The glitter, the lights, the clang of coins, the ringing of bells, all part of the magic of casinos. And no windows to distract you from putting in your money. Most casinos today are using paper vouchers instead of coins. Why? Because it’s faster, more efficient and lets you move more quickly between machines, which means your money leaves your hand faster. But it doesn’t mean the money’s gone forever. Here are some tips to help you leave the casino with money in your wallet.

1. Before you leave home, decide how much money you can afford to lose and take that amount with you. No extras, no credit cards, no ATM cards.

2. Get yourself a player’s card. The casino awards you points for playing and these can be used to get cashback or comps (complimentary meals, etc.).

3. Inside the casino, take a look to see what machines are being played. Chances are these are the machines that are a little “looser”. “Looser” simply means that certain machines are set to pay out at a higher percentage than others.

4. Try the machines at the end of the aisles. Quite often this is the location of the higher paying percentage slots.

5. The more exciting games are those with multi-lines, multi-payouts. There are bonus rounds which come up once in a while. Usually, these are 1, 2 or 5 cent machines. The odds of winning on a 1 or 2 cent machine are significantly less than if you play a higher denomination. Play the highest denomination your budget can afford. One line, three max bet machines usually have a higher payout.

6. Look at the payouts shown on the top or bottom of the machine. This will give you an idea of how much you should bet.

7. Cover all the lines if it is a multi-line machine.

8. If the machine you select does not give you a hit within four spins, move on.

9. If you have won a little on a machine, but it has started not paying, move on. The random number generator has probably gone into a no-win cycle.

10. Don’t be in a hurry to hit the Play button or pull the lever. The machine isn’t going to run away, and you can stretch your money a little further by playing more slowly.

11. Unless the machine is still hitting, move on once you have doubled (or more) your money. Put that money aside and play only with the original amount that you decided you could afford to lose.

12. Don’t stay too long. The longer you stay, the greater the odds that you will give all your winnings back to the casino.

Despite the fact that casinos are built on losers not winners, you can tilt the odds in your favor if you follow your guidelines. Enjoy your game!