Loose Casinos Slot on Dawn

New to NCL

Other cruise lines that I have been on seem to loosen up the slots the first or second night out and then tighten them up.

Then leave 1 or 2 loose slots to keep interest going.

I've seen a $20,000 jackpot payout on Princess 1st night out on $5 machine few years back - then tight as drum - I asked the gal who won the jackpot later in cruise about it and she lost most of it all back - she never won again but I would she her each night putting it back in Hard

Also saw someone else - $5,000 on Celebrity on 1st night out - but none after that except for one $1 machine that would cycle every few hours (night after night) and watched a guy pay for his trip off it.

Always seems that slots paid more at night vs day for same jackpot? Of course it did not work for me - took all my $$$

Going to be on the Dawn in a few months and just curious how NCL relates to the other cruise lines when it comes to slot play or other Casinos games.

Heard that they are more generous - that's good to hear but examples would be better

thoughts out there ?

:( Let me try again.

:p Not sure if I phrased it right the first time or

Maybe this topic has been beat to death earlier.

If so, sorry for bringing it up again.

Any winners out there ? :confused:

New to NCL

 

Other cruise lines that I have been on seem to loosen up the slots the first or second night out and then tighten them up.

 

Then leave 1 or 2 loose slots to keep interest going.

<snip>

thoughts out there ?

This is a major urban myth. No casino, land or sea, alters the slot payouts by day or night, or at certain times of year, or during the course of a trip, or anything else. They have no reason to do this - the casino gets their money no matter when/where/how/who plays them, and regardless of the number of jackpots they payout. If they didn't they would be in the business...and I assure you, it's a VERY profitable business for them.

The casino does setup different machines at different payback percentages, all carefully calculated to insure they make their profit targets, while keeping you at the machines as long as possible. They do not change these percentages during the course of the trip. This is what "keeps the interest going" because there are some "looser" (i.e. higher payback) machines scattered around the casino.

Your feeling that they "seem" to loosen or tighten their slot machines is just that, a feeling that's brought on because our minds love to try and find orderly patterns in random events. But the wins and losses on the machines are always totally random, and the machine pays back exactly what it's set to payback over the course of time.

Your feeling of the machines being tightened up also comes about because the longer you play, the more likely you are to lose your money. So the first night, you play, you win some and lose some, and you're still doing ok. The second night, you play again, you win a little and you lose a little...and as you keep playing the machine does exactly what it's designed to do, taking your money a penny or a nickel or whatever at time...and as the days go on, your bankroll goes down, and you feel the machines have been made tighter. Not so. It's just the way the house edge works in gambling.

And yes, sometimes you get lucky and you hit a jackpot. But that can as easily happen on the first night or the last, and there is no pattern to it what so ever. As proof of this, I offer my last trip on the Dawn, when I played steadily for the entire cruise, slowly losing, and then on the next to last night, on machines that I'd been playing all week, I hit two jackpots.

So play and have fun with the money you can stand to lose. Here's hoping you hit a nice jackpot, but don't worry about what night you're playing!

thanks for input on this topic - BUT - I still feel there is a way that the powers to be CAN & DO turn the machines on and off WHEN they want. (simple computer update)

I've been in casinos where I've actually heard the machines being reset - expecially in the old days when coins were used and you could tell by just listening - the coin drops would increase as they moved around the casino (you could actually know when to play - work many many times that way).

Anyway - thanks again for input

I'm a retired software programmer. I personally believe that every new machine that is put into a casino anywhere has what I call a "honeymoon" period where it is programmed to pay off more during the first few days or weeks it is available. That peaks people's interest.

Any machine could be programmed to do anything they want. And a cruise ship slot machine isn't under the scrutiny that land-based ones are, but like the other poster said, if the return is set low enough they don't have to fool with them. And people will play them whether they are tight or loose. Where else can they play?

thanks for input on this topic - BUT - I still feel there is a way that the powers to be CAN & DO turn the machines on and off WHEN they want. (simple computer update)

 

I've been in casinos where I've actually heard the machines being reset - expecially in the old days when coins were used and you could tell by just listening - the coin drops would increase as they moved around the casino (you could actually know when to play - work many many times that way).

 

Anyway - thanks again for input

You're more than welcome. CAN it be done? Of course it can, the slots are all computerized now and they are all linked to a central computer to report the results of the night's cash flow. DO they do it? Well, we're each free to believe what we want.

