Should I play Slot Machines?

Tough question isn’t it? In the last two decades slot machines have become the main source of income for casinos. Casino profits from slot machines are higher than all other casino games combined. Yeah, it’s that popular. This does make one think why do so many people play a game which is notoriously known for the very unfavorable odds it gives to the player. One thing is for sure, slot machine designers are doing one hell of a job.

If we will take a group of 100 random Bellagio visitors we are bound to come up with several professional gamblers, a few who think they are professional gamblers and the occasional gambling addict. But the grand majority of the casinos’ clients are regular people just like you and me. Some of them (like you and me) probably have at least a basic knowledge of gambling theory and will try to avoid games which offer them unfavorable odds. Most of them are coming to have fun.

Fun is the keyword here. While there are many people who can call the Bellagio their second home, most people do not visit Vegas that often. When they finally reach Vegas, especially for the first time, two things are crossing their minds. Fun and money (with some people the order might reverse itself).

Pressing buttons and pulling handles might not be everyone’s definition for fun, but when you combine it with a chance to win a big fat jackpot, things are starting to look a little more interesting. Any one can go to the blackjack table and try to slowly build up their bankroll. But for those who are looking for instant gratification there is nothing more exciting than a chance to hit the jackpot.

Since you are reading this, you are probably not in the same category as the casino novice just described. You know about odds and you know which bets to avoid, but are you really having fun while you are at the casino. Most people, even if they really wanted, cannot become professional gamblers. But as evidence shows, in order to have fun in the casino you do not need to win money, you need the excitement in the knowledge that there is a small chance that you will win.

I like to play the occasional slot machine. When I bump in to a friend in the casino, they always ask me: “How can you of all people play this money losing game”?
I always have the same reply: “its fun”.