Penny Slots Bring In Big Bucks

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 31, 2009 11:41 AM CDT
Penny Slots Bring In Big Bucks
A woman plays the slot machines at the grand opening of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pa.   (AP Photo)

Casinos are making big bank off the tiniest—and oft-most derided—denomination, USA Today reports. Gambling outfits have added penny slots at an amazing rate—in the last 2 years, Nevada has removed 12,000 more costly machines to make room for 7,000 penny slots—and the move has paid off. In Missouri, for example, penny bets make up 42% of the total and a whopping 63% of casino profits.

Not that penny slots take pennies, or are really machines for that matter: The computerized game takes dollar bills or pre-loaded debit cards. Patrons can, however, bet in 1-cent increments, and the machines are designed to pay out smaller amounts, but do so more often. While the rest of the industry was off 19% last year in Nevada, penny slot receipts were up 3%. “A consultant told us it was a joke to put all those penny machines in,” a casino exec says. “Then we showed him our revenue.” (More gambling stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X