Chicago Sun-Times: Max-coin play still baffles slot/video fans

payback percentages is deeply ingrained in many slot players--so much so that some players think of betting the max as something they HAVE to do.

So when I've written that most video slots don't reward max-coin play in the same way that reel-spinners do, I've gotten mixed reactions. Many readers' comments have expressed relief. Forty-five, 90 or more coins per spin make for mighty expensive wagering, even on nickel games. Others aren't sure what to make of it all, as with a woman who approached me recently at Harrah's East Chicago.

"My friend told me that on the video slots, you don't have to play the maximum coins, like you do on the reels. Is that right?"

I started by assuring her that you don't HAVE to make maximum- coin bets on any slot machine. It's the player's choice. Yes, on most reel-spinning slots, the long-term payback percentage is highest when you bet the max. But that's usually not the case on video slots. There is no big jump in the top jackpot for betting maximum coins, and a player who bets one coin on each payline in the long run will get the same payback percentage as one who bets the max.

I do recommend playing all the paylines, even if your bet is only one coin per line. On many machines, bonus rounds are triggered only if the bonus symbols land on an active payline. Bonus rounds extend the player's time on the machine and are usually the most entertaining parts of video games. While some bonuses are launched by scattered symbols even if you're playing only one coin on one line, you don't want to cost yourself a chance at the bonuses on other games.

On a nickel nine-line video slot that accepts up to five coins per payline, that usually means a bet of 45 cents will bring you the same payback percentage as a maximum bet of $2.25. If you have the bankroll to cover maximum-coin bets, fine, but for lesser bankrolls, bets of one coin per line will do the job.

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My trip to East Chicago turned out to be my day for questions about maximum-coin play. Another woman, who was playing reel- spinning slots, wanted to know whether she was better off playing one coin at a time on dollar machines than a maximum three coins on quarter reel games. Quarter machines in this area pay about 91.5 to 93 percent, while dollars pay 94 to 95 percent. So isn't it better to play the higher percentage games for one coin?

Probably not. Virtually all reel slots have features built in that ensure the payback percentage for max-coin play will be higher than that for short-coin play. The difference in percentages for maximum coins on quarters and one-coin play on dollars is nowhere near what the casino statistics would suggest.

The payback percentages released to the public are overall casino averages, and include both max-coin and short-coin play. Play one coin at a time on a dollar game and you'll get something less than that average. And if you bet maximum coins on a quarter game, in the long run you'll get something more than the casino average. Max-coin play on quarter games will bring payback percentages similar to, and may exceed, those for short-coin play on dollar games.

Also, remember that a one-coin bet on a dollar machine costs more money than a three-coin bet on quarters. That difference ensures that average losses will be higher on the dollar machine.

Take your choice, but for my money, you're better off with the max- coin bet on the lower-denomination machine.

TUNICA WEEKEND: There's a big event brewing for players Nov. 14- 16 at the Gold Strike Casino in Tunica, Miss. Frank Scoblete's Gamblers Jamboree is going to bring together some of the nation's top experts on casino games for a weekend of seminars, demonstrations, contests--and perhaps a little gambling.

I'll be there with a video poker seminar and another on blackjack variations and other card games. Scoblete, the nation's best-selling gambling author, is the host, and other speakers include "Frugal Gambler" Jean Scott, video poker guru Bob Dancer, slot machine expert John Robison, Blackjack: Take the Money and Run author Dr. Henry Tamburin, Casino Player magazine columnist Frank Legato, Get the Edge at Low-Limit Texas Hold-Em author Bill Burton and the Golden Touch Craps dice control crew.

Among the planned activities are a welcome party with Scoblete, Scott and other speakers, a no-sevens dice-rolling contest, a blackjack hole card contest and an "Eat, Drink and Be Merry" drawing. Slot players can take the Tunica Loose Slot Tour and receive the booklet Where to Find the Loose Slots in Tunica.

Weekend admission is $199, or $299 for two people, but readers of this column can claim a 20 percent "Grochowski discount" when they reserve by calling (866) SET-DICE or (800) 944-0406. Rooms are available for a discount weekend rate of $59 a night. Call (888) 24K- PLAY and ask for the Gamblers Jamboree special.