There is no sure-fire way to beat a slot machine; the odds are generally against the player. The machines are designed to take more money than they give and to make a profit for the casino. To turn the odds in your favor, however, you can educate yourself on the payout percentages of each machine, and to use strategies that will help you win a. Avoid playing progressive slot machines. These machines have a higher number of reels and more symbols. The odds of winning are lower than most regular slot machines. Placement of the machines is key as well. Most casinos will place 'loose' slot machines, ones with better payouts, in locations that are productive to the room. Playing on a slot machine can be tricky business. If you are in the initial stages of the game or a novice then you might need time to get familiar with the machine. It is sometimes hard to decipher how to win on slot machines every time. This article can help you in finding a winning slot machine. A progressive slot machine is one that pools all the money from everyone that’s played it since its last jackpot. There are also multi-slot progressive jackpots that pool a few different machines to tempt people with enormous payouts. Keep It Random, Y’All. Random slots obviously look a bit less enticing, as they have a fixed jackpot.

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Dancing Drums has become so popular that many Asian-themed games you’ll find in both online and live casinos are now ‘inspired’ by it. You can’t miss the red design, with the smiling faces of Fu babies in traditional costume looking down from the top of the cabinet.

There are a lot of smaller details which go with the Asian theme. Bets end in the number 8, and the symbols show money trees, golden coins and koi carp. This game uses a ‘reel ways’ (all-ways) setup. A pot on top of the reels will fill with coins, sometimes closing to start a jackpot game. If you trigger the free spins bonus, you get to choose how big the reels will be – with more or less free spins depending on how big you go.

You can play Dancing Drums in live casinos or online. There is more information on where to find Dancing Drums after the game play and available casino bonuses below.

Basics: How Dancing Drums Slots Work

Reel ways means that you need to line up Asian themed symbols on consecutive reels (starting on the left). This is an alternative to traditional win-lines which makes spotting winning combinations easier.

Dancing Drums has a 5-reel, 3-row setup – with 15 symbols in total. Those symbols are a mix of Asian classics, with bold playing card symbols stopping the screen becoming too crowded.

Here are the symbols with the biggest prizes, listed in order

• Golden Lions
• Traditional Sailing Ship
• Money Tree
• Golden Ingot
• Gold Coins

Symbols showing a red and gold design are wild. They will often connect wins (sometimes more than one type). They will also fill the money pot above the reels.

The final symbol shows drums. These pay 44x your total bet for the maximum 5. They also trigger the free spins bonus, which starts with a picks screen.

Dancing Drums: Close the Pot to Start the Jackpot Picks Game

As you hit wild symbols, the pot above the reels will appear more and more full with gold coins. This can close at any time during either the base game or the free spins bonus. When it closes, the regular reels disappear. They are replaced with a grid of gold coins (Asian style ones, naturally).

Your task is to pick them by tapping on them. They reveal a colored traditional Fu baby character, each one relating to one of the 4 progressive jackpots. You get the first jackpot which you pick 3 times. This game is designed to up the anticipation levels by often revealing 2 of several types before you get your prize.

Free Spins Bonus: Your Pick of Screen Size

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No matter how many drum symbols you trigger it with, you start the free spins bonus in the same way. A row of 5 choices of spins / reel sizes appears. These are 15 spins with a 5×3 setup, 10 spins with a 5×4 setup, 5 spins with 5×5 reels or 3 spins with 6×5 reels.

The final choice is a ‘mystery pick’, which randomly gives you one of the setups and number of spins.

With bigger reel sets, the all-ways system gives you a lot more potential winning combinations. This needs to be balanced with the smaller number of spins.

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Where Can You Play Dancing Drums Slots?

Almost every live casino in the country will have this game (and several ‘versions’ of it from other slot studios).

You can also find this game at online casinos in regulated states. A lot of the iconic titles from Scientific Games have made it online. These work on mobile devices, as well as desktops. States with regulated online casinos include:

It is hoped that this list will expand as we go through the year.

