Megabucks Slot Machine

"Deposit, click, pull, spin, bells, lights, wait, patience, one, two, three?repeat? again?"

The humming song of the one-arm bandit ? the slot machine. How far gambling has come (and not!) Some things have changed dramatically with on-line gambling and even virtual slot machines, now almost as comfortable, accessible and acceptable as watching television, flooding search engines and alive and well through pop-ups and other electronic marketing media ? other gambling icons have stayed hauntingly the same, or at least so it appears, including the presence of slot machines on the traditional gambling scene.

But are slot machines the same enablers of the games of chance and fate as they have always been? Devices delivering on the need for entertainment, leisure, fun and pleasure, indulgence and the ever-popular promise of spending a little (or a lot) to win it BIG! Promises of easy money. The buzz, glitter, lights, spinning, celebratory, cheerful sounds of the timeless slot machine. Alluring, elusive, insistent and ? still very popular. To the point then, modern-day slot machines are distinctly different ? most, like the Megabucks and other slot machines, are now networked and digital, so appearances may be "deceiving" as complex programming and algorithms now throws the dice of change and smiles on lady luck so to speak in the background. The Megabucks Slot Machine as stated is no exception here. This one-armed bandit-like showpiece is not just suddenly ambidextrous; it is a multitasking, multiple-games-in-one gambling machine. The new technologies have changed the way people win and lose on slot machines and have led to the networking that produces huge jackpots. Technological advances are here to stay. They are part of the march from mechanical to electro-mechanical, then to circuit boards and high-speed microprocessors ? setting the machine up so that people will play often enough because of frequent/regular payouts while still making lots of money for the casinos and gaming industry!

Before the computer era, slot machines featured spinning reels, usually three, seen through a window. A player would insert a coin, pull the machine's handle to start the reels spinning and hope that when they stopped, the symbols painted on the reels would line up in a winning combination. If they did, the player received some or all of the coins that had been placed into the machine. The odds of winning were determined by the number of reels in the machine and the number of symbols on each reel. This is now al done by computer chip and regulated and regularly inspected for programming irregularities and/or tampering. The Megabucks slot machines, for example, are wired on closed networks like private Internets (riverboat-based versions of the game can use wireless network connections) so they can communicate with other slot machines offering the same game. In Nevada, for instance, Megabucks is played statewide on a network of about 700 linked slot machines in 133 locations. Every time a player in Nevada drops a dollar into a Megabucks slot machine, about six cents of that dollar is added to a special running jackpot figure posted simultaneously at the casinos where slot machine players can see it. In effect making MEGA-WINNINGS come to life.

IGT has clearly sought to up the ante by launching several versions of the Wheel of Fortune one-armed bandits. The new video slot featuring actual clips of TV show hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White guide players through the action of the game promise hours of fun for the adventurous and/or die-hard fan.

Find out more about slot machines, especially online progressives, at Major Millions Jackpot Guide

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Virtual Casino Etiquette

There are a few points of virtual casino etiquette that... Read More

Video Poker - Should You Play Maximim Coins?

The arguments are almost endless about whether or not to... Read More

More On The Endings Of Poker Tournaments

Previously I've written about tournament end games, and about how... Read More

Online Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most loved casino games out... Read More

A Trip To Vegas

A trip that will always be remembered is the one... Read More

Compulsive Gamblers Guilt Affects Their Gambling Addiction Recovery

When a compulsive gambler is in recovery, feeling guilty is... Read More

2005 NFC South Football Preview

OVERVIEW: NFC SouthIn the NFC South look for Tampa Bay... Read More

Offshore Gambling

Many gamblers have come across the term "Offshore Gambling", but... Read More

Compulsive Gambler?s Journey To Day One Stop Gambling

Its day one and this was the most exciting day... Read More

Do You Know the Best and Worst Roulette Bets?

Do You Know the Best and Worst Roulette Bets?The outcome... Read More

Texas Holdem Poker Terms

If you're new to Texas Holdem poker this article will... Read More

The Secret of Field/Place Betting

Pssst... Wanna know a secret?How about the secret of profiting... Read More

Maximizing Your Blackjack Earnings Without Counting Cards

Blackjack has some of the best odds in the casino.... Read More

Gambling On the Internet is Fun That Will Pay Off

Gambling is something that millions of people enjoy for entertainment.... Read More

Rules and Strategies for Roulette

Roulette offers the greatest variety of possible ways you can... Read More

Think Big and Give Your Poker Profits a Boost

Is your lack of confidence hurting your poker profits in... Read More

Virtual Casino Online

What is a "virtual casino online"? This is a term... Read More

World Series of Poker Tournament Circuit

On October 25, 2004 Harrah's announced the creation of the... Read More

Poker Fever

Big blind with my jack-three off suit, I found myself... Read More

Gambling Addiction Affects More Then Just The Compulsive Gambler

At one point in time our society believed that gambling... Read More

The Secret of Come Betting

Pssst...! Wanna know a secret?How about the secrets of come... Read More

Roulette - The Basics

Roulette is actually one of the simplest games in the... Read More

Compulsive Gambling and Gambling Addiction

Not many people argue that gambling and playing at casinos... Read More

Become the Casino of Life Where You Control the Outcome Rather Than Playing the Odds

I want to continue on the subject that I have... Read More

Avoid These 4 Roulette Myths and Play Like a Pro!

Roulette is a fun exciting and simple game to play,... Read More

Land Casinos Vs. Online Casinos

Since the emergence of a few online casinos in 1996,... Read More

Video Poker - The Basics

After Blackjack and Craps, video poker gives you some of... Read More

States Lottery Basics

For those who dream of quitting their jobs and being... Read More

High Tech Gamblers and Cheating in Casinos, Casinos are Fighting Back

In Las Vegas many techie types are winning big, too... Read More

The New Face of Poker - Internet Poker

There are several online poker rooms that offer Poker games... Read More

The Truth Behind The Limits: What Minimum and Maximum Bets Are About

Have you ever thought about the reason behind the existence... Read More

Casino Gambling Tips for Online Gambling

Casino gambling tips for the Internet are good to know... Read More

Gambling Equipment 101

The excitement and popularity of the gambling games entices few... Read More