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- Best Casino Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2020
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that slot machines on The Strip are “tighter” than the alternatives found outside of the Las Vegas Boulevard bubble.
In Las Vegas, most of the best games are found in the downtown and off-Strip area, while the flashier Strip casinos carry games with higher house edges. This is generally true when it comes to slot machines, too.
And no, I’m not talking about individual machines set up to pay out less frequently by the casino overlords above. That notion of “tight” and “loose” slot gameplay has always been a myth passed around by uninformed gamblers.
Instead, I’m referring to the way casino operators with properties on The Strip carefully curate their slot machine selection.
Let’s say Slot X offers a 95.50 percent payback rate, which you might know as the return to player (RTP) rate, while Slot Y and Slot Z offer paybacks at 93.25 percent and 91.10 percent, respectively. In this example, a casino on The Strip will have no problem whatsoever ordering hundreds of Slot Y and Slot Z, while only spreading a dozen or so of the Slot X machines.
The big corporate casinos on The Strip can get away with offering lower average payback rates because they have a captive audience of sorts. Over 40 million tourists visit Las Vegas every year, and when they get there, the vast majority will never leave The Strip. Knowing this, corporations like MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and Las Vegas Sands Corp. show no compunction about sticking it to their slot players with tighter machines.
On the other side of the spectrum, all of those casinos located far from the action on Las Vegas Boulevard have no choice. In order to attract customers and retain the loyalty of local regulars, off-Strip casinos must compete by taking the opposite tack. Mid-major operators like Station Casinos, Boyd Gaming, and others stay afloat by choosing a higher ratio of loose slots to balance out a handful of tight machines.
This strategy creates a higher overall payback percentage on average when you play slots in an Off Strip casino. As you can see below, using data compiled by the annual Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) survey of Las Vegas slot payback rates by region, playing away from The Strip always provides a more player-friendly experience:
Las Vegas Slot Machine Payback Percentage Rates (by Coin Denomination and Region)
1¢ Slot Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 88.38% |
| Downtown | 89.15% |
| Boulder Strip | 90.38% |
| North Las Vegas | 90.88% |
5¢ Slot Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 91.64% |
| Downtown | 93.40% |
| North Las Vegas | 95.29% |
| Boulder Strip | 96.21% |
25¢ Slot Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 89.35% |
| Downtown | 94.25% |
| North Las Vegas | 96.41% |
| Boulder Strip | 96.13% |
$1 Slot Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 92.43% |
| Downtown | 94.63% |
| North Las Vegas | 95.39% |
| Boulder Strip | 96.13% |
$1 Megabucks Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 87.83% |
| North Las Vegas | 88.52% |
| Downtown | 89.07% |
| Boulder Strip | 91.35% |
All Slot Machines
| Region | Average Payback |
|---|---|
| The Strip | 91.47% |
| Downtown | 92.67% |
| Boulder Strip | 94.34% |
| North Las Vegas | 93.53% |
Nonetheless, not all off-Strip slot parlors are built the same way…
It got me thinking about all of the off-Strip properties that try to have it both ways, by marketing themselves as the “home of loose slots” even though their machines are tighter than the baseline average for their region.
With that in mind, the list below serves as a warning for slot players, so do your best to avoid the seven worst off-Strip casinos where tight slots reign supreme.
1 – McCarran International Airport
For millions of visitors to Sin City, the first sin they’ll commit is parting ways with even a single penny playing slots at McCarran International Airport.
In case you’re close enough to drive to Las Vegas, and thus haven’t had the “pleasure” of seeing the airport up close and personal, the place is lined with slot machines in a scene straight out of a typical casino. At first glance, these slots can seem like a cool novelty, a welcome mat greeting new arrivals and letting them know they’re in for a little something different.
And on the other side of the coin, when you’re heading home and want to take one last crack at landing that elusive jackpot score, a few spins on the airport slots can’t hurt, right?
Well, you should definitely consider the 85.02 percent average payback rate found on McCarran slots to be painful…
When compared to other off-Strip locales, the airport puts players at a disadvantage equal to 8 percent off their average payback. And even when sized up against The Strip, airport slots are 6 percent worse overall.
