Slot machines are the most popular game in any casino. Sure, people bet more on the lottery, and the worldwide sports betting market is huge. But slot machines are the game du jour in most casinos, especially in the United States.
Reel slot machines commonly have three or five paylines, while video slot machines may have 9, 15, 25, or as many as 243 different paylines. Most video slot machines have a themed game, some of which feature graphics and music based on popular entertainers, motion pictures or TV programs with a bonus round. Game fish size and creel limits. Also, Bass and Morone (striped bass) Identification Charts. Mountain Trout Mountain trout regulations include Hatchery Supported Trout Waters, Wild Trout Waters and Special Regulated Trout Waters such as Delayed Harvest Trout Waters. Also, Blue Ridge Parkway and State Park regulations Trout Maps. A striped bass that is 36 inches long normally is about 12 years old. A bass 48 inches long, and weighing over 50 pounds, is over 20 years old. You can estimate the age of an individual striped bass if the length or the weight is known. The largest striped bass on record weighed 125 pounds and was caught in a seine net in North Carolina in 1891.
Sadly, slot machines games also offer the worst odds in the casino except maybe for keno. The compounding effect of making hundreds of bets per hour at the slots make these games a bigger moneymaker for the casino than keno.
Slot Size Stripers Fish
There’s no science to playing slots. You put your money in, spin the reels, and hope for the best. The only decisions you make are which game to play and how much to bet.
This post covers how much you should bet. You’ll often hear so-called gambling experts say you should always place the maximum bet on slot machines.
This isn’t true for most games.
There Are Two Kinds of Max Bets on Slot Games
You’ll only find one “Max Bet” button on a slot machine game, but some games allow you to adjust the number of paylines you bet on. These are older games. They preceded the guaranteed “243 ways to win” games.
Many of the slot games that use configurable paylines have 20 to 50 paylines. You can turn them all off but one.
The first time I saw one of these games, a friend of mine called them “penny slots.”
The minimum bet was 10 cents per payline and the game had 25 paylines. The minimum bet was, to my way of thinking, $2.50. You could never bet just a penny on that “penny slot” game.
The maximum bet was $1 per payline. This was a sneaky way of getting the players to lay down more money. If you hit “Max Bet” on that machine, it took $25 in credits from your balance.
The More Complicated the Slot Game, the Less Likely You’ll Win
If you don’t understand how much you’re betting when you push a button on a slot game, there’s something wrong with the game. Perhaps the gaming industry just went through a phase of bad design.
But just because a slot machine game has multiple paylines, you shouldn’t assume that you’ll lose money if you bet on fewer paylines. Each bet on each payline is a separate bet, so playing all the paylines at once might make you more likely to see a winner. But you’ll also see more losing spins on the other paylines to compensate (in the long run, anyway).
Slot Size Stripers Tube
The game is still programmed to spin as if all the paylines are active. I watched in horror, as that $25 bet spun the reels. I got lucky and the machine paid a low prize. I didn’t lose $25.
You can save money on a slot machine like this in two ways.
- You can bet on fewer paylines.
- You can lower the size of your bet.
My buddy disabled all the paylines and played $1. We saw a big prize combination come up but it didn’t pay anything. It was on a deactivated payline. There was no pattern on the one active payline.
A Few Older Games Increased Your Probability With Your Bet Size
This kind of game worked in the opposite way. You didn’t disable or enable paylines. The game’s help screen said some features were only enabled for the max bet.
We deduced that meant the theoretical return to player was calculated only for the max bet. And if the game wasn’t allowing you to use all the features with lesser bets then it must have had a lower RTP.
I went back to play some blackjack that night but my friend stayed and played that game. He did okay, not great. He said it made a big difference to play the max bet.
A Basic Slot Game Doesn’t Change the Probabilities
Whether it’s a 3D video slot with monsters running around the screen or just a classic three-reel game, if the slot game doesn’t disable paylines or require max bets, then the probabilities don’t change.
You can bet the minimum or maximum credits, and it won’t affect the outcome of the game. You simply change the number of guaranteed spins you can play.
If you have $300 and a game has a $1 minimum, you can play that game 300 times. If you make a maximum bet of $5 on every spin, then you can only play the game a maximum of 60 times (if you lose every time).
This makes a difference to some players. Other players say you’re not going to lose 60 times in a row, so why worry about that? Bet the max and get the most from your prize.
Most Progressive Slot Games Only Pay on Max Bets
If you’re playing a progressive slot game, then you need to make a maximum bet. I’ve seen a few games with multiple progressive jackpots where you only needed a max bet for the biggest jackpot.
If you have two versions of the same slot game, one is progressive and the other is not, you might as well play the max bet on the progressive version of the game.
Don’t ever play anything less. The progressive jackpot is awarded randomly.
Progressive slot games have a mixed reputation. I’ve talked to people who refuse to play them. They’re convinced the payouts are less on progressive games.
And I know people who almost exclusively play progressive slot games. They would rather win a big prize beyond whatever the machine itself pays. They don’t have to win $1 million if they can come away with a few thousand.
