Wheel of Fortune

[ChicaChic]

Does the Equinox have the Wheel of Fortune slot machines?

[cb at sea]

If they do, it will NOT be like Vegas! The progressive jackpot is within cruiselines...and I've found on ships that DO have that slot, that it's nowhere near as "friendly" as in Vegas!

[ByByeAmericanPie]

Slot machines in Las Vegas are required by law to payout 75% of the money that goes into them, actual payout in Las Vegas is approximately 95%.

 

Because no gaming commission nor other governmental agency oversees gambling on cruise ships, there is no way of knowing how much cruise ship slot machines return. Some former casino executives on cruise ships have said that most machines return between 80-92 percent. Besides selling a sailing vacation experience, these flotillas of chance increase on-board revenue by maximizing the amount of money taken in from the casino. The casinos are one of the biggest money makers for the cruise lines. The sinking feeling you may experience while on the briny deep will most likely come from the lower (than shore-based casino's) payout on slots.

 

I have read that NCL is the only cruise line to have their slot machines certified to pay out more than 95%. The number of certified machines varies on each ship. Strictly Slots Magazine and Casino Publishing Group independently audited machines for certification.

[Tweedy]

Does the Equinox have the Wheel of Fortune slot machines?

 

 

I'm not sure about the Equinox but I have always found at least one of the WoF machines in the ship's casino. Most of the time they are $1, not $0.25.

[VideoTech]

...........

I have read that NCL is the only cruise line to have their slot machines certified to pay out more than 95%. The number of certified machines varies on each ship. Strictly Slots Magazine and Casino Publishing Group independently audited machines for certification.

 

Interesting. As an NCL cruiser, I'd like to read those articles..time for an internet search.

 

From my experience, there are definitely always a few slots on an NCL ship that seem to have a higher payback %. But there are also plenty that are very tight, too.

 

We play on board for fun, never in expectation of winning much. If we do win, so much the better.

[VideoTech]

...........

I have read that NCL is the only cruise line to have their slot machines certified to pay out more than 95%. The number of certified machines varies on each ship. Strictly Slots Magazine and Casino Publishing Group independently audited machines for certification.

 

Found the articles. That was back in 2004...doubt it holds true now.

[mitsugirly]

I found an interesting video by a guy that had wrote a book about slot machines. I can't remember everything he talked about, but it was interesting.

 

They buy a "chip" that goes in the machines that determines the pay out rate and even though people had stated that the machines seem to hit bigger at the beginning of a cruise (to lure people in to playing them) and less toward the end...he says is bologna. It's all programed in the chip and unless they shut down each machine and put in another costly chip, then this is a false statement.

 

Also the payout rate is not done in any given order. Someone could hit big on a machine and walk away. That doesn't mean that the next person isn't going to hit for awhile. With the next pull, you could be a big winner too.

 

He also stated the rate in which the machine determines what the next spin will be is something crazy like it changes 1000 times in a second. So, if you think you have a "routine" of pulling/pushing the button every so often before you "hit big", it's highly unlikely because of it changing the odds so many times just in 1 second.

 

It was real interesting. He has a web site too that is suppose to tell all the slot games and their pay out rate and for each state.

[mitsugirly]

I think this was the video: