Books have been stated on this issue, and the disquiet and squabbling about where the "hot" slot games are installed in the casino are still happening – more than 60 years after one armed bandits were 1st placed in casinos.
The traditional rule is that the more favourable slot machines were positioned just inside the entrance of the casino; so that potential players passing by would be able to see real jackpot winners and be attracted to come into the casino … play. Our persuasion is that this is no longer the case.
Just about all of the mega casinos today are behemothic complexes and it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to position the ‘loose’ one armed bandits near any entrances or exits.
Another classic rule is that loose slot machines are located on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more potential gamblers could see winning jackpots and be roused 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 slots 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!
Today, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slot machine games.