1. Always play with money you can afford to lose.

Let's face it. No matter what tips and strategies I give you on this page, the house still has the edge on any slot game you play. So the best way to play smart is to play with entertainment money, fun money. DON'T play with the rent money. Scared money always loses; whether or not you're superstitious.

2. Always play the max bet.

If you don't play the max bet, then you reduce your payout percentage considerably, because the biggest jackpots always require the max bet in order to win. And the biggest jackpot is calculated into your payout percentage. You want your payout percentage to be high, and in order for that to happen, you MUST play the max bet. If you can't afford the max bet, then play lower limits.

3. Understand the rules and payouts of the machine before you play.

My winning slot strategies are always aimed at maximizing the entertainment value of your slots play. To me, that's just being realistic. And the best way to enjoy any game, and especially a gambling game, is to understand what's going on.

4. Set win goals.

This one might be controversial to some people, but the fact is that if you're up for a session, you might as well quit when you've hit your win goal so you can feel good about it. Go see a show, enjoy a nice meal, or catch some of the tourist attractions before you play all your winnings back. People who win quit when they're ahead.

5. Set loss limits.

Bankroll management (loss limits and win goals are bankroll management techniques) do not affect the odds or payouts on a slot machine game. BUT, they can help you preserve your bankroll and keep you from losing money you can't afford to lose. And if you don't have the self-discipline to keep yourself from playing back all your winnings or to quit while you're ahead, then you shouldn't be gambling at all.

6. Understand the hourly cost of playing.

Realistically speaking, most people actually play 600 or so spins per hour. If a machine pays out at 95%, and you're playing $1 per spin total, that you're looking at an hourly cost of 5% times 600 spins X $1/spin, which means it costs $30/hour to play. Why's it important to know how much it costs to play? Because you need to budget your gambling. Only you can decide what is an appropriate hourly cost for the entertainment you're receiving from playing the slots.

If you stick with these slot machine tips and strategies as your starting guide, you won't go wrong as a winning slot player. (And you'll understand that a "winning slot player" is something like a "jumbo shrimp" or "military intelligence"--an oxymoron. But there are different ways to define winning.)