Is There Any Strategy for Slot Tournaments?

Is there any recommended strategy for players in slot tournaments?

Here's what Jean Scott has to say about it in More Frugal Gambling:

"In slot tournaments, skill (such as it is) is a factor only when speed of play matters; if you have unlimited credits during the playing time, then the more hands you get in, the more chances you have to hit more payoffs. Don't choose this format if you think you can't pound on a Spin button for 10-15 minutes without wearing yourself out.

"Luck is the only factor in the more common non-speed slot tournaments. In these, everyone gets the same number of credits and ample time to play them off.

"And something to remember: Slot machines used in tournaments are set to hit jackpots more frequently in order to make the action more exciting. Don't be fooled into thinking you're hot or that these machines will be just as loose when they're put back into regular operation on the casino floor."

Thank you, Jean.

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Roy Furukawa Jul-30-2018

Strategy?

The only strategy for slots is having good luck! There’s a good reason they install a random number generator in those things, to make it random (or at least as close to random as possible).

O2bnVegas Jul-30-2018

slot tourneys

Typically you hope for jackpot symbols to show up often during your rounds.  A somewhat newer angle is the random appearance of 'balloons' on the screen.  You must slap the balloon quickly with the palm of your hand (or it disappears and you miss the points) and keep hitting the button.  Balloons add anywhere from 1000 to 5000 points.  You hope for lots of jackpot symbols and lots of balloons, but you have no control over that other than slapping as fast as you can.

Luck is definitely the only real factor.  You will be assigned a different machine each round.  The machines don't behave the same way each round.  A machine may be 'good' one round but lousy the next time played.  It is lots of fun, regardless.

Jul-30-2018

You can maximize it...

Believe it or not, there actually is a strategy.
Given that you're investing a certain amount of time---you have to go to the casino in the first place, then sign up, wait in line to play, and actually play---you need to know if that time will be worthwhile. As a general rule, don't bother to play if the EV is too low. If there are 15 machines, they fill up every round, every round lasts 10 minutes (total), and you play from 10 to 6, that's 720 players you're fighting for the prizes. If they're giving away $2000, your presence there (based on the above hypothetical numbers) is worth less than $3. You can make thumbnail calculations like this for any situation.
Also, you should wait until the last hour or so to play. You can usually wangle the high scores from the people running the tournament. Then, you can determine if you still have a realistic shot at the top prizes. Like the balloon machines Candy mentions, their scores are usually in a fairly narrow range.

Question of the Day - 30 July 2018

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