As leading innovators of slot machines and gaming enterprise management systems for the global gaming market, Konami Gaming, Inc. And Konami Australia Pty Ltd have been creating big waves in the gaming industry. Every machine, game or system that KONAMI creates focuses on the experience. Conceived by imagination. Bally's Slot Machine - Pays in.25's - Plays Progressive $1,000 (inl Pays out in REAL QUARTERS) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting.
Las Vegas is home to over 197,000 slot machines. That’s roughly one for every three residents. With so many slot machines to choose from, it should be no surprise that you can find some interesting ones hiding around town.
This is especially true in downtown Las Vegas, known to many as “Old Vegas.” Fremont Street specializes in keeping the old-time feel alive. This is where you will find all sorts of buildings, stores, merchandise, and yes, even slot machines from the early days of Las Vegas history.
Below you will find a list of some of the interesting, fun, vintage, or downright weird slot machines you can find in downtown Las Vegas.
Coin-Operated Slot Machines
Coin-operated slots are one of the most sought-after unique slot machines found in Las Vegas. They bring a bit of nostalgia back to the game. These are getting harder to find. Many casinos have a hard time finding parts for repair, which has caused most to get rid of coin-operated slots altogether.
The evolution of our U.S. currency has had a dramatic impact. The D Hotel and Casino has phased out all of its coin operated slot machines. For a place specializing in vintage slots (they have an entire floor devoted to these), why would they do this?
Turns out, the machine’s bill reader cannot recognize our newer versions of U.S. currency in $5 and $20 bills. These bill readers cannot be swapped, and old currency is hard to keep in supply. All of this works out to be too much of a headache for the casino.
With that said, there are still a few places in downtown Las Vegas that offer the chance to play coin-operated slot machines. They are:
- California Hotel and Casino
- El Cortez Hotel and Casino
- Fremont Hotel and Casino
- Main Street Station Hotel and Casino
- Plaza Hotel and Casino
Sigma Derby
Sigma Derby is a retro horse racing game. It made its debut in 1985 and was quite popular at the time. In today’s casinos, it’s nearly impossible to find. Just like coin-operated slot machines, parts for Sigma Derby games are hard to find when the game is in need of repairs.
In addition to having a difficult time keeping the Sigma Derby machines operational, the casinos make a very small profit on them. They are coin operated and run on just a few quarters. The machines also take over a minute to complete one round.
Because of this, almost every Las Vegas casino has done away with Sigma Derby machines. In fact, there is only one such machine in all of downtown Las Vegas. This machine is at The D Hotel and Casino. Or, if you’re willing to venture to the Las Vegas Strip, there is one other Sigma Derby machine located at the MGM Grand.
Silver Strike
Silver Strike slot machines have an incredible fan base. They appeal to both slot machine players and to collectors. This is because, rather than winning cash, you win silver coins. Well, partially silver coins.
The coins used to be .999 silver. Now they are usually a mix of silver and copper. The variance is due to the fact that each casino is responsible for producing their own silver strike coins. This brings in the collector’s aspect, as there are many different coins to try to win.
The machine has a $3.00 max spin, which you must bet to have a chance at the silver coin bonus. If you get a silver strike logo on the third reel, you win a silver strike coin. Most of these coins are worth roughly $10; however, you have a chance at randomly receiving one worth up to $300.
There are varying values within each casino, plus several different casinos offering their own coin variations. The cost associated with producing the silver strike coins has deterred many casinos from carrying the machines. In downtown Las Vegas, there are two casinos who still have the game on their floor:
- The Four Queens Hotel and Casino has four machines
- El Cortez Hotel and Casino has one machine
Jumbo Slot Machine
The Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino is home to one of the largest functioning slot machines in all of Las Vegas. This slot machine is over eight feet tall! It is a 4-reel machine that works in dollar denominations. You will find this slot machine in the lobby by their front entrance. Such a massive machine can draw a lot of attention. It’s not unusual to see a crowd surrounding the machine, watching the player.
It does have an arm mechanism on it; however, this is no longer how the slot machine reels are spun. This is done with a spin button. One old-time aspect that still remains is that the payout from the machine is given in quarters. It’s a fun experience everyone should try once.
