Thanks for Watching 🛬 I WENT TO VEGAS AND NEVER LEFT THE AIRPORT! 🛫 Slot Machine Winning W/ SDGuy1234! Michael Gaughan Airport Slots Review. Michael Gaughan Airport Slots is located in Las Vegas, Nevada right inside McCarran International Airport. Covering a floor area of 182,987sq/ft that is packed with more than 1,000 gaming machines for video slots. Las Vegas International Airport is a public airport located in Paradise, Las Vegas owned by Clark County and the Department of Aviation. McCarran airport serves as both a military and civilian airport and has a long and successful history of excellent customer service and innovation dating back almost a century ago. McCarran International Airport (IATA: LAS, ICAO: KLAS, FAA LID: LAS) is an international airport in Paradise, Nevada and is the main airport for public use in the Las Vegas Valley, a metropolitan area in the U.S. State of Nevada, about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Downtown Las Vegas.
You have a lot to look forward to in Las Vegas—bright lights, constant partying, and endless opportunities. You also face an ocean of slot machines in every casino on the Strip and anywhere else in the city.
In fact, you'll find over 200,000 slot machines in Las Vegas alone. And not all of these slot games are the same. Some casinos offer better rewards through their players' programs, for example. Others have looser slots (games with a higher RTP).
Here's my list of the seven best casinos for slots in Las Vegas.
1 – Aria
Aria Resort & Casino is one of the most luxurious properties on the Las Vegas Strip, and it also has one of the biggest slot machine areas anywhere in the city.
On top of that, they have the biggest and best high roller slot machine parlor in the entire state. It even has its own name, Spin.
It's an architectural marvel, too. Famed New York architect Peter Marino designed Spin, which has more amenities than some casinos. This includes a staff of butlers to cater to your needs while you play. The cashier's cage is separate from the gaming, and the bathrooms are all private.
Have you ever seen a full-service dining room inside the slot machine area? And Aria doesn't just cater to high rollers. The casino has over 2,000 slot machine games available, including popular titles like Wheel of Fortune and The Walking Dead. They also frequently host slot machine tournaments.
2 – Bellagio
A lot of people think of the Bellagio as the best place on the Las Vegas Strip to play poker, and they are right about this, of course.
But Bellagio is also one of the best spots on the Vegas Strip to find slot machine tournaments and a wide variety of slots games to choose from. Including video poker games and slot machines, Bellagio has over 2,300 different gambling machines to choose from.
And they're available in multiple denominations, catering to both low rollers and high rollers alike.
Many of Bellagio's slot machines feature progressive jackpots where you can win $1 million or more on a single spin of the reels. No one offers better live entertainment or dining either.
Also, since Aria and the Bellagio are both owned by MGM, membership at the slots club there means that you automatically have a membership in M life Rewards loyalty program, which is the players club at the following casinos:
- Aria
- Bellagio
- Delano Las Vegas
- Excalibur
- Luxor
- Mandalay Bay
- MGM Grand
- The Mirage
- Park MGM
- New York-New York
- Vdara
3 – The Venetian
The Venetian is famous for a lot of things, and one of those things is the varied selection of gambling machines available there. The casino has two floors worth of machines to choose from, and they have a great loyalty program.
The Venetian also makes it a point of keeping the latest games on the floor, and they've done an excellent job of making sure they have newer games than some of their competitors. If you're looking for games like the new Ghost Busters slots or the Game of Thrones slots, this is the place.
Like Aria, the Venetian caters to high rollers.
If you're a customer here, you can even request your own brands of machine, and the casino will do its best to accommodate.
They offer butler service and a lounge where you can relax when you're taking a break from the slots games.
If you're a Gold or Platinum member of the Grazie loyalty program here, you get free transportation to and from McCarran Airport.
4 – The Golden Nugget
So far, this list has focused on slot machine games that cater to high rollers on the Strip. But not all the best slot machines are found on the famed Las Vegas Boulevard.
In fact, the payback percentages for machines in other parts of the city are usually superior to the glitzier properties on the Strip. And what better 'other part of the city' is there than downtown?
The gaming floor at the Golden Nugget is huge, with over 1,000 gambling machines to choose from. They have some of the most varied games in the city, too. They carry the famous games like Wheel of Fortune, but they also have a bigger variety of 'Buffalo' slots than almost any other casino.
They feature multiple progressive jackpot slots casinos, too. I'm one of those slot machine players who loves a good steak, so the presence of Vic and Anthony's is a great reason to play here, too. It's one of the 10 best steakhouses in the entire country.