You’re already going to face the indignities of modern air travel when passing through McCarran, so stay smart and don’t add industry-worst slot payback to the pain.
2 – Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino
Best known as the site of the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP), the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino is a place where life-changing fortunes are won dozens of times over every summer.
Unfortunately for gamblers who prefer the slots over Texas Hold’em, however, the Rio is relentlessly bad for reel spinners. Likely owing to its parent company Caesars Entertainment struggling through bankruptcy, management has made sure the Rio’s slot selection spits out an average payback rate of only 88.72 percent.
To get a sense of just how bad that payback rate really is, consider this – only the Venetian (86.66 percent) and the Bellagio (87.42 percent) are worse for slot players, and those casinos are on The Strip. In terms of proper casinos found away from Las Vegas Boulevard, you simply can’t do any worse than the Rio if the slots are your game of choice.
3 – Fremont Hotel & Casino
A member of the Boyd Gaming family found in Downtown Las Vegas, the Fremont has been an iconic fixture along Fremont Street since Sinatra and the “Rat Pack” were strutting their stuff.
Sin City has changed a ton over that time, and most of the action has moved to The Strip, but Fremont is still considered to be a home away from home for many locals and longtime visitors. Even so, Fremont’s slot selection still manages to offer the worst payback average of any casino in the Downtown district at 90.37 percent. To wit, the average for all Downtown casinos stands at 92.67 percent, so you’re shaving more than 2 percent off your overall payback rate by spinning at Fremont.
4 – Main Street Station Casino Brewery Hotel
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Folks who call Las Vegas home love the Station Casinos brand, which encompasses several reasonably priced venues found all over the city.
Main Street Station is typical of the Station Casinos concept, combining affordable fare with the best odds on table games and video poker. Unfortunately for slot players, Main Street Station found a way to mess up a good thing, as it’s the worst of all Station casinos in terms of slot payback with a 90.56 percent average rate.
5 – Silverton Casino Hotel
One of the rare independent casinos still going strong in Sin City, the Silverton is a holdover from a bygone era of Las Vegas lore.
Even though its relatively new, having opened its doors in 1994, the Silverton looks and feels like it belongs in the 1970s in Nevada’s other gambling locale of Lake Tahoe. The vibe is rustic and intimate, and you’ll easily save a pretty penny eschewing The Strip to stay here.
On the flip side, however, those savings will be eaten up quickly playing slots at the Silverton, thanks to a lower than average 90.57 percent payback rate.
6 – Golden Gate Casino Hotel
The Golden Gate Casino first opened its gaming floor all the way back in 1906, making it the oldest casino in all of Las Vegas – and anywhere in America for that matter.
Golden Gate is a fixture on Fremont Street, surviving for more than a century while rivals came and went with the desert winds.
But while the $0.99 shrimp cocktails and classic coin-in pull-lever slot machines offer a certain sense of nostalgia, Golden Gate’s slot menu gooses its owner’s bottom line with a regrettable 90.64 percent payback rate on slots.
7 – Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
Personally speaking, I still love to take a stroll through the Golden Nugget’s iconic gaming floor whenever I’m in the Downtown district.
Everywhere you look is shining gold, and unlike many other casinos on Fremont Street, the Golden Nugget somehow manages to feel new again despite its age.
So, while I still enjoy visiting the old gal from time to time, playing slots at the Golden Nugget will always be a nonstarter in my book.
Conclusion
Visiting an off-Strip casino to score improved odds and an increased chance of winning has become a rite of passage for sharp gamblers. Many take pride in avoiding the money pit of Las Vegas Boulevard, choosing to preserve their bankroll by staying at a more budget-conscious casino instead.
And while that’s all well and good, it can be all too easy to find yourself spinning slots in an off-Strip casino that still doesn’t serve its players honorably. To help you avoid that fate, this list should serve as a guide to all of the off-Strip casinos that just aren’t worth a slot player’s time.
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.
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.
Las Vegas Slot Machine Videos
7 – Downtown Vegas in General
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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.
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You’ll also find a huge slot machine in The Golden Nugget.
Conclusion
Best Casino Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2020
Those are my picks for the seven best casinos for slots in Las Vegas. Do you disagree with my choices?