Some newer slot machines, particularly those made by IGT, offer a speed setting where a player can control the speed of the reels. A player wonders how this impacts play:
On games like Wolf Run Eclipse and Prosperity Link where you can select the speed of the reels, does changing the speed of the reels affect your play?
Sarah M.
The primary thing that changes by changing the speed of the reels is changing how fast a spin completes. Since most slot players start the next spin as soon as the last one is complete, this means a faster slot machine will lead to more spins per hour.
What will that do? That means a larger amount of wagers against the machine’s expected payback percentage, as all slot games are designed in the long run to make money for the casino. The more spins you take, the more likely the casino will come out ahead, so that speed button can prove to be mighty handy.
A quarter of players surveyed on Brian Christopher’s YouTube page prefer slower reels, whereas 5 percent speed through spins. So it does seem like a good number of you prefer to take it slower. So turning down that setting may be a helpful step when it’s offered.
Any particular spin will have the same odds no matter what the speed of the machine – the chances of winning that top jackpot on the game doesn’t change with the game’s speed. A faster slot will just deliver more outcomes of all types – good, bad and ugly.
If you like a faster game, you can counteract the additional spins by wagering a bit less than you would on a slower game to balance it out and end up wagering the same amount per hour in either scenario.
Fortunately, speed is one of a few choices we as players can make, which today now also includes denomination, and in some cases you can still decide how many lines you wish to play. Then there’s the machine choice itself, which determines what minimum bets and so forth will be for that game.
So ultimately it comes down to player preference, with the caveat that faster reels means you’re betting your money faster.
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