“The odds here probably aren’t that great,” Smith said, looking across the wall-to-wall rows of slots, whose carnival lights colored the faces of glassy-eyed players. The Sherman Oaks saleswoman was spending a recent Friday night at the Pechanga Casino, where she had just dropped $40 at a 25-cent machine. The casino’s ultimate take, however, is often greater because so many players feed their winnings back into the machines, bet after losing bet - the “grind,” in casino parlance.Įventually, 92% of a dollar becomes 92% of 92 cents, then 92% of 83 cents, and so on, until the player’s last nickel is gone.Ĭindy Smith, 45, knows how that goes. A 92% rate means that a machine is programmed to pay back, over time, 92 cents for every dollar wagered. Most states also set payout minimums - typically 75% or 80%. The rates, determined by computer chips embedded in the machines, generally range from about 92% in Atlantic City and Connecticut to a tad shy of 95% in Nevada. States with reporting regulations make the numbers public, either by region - the Las Vegas Strip, for example - or by individual casinos.