One of the simplest games to play in a casino is a slot machine. A player presses a button and pulls the lever, then watches as three reels of symbols spin until finally coming to rest on the game’s winning combination. There are many different models, with varying themes and prices, but at their heart slot machines are all variations on this same theme. So when should you stop playing?

Game is broken

The most obvious problem with slot machines is that they’re not random. They’re all different. The payouts might be the same, and the odds of winning might be the same, but each machine’s set of symbols has to fit together in a particular way to create a winning outcome. And once those reels stop turning and show your winnings on screen, that’s it – you’ve won the game. It’s all over.

You’ve lost enough

Remember, the purpose of rtp slot machines is to turn nickels and dimes into dollars. So you know how they work. You know how much they cost. You’ve played the game enough times to have a sense of what the odds are, so you don’t need to check the machine’s figures any more. The game is about maximizing the value of your time by playing for as long as your money lasts, then having a feel for when it’s time to go.

Opponent is cheating

Not literally, of course. But if you’ve played regularly at a location and notice that you’re coming out behind more often than normal, then you know something fishy’s going on. You can complain or ask to speak to a manager, or just decide that you need a break from that casino.

You’ve won enough

Each time you win a slot machine game, you unlock a new feature. The most common of these is the ability to play with different sets of reels. A payline might mean that you need to get three or more matching symbols on a straight line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal), but another set of reels might mean five identical symbols have to land on the machine’s main screen. Some machines have 10 paylines, and others have 20 or even more. If you’ve won a few hundred dollars on the machine and not gotten particularly excited about playing that long, then you know that once you’ve unlocked the ability to play with 20 reels at once then it’s time to call it a day.