The Pay Out Percentage of Slot Machines

Slot machines dominate the space in most casino floors, with many houses of chance offering thousands of the electronic devices. The machines are set to pay back a certain percentage of the money that players wager in them.

Regulations

• Many states regulate the minimum percentage the slot machines must pay back to players. Nevada, for example, requires a minimum payout of 75 percent while New Jersey requires at least 83 percent.

Actual Payouts

• In order to entice customers to come back and play again, most casino operators set their machines to pay out a higher percentage than what is required by law. In 2009, the average payout for slots in both Nevada and New Jersey, the two largest casino markets in the United States, was about 93 percent.

Considerations

• Slot manufacturers set the higher denomination slots to pay back a greater percentage of the money than lower denomination slots. This trick is to encourage players to play more dollar slots and fewer penny slots. The average percentage payout for dollar slots is in the mid-90s, while the average payout for penny slots is less than 80 percent, according to the American Casino Guide.