Skill-based slot machines, the subject of much buzz and speculation over the last couple of years, have officially arrived in a Las Vegas casino.

Best Paying Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2019. Best Paying Slot Machines In Las Vegas 2019. Slot Machine First Concert At Nassau. Las Vegas slot machines have come a long way since the 'one-armed bandits' of yesteryear. Though the 'bandit' part is still pretty much in tact, the new line of slots, including poker and keno.

The first skill-based slot machines in Las Vegas can now be played at Planet Hollywood, and we’ve got all the details about what casinos are hoping will help deal with “The Millennial Problem.”

Welcome to Las Vegas, you sexy, skill-based vixens, you.

The Millennial Problem, of course, is the belief on the part of casinos and slot machine makers that traditional slots are “losing their luster,” especially with younger customers, specifically, millennials. While the number of millennials visiting Las Vegas is going up (roughly 34 percent of the city’s 43 million visitors in 2016 were millennials, an increase of 24 percent since 2015), casinos cite a decline in slot machine play as evidence millennials raised on video games don’t find traditional slot machines compelling.

There’s some debate about whether The Millennial Problem actually exists, but damn it, casinos are out to solve it whether it exists or not. That’s where skill-based slot machines enter the picture.

Why, look, here’s one now. This is one of three skill-based slot machines at Planet Hollywood.

If you’re a millennial, your nether region should be throbbing right about now.

Of the three games being tested on the casino floor at Planet Hollywood (the machines have to pass a field trial before regulatory approval can be granted), two are Gamblit Poker and the third is a game called Cannonbeard’s Treasure.

The first distinctive thing you notice about these skill-based games is you can’t play with yourself. Yes, we know how that sounds, we are a snark-based Las Vegas blog.

The machines can accommodate up to four players each, but not individual players.

It should be noted the machines currently won’t take loyalty club cards, in case you’re into that kind of thing.

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Here’s how they work.

Gamblit Poker is a variation of (wait for it) poker. Players “grab” cards from a common pool of cards, building a hand of five cards. The player with the best hand wins the jackpot, the amount of which is determined by the machine.

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Cannonbeard’s Treasure is a variation of blackjack. Players, again, grab cards from a pool of cards. The cards are added up, and the player whose card total is closest to the target number (without going over) wins the pot.

Here’s a look at how the simulated game play looks on the machines, courtesy of us risking our neck to get video of how the simulated game play looks on these machines.

A key element of skill-based machines, and what differentiates them from traditional slot machines, is customers aren’t playing against the machine (or a dealer), they’re playing against each other. The outcome is based upon skill, rather than chance alone.

Mind, meet blown.

So, let’s dig a bit deeper into the pros and cons of Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard’s Treasure.

First, a big pro of these games is the low price to play. There’s a $2 Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard’s Treasure is also $2. There’s also a $5 Gamblit Poker.

Second, the competitive and social aspects of skill-based games are undeniable. Traditional slot machines are solitary endeavors. With skill-based games, you can hang out with friends and do your best to relieve them of their hard-earned cash.

Observing people play skill-based slots, it’s easy to see how one’s competitive instincts can kick in, keeping players engaged and playing longer than they might otherwise.

Interactivity certainly does seem to be more appealing than staring blankly at a screen while repeatedly hitting a button.

This is Cannonbeard’s Treasure. They had us as “each player gets not one, but two, cup holders.”

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The biggest twist in this whole story, though, is millennials aren’t actually the ones playing skill-based games, at least not the ones at Planet Hollywood. Millennials are curious about the machines, but they’re hit-and-run looky-loos, rarely playing more than $20 a pop.

Truth be told, we didn’t see a ton of play on these machines at all. But when people played, they weren’t millennials. Who’s playing skill-based slots? Slot players. That’s right, older players who already enjoy slot machines. A representative of Gamblit confirmed millennials aren’t the majority of those playing skill-based slots.

That ought to give casino operators more than a few restless nights.

