Las Vegas is home to 160,000+ slot machines. People who don’t gamble or visit Vegas much don’t realize how much variety exists among these tens of thousands of games. Thanks to strict regulatory work, we know that the return to player percentage of Vegas slots ranges from 78% to almost 99%. Whether you’re an advantage gambler or not, you should recognize that some Vegas slot machines are designed to take more of your money and at a faster pace than others. In the industry, this is referred to as a machine’s “tightness” or “looseness.”

1. Which Slot Machines Have The Best Payouts Money
2. Real Money Payout Slots
3. Which Slot Machines Pay Out The Most

The best slot machine games, where payouts are concerned, are always online based. The percentage falls dramatically live as compared with online. Where the general online average RTP percentage tends to hover around 95%, land based casinos can – and often do – offer percentages as low as 75%.

The loosest slots in Vegas in 2021 (and probably 2022) are at off-Strip casinos and casinos in North Las Vegas, at places like Fiesta Henderson or Sam’s Town near the Boulder Strip. Some slots at these off-Strip spots in Las Vegas are similar in theoretical return percentage to the more traditionally player-friendly slot games in Reno, some are even better than the average Reno machine.

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If you want to discover the best slot machines at Borgata, you can see the payout rate from the list above. Additionally, the RTP shown above tells you the Borgata slot’s best odds. Ultimately, the numbers from the Win Data report indicate that if you come across a $.50 slot machine at an Atlantic City casino, you should play it. The Three Best Casino Games to Play. If you walk into a casino and can't remember the details of this article, keep one thing in mind: you have the best odds of winning at a table game. They may be more intimidating than slots, but they usually work out better for the players. Generally, the more cash you put into a slot machine, the higher its payout percentage is going to be. The slots that require at least $1 pay out 95-99%, where 25 and 50 cent slot machines pay out less, 92-95%. Now for the sake of comparison, let’s say a certain slot machine has an RTP of 92% and it costs you $1 to spin its reels.

In this post, I’ll prove everything I just said with specific statistics, showing you how to find the loosest slots in Las Vegas in 2021. And let’s be honest, this information isn’t likely to change much in 2022, either.

What Are Loose Slots (In Vegas or Anywhere Else)?

A slot is loose if its theoretical return to player is high relative to other machines. RTP is measured as a theoretical percentage representing how much of a player’s money will be paid back out in winnings. The RTP tells you how much you stand to lose over a given period of time.

Loose slots have higher percentages.

Tight slots have lower percentages.

Loose vs. Tight Slots in Vegas Example

Let’s look an example:

50 Lions slot machines by Aristocrat are popular on Vegas casino floors. This is a 5-reel and 3-row video slot with all the modern features players like, with bonuses, wild symbols, a scatter symbol, but nothing too much in terms of video cut scenes or complex side bets or bonus games. It’s accessible to a huge number of players and that’s why you can find it on lots of different gaming floors.

The standard issue game of 50 Lions has an RTP of 94.71%.

That doesn’t mean that every version you find in Vegas has that same RTP – casinos are allowed to alter games to change the theoretical return percentage. This is done mainly by changing the pay tables in subtle ways or by actually changing the programming of the game itself.

This means that playing 50 Lions slots at the Peppermill Reno will be a totally different experience than playing at The Venetian on the Vegas Strip.

In fact, there could be as much as a 10% difference between that game at The Venetian and the game at the Peppermill.

Does RTP Really Affect a Slot Machine’s Play?

I think this question really means “Will I notice any difference between two games with different RTPs?”

Maybe, maybe not.

You have to take RTP numbers with a Vegas-sized grain of salt. That’s because these numbers only become true when you consider them over an infinite period of time. In the short-term, you will not see exactly 97% of your money paid back when you play a slot with a 97% RTP for an hour or two. In fact, the shorter amount of time you play, the less a game is like its posted RTP figure.

That’s because these numbers are calculated for an infinite bankroll used for an infinite amount of time.

But don’t ignore RTP.

It’s the best (meaning the most scientific) way we have of quantifying a slot’s relative return to the player. We also like it because in most places where gambling is legal, operators are required to report RTP figures for all their games. This is true in Las Vegas and the rest of Nevada’s gambling areas.

Where Are the Loosest Slots in Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022?

