Slot Machine positioning
Books have been written on this subject, and the bickering and discussion about where the "hot" one armed bandits are located in the casino are still taking place – sixty years after one armed bandits were 1st added to the gaming floor in gambling dens.
The traditional rule is that the best one armed bandits were installed just inside the main entryway of the casino; so that persons walking by would be able to see jackpot winners … be stimulated to come unto the gambling floor and play. Our observation is that this is definitely no longer true.
Practically all of the large casinos these days are magnificent complexes and it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to put the ‘loose’ slots in close proximity to any entrances.
Another traditional rule is that loose one armed bandits are placed on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more folks could see winning jackpots and be motivated to play. However, we find that this also isn’t a universal rule any more.
What casinos found over the years is that people walking down the busy aisles were frequently on the way to somewhere else. If they played one armed bandits at all, they would simply put in their loose change because they happened to be walking by. Win or lose, they would very often not stop to keep playing. And the very last thing a casino wants is for someone to win a jackpot by playing only a few coins and then not stay to put it all back in!
Today, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slot games.