5 – Sam's Town
One thing you should be aware of about Las Vegas slots is that the payback percentage is lower on the Strip than elsewhere. The best places to play are older casinos that are a little off the beaten path.
Sam's Town fits the bill nicely. What it lacks in luxury, Sam's Town makes up for with high payout slot machine games.
One thing that Sam's Town offers that isn't available at other Las Vegas casinos is an online listing of the slot machine games they have available. You can search their database by denomination, type of game, or keyword in the game title.
Be warned, though, Sam's Town is not your traditional Vegas experience. It's older and a bit cheesier. It's probably a more appropriate casino to stay at if you're older or maybe if you have young children.
As far as the better payback percentages go, that's worth a visit.
The payback percentage for a casino is the AVERAGE of the slots on the floor. You might play a game with a 75% payback percentage, while your mom might be playing on an identical machine next to it with a 95% payback percentage.
And since the house has the edge, if you play either game long enough, you'll eventually lose all your money.
6 – Excalibur
If you're more interested in payback percentage than glitz and glamour, you should look at some of the older properties on the Strip. Circus Circus and Excalibur both count, but Excalibur's more recent renovations make it somewhat more palatable to the modern gambler.
Excalibur is old enough and low rent enough that they can afford to offer some of the best payback percentages on the Strip. And if you're not a high roller, you should consider trying the slots here.
Springbok no deposit. They have plenty of penny slots, and even their most expensive game tops out at $100 per spin—a far cry from the $5000 max at some of the other casinos in this group on the Strip.
That's right. Excalibur is also owned by MGM, so you get to participate in the same huge slot club as most of the other casinos on this list.
7 – Downtown Vegas in General
Rather than close out this list with another casino recommendation, I want to recommend the Downtown Vegas area over the Strip for its selection of unusual slot machine games in various areas.
For example, the biggest slot machine in the world is the SlotZilla zip line. And when I say 'big,' I'm being literal. It's 128 feet tall. You zip down Fremont Street Experience on one of two lines, and the game has a huge video screen with reels and an animated arm to pull.
You can also view antique slot machines at the Main Street. They're beautiful and well worth seeing. You'll find them near the registration desk.
Many of the Downtown Las Vegas casinos offer huge, oversized slot machines. One place to find them is on the second level of The D. You'll have to take the escalator to see this one. Also, you get to play for real coins here, which is a nice change of pace for old-timers who remember being able to cash out with a huge bucket full of coins.
You'll also find a huge slot machine in The Golden Nugget.
Conclusion
Those are my picks for the seven best casinos for slots in Las Vegas. Do you disagree with my choices?
It's easier than ever to find slot machines thanks to gambling expansion across the United States.
Most states confine their slots to casinos. But some states have extended slot machines to convenience stores, bars, and restaurants.
You now have numerous options with regard to finding these games. But there's one place that you're strongly advised against playing: airports!
Airport slot machines are notorious for offering low payback. Therefore, it only makes sense that people steer clear of these games.
But are airport slots really as bad as their reputation? Find out as I discuss more on these games and if you should really be scared to play them.
Where Do You Find Airport Slot Machines?
The only two American airports that feature slot machines are McCarran International (Las Vegas) and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
Pennsylvania is strongly considering offering slots at their airport. But for the time being, Nevada is the only place in the US that has airport games.
This makes sense when considering that Vegas and Reno are two of America's biggest gambling destinations. You can get off a plane and start spinning the reels right away in either of these locations.
These slot machines are also perfect for when you're waiting for flights and want some entertainment while you're passing the time.
Of course, McCarran International offers a much larger selection of slot machines, because it's the more heavily traveled airport. 48.5 million passengers fly in and out of McCarran every year.
Reno is no slouch with 4 million passengers annually. But this number is dwarfed by how many passengers use the McCarran airport.
That said, go to Las Vegas if you want the wider selection of airport slot machines.
Why Do Airport Slots Have Such a Bad Reputation?
Slot machines in airports are notorious for offering the lowest payback of any land-based establishments. Many gamblers will do everything they can to avoid playing slots at an airport because they don't want to waste their money.
Of course, the problem with land-based slot machines is that they don't display payout percentages. This means that we have little idea on how airport games compare to slots found in other locations.
Compounding matters are that Nevada-based gaming reports don't specifically discuss a return to player (RTP) for airport slots. Instead, they only cover broad areas like the Las Vegas Strip, downtown Vegas, and nearby Boulder City.