Vintage Slot Machines
If you’re looking to see some gambling history, Las Vegas is the place to do it. Even more specifically, looking through downtown Las Vegas, where the city got its start. Fremont Street is where the big casinos of Las Vegas originated. It is where it all began in the evolution of what Las Vegas is today.
This rich history is displayed throughout downtown Las Vegas. One of the crowd favorites in nostalgic merchandise is slot machines. There are two displays featuring retired, vintage slots. These are no longer functional but are still amazing to see. They are located at:
- The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
- Main Street Hotel and Casino
If you’re looking for a large selection of vintage slot machines you can still play, your go-to destination should be The D Hotel and Casino. Their entire second floor is devoted exclusively to vintage slot machines. While they have all been converted to TITO (Ticket In/Ticket Out) machines, they still maintain the vintage gameplay options.
SlotZilla Zip Line
If you’re looking for unique slot machines that you can wager money on, the SlotZilla slot machine on Fremont Street is not for you. That’s because it’s not actually a slot machine, but a giant model of a slot machine. In fact, it’s the most giant one in the world. The SlotZilla slot machine holds the world record for the largest slot machine, standing at 128 feet tall.
It is truly a sight to see. It doesn’t stop there, though. The SlotZilla machine is actually a zip line. The zip line originates at the top of the 12-story-tall slot machine replica. From there, riders will fly down Fremont Street, just below the lighted canopy. There are two versions you can try: the zip line and the zoom line.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for something slightly different to do in Las Vegas, or simply trying to change up your usual gambling routine, this list has you covered. Everything on this list should be seen once if you’re a fan of slot machines or Vegas history.
Not only will you be able to play some of the oldest functioning slot machines around, but you will also get to see amazing pieces of Las Vegas culture. You can cap it all off with a ride on Vegas’s own slot machine zip line.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Return to player (RTP) is very important in regard to the long-term chances of winning with slots. RTP (a.k.a. payback) refers to how much slot machines are programmed to pay out in the long run.
Higher payback means that a game gives you a stronger chance of winning. Therefore, you’ll do well to know the RTP behind any game that you play.
You’ll discover that it’s really easy to find payout percentages for online slot machine games. A simple Google search will produce the RTP for most internet games.
Unfortunately, you’ll have a much tougher time figuring out the RTP of land-based machines. In fact, this information is rarely available.
Is there still a way for you to determine payout percentages for slot machines in brick-and-mortar casinos? I’ll answer this question by covering more on the difficulties of finding RTP for land-based slots and if it’s ultimately possible.
Why Isn’t RTP Available for Land-Based Slots?
Unlike with many online slots, you can’t just find the RTP for land-based slot machines through Google. Your efforts will turn up little to no results.
The problem with slots in brick-and-mortar casinos is that they don’t have uniform payback across every casino. Instead, game developers allow casinos to select payout percentages based on a list of options.
Here’s an example on how this works:
- WMS is offering Monopoly Party Train slot to Vegas casinos.
- They feature the following RTP options: 92.5%, 93.5%, and 94.5%.
- Caesars Palace orders this game at 93.5% payback.
- The Venetian orders Monopoly Party Train at 92.5% RTP.
- Treasure Island orders this slot at 94.5% RTP.
You can see the obvious challenge in trying to provide payback numbers for such games. A website could list Monopoly Party Train at 93.5% RTP, which is middle ground.
Most online slot providers differ because they offer their games at a uniform RTP across every casino. For example, Rival Gaming will feature Spy Game with 95.1% payback at each online casino it serves.
Some exceptions do exist in the online gambling world. RealTime Gaming (RTG), for instance, allows its casino clients to choose 91.5%, 95%, or 97.5% RTP for a given game.
You can’t find payout percentages for RTG games either. Nevertheless, you can still learn the payback for the vast majority of internet slots.
How Can You Figure out the RTP?
You won’t be able to find the exact payout percentages for most land-based slot machines. But you can at least get a good idea on the matter through a few different methods. Here are some ways to learn the RTP for brick-and-mortar casino slots.