I’ve seen it play out both ways. I’ve never been in a casino where someone won more than $10,000.
The Math Says Max Bets Put You Ahead Faster
Assuming you find a slot machine that pays reasonably well, maybe it’s on a “hot” streak despite its regular RTP, why not play only max bets?
If the maximum payout is 1000x your bet, you’ll make $999 on a $1 bet or $4995 on a $5 bet. That’s a really simple equation, so why doesn’t everyone bet that way?
If you’re down to your last $20, you may decide to “roll it up. ” But what’s the difference between rolling up $20 and rolling up $200?
It comes down to how many spins you can guarantee yourself. This is a psychological game we play with ourselves. The odds of winning on the next spin are the same regardless of how much you bet.
There Is Another Advantage to Not Making Max Bets
If you want to play a lot of different games and you don’t have an unlimited bankroll, then playing minimum bets allows you to spread your time around.
Some players like to test the games when they visit a casino for the first time. They make a decision based on luck.
I remember watching a man approach a slot machine late one night. I was getting ready to leave. He put a dollar in the machine and spun the wheels.
He went down the line of machines until one of them paid. There, he stopped and began playing.
This strategy has no better chance of winning than any other strategy. But if the player feels better playing slots this way, that’s what matters.
Conclusion
Slot Size Striped Bass
Slot game designs have become more polished, but their rules are less confusing. People want to push a button and win some money.
I think caution is only warranted if you’re unfamiliar with the games and you don’t know immediately if they have any special rules. It’s always a good idea to read the pay tables first.
And if you’re a little confused by the game rules, then only play minimum bets until you understand what the game is doing.
There’s no need to rush into max bets if you’re not ready to take that chance.
For Release: Tuesday, March 31, 2020
State Adopts New Recreational and Commercial Slot Size Limits
With Striped Bass Seasons Approaching, New York Anglers Are Encouraged to Get Outside Safely, Practice Social Distancing during COVID-19 Public Health Crisis
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the adoption of new regulations for recreational and commercial fishing for Atlantic striped bass. These regulations, which take effect immediately, are to reduce state commercial and recreational harvests by 18 percent as required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Recreational striped bass seasons start on April 1 in the Hudson River and tributaries and on April 15 in marine waters. DEC reminds anglers to practice social distancing to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.
The Atlantic coast-wide harvest of striped bass is managed by ASMFC. To address the finding that the striped bass resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing, ASMFC initiated and approved Addendum VI to Amendment 6 (PDF) of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass to reduce harvest, end overfishing, and bring fishing mortality to the target level in 2020.
After presenting several options and seeking stakeholder input last year, New York State adopted state fishing regulation changes that reflect ASMFC's Addendum measures and are in accordance with the FMP. The open seasons for striped bass in all New York waters have not changed. New York State worked cooperatively with other members of ASMFC to adopt consistent slot limit regulations and comparable season dates. The Addendum also requires all states to require the use of circle hooks when fishing with bait for the 2021 striped bass fishing season. Catch and release practices contribute significantly to overall fishing mortality and circle hooks work effectively to reduce release mortality in the recreational striped bass fisheries. Anglers are encouraged to use circle hooks in 2020 when using bait.
2020 Striped Bass Recreational Regulations:
In marine waters:
- Slot size limit: 28' - 35' total length
(No fish smaller than 28' or greater than 35' may be kept) - Season date: April 15 - December 15
- Daily possession limit of 1 fish/angler
In the Hudson River and its tributaries:
- Slot size limit: 18'- 28' total length
(No fish smaller than 18' or greater than 28' may be kept) - Season date: April 1 - November 30
- Daily possession limit of 1 fish/angler
In the Delaware River and its West Branch bordering Pennsylvania:
- Slot size limit: 28' - 35' total length
(No fish smaller than 28' or greater than 35' may be kept) - Season date: All year
- Daily possession limit of 1 fish/angler
2020 Striped Bass Commercial Regulations:
- Slot size limit: 26' - 38' total length
- Season date: May 15 - December 15
- Note: Commercial harvest of striped bass is limited only to striped bass permit holders.
Check DEC's Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations for the most up-to-date information before going fishing. Make sure to enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before going fishing in New York's Marine and Coastal District waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for 'migratory fish of the sea' (e.g. striped bass). Anglers can enroll for the registry online or by phone or by visiting a license issuing agent location.
While enjoying the outdoors, DEC advises New Yorkers to continue to follow the CDC/New York State Department of Health guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19:
- Try to keep at least six (6) feet of distance between you and others.
- Avoid close contact, such as shaking hands, hugging, and kissing.
- Wash hands often or use a hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
- Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as doorknobs, handrails, and playground equipment.
When fishing, DEC recommends avoiding busy waters and following the guidelines on DEC's website about fishing responsibly in New York State. If an angler arrives at a parking lot and there are several cars, they should consider going to another parking lot. If an angler is fishing upstream, they should fish downstream of the other angler or consider fishing another day. Anglers fishing from boats should be able to maintain at least six feet of distance between one another. For more information about the benefits of being outdoors safely and responsibly, go to DEC's website.