Anyway, have fun on the Dawn...it's a beautiful ship and the casino staff is very nice. I hope you win a big jackpot on that first night, and bring it home with you!

As one who was in the Gaming Business for a number of years I highly doubt it. Unless technology of gaming devices has changed tremendously in the last couple of years machines can't just be changed with the stroke of a keyboard. Each machine holds a "chip" that is encoded with how it will payout and behave. To change to payout, or "loosen" up or "tighten" a machines would require each machine be altered to do it. That in itself would require each machine to be opened, a circuit board removed and replaced with a new one. 200 hundred machines. You do the math. In the state where I was involved it was a crime to alter the board unless certain paper work was filed before hand. I'm sure there aren't tight requirements in international water, but just the time involved in doing the above makes me doubt it happens. Has anyone ever traveled though the casino at 3 a.m. and seen a mass board change in progress? Anyone, anyone, Bhuler?

There are plenty of ways for a Casino to make money and doing something like that isn't required. The law of averages is with them. They also have many other methods you would never even dream of.

Jingle

You're more than welcome. CAN it be done? Of course it can, the slots are all computerized now and they are all linked to a central computer to report the results of the night's cash flow. DO they do it? Well, we're each free to believe what we want.

 

Anyway, have fun on the Dawn...it's a beautiful ship and the casino staff is very nice. I hope you win a big jackpot on that first night, and bring it home with you!

Since I have no willpower I would hope for a jackpot on the last night so I can walk off the ship with some jingle in my pocket.

As one who was in the Gaming Business for a number of years I highly doubt it. Unless technology of gaming devices has changed tremendously in the last couple of years machines can't just be changed with the stroke of a keyboard. Each machine holds a "chip" that is encoded with how it will payout and behave. To change to payout, or "loosen" up or "tighten" a machines would require each machine be altered to do it. That in itself would require each machine to be opened, a circuit board removed and replaced with a new one. 200 hundred machines. You do the math. In the state where I was involved it was a crime to alter the board unless certain paper work was filed before hand. I'm sure there aren't tight requirements in international water, but just the time involved in doing the above makes me doubt it happens. Has anyone ever traveled though the casino at 3 a.m. and seen a mass board change in progress? Anyone, anyone, Bhuler?

 

There are plenty of ways for a Casino to make money and doing something like that isn't required. The law of averages is with them. They also have many other methods you would never even dream of.

 

Jingle

Changing the chip is required on machines of a certain age - like the one I have in my living room. On those machines, it would definitely be a lot of work to change the payback percentage across the entire casino, every 3 or 7 days.

However, the newest machines are entirely software driven. I have watched slot technicians program them, they can program a number of things relating to the game right from the screen, including the payback percentage.

Thus the argument is made that if they can do it at the machine, and if the machines are linked over a computer network (which they are), why can't they change the payback percentage in the "back room" whenever they want?

My answer is that they can, but that they have no real reason to do so, at least not on a daily basis or some other schedule. They may do it every now and then, to adjust their profit targets, or generate interest in a new machine, but I just don't believe there's any reason for them to be constantly changing the payback percentage over the course of each and every cruise.

Of course, as you point out, this has only to do with ship based casinos, who do not operate under the same legislation and scrutiny that most U.S. land based casinos operate under.

Since I have no willpower I would hope for a jackpot on the last night so I can walk off the ship with some jingle in my pocket.

Indeed! That's why I was really pleased to hit those two right at the end of the cruise...first time I've ever walked off a cruise ship ahead!

It's the rare person who can hit a jackpot and walk away, keeping it all. There's always that itch to go back and see if it will happen again....and then they've got you!

I can tell you one thing...if I won $20K or even $5K on the first night...that would be the last time they saw me in there. I would walk out with it all!

Since I have no willpower I would hope for a jackpot on the last night so I can walk off the ship with some jingle in my pocket.

Thats what happened to me..... 2:45 am the morning as we were about to return to NYC on the GEM this November. thankfully they closed the casino about 20 minutes after I won so no chance to put it all back!!!!!!

As for the DAWN casino...... The casino hosts are the best I have ever encountered. they really take care of their players.......

Unfortunately I lost so much money that I don't even want to think about it..........