Okay, now that you’re an expert on the meaning of RTP in slot play, let’s help you zero in on the slots with the best RTP figures in the entire city of Las Vegas.

For starters, it’s important to know the average RTP figures for various slot game denominations on the Strip. Here’s a quick guide to the most common:

• $0.01 Slot Machines – 88.38%
• $0.05 Slot Machines – 91.64%
• $0.25 Slot Machines – 89.35%
• $1 Slot Machines – 92.43%

If you’re looking for loose Vegas slots on the Strip in 2021 and 2022, head for either the nickel slots or the more expensive $1 games, mostly found in the high limit area.

Let’s compare those figures to the same ones for North Las Vegas:

• $0.01 Slot Machines – 90.88%
• $0.05 Slot Machines – 95.29%
• $0.25 Slot Machines – 96.41%
• $1 Slot Machines – 95.39%

Obviously, every denomination offers a better RTP in North Vegas than their companion machines on the Strip. Will players notice the difference on penny slots?

Maybe not, but the higher the denomination of the machine, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to tell that you’re playing on a machine with a better theoretical return percentage.

The final set of numbers shows the theoretical return for games on the Boulder Strip:

• $0.01 Slot Machines – 90.38%
• $0.05 Slot Machines – 96.21%
• $0.25 Slot Machines – 96.13%
• $1 Slot Machines – 96.13%

Notice that some denominations are technically higher in the Boulder area than in North Vegas, while others are the opposite.

It’s not clear to me that you’ll notice much difference in a typical session of slot play, but some bettors really like to play on the best possible machines they can.

Where Are the Tightest Slots in Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022?

As a fun exercise, and as a cautionary tale for advantage gamblers looking to avoid tight slots, let’s take a quick look at the casinos with the tightest slots in Sin City.

Take note that all five of these are located prominently on the Vegas Strip.

The Venetian currently holds the title of Tight Slot Champion, with an average RTP across all their slots of 86.66%. That’s lower than the average slot RTP for the city of Las Vegas, which is right at 93%. It’s even lower than the overall RTP average for the Strip, which is 91.47%. About the only place you can play slot machines with a lower RTP average than the Venetian is the airport, where the average return is just over 85%.

The Bellagio is an icon, a gorgeous symbol of Vegas excess and American wealth. It’s also home to some really bad slots, in terms of RTP – the average slot machine here has a RTP of 87.42%. Sure, you can play at 2,300 different machines, among the biggest variety in the world, but you’re paying a small price for that privilege.

You should visit Caesars Palace for the Bacchanal Buffet, the world-class resort and amenities, and its poker room, which is among the best in the world. You should not visit if you’re looking for slots with low RTP figures, since the average here is 88.87%.

Mandalay Bay and its gold-plated windows give off a heck of a Vegas vibe. The average slot RTP here is 89.05%, well below average even for a Strip property.

The Mirage is a new entry to this list, and offers a similar product to Mandalay Bay, down to the average RTP on their slot machines. In 2020, the Mirage tightened up even more, producing a slot RTP average of 89.3%, middling at best for the Vegas Strip, where the tightness of the slots is a well-known thing.

Conclusion

In my experience, two kinds of people are looking for “loose slots.”

You’re either an advantage gambler looking for the mythical 98.8% layout of 50 Lions so you can squeeze every penny out of the casino, or you’re a newcomer who thinks you can find a magical slot that will guarantee winnings. To the first kind of gambler, I say “Carry on.” Using the information in this post, and a little bit of time on Google, you can easily find out where the slots are loose and tight in Las Vegas in 2021. And 2022 looks to be much the same – it’s unlikely that looser slots are on the horizon as soon as next year.

If you’re the type who believes that they can find a slot machine so loose that it guarantees a payday, a word of warning. Slot machines are literally designed to take your money, and the manufacturers and gaming providers advertise this information publicly. Gambling is entertainment, with a fun and distracting game that gives you the chance to win a little bit of prize money. There’s no sure-thing in Las Vegas – not on the Strip, not in the North, and not in the airport gate.

Which Slot Machines Have The Best Payouts Money

If you want to find loose slots because it will increase the value of your entertainment budget, use the tools here to do just that. If you’re looking for loose slots as part of your retirement strategy, please understand that all gambling entails risk. Play for fun, not for profit.

