Las Vegas Slot Machines To Play

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The infamous gambling capital, Las Vegas, is home to more than 100,000 slot machines. The old one-armed bandits have been around for nearly a century now, and over all that time, they’ve evolved to say the least.

Las Vegas reigns supreme when it comes to the slots. The city’s epicenter shifted from Downtown to present-day Las Vegas Boulevard, and the Strip is home to over 30 casino resorts. If your main focus is finding the best places on the Strip to play slots, this page is for you.

Using the latest payback percentage rates, which are also known as return to player (RTP) rates, a team of gambling researchers from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) recently conducted a survey of every Las Vegas casino’s slot machine inventory.

Based on that payback percentage data, the list below presents the seven best places to play “loose” slots, or machines which offer a higher than average payback percentage, whenever you visit the heart of Las Vegas.

1 – Circus Circus Hotel and Resort

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So, let’s start with the glass half empty side of the Circus Circus to get it out of the way… This place is kind of a dump.

The big top theme hasn’t been interesting in 20 years, and nothing else inside of the Circus Circus has been updated either. Renovations were announced in the latter half of 2019, but the décor at the time of this writing is significantly dated.

On the other hand, if you don’t mind “slumming it” for a spell, playing slots at the Circus Circus scoresan average payback percentage of 92.56%, the highest offered by any casino on the Las Vegas Strip. And if you happen to have the family in town, Circus Circus is still the best casino in town in terms of non-gambling entertainment for the kids to enjoy.

As for the adults, you can play Circus Circus slots for $0.01 per spin all the way up to $25 a play at any of the properties four distinct casinos—Main, West, Skyrise, and Slots A Fun.
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The aptly named Slots A Fun has been a staple of old-school Las Vegas gambling for generations now, and this gritty gambling hall is home to a diverse collection of “Classic Coin Machines.” These are the big iron boxes of old, which still take quarters and use a pull-lever to send the reels spinning. You’ll also find Classic Coin Machines for $1 a spin over at the Main casino.

Circus Circus’ sterling 92.56% payback rate, which outdoes the Strip’s overall average of 91.47% by more than a full percentage point, is bolstered by the popular Magnificent 7 slot machine. This three-reel design classic produces an average payback rate of 97.4%, good for some of the most favorable slot machine odds out there.

The Magnificent 7’s machine uses a $1 coin denomination, and because it pays out the $1,000 jackpot with such regularity, many slot fans exclusively play this game.

If you’re in the mood for a something a little different, take a whirl on the Carousel, a spinning platform outfitted with penny slot machines and offers a great view of the daily Circus performance.

2 – Luxor Hotel and Casino

Even if you didn’t know its name, the Luxor is likely the first casino resort on the Strip to catch your eye during the initial after-hours excursion in Sin City.

A gleaming black pyramid seemingly taken straight out of the Egyptian sands and relocated to the Mojave Desert, the Luxor Hotel & Casino is best known for shining a bright beam of light straight from its peak into the skies above. This obelisk of light can be seen from miles away, making it one of the dominant features of the Strip’s skyline.

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Head inside, and you’ll find more than 1,100 slot machines at the Luxor, one of Las Vegas’ largest inventories. They collectively offer an average payback rate of 91.92%. The massive selection covers everything, from classic three-reel machines to modern video slots equipped with movable seats and sound effects, so slot players of all stripes will feel at home.

Coin denominations here range from $0.01 to $100, and those bets put players in the mix for jackpots that can eclipse the eight-figure plateau. As an MGM Resorts operated casino, the Luxor makes sure to spread all of the best progressive jackpot slot games, including Megabucks, Wheel of Fortune, and Millionaire 777’s.

3 – Paris Las Vegas

If you’re loyal to Caesars Entertainment properties and their Total Rewards program, rather than MGM Resorts and the M life card, you can head across Las Vegas Boulevard to Paris and find the exact same 91.92% overall payback rate.

The slot selection at Paris is impeccable, with more than 1,700 different machines dotting the well-appointed casino floor.

I’m talking everything a slot player could ask for—three-, five-, and even six-reel games, the perfect blend of traditional machines, and their modern video counterparts, and all of the topline progressive jackpot networks.

Playing slots at Paris is a treat in more ways than one, thanks to the property’s world-class dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

4 – Excalibur Hotel and Casino

A step up from Circus Circus if you’re visiting Las Vegas with little ones, Excalibur is famous for its medieval castle theme.

You’ll be greeted at the entrance by “town criers” dressed in traditional medieval garb, complete with Old English dialogue all the rest. Every night sees the white and black knights battle it out in a full-on jousting tournament, while audience members munch on oversized turkey legs and swill wine from a goblet.