The slot attendant told me the cruise before mine they had paid out multiple jackpots........so I guuess I missed the boat on that one??????

The casinos out West give extra money once an hour to a lucking machine they pick at random. Neat feature in the Indian casinos out West.

Yes, I seen slots do weird things and always hear from slot mechanics that swear it's not possible.

Been in the computer & electronic field for over 42 years - I know anything is possible.

I just have bad luck. Mutiple times someone has come up behind me and won on the machine I just left:

LV - multiple casinos have had people win right after I left machine all WARMED up

Reno - $1000 jackpot won by gal when my dollar was not accepted in machine

Oregon coast - gal won $15,000 after I left machine

- same casino yr later, gal won $5,000 after I left machine

Laughlin - same thing in high stake area

Florida - off shore ship - happened again

And the list goes on ................

I always wait and heistate before leaving now - making sure no one is around when I leave - I know (parnoid!) - but what would you do ?

- Not play of course - just for fun anyway

thanks for input on this topic - BUT - I still feel there is a way that the powers to be CAN & DO turn the machines on and off WHEN they want. (simple computer update)

 

I've been in casinos where I've actually heard the machines being reset - expecially in the old days when coins were used and you could tell by just listening - the coin drops would increase as they moved around the casino (you could actually know when to play - work many many times that way).

 

Anyway - thanks again for input

Slot machines use Random Number Generators, when the number comes up - you win...you could win several times on the same machine...then the machine may not pay off for a month...its just the way that it goes...I have won plenty on cruise ships, never did win a $ 20,000 jp though...:mad:

The casinos out West give extra money once an hour to a lucking machine they pick at random. Neat feature in the Indian casinos out West.

 

Yes, I seen slots do weird things and always hear from slot mechanics that swear it's not possible.

 

Been in the computer & electronic field for over 42 years - I know anything is possible.

 

I just have bad luck. Mutiple times someone has come up behind me and won on the machine I just left:

 

LV - multiple casinos have had people win right after I left machine all WARMED up

 

Reno - $1000 jackpot won by gal when my dollar was not accepted in machine

 

Oregon coast - gal won $15,000 after I left machine

- same casino yr later, gal won $5,000 after I left machine

 

Laughlin - same thing in high stake area

 

Florida - off shore ship - happened again

 

And the list goes on ................

 

I always wait and heistate before leaving now - making sure no one is around when I leave - I know (parnoid!) - but what would you do ?

 

- Not play of course - just for fun anyway

If it's any consolation to you, the chances of you getting the results they did is astronomical. Slot machines are constantly running possible results thru their chip. In order for you to have gotten the winning combination the following person did, you would have had to have hit the spin button at the exact same second as that person did.

I always felt that way to, that someone had gotten "my jackpot", but realize now that it's totally random and the luck of the draw. So now I don't get annoyed, I know that I wouldn't have gotten the same result as they did.

Only advice I can give is - wait couple minutes before leaving a machine and give it one last try. :o

I've seen alot different methods/strageties/etc out there - it's all how the powers to be have set it up that day - I know they like to have a couple loose machines on board - it's alway hard to find them :confused:

Good Luck ;)

My OLD method was to start with $100 extra in the machine and play up from there - never let it drop below $100 - it worked many times in the old days before credit slips & cards with credits - these days I'm stumped !

I too would like to have so..........me kind of stragety.

Best regards :)

Sounds good to me

I will try that next time

In the mean time:

A secretary, a paralegal, and a partner in a big law firm are walking through a park on their way to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out in a puff of smoke. The Genie says, "I usually only grant three wishes, so I'll give each of you just one." "Me first! Me first!" says the secretary. "I want to be in the Bahamas, on a cruise ship - in the casino, without a care in the world." Poof! She's gone. "Me next! Me next!" says the paralegal. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of pina coladas and the love of my life." Poof! He's gone. "You're next," the Genie says to the partner. The partner says, "I want those two back in the office right after lunch."

Sounds good to me

Have a great afternoon everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good day

Sounds good to me

 

I will try that next time

 

In the mean time:

 

A secretary, a paralegal, and a partner in a big law firm are walking through a park on their way to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out in a puff of smoke. The Genie says, "I usually only grant three wishes, so I'll give each of you just one." "Me first! Me first!" says the secretary. "I want to be in the Bahamas, on a cruise ship - in the casino, without a care in the world." Poof! She's gone. "Me next! Me next!" says the paralegal. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of pina coladas and the love of my life." Poof! He's gone. "You're next," the Genie says to the partner. The partner says, "I want those two back in the office right after lunch." Ouch!!!