Games offering progressive jackpots and bonus rounds are popular with players, but slots with the best payout rates or payback percentages are considered among the top prizes in the world of gambling. After all, even a couple of extra percentage points can make a major difference when calculating the profitability of an individual slot.

This article examines the definition of “payout percentage” and explains where to find the most generous slot games. While it won’t improve your actual chances of winning, the knowledge that you’re playing a more liberal slot machine should at least boost your confidence.

What Is a Payback Percentage?

The payback percentage—also known as the payout percentage or return to player—is the amount of money deposited into a slot machine that is eventually paid back to the customer. This percentage is not determined in weeks or months, but rather over the life of the machine.

For example, let’s say that $100,000 is inserted into a slot machine with a 92% payout percentage. According to the RTP (“return to player”), the slot should pay back $92,000 of the wager in the form of wins, while keeping the other $8,000 in profit. Keep in mind, however, that the true payout of a slot machine may take millions of spin to determine.

When a machine’s software is written at the factory, this is when the payback percentage is set in accordance with local laws. For example, slots in New Jersey must be set to pay back a minimum of 83%, while games in Nevada have a lower limit of 75%. On average, the payout percentage for most slots ranges from 82% to 98%.

Slots with a high RTP are known as “loose slots,” while their stingy counterparts are referred to as “tight slots.” Since these figures are rarely reported, it’s difficult for a player to accurately determine whether the machine they’re playing is loose or tight.
In previous years, the RTP was set at the factory and any additional manipulation by the casino required the software to be switched. Thanks to advances in computer technology, many casinos can now remotely manipulate the odds and payout, although they must wait until the machine has been vacant for at least four minutes (no mid-game manipulations).

How to Find the Highest Paying Slot Machine

Casinos love to promote their slots as being loose or easy to win slot machines, but they’re tight-lipped when it comes to actually identifying the machines. In most cases, a few loosest slots are sprinkled into rows of tight machines, which still give the casino the opportunity to brag about all the loose slots they offer.

Unless you happen to have a casino manager in your back pocket, it’s going to be difficult to determine a game’s true payback percentage. Gambling forums and chat rooms are often filled with people who claim to know the RTP for various machines, but you should only trust those sources with impeccable credentials. Otherwise, it’s probably an educated guess or outright lie.

Games with Top Payback / Payout Percentages

While it may be disappointing to hear, a so-called list of loose slot machines is useless. There are a couple of reasons for this, which I will explain below.

Varies by Machine – Just because one slot machine from a certain series pays back 96%, another identical machine may only pay back 89%. These differences aren’t listed by the casino, so the player is left to play a guessing game.

Location – Even if you somehow learn that the fifth machine on the fourth row pays back 97%, it’s only a matter of time before the casino changes its physical location.

When searching for the best RTP, the best strategy is to look at the minimum paybacks allowed by law. Any law-abiding casino cannot go below this number, which at least gives you a worst case scenario for the rate of return. Unfortunately, not all states have a minimum, and establishments aren’t always required to disclose their payback setting (especially Indian casinos, who regulate themselves). Still, I’ve included what meager information I could gather.

Real Money Payout Slots

• Arizona – 83% minimum payback
• Delaware – Their video lottery terminals must pay between 87% and 95%.
• Kansas – 87% minimum (80% at Indian casinos)
• Louisiana – Casino slots must pay no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%. The minimum return at locations other than casinos is 80%, with a maximum of 94%.
• Maine – 89% minimum payback
• Maryland – 87% minimum payout
• Minnesota – RTP must be between 80% and 95%.
• Nevada – 75% minimum RTP
• New Jersey – 83% minimum payback
• New Mexico – Between 80% and 96%, although Indian casinos have a required minimum of 80%.
• North Carolina – Payout must fall between 83% and 98%.
• North Dakota – Slots carry a minimum return of 80%.
• West Virginia – Carries of minimum requirement of between 80% and 95%.
• Wisconsin – Minimum return of 80%.

Which Slot Machines Pay Out The Most

Slots with the best payback percentage are highly coveted in the world of gambling, so expect a feeding frenzy whenever a game’s true RTP becomes known. This doesn’t happen very often, though, as casinos love to move machines around to keep savvy patrons guessing. Ultimately, your best chance comes from reading the rules, understanding the pay table, and keeping your expectations in check. Once you meet these requirements, you’re a lot more likely to walk away from the casino with a smile on your face.