While play on the machines appears light, there’s obviously going to be a period when awareness of the games has to be raised. At Planet Hollywood, a small sign tells customers they can actually gamble on these tables. Most would mistake them for similar interactive, touchscreen tables like those in several Las Vegas lounges like Ignite at Monte Carlo, Encore Players Lounge at Wynn and iBar Ultra Lounge at Rio.

The new games are simply lost among the crop of current slot machines, many with massive vertical screens.

Not gonna lie, we’re missing you a little right now, Quark’s Bar.

Those who did play the games seemed to spend a lot of time just sitting and drinking and talking. Which is great if you’re trying to increase revenue from drinks, but not so much if you’re trying to make money from gambling. At a table game, dealers and other players keep the pressure on to make more bets. The social aspect of skill-based games actually distracts from the gambling.

A critical downside to these games, though, has to do with perceived value.

As players make bets, the machine serves up the amount of the jackpot they’re trying to win. In the vast majority of cases, the jackpot is less than the players are contributing.

For example, we saw a couple sit down to play Gamblit Poker. They each bet $5, for a total contribution of $10. The jackpot was $7.50. They had fun playing, but the next pot was the same, ditto the one after that. It didn’t take the couple long to realize they were getting dinged a $2.50 “rake” with each passing hand.

The rake accumulates, similar to the jackpots in progressive machines. Part of the rake goes to the machine manufacturer, and the manufacturer has a revenue sharing agreement with the casino. We’ve yet to see any published information about the house edge for these games.

While the potential for larger jackpots is there (the max jackpot on the $5 machine is $1,200, $480 on the $2 machine), the couple cashed out and dashed. A Gamblit rep says the biggest jackpots happen several times each hour, but the perception problem means many players won’t be sticking around that long.

Presumably, though, the more play the machine gets, the more frequently the larger jackpots (considerably more than what the players are betting at any time) will hit.

There are some other peculiar aspects to these skill-based games.

For starters, we were told there will always be an attendant with the games. Why? Because they have to monitor the play to avoid collusion and bullying. We were told there’s the potential for experienced players, or teams, to take advantage of novice players. Essentially, there’s room for cheating.

A smaller annoyance, but one that’s undeniable, is the table surfaces require constant cleaning. Nobody wants to touch a screen that has hand smudges all over it, so attendants have to continually spritz and wipe the screens. High maintenance is right.

Gamblit calls these skill-based slot machines “ModelG.” Find the ModelG spot near the Pleasure Pit, if you get our drift.

Overall, these new skill-based slot machines are a great conversation piece, and any “first” is a great PR opportunity.

It’s premature to say, though, skill-based slot machines are going to halt or reverse the decline of slot revenue trends. In fact, we’re going to venture they’ll have little or no effect on those numbers. Oh, yeah, we’re putting our naysaying right out there.

Gamblit officials have said they’re happy with the early results of their field test, but honestly, what would you expect them to say?

Here’s the bottom line, and it’s something you won’t hear often.

The fact is millennials are smarter than previous generations.

Millennials know more about gambling than their parents or grandparents ever did.

They know casinos have been gradually increasing the house edge for 20 years, and what millennials aren’t particularly interested in is being screwed. Shocker.

Millennials aren’t a thing, they’re people. People who happen to be technologically adept. People who value experiences. They’re people who know when the deck is stacked against them, and know when they’re being squeezed. They want value for their entertainment dollars, just like the rest of us.

Here’s how you solve The Millennial Problem. Lower the rake. Lower the minimums. Bring comped drinks more frequently. Let people take photos in the casino to share with friends.

The Millennial Problem isn’t a slot machine problem or a disposable income problem. It’s a perceived value problem.

And here’s hoping casinos are listening, because giving customers, young and old, better value and remarkable experiences is the solution. All due respect, Cannonbeard.

Las Vegas slot machines are known by a variety of names around the world. Slot machines in Australia are generally referred to as video poker, poker machines or pokies. In Japan it is known as pachisuro. In Britain, they are usually known as Fruit machines, Bandits and AWP (Amusement with Prizes)

Traditional slot machines are coin-operated machines with three or more reels, which spin when a lever on the side of the machine is pulled.

