybe we can come to a conclusion about a number by just assuming that there are at least as many different online-only slot machine games as there are brick and mortar casino games.

What Are The Different Slot Machines Wins

So we’re looking at a likely total of 15,000 different kinds of slot machine games in the world, including both online and brick and mortar casinos.

What kind of growth rate does that imply?

The first slot machine was invented and manufactured in 1895, and at the time, there was just one kind of slot machine game.

That was 125 years ago.

If you assume a steady rate of growth, which probably isn’t at all accurate, you just divide 15,000 games by 125 years.

This means that we see an average of 120 new slot machine games per year.

I suspect, though, that during the first decade of their existence, you saw a much slower growth in the number of slot machines. That growth rate has surely accelerated by now, too.

How Do the Different Kinds of Slot Machines Work?

Obviously, with this many kinds of slot machines available, you’ll see a variety of different game-play features, but the variations are probably fewer than you might think.

At the end of the day, slot machines all have one thing in common:

Spinning reels with symbols on them.

For decades, slot machines used actual physical reels made of metal. These were set into motion using a lever, springs, and gears. This changed in the late 20^th century, though, when electromechanical machines became the standard.

Now, of course, slot machines are more akin to video games or cartoons than anything else. The reels are still there, and they still spin, but as often as not, they’re just animations on a computer monitor. The outcomes are determined by a computer program called a random number generator (RNG).

The payouts for the various combinations are set in such a way that the casino has a solid mathematical advantage that’s impossible to overcome in the long run.

What Kind of New Features Do Modern Slot Machines Have?

One of the limits to mechanical slot machines was the number of symbols on each reel, each of which usually had an equal probability of showing up on the payline. This limitation was eliminated when a computer program started determining the outcomes.

For example, on a physical slot machine reel, it’s almost impossible to include more than 20 symbols per reel. With 3 reels, this means you have 20 X 20 X 20, or 8000 different combinations. This meant that you could only make a profit if the payouts for each combination added up to less than 8000 coins.

But with a virtual slot machine reel, you might be able to have 40 symbols on a reel.

Or you might be able to have 20 symbols on a reel, but some of the symbols might be programmed to only come up once every 40 spins, while others might come up more often, like once every 10 spins.

The obvious advantage of this is that the casino can offer bigger jackpots – sometimes much bigger.

In some cases, the jackpot can be really big – progressive jackpots grow over time as they’re played, and sometimes they’re even networked with other slot machines. The MegaJackpots slot machine jackpots start at $10 million, which is a huge payout on a game where the minimum bet is $3.

And that’s only the beginning of the new slot machine features available.

Other New Slot Machine Features

Another example of the new slot machine features that are available is the wild symbol. If you’ve played poker in someone’s home, you probably already know that a wild card can substitute for any card in the deck that will improve your hand.

A wild symbol on a slot machine works the same way.

Many times, on 5-reel slot machine, when you get 3 scatter symbols on the screen at the same time, you win a prize regardless of which payline (if any) they’re on.

The other most popular new slot machine feature is the bonus game. This is an additional game that gets unlocked when you meet certain conditions on the reels. It usually involves a simple guessing game of some kind, but the payouts are entirely random.

Conclusion

How many different slot machines can you play?

I have no firm rules, but I have offered some estimates. I’m confident of one thing, though – there are more slot machines available online and off, than you’ll ever be able to play in your entire lifetime.

People that play slot machines typically think that these games can’t be beaten in the long run. After all, they have some of the highest houses in the casino.

Slots in land-based casinos are especially bad. They carry anywhere from a 5% to 15% house advantage.

More recently, though, slots providers have been rolling out skill-based slot machines. They give you the chance to win more money based on your skill level.

But can you earn long-term profits with skill-based slots? I’m going to answer this question by covering more on how these games work and if they can ultimately be beaten.

How Does a Skill-Based Slot Machine Work?

You may have difficulty distinguishing a skill-based slot from a traditional machine. After all, they basically operate the same way.

You insert money, spin the reels, and wait for luck to do the rest. The only difference is that a skill-based game has bonus rounds that require skill to win.

With some of these games, you don’t necessarily have to play the skill-based round. You may be given the option between an interactive bonus and free spins.

Assuming you choose the former, then you’ll be taken to a second screen to play a skill-based game. The goal is to boost your profits by playing well.

• You’re playing a racing themed slot
• You trigger the bonus room and choose the skill-based bonus
• You need to race against other cars
• Your finish will determine the size of your payout

Again, these games don’t differ much from regular slot machines. However, they do stand out due to their unique bonuses.

What Makes These Games Worthwhile?

For decades, slot machines have been based on pure luck. You can’t do anything to influence the results after spinning the reels.

Instead, the random number generator determines whether you win or lose. The only thing you can really do is pick slot machines that offer a high return to player (RTP).

However, skill-based slots are a departure from traditional machines. They actually give you a chance to boost your profits with skill, much like blackjack or video poker.

Of course, you can’t use your skills throughout the entire game. These slots are mostly like traditional games, aside from the bonus rounds.

Nevertheless, the fact that you can use some degree of skill is an interesting change. If you like playing video games, then you’ll appreciate the opportunity to win more money based on how well you play the bonuses.

What Are the Chances of Beating Skill-Based Slot Machines?

