You may shake your head with painful memories of large dollar amounts lost, and swear on a stack of Bibles that you’ll never again be foolish sufficient to engage in a shoot-out with the One-Armed Bandit, but who are you kidding? Maybe, with just a little luck, you will be able to resist the call of the slot machine for several weeks, perhaps even a month or two. But you know damn well that you will be back for a rematch sooner or later. You can not just let that Bandit win so quickly, can you? No way.

It is just a machine, in the end, with a “brain” comprised of wires and microchips. You, in contrast, are a living, breathing entity with the capacity for critical thinking and self-reflection. If humankind is to have any hope at all in surviving the global war against machines that surely will come some day, we would better at least be able to beat the slots. Think of the matter within this kind of sweeping historical context and also you will see that it’s not simply a choice but an obligation that you should get back on the horse as quickly as possible.

Before launching on your noble quest in defense of humanity, it could be wise to review some basic information and arm yourself with five crucial tips to success.

You could not know that the excellent online slot machine goes on different names in overseas nations. By way of example, in the United Kingdom, it is called a fruit machine (no jokes about British drag queens, please.) In Australia, the slot is described as a “poker machine,” which is even more confusing, but what can you expect from a culture that gives outdoor grills the name of a little girl’s toy? (Let it sink in for a minute, you are going to get it.)

Anyway, traditional American slot machines are coin-operated and contain three or more reels, which spin when a lever on the side of the equipment is pulled. The machines include a currency detector that validates the cash inserted to play. The machine typically pays off determined by patterns of symbols visible in the event the reels stop.

OK, enough for the description. Essentially, onto those tips that have been promised a few paragraphs ago:

Become intimately familiar with each slot machine’s payout schedule. Two identical slot machines will often have radically different payouts. This matters, people.

Look for advertised slot machines offering 96-98% paybacks. Most casinos usually have a number of banks or carousels of high percentage payback slots, which is where you should play.

Join the casino players club wherever you gamble regularly. Casinos reward players for time and money spent. Even if you do not hit the jackpot, you may still receive comps like meals, discount hotel rooms, as well as other perks.

This should be a no-brainer, but only play the slot machines you can afford and only spend cash you may risk losing. Seriously.

Walk away when you are losing and become irritated. Playing slot machines is supposed to be an enjoyable pastime, not much of a source of ulcer-inducing frustration. When it’s no longer fun, go get a drink and some fresh air.