Indeed, the ambiance at Excalibur is certainly unique to say the least…

As for the slot lineup, you’ll find hundreds of slots at Excalibur, running the gamut from $0.01 to $100 stakes. All of the most popular machines are here too, including 88 Fortunes, Buffalo Grand, Dancing Drums, Monopoly Hot Shot, and so much more. All told, Excalibur’s slot menu offers a 91.84% payback rate on average, good enough to beat the baseline for casinos along the Strip.

One of the coolest things about playing slots at the MGM-owned Excalibur is the seasonal tournaments that run once every month or so. Tournaments like the “Excaliventure” or the “Riptide Reels” offer $25,000 prize pools in a unique format, as players try to spin their way to the highest profits over a given period of time.

5 – Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino

The Caesars-owned Bally’s makes up for its worn-down appearance and generally uninspired interior with a long lineup of high-paying slots.

All told, the hundreds of slot machine games spread by Bally’s combine for an average payback rate of 91.82%.

That’s a decent level higher than the Strip average, making Bally’s a great option for budget-minded visitors to Las Vegas who don’t need marble floors and museums to go along with their gambling.

Bally’s is the definition of a “no-frills” casino at this point, so expect to find all of the slot industry’s staple titles and jackpots without much in the way of cutting-edge technology.

But while the machines here might be dated, the players grinding them have a much higher chance to win than across the street at Bellagio, where the luxurious surroundings and fancy amenities mask one of the Strip’s worst payback rates at 87.42%.

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6 – O’Sheas Casino

If the vibe at Bally’s is a no-frills affair, playing slots at O’Sheas is like stepping into another world altogether.

This Irish-themed casino within a casino is technically part of the LINQ, a relatively new addition to the Strip’s landscape which was rebranded in 2014 by Caesars Entertainment. If you visited Las Vegas before that, you probably know The LINQ as The Quad or Imperial Palace.

As for O’Sheas, it previously occupied a location of its own near the Flamingo before relocating to the LINQ in 2013. But moving didn’t do a thing to change O’Sheas famous Irish pub-inspired ambiance, which is best known for $1 drinks, beer pong tables, and an intimate setting.

The slots at O’Sheas average a 91.48% payback rate, so even though the selection might be a bit limited compared to other venues on this list, you’ll still be above the Strip average.

7 – New York-New York Hotel and Casino

Coming full circle, the New York-New York casino is what Circus Circus could be if the latter had any ambition.

This MGM Resorts property boasts all of the “extras” gamblers today have come to expect, complete with cafes and restaurants, retail shopping outlets, a variety of bars, and in-house shows. Kids are welcome here too, what with a full-scale video game arcade, carnival games, and the famous roller coaster twisting and turning outside.

New York-New York is also home to more than 1,500 slot machines covering all the bases, including the ubiquitous brands shown below:

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  • Wheel of Fortune
  • Megabucks
  • Jackpot Party
  • Blazing 7’s
  • Top Dollar
  • Sex and the City
  • Monopoly
  • Goldfish
  • Wizard of Oz

Add them all up and you’ll find an average payback rate of 90.99%. That’s only 1.57% lower than the Circus Circus, making New York-New York the perfect alternative for sharp gamblers who know the value of a family-friendly casino that’s also safe and clean.

Conclusion

Playing the slots is a time-honored ritual among recreational gamblers, and for many visitors to Las Vegas, it’s the only game they’ll ever play. Knowing that any spin can potentially produce a life-changing jackpot sets the slots apart from more modest table games like blackjack and baccarat, and the thousands of themes ensure one session will seldom sound, look, and feel like the next.

Naturally, the slot scene along Las Vegas Boulevard is just as eclectic as its multicultural-inspired skyline and carnival-like sidewalks. The games, stakes, themes, and jackpots span the spectrum from traditional to postmodern, but armed with this list of the seven best slot machine venues found on the Strip, you’ll always enjoy the best odds around.

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If you want to play slot machines in America, there’s nowhere quite like Las Vegas. Home to some of the biggest and best casinos in the world, let alone in the United States, Las Vegas is virtually synonymous with gambling.

And yet, many players who finally make it out to Vegas are overwhelmed by the sheer number of machines. How is a newbie in this town supposed to know which Vegas slot machines are the best and where to play them?

That’s why I’m here! I’ve been to Vegas a few times, but I’ve also spun the reels in lots of casinos across the states, in the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, and at The Hippodrome Casino in London, so I know my way around most land-based slot machines.