Types Of Slots

Skill-based slots are somewhat deceiving. Your skills can result in more money, but not enough to earn guarantee profits in the long run.

The biggest problem is that even if you’re an expert at the bonus round, you won’t raise RTP enough to guarantee winnings. These games are still programmed to give the house a large enough advantage to beat the average player.

• A game features 92% base RTP
• The bonus rounds make up an additional 2-5% of payback
• Even with expert play, you can only expect to earn 97% RTP

What Are The Different Slot Machines Games

Does this mean that skill-based slots are impossible to beat? No, you can still beat them just like a regular slot machine.

The drawback, though, is that they’re not like blackjack (card counting) or certain video poker variations, which can offer an edge over the casino. The bonus rounds just don’t make up enough of the RTP for this to be possible.

At best, you can play well enough during the bonus to earn higher payback than with the average slot machine. But you’ll still need luck to beat these games in the end.

Should You Still Play Skill Based Slots?

You might not like how skill-based slots aren’t as skillful as they may appear. But you can still have a good time playing these games.

The main thing to consider is what type of gambler you are. Are you looking for unique slot machines? Do you wish there was more interactivity with the average game?

If your answer is “yes” to both, then you should appreciate these slots. They’re fairly new to the industry and offer something different from the norm.

Blackjack, Texas hold’em, sports betting, and video poker are examples of games that you can conquer with the right skills and know-how.

Skill-based slots, unfortunately, don’t fall into the same category. You still need some degree of luck to win profits.

Now, this situation could very well change in the future. Developers might eventually create games that can offer profits to expert players.

But for now, skill-based slot machines are like regular slots in terms of RTP. The only difference is that some may offer high payback when you play the bonus well.

What Type of Slot Machines Can You Beat?

One little-known fact about slots is that certain types of games can offer long-term profits. Below, you can see three categories of slot machines that can give you an edge.

Accumulator Slots

An accumulator slot machine features a bonus meter. You gradually fill this meter by collecting special symbols throughout the game. Once the meter is full, you’ll trigger a bonus.

You can actually make profits by consistently playing accumulator slots when the meter is almost full. In these cases, you’re benefiting from all of the bets made beforehand that pushed the meter.

You need the right combination of a nearly full meter along with someone who gives up their seat right before triggering the bonus.

The latter doesn’t happen most of the time. Therefore, “slots vultures” try to trick players into leaving games.

Vultures hang around slot sections and look for bonus meters that are almost full. They’ll then approach players on these games and ask something like, “This is my lucky machine, can I have it?”

The problem with this strategy is that you need the nerve to actually ask players to get up from their machines. Some gamblers won’t willingly oblige and may get hostile if you persist.

In the end, accumulator slots are one of the worst ways to make gambling profits. But you still might be interested in these games if you have no trouble asking gamblers to vacate games with nearly full bonus meters.

Mystery Jackpot Slot Machines

A mystery jackpot slot features a jackpot that pays out at a predefined point. For example, a game may deliver its top prize at exactly $500.

Much like with accumulator slot machines, you can win guaranteed profits by consistently playing these games at the right points. Namely, you want to jump on a mystery slot when a progressive jackpot is nearing its payout.

Some gamblers will leave these machines close to the point when a jackpot is about to hit. They may leave because they’re tired of playing or simply because they run out of money.

Whatever the case, you can profit by taking advantage of these situations again and again. But you won’t find an abundance of perfect opportunities.

First off, vultures also like to scout out mystery progressive slots. Second, these games aren’t widely available on casino floors.

Progressive Jackpot Slots

A progressive slot machine features a jackpot that grows with each bet. These games take a small percentage out of each wager to fund the top prize.

Every progressive slot has a base jackpot amount. For example, a game’s top prize might start at $10,000 and continue growing until it’s finally won.

These slots also feature base RTP, which indicates how much the game is set to pay back at the starting jackpot value. However, the theoretical RTP increases along with the jackpot.

Assuming the top prize gets large enough, then you’ll technically gain positive expected value by playing at this point. Of course, the key problem is that your chances of winning a larger jackpot are very slim.

Types Of Slot Machines

Even with a theoretical advantage, you must rely on lots of luck to hit a jackpot worth thousands or millions of dollars, but maybe you will want to check first this blog where we explain how to make a profit playing progressive slots.

Conclusion

The term “skill-based slot machines” is fairly misleading. True to their names, these games do feature some degree of skill. However, they mostly revolve around pure luck like other slot machines.

The only skill involved is in the bonus rounds. You play mini games where your performance will determine the payout.

Some of these slots can offer solid RTP if you’re skilled enough. For example, you may be able to push a game with 92% RTP to 97% payback with a great performance.

But are these games going to deliver profits if you’re good enough? No…at least not guaranteed profits.

The reality is that you’ll still need luck to win. Your skills in the bonus round will only cut down on the random chance.

What Are The Different Slot Machines Made

But you shouldn’t expect to gain a long-term edge with these machines. They just don’t feature enough skill.

What Are The Best Type Of Slot Machines To Play

Assuming you’re desperate to win profits with slots, then you might try accumulator, mystery jackpot, or progressive jackpot slot machines.

What Are The Different Types Of Slot Machines

I’m not a big fan of hanging out in casinos and trying to beat these games. But they all can deliver profits, with accumulator slots and mystery jackpot games being the most-feasible options.