Make General Guesses Based on Coin Denominations
Casinos like to reward gamblers who are willing to risk more money per bet. Therefore, they order higher RTP for games with larger coin denominations.
Here’s an example on how this works:
- Penny slot machines = 88% to 90% RTP
- Nickel slot machines = 91% to 94% RTP
- Quarter slot machines = 93% to 95% RTP
- Dollar slot machines = 94% to 96% RTP
- $5 slot machines = 95% to 97% RTP
List Of Slot Machine Games
Penny slot machines are almost always the worst games with regard to payout percentages. Larger denominations ranging from a nickel to $5 are all closer in terms of payback.
Your theoretical losses will be higher on nickel games and up just because you’re betting more per spin. Nevertheless, you can still get more value per dollar wagered with the higher-denomination machines.
Read State Gaming Reports
Rather than making generalizations about coin sizes, you can always check out state gaming reports. These reports show the average payout percentages (or house edges) for each coin denomination within a given state’s casinos.
For example, you might look at a Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) release and see that dollar slot machines are offering 94.79% RTP on average.
Interestingly enough, the NGC reports specific payout information for Megabucks. This IGT product is the most popular slot in all the popular Las Vegas casinos and warrants more detailed info.
You won’t find the exact payout percentage for an individual game, but you’ll at least have a better guideline with these reports.
Email a Casino and Ask
One more option involves emailing a casino directly and asking them about their RTP for a specific slot machine.
The problem here is that customer service will often state that they don’t have this information available. But in certain cases, you may actually receive a real answer.
You shouldn’t count on this method majority of the time. It’s at least worth trying, though, if you’re desperate to find out the RTP for certain slots.
What to Avoid When Searching for Land-Based Slots Payback
Finding Slot Machines By Name
You can see that there are a few different options for determining the payback for land-based slot machines. But there are also measures that you want to avoid on your payback-finding quest, including the following.
Relying on Signs Inside of Casinos
Many casinos hang signs above a bank of slot machines that will read something like, “Pays up to 99%.”
These signs are very effective at drawing players to slot machines. After all, who wouldn’t want to play a slot that only has a 1% house edge?
Unfortunately, these signs are also very misleading. Only one of the machines within the section has to offer 99% RTP.
The rest could pay as low as 90% RTP and still make the sign valid. Therefore, you can’t rely on much information that the casino supplies you with.
Using One Good Session to Determine Quality Payback
Slots are extremely volatile games that may pay a lot one session, then offer very few prizes for the next five sessions. Therefore, you can never use any single outing to judge how a game pays.
Many gamblers still make this very mistake. They’ll have one hot session with a game and believe that it offers a high payout percentage.
It would be great if finding RTP for land-based slot machines was really this simple. The reality, though, is that it’s anything but.
Blindly Believing Ads for the “Loosest Slots”
I’ve seen plenty of ads for loose slot machines when driving on the interstate. These billboards suggest that a given casino features slots with high RTP or frequent payouts.
However, “loose” is a broad term that doesn’t really mean anything. State gaming laws don’t put parameters on what constitutes a loose game.
Casinos can make this claim, regardless of whether it’s true or not. That said, you should take any such advertisement with a grain of salt.
Conclusion
You may think negatively about land-based casinos upon being unable to find RTP for their slots. After all, you don’t have to spend much time at all finding payback for online slots.
However, providers are the ones who choose whether to or not to release payout percentages. They can’t accurately do this with slot machines at brick and mortar casinos, because providers feature different RTP options.
One casino may order a slot at 93% payback, while the next orders it at 95% RTP. Developers are therefore unable to offer a uniform payout percentage for each slot.
The good news, though, is that you don’t have to give up hope. Instead, you have a few options for finding general RTP figures.
The easiest method is to make generalizations based on coin denominations. Simply put, the higher coin denominations usually offer better payback.
You can also read state gaming reports. These releases show the average amount that each coin denomination pays out within a given state’s gambling venues.
Finally, you can always email a casino directly and ask about a specific game. You won’t get the desired answer most of the time, but it’s worth trying.
Slot Machine Listed By Name Search
In summary, finding the RTP for an individual land-based slot is impossible in most cases. But you’ll still have a general idea on how much these slots pay by following the previously covered tips.