No Slot Machine Secrets

There really aren't any slot machine secrets. On today's modern slots the reels will spin for a second or two for your amusement, then display the symbols as predetermined by the random number generator - a computer chip inside every slot machine.

That random number generator controls the payouts; it draws thousands of numbers per second. The number drawn the instant you click the spin button determines whether you win or lose. Naturally the computer chip is programmed to produce paying combinations less often.

So, if there are no winning slot machine secrets, are there any methods that can give the player an edge? The following strategies can't guarantee you'll hit a jackpot, but they'll go a long way towards helping you to minimize your losses:

Know the rules for the slot you're playing. It is your responsibility to ascertain the number of coins to insert or how many lines need to be activated in order to collect prizes.
Play the correct coin denomination. If the maximum payout on a dollar machine is $300 for single coin play, and a quarter machine pays $300 with three coins (75 cents) bet, then the quarter machine is the better deal.
Never play progressive slots with less than maximum coins. You won't collect the jackpot if you didn't bet the required number of coins.
Always bet the maximum number of coins if the highest jackpot pays a bonus when all coins are played. Example, on a three-coin slot machine, the jackpot pays 1,000 for first coin, 2,000 for second coin and 5,000 for third coin. It's smart to play three coins and qualify for that extra 2,000-coin bonus. But if the third-coin payout was only 3,000 then there would not be any advantage in playing maximum coins.
Set a loss limit and a win limit every time you start to play. For example, if you start playing with $100, stop when you've either doubled your money or lost it all. Don't get greedy and don't get caught up in the "I need to win my money back" mentality.

These are not "slot machine secrets", just sound advice to help make you a sharper online slots player.