 

Sounds good to me

 

Have a great afternoon everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Good day

While in Reno quite a few years ago I was playing a slot machine and I was quite surprised but heard my name being paged and to go to a courtesy phone. I really didn't want to go because I had a strong feeling that the machine was about to pay off. But since I thought that what if it was an emergency of course I went. It was DH and don't remember the reason but it was very lame and I wasn't pleased. I went back to the machine and guess what? It had hit a jackpot!:mad: OOOh I was so mad at DH that it's a good thing that he wasn't there! The only thing that was good about it is that a friend was the one who won it. She actually felt kinda guilty about it so handed me a half bucket full of quarters and took us both out to dinner that night.:D I don't remember the payout but I think it was a couple thousand.

This same trip her DH was playing a slot machine at the airport while waiting for our plane. He had cashed his quarters out was just about to switch to the machine beside him but a lady sat down. She won a jackpot if I remember correctly was $400,000. That definitely hurt much worse.:(

You cannot "warm up" a machine or "cool it off." The machine has no memory of events; each and every draw is completely random and separate from the draw before and after it; and your chances of hitting a jackpot are exactly the same on each and every draw.

The person who sits down at the machine after you've played it has exactly the same odds of hitting a jackpot as you did on each and every play you made.

There is no strategy that can be applied to playing slot machines, other than the fact that playing max coin in is always best; some machines do not payout their biggest jackpots unless you are playing max coin in. And since you are as likely to hit a jackpot on this spin as the next one, don't alternate between playing max coin and lesser amounts - you'll hate yourself if you hit the big jackpot and then don't get it because you didn't play max.

Sounds like you have not played much, or maybe you have.

Yes, it's all random. But and this is important - they are programmed to play with you. Many long hours went into creating the theme of a particular machine (not talking about the ordinary 3 wheeler)

If you wanted to just play with a random generator - there would no players in the casino!

It's a fun experience if you look at it that way and do not take it seriously.

We all like to play the Wizard of OZ machines. It's a fun experience meeting the Wizard & going to the land of OZ.

anyway -

Just a thought

Yes, I agree - it's fun

Just do not take it serious - we all know it's just a scam and understand it's just another form of entertainment for the moment.

I could say alot more - but better leave it at that!!!!!

good evening all

Pic did not make it thru - will work on it and repost

I finally learned to walk away when I'm ahead It's the only way I win!

Back to original question - are there any loose slots on the Dawn ??

From what I've been reading - No

Is this right ?

thanks

I will answer to the subject in question from the perspective of former slot technician. NCL Dawn is was one of the ships i worked years a go.

The slots on NCL are certified by GLI http://www.gaminglabs.com . Unless they have this certification no manufacturer will be allowed, same as in Nevada . You will find IGT, WMS, Bally, Aristrocrat, AC Coin / IGT Slot machines. There is not such think like you can set the slot do do whatever you want beside the % ,denominations, standard game settings. The slots are sealed exactly the same as casinos in Vegas or Atlantic City, there are periodic random checks on the % and the security procedure are at highest level i meet on the ships.

We used to have slots set up to 98-99% . The % is set based on the game coin denomination. Same of the machines had the signs Certified Lose based on the % we set them.

There is not such a think to change overnight the % on classic slots that run on stand alone boards. To change any setting you must unlock the game settings using a procedure called Key Chip and it takes time to do it as each time is done settings have to be double checked and confirmed by casino manager. Back in 2004 on the Dawn we had to run 4 days without the tickets (Technical failure on a major system board that we did not have on board) and in order to do change to coins we have to do this procedure and activate coin hoppers on 200 machines . It took us 8 hours on 2 slot techs and this in emergency with attendants helping us to test the machines after the setting change.

The new Server Based Gaming slot machines where the games are loaded from a server may be the possibility to instantly change the % but this is something new and from my knowledge no cruise line has it.

NCL was always 2 steps ahead with the slots and the player tracking systems, they were the first ones to have tickets at sea and on the new ships they always had new slots.