Half the profits made by the casino come from slot machines. When you put your money inside, chances are the casino will profit from it in the end. However, slot machines are still very popular and continue to attract many people. If you're one of them, here are a few slot tips that might prevent you from losing everything to the slot machines:

1. Keep track of your money

Being careless with your money is easy when it comes to slot machines. In casinos, money seems less valuable than in the real world. If you're not careful, you might find out too late that you spent more than you should or could have. Therefore, we recommend you limit your gambling sum for each day. It's also your responsibility not to exceed these limits, even if you're "sure" you're going to win.

2. Limit the number of turns

When you play a "losing" machine, set a limit for the number of losses you make before moving on to another machine. There are two cycles according to which slot machines operate - the "pay" and "take" cycles. The "pay" is shorter than the "take" and pays much more. You can also win in the "take" cycle, but the sums will be smaller and the losses greater.

3. Know the enemy

The slot machines give you relatively high chances for hitting quick wins. This is one of the reasons that slots are still one of the more popular casino games, with jackpots worth up to millions of dollars! With so many winning combinations, we recommend you know what you're dealing with. Whether it's winning combinations, types of slot machines, jackpots, sizes or symbols, so many options exist these days, that you better take a few moments to clarify things for yourself and decide which one(s) to choose.

4. Another thing slot players should know is the probability of winning and the payback percentage for various machines.

Most slot machines boast between an 85% and a 98% payout, depending on the amounts won, the degree of use and the type of game. As opposed to common belief, you can't tell which machine will offer better payback by knowing its location in the casino. The payout percentage is pre-programmed in every machine, and all machines go through random cycles of "pay" and "take", or "hot" and "cold." These cycles are determined randomly by number generators and the number of trials on each machine (normally on a 10 million trial basis). All and all, the chances for winning will remain the same with each hand pull.

5. Behave well, earn well

Here are a few more things you should know, in order to do well in your hunt for cash at the slot machine. When winning the jackpot, stay next to the machine but don't touch it. You want an attendant to come by and witness your winning before doing anything. Don't let anyone touch the machine or insert any coins until the attendant comes to pay you the money you just won. It's happened on more than one occasion that slot players didn't get their full amount of winnings after making the mistake of not waiting for the attendant.

6. Always play the maximum bet

On the long run you're likely to get better chances of winning the jackpot. Also, try to locate the progressive slots with 98% odds of winning, and put the maximum amount of money in them. The casino employees can tell you the payback percentage of every machine. Just remember to hit the "cash out" button after you win, in order not to forget the money there later on.

7. Take a look at the various benefits offered by the casinos, such as those given for joining slot clubs

These can get you hotel discounts and free meals, if you know to look in the right places. Go to the casinos which offer you the best deals. Read the fine print - every machine has information posted on it. Prevent silly mistakes, small or big, by reading it all before playing. The information note will tell you about the prizes and paybacks you can win using this specific machine. When putting coins in the machine, don't pull the handle until you see it registered. If the coins aren't registered, or if the machine registered a lesser number of coins than you put in and you happen to win a jackpot - imagine how you'd feel…

When you want to take a short toilet or snack break, don't be afraid of losing the machine you're playing at; just ask a floor supervisor to watch the machine for you. If you give him a specific return time, the supervisor will reserve the machine for you until you get back from your break.