Beating the Slot Machines Legal??

Question

Hi everyone. So this question is from my Dad. He loves slot machines and just read "Beat the Slots" by Marten Jensen.

Armed with pen and paper he plans on going to Vegas and writing down everything the slot machine gives him at each roll to calculate the odds.

As he was explaining this to me, a flashback of the movie trailer for 21 jolted me and I suddenly imagined my Dad getting escorted out by two huge bodyguards.

So my question is: is that legal?? Can you actually go to the casino with pen and paper and write everything down? Isn't that sorta like counting cards?? I am not a gambler in the least so I am clueless.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Most books on beating slot machines are filled with false information, i will outline the only way to beat a slot machine below, if the book does not attempt to describe something similer, you shoudl throw it into the garbage.

Casinos LOVE their slot patrons, there is not way to gain an edge (over the house) against slot machines, so they will care less about what he does with a pen and paper.

The only way to actually beat a casino slot machine in theory woudl be to (and what you are suggesting may be indicitive of this) calculate the return rate for a machine and factor in a progressive jackpots weight, then calculate the size of the jackpot required to overcome the house edge.  You would then only play a machine when the progressive jackpot was above a certain number.

This may be done by going into a casino, writing down the paytables for every machine, calculating the size of the jackpot required at home, then coming back and looking for jackpots larger than the numbers you calculated.

Doing this would not be taking money from the casino, but rather from the unrealised potential left by other gamblers.  The casino will not care as they will make the same amount of money whoever winns the progressive jackpot.

Just for the record, you dont get shot/mugged in allies by casino personell when you are caught counting cards or hustling slot machines, when i have been asked to leave the words are typically "listen, your too good for us we dont want you playing here anymore"

Answer 2

They may want to look at the papers to make sure it isnt a rigged machine, but otherwise, just let him attempt to beat the casino like everyone says they do.

Answer 3

At the roulette tables (for example) the casino will supply pen and paper to gamblers who want to keep track of the results (so they obviously don't regard it as cheating).

Answer 4

It's not going to do any good anyway.....so tell him to take extra paper & pens.

Answer 5

If he calls ahead they will probably send a limo to pick him up. People have been trying to beat the casinos with systems for years.