Red and Gold with Fu Babies: Dancing Drums Slot Design

Scientific Games went all-in on the Asian theme for this game. The red and gold design sees an ornate pot with detailed inscriptions sitting above the reels. Above this you’ll see the jackpots, each with a Fu baby alongside.

The reels are crowded, with each unique symbol drawn in a lot of detail. The lion / dragon symbols look stunning, as if carved out of solid gold. When you hit a wild symbol (whether you win with it or not), a special effect sees this move to fill up the pot.

There are plenty of Asian inspired sound effects. These include a tune for the free spins bonus, giggling Fu babies for the jackpot game and those drums signaling that you hit the free spins bonus.

Wrapping Up: How Does Dancing Drums Compare?

This Asian themed slot is a classic. It has seen multiple ‘clones’ as other slot studios try to emulate the success that Scientific Games had with this game.

When you strip away the excellent design, Dancing Drums is a relatively simple game. You get a single free spins bonus (with choice of reel size), and a jackpot picks game. What makes it work is the solid game play, reel-ways wins and the ever-present opportunity (Fu babies permitting) to hit a huge progressive.

The house edge at slot machines isn't based on how lucky the players are, it is based on the pre-programmed electronic software used. And, that house edge varies from casino to casino and from geographic location and state to state.

Don't be fooled by a billboard that says 'Our slots pay 99%' because that only pertains to a small number of machines, not the casino's overall house edge. All video slot machines (including poker) use a Random Number Generator to provide accurate odds for the player and the house.

The number of winning hands (symbols) in any program is mathematically proven before the slots hit the gaming floor, and while the odds vary for each player (because this really is gambling), overall, the anticipated house edge will eventually be achieved.

The House Edge at Slots

Each gaming jurisdiction requires all slot machines to be registered and all slot manufacturers must submit their programming and math charts to the state gaming office, such as the Nevada Gaming Control Board. While the state may only require a minimum payback of 86-percent, most video poker and slot machines pay more. The average payback in Nevada is lowest on penny slots at about 90-percent. Dollar slots and some Deuces-Wild poker machines have the highest payback at nearly 99-percent.

Of course just because a machine has a payback of 99 percent does not mean you will win back $99 for every $100 you play through the machine. That payback amount is an average. Over the course of an evening of gambling, you might lose $500 or win $5,000. That's the beauty of the gamble, right? And, the casino doesn't care either way, because they win an average of whatever their house edge is over the course of the month.

How does that 99-percent work for you? Aside from the ups and downs of jackpots and dry spells, your entertainment dollar is going to be based on how long you play. If you play a machine that takes $3 per spin and you pull the handle 10-times an hour, you are playing $3 x 10 x 60 = $1,800 in action. At 99-percent house edge, your play costs $18 an hour. Some nights you'll go home ready to kick the wall, and other nights you be singing a happy tune because you hit a jackpot and skated out with hundreds. That's gambling.

Play Within Your Means

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As a general rule, the higher denomination slot machines have a greater overall payback percentage that the lower ones. That's great for those with a healthy bankroll, but you'll need to play the games that offer you the best bang for the buck. The worst thing a player can do is to play any game for more money than they can afford to lose or at a higher denomination than their bankroll will handle.

Another consideration is making sure you can qualify for any bonus screen or Royal Flush payoff. If you want to wile away the hours playing a single nickel in a machine, that's great. Enjoy. You won't win or lose much and you'll probably go home happier than most players. But your play comes with a catch!

That catch is that the house edge provided for each machine includes the big jackpots (such as a Royal Flush), and if you play below the minimum to reach the bonus screen, the house edge is much higher! You won't lose much, but you'll never win more than a couple of dollars.

The Best Option

The best option is to play the games you enjoy most, and make sure you read the Help Screen so you know how many credits it takes to qualify for at least the lowest progressive jackpot and the bonus screen (or Royal Flush at video poker). As a recreational player, your first goal is to have fun. If you only visit the casino occasionally the overall payback of the machine won't make much of a difference. If you visit regularly, make sure you join the Player's Club and play within your means!