12.20
Slot Machine positioning
Books have been stated on this matter, and the conflict and feuds about where the "hot" video slots are placed in the casino are still on-going – more than sixty yrs after the slots were first placed in casinos.
The quintessential rule is that the very best slot machines were installed just inside the door of the casino; so that individuals walking by would see actual jackpot winners and be tempted to come into the casino … play. Our opinion is that this is not so anymore.
Nearly all of the major casinos these days are monstrous complexes and you can no longer see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to situate the ‘loose’ one armed bandits near to any doors.
An additional traditional rule is that loose slot machines are put on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more fun seekers could see winning jackpots and be motivated to play. However, we find that this also is no longer a universal rule.
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 slot machine games 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!
In recent times, casinos are constantly changing their philosophy about where to place the loose one armed bandits.