Volumes have been written on this item, and the controversy and disagreement about where the "hot" one armed bandits are installed in a casino are still passionate – 60 yrs after the slot machines were 1st added to the gaming floor in gambling dens.
The traditional rule is that the best one armed bandits were positioned just inside the main doorway of the casino; so that casino fanatics walking by would see actual jackpot winners … be tempted to come inside and play. Our feeling is that this is definitely no longer true.
Many of the mega casinos today are jumbo complexes … you no longer can see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to situate the ‘loose’ one armed bandits near to any of the doors.
Another classic rule is that loose slot games are located on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more fun seekers could see winning jackpots and be inspired to play. Notably though, we find that this also is not a universal rule any more.
What casinos found over the years is that people walking down the busy aisles were frequently on the way to somewhere else. If they played the slot machines at all, they would simply put in their loose change because they happened to be walking by. Win or lose, they would very often not stop to keep playing. And the very last thing a casino wants is for someone to win a jackpot by playing only a few coins and then not stay to put it all back in!
In recent times, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slot machine games.