The only real evidence that airport games pay less than other slot machines is a 2001 survey by Michael 'Wizard of Odds' Shackleford.
Obviously, 2001 is a long time ago as far as the gaming world moves. But Shackleford did manage to prove that the McCarran International Airport has tighter slots than any Vegas casino.
His survey shows that Vegas airport slots only offer 85.02% RTP on average. Compare this to the Palms Casino, which topped the list at 93.42% payback.
This is over an 8% difference, which is massive as far as slots RTP goes. You would've lost an extra $8 on average if you played in the McCarran airport versusPalms Casino at the time.
The drawback to Shackleford's data is that it's currently 17 years old. Things may have changed to some degree for airport slots versus other venues.
At the same time, though, I'm inclined to believe that slots RTP hasn't gotten much better at McCarran or Reno-Tahoe.
Why Do Airports Offer Lower Slots Payback?
Slot machine developers offer different RTP schedules that casinos can choose from. Most gambling establishments select payback that's competitive with other area casinos.
Las Vegas Airport Slot Machines
After all, they don't want gamblers quickly losing all their money and vowing never to come back. Furthermore, the casino is still profiting off their slot machines no matter if the RTP is 8% or 12%.
Airports differ, though, because they're not technically competing against other casinos. Instead, they have a built-in advantage since many travelers use airports to visit Vegas or Reno.
In contrast, nobody goes to McCarran International or Reno-Tahoe International just to play slots. They can just as easily play at regular casinos and enjoy better gaming atmospheres.
Airports know that they don't have to be competitive with local casinos because they're always going to have customers hanging around. A certain percentage of these customers naturally become interested in slot machines as boredom sets in.
Yet another reason why airports can get away with offering low payout percentages is because they're not counting on repeat players.
Sure, many travelers may use a specific airport multiple times in their lifetimes. But for the most part, these gamblers will play slots for a short while and not come back for a long time (if ever).
If these gamblers get stung by airport slots, then it's not like they'll simply choose another casino. Instead, their play is a temporary deal that vanishes when they fly out of the airport.
How Airport Slots Compare to Regular Casino Slot Machines
Airports may have less incentive to offer high payout percentages to gamblers. But that's not to say they want to completely rip everybody off.
The McCarran and Reno airports' reputation would only become worse if they lowered their slots RTP to Nevada's 75% state minimum — which no establishment does.
Long story short, you at least have some chance of winning with airport slot machines. But how do these odds compare to standard land-based games?
Here's information from a 2017 UNLVCenter for Gaming Research report, which shows slots payback in various areas of Nevada:
Nevada statewide slots RTP
- Penny slots = 9.83% house edge
- Nickel slots = 5.46%
- Quarter slots = 6.94%
- Dollar = 6.06%
- Multi-denominational = 5.23%
Las Vegas Strip
- Penny slots = 11.64% house edge
- Nickel slots = 8.21%
- Quarter slots = 10.52%
- Dollar = 7.41%
- Multi-denominational = 6.47%
Downtown Las Vegas
- Penny slots = 11.03% house edge
- Nickel slots = 6.36%
- Quarter slots = 5.73%
- Dollar = 5.38%
- Multi-denominational = 4.94%
Boulder Strip (26 miles from Vegas)
- Penny slots = 9.54% house edge
- Nickel slots = 3.56%
- Quarter slots = 3.69%
- Dollar = 4.30%
- Multi-denominational = 4.47%
Las Vegas Casino Free Play
Washoe County (Reno & Tahoe)
- Penny slots = 6.94% house edge
- Nickel slots = 4.51%
- Quarter slots = 6.77%
- Dollar = 4.42%
- Multi-denominational = 4.36%
One thing I've noticed about slots payback is that it's gotten gradually better since the UNLV Center for Gaming Research began releasing these reports. I estimate that payback has improved by an average of 2% over the past 15 years or so.
If we apply this improvement to Shackleford's report, then it's reasonable to assume that McCarran and Reno airport slots offer an average of 87% RTP.
This payback is far from outstanding. But you can see that it's at least competitive with Vegas Strip slot machines.
On the other hand, Sin City offers much better payback than airport slot machines in non-Strip locations.
Airport Slot Machines Compared to Online Slots
The nice thing about airports is that they offer free Wi-Fi. This allows you to use your smartphone to play online slots and other casino games.
