Question of the Day - 12 June 2022

"Capping" a slot machine simply means locking it down.

This is most often done by a slot attendant on behalf of a player at that machine who wants to take a break: go to the bathroom, step outside for some fresh air, get a quick snack, etc. Perhaps the player has been on the machine for hours and knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he or she is about to hit the progressive and doesn't want the next player to come along, insert a five, press the spin button, and steal the jackpot. But the player can't hold it any longer or is about to expire from hunger.  

Some players have been known to abuse the capping privilege. For example, they'll claim to just be going for a quick snack, then sit down to a four-course dinner in the steakhouse. Or they'll lock down one machine and you'll see them an hour later firing away at a different machine in the high-limit pit. Or they simply never return. 

It's a tough call for the casino. In some, the slot attendant has discretion and will often ask about how long the player will be gone. If he or she isn't back within a reasonable amount of time, the SA uncaps it. At others, the SA has no discretion and has to follow whatever the slot manager or player's host decides. Still others declare certain slots off-limits for locking up, which is why you see the sign at your local casino, noting that for particular machines, capping is not permitted.

Of course, in casinos and for machines where capping is allowed, showing your advance appreciation for the slot attendant (translation: handing over some green) goes a long way toward keeping the machine out of action and in your "possession." Just be sure to live up to your end of the bargain and return when you say you will, lest you put the SA in an awkward position. 

One thing's for sure: Never leave money in a slot machine from which you walk away, whether it's locked for you or not.