From all of the slots that I have played and researched for this post, these are the top slots in Vegas. If you’re in Sin City, make sure you check these out.

The Top Five Slot Machines in Las Vegas

Before I give you the lowdown on each of the top five slots in Vegas, there are a few things you should understand. These are concepts which experienced slots players will already be familiar with, so it’s been written with beginner players in mind. Still, even if you’ve spun the reels more times than you can remember, this could be a good refresher for you.

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  • RTP – This is the payback rate of a slot machine. It’s an acronym for “Return to Player.” For example, a slot with an RTP of 96% generally pays back $0.96 out of every $1 wagered on it.
  • Volatility – This determines how frequently a slot machine will pay and how big the wins are likely to be when it does. Low volatility slots pay smaller wins more often, and high volatility slots pay larger wins after longer losing streaks. Here’s a more in-depth article on slot volatility and variance if you’re interested in learning more about these concepts.
  • Progressive Jackpot – Most of you will already know that a jackpot is the biggest win a machine can pay. A progressive jackpot is a collective jackpot often contributed to by multiple casinos. For example, every spin on Megabucks slot (which you’ll hear about below) contributes to the Megabucks progressive jackpot. This is why these jackpots can grow so huge.

Now, let’s shift focus and look at some of the best slot machines in Las Vegas.

1. Wheel of Fortune

The first Wheel of Fortune slot was released way back in 1966, and they’ve been a player favorite ever since. You’ll find them in most of the top Las Vegas casinos.

There are two dozen Wheel of Fortune slot machines, and which one(s) you’ll have access to depends on the casino you play at. They all have larger than average jackpots, though, and players are attracted to the money-wheel features.

Just like in the TV game show, you can access a bonus round which gives you the chance to spin a money wheel for cash prizes. If you’re lucky, a Wheel of Fortune slot machine will rain money down on you. These slots have made instant millionaires out of many hundreds of people over the years.

2. Triple Red Hot 7s

Some players don’t like lots of fancy bonus rounds and extra features, they just want to spin the reels, attempt to win jackpots, and enjoy themselves.

If this describes you, Triple Red Hot 7s is for you. It’s an incredibly simple game with an old-school feel. It has three reels and is a high-volatility machine, meaning the wins tend to be explosive when they do come.

That’s not to say that this slot has absolutely no features. It does dish out free games, and some variants have game multipliers which can triple wins. Ask the casino attendant if they offer Triple Red Hot 7s and get started spinning ASAP.

3. Double Jackpot

One of Bally Technologies’ best slot machines, this one will also appeal to players who enjoy classic slot games. You’ll see all the familiar fruit machine symbols on the reels, like cherries, bells, bars, and 7s which can appear as singles, doubles, or triple 7 combos.

Double Jackpot slot can pay big wins. Five Double Jackpot game symbols across the reels pay 50,000. Just landing a Double Jackpot symbol in a regular winning combination can win you multipliers of up to 16x.

This is a simple, no-frills slot machine. You just need to sit, spin, and hopefully win. It’s a Vegas casino favorite!

4. The Monte Carlo

There’s no doubt that the Monte Carlo slot machine is one of the most interesting looking slots ever created. These machines stand taller than the average person, and since you’ll be sitting down to play it at most Vegas casinos, they seem huge.

Monte Carlo slots offer free spins and multipliers, but the main feature of these slots is the roulette wheel above the reels. If you land a Monte Carlo Spin symbol, you’ll get a spin on it. Each pocket has different win amounts in it, and one of them will award the Super Jackpot if you’re lucky.

This unique blend of slot machine crossed with roulette has made this one of the most popular land-based games of all time. I strongly suggest you check it out. Don’t expect to enter the roulette wheel feature too often, and do walk away if you experience a big win.

5. Megabucks

Now we come to the slot machine of all Vegas slot machines, the one that could change your life forever. Before I begin, let me whet your appetite with some of the biggest Megabucks jackpots of all time.

  • In 1998, a retired flight attendant played $300 on Megabucks at Palace Station and won $27.5 million.
  • Elmer Sherwin, a WWII airman, won $4.6 million on Megabucks at the Mirage in 1989. Lady Luck visited him a second time when he won $21.1 million playing the same slot machine at the Cannery Casino a couple of decades later.
  • A 25-year-old software engineer from Los Angeles won the biggest Megabucks jackpot to date when he scooped $39.7 million at the Excalibur in 2003.

You can read about more Megabucks slot jackpots here.

