BASIC SLOTS Basic Slots or "flat tops" have a constant top jackpot payout that does not change no matter how much the machine is played. Basic slots tend to give smaller wins to keep you in business, extending your playing time. Basics come in several different paying versions, most of which require maximum coins to hit the top jackpot. Three features that should dictate any basic slot players' search and quest to stretch their gambling bankroll are: 1) Single payline..stay away from multiple paylines, too expensive. Better to play multiple paylines on Bonus Slots when a second screen bonus round offers additional winnings: see Bonus Slots. 2) Two coin maximum basic slot. A 3 coin machine may show a payout of 120 coins for the same combination as 80 for 2 coins, but remember, you had to gamble an extra coin, each spin, therefore, the payouts are generally equal. Players should invest more of their playtime and money in the preferred 2 coin machines, equaling more pulls and more chances to win a jackpot. 3) Seek out those slots that pay double jackpots on certain pay-line combinations. The principle of this "double" symbol is very simple, whenever it appears on the payline in combination with any other symbols which normally would have made a winning combination, the payoff amount is doubled or multiplied: e.g. Double, Triple Diamond, or Red, White and Blue7's. Look closely at payout schedules posted on the slots-- not all slots will double and quadruple all pays and not all machines will have double jackpots win possibilities. Don't confuse them with joker machines or wild cherries or any other symbols noted on the machines payoff display as being "wild". Symbols identified as being wild sub for any other paying symbol. but do not double the payoff. You will almost never find these preferred slots in the same carousel. Carousel slots are mixes of good and bad machines. The thinking is that people will be attracted to a carousel if they see one player cleaning up on the good one. If a casino advertises specific slots as 98 percent return, this will never mean that for each $1 you put in, you will get back 98 cents. A lot of first time players make this mistake. This means that over the fiscal year life cycle of that particular slot machine, it will average payoffs equal to 98 percent of all monies put through. Casinos advertising high return slots or 100 percent 'certified' slots, usually dollar slots, must tell you whether all the machines in that carousel are high-return slots or just one or two slots. Slot hosts or change people at these specific banks/carousels should know and if not; as a consumer- ask, ask and ask again until you get an answer. PROGRESSIVE SLOTS Most slots players are not aware that there are two levels of progressive jackpots - primary and secondary. Nearly all are at least three coin machines where there are many graduated jackpots and pay symbol possibilites. A "primary" jackpot is the top prize offered when a player hits that specific combination which will pay the top jackpot. In the case of Megabucks, linked to participating casinos, these are the four Megabucks symbols all correctly lined up together on the pay line. This top jackpot, increasing with each coin played is the one showing the most money, and is usually displayed with the biggest sign and numbers above the carousel or bank of machines. Secondary jackpots are displayed on smaller screens mounted below the big screen of the primary jackpot, and also increase apportionately to the number of coins played. These jackpots are hit more frequently and therefore do not always have a large sum of money on the progressive meter. If both jackpots are high, the indication is that these machines have had a lot of play without hitting either jackpot and therefore the chances of that jackpot hitting soon are greater. Before playing any single group of progressives, check out the primary and secondary jackpots, then compare other surrounding progressives on the casino floor to see how high those jackpots are relative to their starting amounts. After a progressive jackpot is hit, the meter automatically resets to the base jackpot amount. The Megabucks slots begins at 3 million and secondary jackpot starts at $2,000. If you see a Megabucks close to these two numbers, you know they have been hit recently. Save your money and dont play them until the jackpot grows. Megabucks jackpot update-- 1-888-448-2win. Same principle applies to other progressives and their base jackpots. Change people and slot hosts can be very helpful with information on where the largest progressive jackpots are located.