Las Vegas slot machines which are considered modern slot machines are designed to look and feel like the old mechanical models, but they work on a completely different principle. The outcome of each pull is actually controlled by a central computer inside the machine, not by the motion of the reels.

The positions the reels will come to rest on are chosen by a Random Number Generator (RNG) contained in the machine's software. The RNG is constantly generating random numbers, at a rate of hundreds or maybe thousands per second. As soon as the lever is pulled or the 'Play' button is pressed, the most recent random number is used to determine the result. This means that the result varies depending on exactly when the game is played. A fraction of a second earlier or later, and the result would be different.

What does all this mean, you ask? It means,
Las Vegas slot machines have one of the worst House Advantage. That means the odds are always in the slot machine's favor.
There is no reward for playing longer. Each play is an independent event with the same odds of winning or losing as every other play on that game.
Persistence doesn't pay off. The result of your previous play or series of plays doesn't determine what happens on your next play.
There is no way to tell which slots are wining machines. Slots are never 'due for a win' and they don't 'go cold' after a win.
The location of the slot machine, whether it's on the Strip, off the Strip or Downtown affects the outcome of a game.

Now, here is the news you don't to hear. There is really no strategy to out smart the slot machine. However what we can show you are some wining tips on playing slot machines.

One of the questions visitors to Las Vegas ask is, where are the loose slots. Loose slots are Slot machines with above-average pay outs.

It's a fact that Las Vegas Slots differ in their payouts. Generally the odds of wining any prize on Las Vegas Slot Machines are approximately 1 in 5. However the odds to wining a top prize on a red, white and blue slot machine, for example, are only 1 in 373,248.

Some slot games pay smaller prizes more frequently and offer more bonus games (Loose Slots). Other machines pay out more often in the middle and top prize categories. It's important to mention that the chances of winning smaller prizes on slots are greater than the chances of winning top prizes.

Tips for Wining Big on Slot Machines

Use your Player's club card
Play two-coin, three reel, one payline slot machines.
Stay away from three-coin machines unless they are progressive machines.
Don't play more than one machine at a time.
Always play the maximum coins.
Always play machines that show double up symbols.
Don't play nickel slot machines. (check the house advantage here)

The Slot Expert's Guide to Winning at Slots

The Best Number of Coins to Play in Slots

Type of Machine	Rules and Reasons
Progressives	Play maximum coins. If you play don't play maximumcoins, you're only increasing the jackpot for someone else with nochance of winning it yourself.
Straight Multipliers	Play one coin at a time. The payback and hitfrequency are the same regardless of the number of coins you play.
Bonus Multipliers	Play one coin at a time. The chances of hitting apayout with a bonus are so small, it's not worth the extra risk.
Buy-A-Pays	Play maximum coins. The increase in payback andhit frequency purchased by the additional coins can turn a terriblemachine into a good one.
Hybrids	Play just enough coins to activate all winningcombinations. Extra coins are rarely worth playing in amultiplier, and hybrids are multipliers when you're in themultiplying section of the paytable.
Hidden Buy-A-Pays	Play maximum coins. The feature activated byplaying the last coin frequently makes the last coin pay back over100%.
Multilines	Play one coin or maximum coins. Play maximum coinsif having winning combinations land on paylines you didn't activatebothers you, otherwise play one coin.
Multicoin/Multilines	Play one coin each on as many lines as you like. Play one coin on each line if having winning combinations land onpaylines you didn't activate bothers you, otherwise play one coin.If there's a Hidden Buy-A-Pay, play enough coins to activate it.

Source: John Robison - www.Robison.CasinoCityTimes.com

Slots Machines House Advantage and Expected Lose

House Advantage	For Every $100 bet, the player can expect to lose
Penny Slots	8%-12%	$8 - $12
Nickel Slots	6%-12%	$6 - $12
Quarter Slots	5%-10%	$5 -$10
Dollar Slots	2.5%-6%	$2.50 -$6

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Did you know...
The largest Las Vegas slot machine jackpot ever, was paid on a Megabucks machine at the Excalibur Hotel, for $39,713,982.25 on March 21, 2003. More Las Vegas Facts.

Do you know ... your chances of hitting a winning combination are the same on every spin.