You have a much better chance of winning with slots if you simply play online while waiting at airports. Internet slots typically offer around 95% payback regardless of the coin denomination being used.
This is excellent when compared to slot machines in any land-based establishment — especially airports. I've even seen some online slots that offer up to 99% RTP.
Taking this 95% to 99% range, internet slots offer 8-12% higher RTP than airport slot machines. If your main goal is winning, then you definitely want to stick to your smartphone or tablet in an airport.
Of course, this isn't to say that you have to completely nix airport slot machines. Nothing replaces the experience of actually sitting in front of a large screen and spinning the reels.
Meanwhile, both smartphones and tablets have much smaller screens than a physical slot machine. But if you can get past the small screens and lesser experience, then online slots will give you a stronger chance to win.
Should You Still Play Airport Slot Machines?
I'm not trying to dissuade you from ever trying slot machines at an airport. In fact, the math shows that you won't lose a tremendous amount of money when compared to the average land-basedgame.
Here's an example of theoretical losses with an airport slot machine based on what I've discussed:
- You're playing a slot with 87% payback.
- You're betting $1 per spin.
- You perform 600 spins per hour.
- 600 x 1 x 0.13 = $78 in theoretical losses per hour
Now assume that you're at an actual Vegas or Reno casino:
- You're playing a slot with 94% RTP.
- You're betting $1 per spin.
- You perform 600 spins per hour.
- 600 x 1 x 0.06 = $36 in theoretical losses per hour
The difference in hourly theoretical losses here is $42. This means that airport slots cause you to loseat about twice as high of a rate.
Obviously, you'd rather choose the game that only leads to $36 theoretical losses if all aspects are equal. However, the key thing to remember is that airport slots cost more due to their location.
The question to ask yourself is whether you're willing to face doubled losses in order to play slots while waiting at the airport. Everybody's answer will vary based on their bankroll, desire to win, and the need for entertainment.
Serious players who only care about maximizing their chances of winning may think that it's preposterous to play at an airport. In contrast, those who want to be entertained while waiting on a flight may be perfectly fine with taking a bigger risk.
It's also not like airport slot machines offer the most-horrific odds ever. Even if these games still pay the 85% RTP listed in Shackleford's 2001 report, this is still better than some casino games, prop bets, and the lottery.
Land-based keno games can carry a 40% house edge, which dwarfs the estimated 13-15% house advantage seen with airport slot machines. Many US lottery tickets have anywhere from a 30-50% house edge.
Las Vegas Airport Slots Odds
If you're still worried about airport slots, then you can set a strict stop-loss limit. Here's an example:
- You have a $1,000 bankroll.
- You want to save most of this for casinos, which offer better odds.
- You set a stop-loss limit of 5% ($50) for airport slots.
This small percentage allows you to still enjoy slot machines at airports without going overboard and blowing your casino bankroll.
Conclusion
Playing slots at an airport is an intimidating prospect when considering that you stand a lower chance of winning. But don't let the lower odds completely turn you off of airport slots.
I estimate that these games now offer between 85-87% RTP based on old statistics and the way the slots industry has changed.
This RTP range is a far cry from the 94-97% that internet slots offer. However, it's at least competitive with the Vegas Strip and its 88-93% payback.
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If you're still worried about airport slots, then you can set a strict stop-loss limit. Here's an example:
- You have a $1,000 bankroll.
- You want to save most of this for casinos, which offer better odds.
- You set a stop-loss limit of 5% ($50) for airport slots.
This small percentage allows you to still enjoy slot machines at airports without going overboard and blowing your casino bankroll.
Conclusion
Playing slots at an airport is an intimidating prospect when considering that you stand a lower chance of winning. But don't let the lower odds completely turn you off of airport slots.
I estimate that these games now offer between 85-87% RTP based on old statistics and the way the slots industry has changed.
This RTP range is a far cry from the 94-97% that internet slots offer. However, it's at least competitive with the Vegas Strip and its 88-93% payback.
You also have a chance to win big jackpots with airport slot machines. Slot machines com. A California woman hit a $1.6 million jackpot while playing McCarran International's Wheel of Fortune Pink Diamonds in 2017.
This win goes to show that you can get lucky with slots anywhere, including the McCarran machines.
Of course, I'm not advocating that you fly into Vegas or Reno and stick to their slots. You can find better opportunities at surrounding casinos or even with your mobile device.
Instead, the key takeaway here is that airport slots in moderation won't bankrupt you. The important thing is to set a stop-loss that you're comfortable with and stick to it.
