If
you've ever w
alked into a casino, a roll of coins clutched tightly
in hand, and wandered around aimlessly trying to decide which
slot machines to play, then you may be a candidate for John Grochowski's
latest book. He answers the perplexing question of which machines
to play, and a whole lot more.
The gaming author, syndicated
columnist and Midwest Gaming & Travel's Casino Q&A columnist,
has come up with "The Slot Machine Answer Book" with
almost 200 answers to just about every question ever posed about
the machines that have frustrated millions of gamblers but still
remain the most popular gambling devices in America's casinos.
Grochowski wipes away that frustration
with his precise and easy-to-read answers to a series of quizzes
that deal with such subjects as how the slots work, how they've
changed and how to overcome the built-in house advantage. Plus,
his book is filled with answers on how to get the edge, even
naming certain machines that give the best odds for pay outs,
and others that you shouldn't waste your time playing. And if
you've ever wondered what it's like to participate in a slot
tournament, Grochowski provides the rules and how to be competitive
in tourneys. He even discloses his own secrets and writes vividly
about a tournament he took part in, and won.
"Debunking Myths and Legends"
is a must-read chapter for every slot player. In it Grochowski
explodes 20 of the most intriguing myths, including the one that
machines are more likely to pay off if warm coins instead of
cold coins are used. Then there's the legend about the remote
jackpot button that casino managers use to reward favored players.
My favorite, which I'd hoped was true, is that a machine that
is hot will stay hot. Not so, says Grochowski, who notes that
it's more likely a hot slot will turn cold fast.
A Chapter called "Slot Potpourri"
is not only a primer on etiquette for slot players, but a fascinating
history of the early one-armed bandits, including their pay outs
of golf balls, chewing gum and even cigars. Grochowski includes
in this chapter the worst locations in which to find high-paying
slots. And still another myth is shattered.
How to use slot clubs to your
advantage also makes for interesting and profitable reading.
Slot clubs, a relatively new phenomenon, were first created in
1982 at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City and brought to Las
Vegas in 1984. Grochowski makes it a point to join every slot
club where he plays and he tells why. "Players should use
slot clubs whenever and wherever they play," he writes ...
"you never know what kind of bonus will show up in your
mailbox later." Also listed are the percentages of cash
given back to slot club members by major casinos on riverboats
in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Louisiana, and in Las Vegas,
Reno and Mississippi.
The Slot Machine Answer Book
(paperback) sells for $11.95 and is available at your favorite
bookstore or can be ordered by calling Bonus Books, Inc. toll
free at 800-225-3775 or from their website at Bonus Books.
