'Citywide progressive probably have the same RTP at the airport as at a casino, since that jackpot is networked across market,' adds Mehaffey. That means when a jackpot is hit, the amount is reset to the starting amount on all machines. It's important to point out that since Wheel of Fortune slots offer what's called a 'progressive jackpot,' all WoF machines in the state of Nevada are linked. Related: Check out this cool time-lapse video of the Las Vegas airport But since airport slots are almost exclusively played by travelers, and not regular customers, operators perhaps don't feel the same urgency to find that 'balance.' One reason for that is that airport slot machines have what industry observers call 'a captive audience.'Ĭasino operators try to strike a balance between earning a profit and having the customer leave happy, meaning they spent a good amount of time at the machine. That's a notable difference in RTP in the slot machine business. On each reel is a series of numbers or symbols and to win, the player needs to spin the reels and hope they land in a sequence that will return a payout. Sign up to get the daily TPG newsletter delivered to your inbox each morningĪ 2001 survey by Michael Shackleford, a gambling analyst known as the 'Wizard of Odds,' showed slots at McCarran paid out as much as 8% less than 'return to player' (RTP) casinos on the Strip. When you look at a slot machine you generally see a game that host several reels, usually ranging from 3 to 5, although online slots have seen them vary even more than this. Indeed, most gamblers will tell you to save your money for the Strip.

'Airport paybacks are generally far worse than any Strip casino, ' says John Mehaffey, owner of the gambling industry site,.

Making the win even more noteworthy is that Vegas airport slot machines and video poker games, while a popular way to kill time before boarding your flight, are considered sucker bets by some gamblers.

Can you actually win a slot machine