You can expect some free spins during gameplay, but look out for the Megabucks symbols. They can award multipliers of up to x5, and if you’re lucky enough to get them straight across a payline, you can win the Megabucks progressive jackpot. It’s this jackpot that made the above players filthy rich in a few seconds flat.

Where to Play the Best Las Vegas Slot Machines

This article wouldn’t be complete without an overview of which Las Vegas casinos are best for slots players. There’s no doubt that you’ll have plenty of choice in Las Vegas, but you’ll find that these casinos offer the best slots in town.

The Bellagio

Arguably the most famous casino in Las Vegas, the Bellagio has 2,300 gaming machines including slots and video poker games. Several of its machines offer progressive jackpots, and it also hosts regular slots tournaments with prizes worth up to $2 million.

MGM Grand

With 2,500 slot machines spread across this massive casino, this could be considered a slot player’s paradise. The MGM Grand offers popular machines like Heidi’s BeerHaus, 88 Fortunes, and Frogger: Get Hoppin’. You can play penny slots for $0.01 per spin, or you can wager up to $1,000 per spin on some of the MGM high limit slots.

Treasure Island

Another slots mecca, Treasure Island has 2,200 electronic gaming machines to choose from. Many of these are slot machines, but they also include video poker and keno. Visit the Link Lounge to play 80 progressive jackpot slots for a chance to win the biggest jackpots in Vegas.

Caesars Palace

This casino is associated with Las Vegas in the minds of many tourists. It has a massive floor boasting thousands of gaming machines, including some of the best Vegas slots as well as video poker and keno. If you’re looking for a particular game, the Caesars Palace website has a cool tool called the Slot Finder. Check it out if you ever find yourself in this Las Vegas casino.

Mandalay Bay

No, I’m not being paid by MGM Resorts to promote its casinos, several of which are on this list. They just happen to be some of the best casinos in Las Vegas, so I had to include them here. Mandalay Bay offers thousands of machines including The Goonies, Sphinx 4D, Texas Tea Pinball, and lots of others. Several of the slots listed above are available here including Wheel of Fortune, Monte Carlo, and Megabucks.

How to Win Slots in Vegas

I know you’re in Vegas to have some fun first and foremost, but wouldn’t it be awesome if you could come home with a massive jackpot, too? I can’t provide you with any surefire way to win Vegas slot machines, but I can give you a few pointers on how to win more often.

Forget Finding Loose Slots

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When I first started playing slot machines, I wasted lots of time trying to find loose slot machines. What’s a loose slot machine? The idea is that it’s a machine that’s ready to pay anytime.

Slots players have different methods for finding loose slot machines. Some believe in playing after observing another player spin the reels for a long time without success. Others believe in playing a test amount of $10 or $20, and if they’re breaking events, they think this is a signal that the slot may pay soon.

I don’t believe in loose slots. I know that modern slot machines are controlled by Random Number Generators. The machine will not pay until the algorithm spits out the right number at the right time. There’s absolutely no telling when that might be, so just sit down, spin, and have some fun! If Lady Luck arrives, she arrives, and if not, there’s nothing you can do about it.

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Don’t Play Progressive Slots at the Start

I know that most of the top Vegas slots I mentioned above are progressive jackpot games. I also know that the temptation of a Megabucks jackpot can be too much to turn away from. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t play progressive jackpot slots in Las Vegas, I’m just saying not to play them at the start of the night.

The chances of winning a progressive jackpot are slim, millions to one at best. Add to this that these slots have a notoriously low payback percentage, and playing them from the outset is the best way to blow your bankroll.

What I prefer to do is play low volatility slots which pay smaller amounts more frequently. It’s even better if they have a high RTP. Once I’m playing with house money and have safely tucked my starting bankroll back into my wallet, I switch to the progressive jackpot slots.

If I lose, it doesn’t matter. It was never my money until I cashed it out anyhow. That’s the mindset you have to have if you want to win in Vegas.

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Trust Your Intuition

This is the one tip on this list that I can’t quantify. While I base the others on a hard-won understanding of how Las Vegas slot machines work, this tip is more mysterious, yet countless slots players will attest to its truth.

Sometimes, for some unexplained reason, you just get a feeling about certain slots. You can just know for sure this isn’t your lucky machine, and other times, a seemingly random slot can grab your attention out of nowhere, and lo and behold, you scoop a massive jackpot.

Some players think this is Lady Luck guiding them, while others attempt to understand this intuition as the subconscious mind processing data you aren’t aware of. I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s real. Trust your intuition when you play slots in Vegas!

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Now you know the best slot machines in Las Vegas and where to play them. With these top slots tips, you’ll have a better chance of winning. Good luck, and enjoy Las Vegas!

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