You’ve likely seen the term penny slots thrown around. The name indicates that the slots spin costs will only be one penny per spin.
But penny slot machines are actually much more expensive than their name suggests. These games can cost you a dollar (100 mandatory lines) or more per spin.
Why then do slots cost so much to play? I’ll answer this by discussing what casinos need from these games.
Casinos Must Make Something from Slots
Casinos need to make investments into the slot machines they offer. These investments can come in the form of online software or physical slots cabinets.
Given that casinos put money into slots, they need to make something out of them as well. Spin costs are made higher than they have to be in order to bring in more revenue for casinos.
A land-based casino won’t make enough to pay its bills by allowing people to play for $0.01 per spin. They can, however, force gamblers to play all 100 lines ($1 total).
Online casinos don’t have as many overhead costs as land-based establishments. They can therefore allow one to play for a penny per spin.
But even some online slots feature minimum spin costs worth $0.25 (25 lines) or higher.
Slots Spin Costs Aren’t Very Expensive on a Per Bet Basis
You may feel like slot machines are rigged and you’re destined to lose. After all, these games take your money faster than anything in the casino.
You might also think that slots spin costs are too high. But the truth is that they’re not too expensive on a per-bet basis.
Besides video poker, no other casino game lets you play for $0.25 per turn. Each slots round is relatively cheap in comparison to the industry.
Only the fast slots play rate makes it seem like the spin costs are expensive. If you can slow down how quickly you play, then your bankroll will last longer.