For most of the duration of my channel, I’ve done back-up spins. I’ll normally do them after a good bonus or a big win, or even occasionally when I’m losing my butt and need to nudge myself to move on. Sometimes they can be quite something.
Periodically I get questions about them. Here’s a couple of recent ones:
Brian, if a spin has no relation to the previous spin, as you said, why do you bother doing “back-up spins”?
Jane G.
And
Backup spins. Do you count how many features you get, and then if any of the first 3 backup spins [I’m being lenient, it should only be the first spin, but you can never do just 1] win another feature? I need to see an accurate percentage to know if it’s profitable.
Peglegpeete on YouTube
Thanks for both your questions! First of all, they’re no more profitable than anything else on slots, because they’re subject to the same payback percentage and random number generator as anything else. So while I haven’t tracked success or failure, it’s in the long term not going to be profitable.
But that’s not why I do it. There’s a few reasons that I do backup spins, though. The biggest is just to set a point where I’m going to get up. It’s so easy to keep playing, and spend all that money right back. Saying “OK, three backup spins” means after those three I’m going to take my money and move on.
I basically treat myself like a child. You know when a parent tells a child it’s time to leave the playground and the child cries? But if the parent gives that child a countdown of 3 minutes…2 minutes…1 more minute – and then time to go – the child leaves without a fuss? I’m that child…and the parent.
Another reason for it: Good runs are among the most fun you can have playing slots. So when you say three back-up spins and then get another big win or bonus, that can be where some of the most exciting moments can come from, and so it’s fun to lean into it and root that sort of thing on – not because it will happen or is due to happen, but just because it’s fun when it happens.
And finally, it encourages me to stop on a particular slot on a good note, as opposed to after I’ve just lost a ton of money. I certainly can’t control losing streaks, but I can leave on an upbeat note.
It’s also important for those who watch me to remember when I’m filming content, I’m not just doing it for myself (although I enjoy playing), but I’m doing it for you as a viewer too. For example, if I hit $500 on my first spin, I would normally do my 3 backup spins and get off the game immediately – but since I’m creating a video for you, I stay longer so it’s not a 15 second segment.
So some of the things I employ for myself are in part to make it fun and interesting for you when you watch. Each player should do what they’re comfortable with, or they think is the best for them, especially given it’s your money! But for me, and how I like to entertain my audience, backup spins are a key part of the equation.
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Whenever I’m fortunate enough to get a large hit or a hand-pay jackpot, and I’ve decided that my session at that machine is done, I always play three “insurance” spins before cashing out. I can’t tell you when, where, or how that started, but now consider it to be bad ju-ju if I don’t do it. After all, lightning can strike twice!!
Sometimes a little superstition is involved, but that’s OK, as long as you’re happy – after all, it is your entertainment budget!
I just came back from Vegas. I can say “backup spins for the win!” I hit, I think, 3 bonuses as a result of backup spins, with one paying off pretty massively. And on the backup spins I didn’t hit anything, I left knowing it was the proper time to leave, and still got to keep my winnings.
I usually break even when I play. I end up losing if I sit at a machine for longer than I should, and backup spins help me make sure I don’t give all my winnings back.
It’s good bankroll management in general to set your rules and stick to them, so we like that you’re doing this! And we’re glad to hear the back-up spin strategy is offering some success for you!