Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Advantage Play (AP) is the practice of using a game's own rules and features to gain a mathematical edge over the casino. It is not cheating. It involves identifying specific conditions in a game—such as a must-hit-by progressive jackpot or a persistent state feature—where the potential payout becomes statistically favorable to the player.

Yes, but only in a very small subset of machines. Most slot machines are pure games of chance with a fixed house edge. However, certain machines with specific features (persistent state, must-hit-by progressives) create temporary situations where a player can have a positive expectation (+EV). Our site is dedicated to identifying and analyzing only these specific machines.

+EV, or Positive Expected Value, is a mathematical term that means a particular wager is profitable in the long run. If a game is +EV, it means that over a large number of plays, you are statistically expected to come out ahead. For example, if a play has an expected value of 102%, you can expect to make a profit of $2 for every $100 wagered over the long term. All advantage play is focused on identifying and making only +EV wagers.

Yes, advantage play is completely legal. It uses publicly available information presented on the machine to make an informed decision. It is not cheating, as it does not involve altering the machine, using a device, or colluding with staff. However, casinos are private businesses and may ask players they identify as advantage players to stop playing a particular machine or leave.

A "unit" is a way to standardize betting amounts and refers to your standard bet size for a particular machine. For example, if you are playing a $1 denomination machine, one unit is $1. A recommended bankroll of "500 units" would therefore be $500 for that session. This method helps standardize our recommendations across different bet levels.

The required bankroll varies significantly for each slot machine based on its volatility. A game with low variance might require only 200-300 units for a session, while a highly volatile machine might require 1000 units or more to withstand the swings. Each of our in-depth guides provides a specific "Recommended Bankroll" to help you play responsibly.

Absolutely not. Advantage play is about long-term mathematical profitability, not short-term guaranteed wins. You are still subject to statistical variance, and you will have many losing sessions. A proper bankroll is essential to withstand these losses until the math works out in your favor over time.

Our subscriber-only calculators are tools designed for specific slot machines. You simply input the key values you see on the machine (like progressive amounts, number of collected symbols, etc.) into the calculator. The tool then instantly analyzes this data against our mathematical model to tell you if the machine is currently in a profitable (+EV), neutral, or unprofitable (-EV) state to play.

A subscription unlocks our complete suite of data-driven tools and community features. This includes access to our private members-only Discord server, all Playability Calculators, the ability to share profitable plays you find with the community, specific +EV thresholds, detailed strategy notes, and tools to track your play history and request new game analyses.

We are constantly analyzing new games as they appear on casino floors. New guides are added regularly to our database. We prioritize requests for new game analyses from our subscribers.

Volatility, or variance, describes how a slot machine pays out. A low volatility game pays out small wins frequently, leading to less dramatic bankroll swings. A high volatility game pays out large wins infrequently, meaning you can have very long losing streaks followed by a huge win. This matters immensely for advantage play because it dictates your required bankroll. A high volatility +EV play requires a much larger bankroll to withstand the statistical swings until you hit the big payouts that make the play profitable.

The standard RTP (Return to Player) is a long-term average of what a machine pays back, and it's always under 100%. Advantage play is the art of identifying a temporary game state where the *immediate* RTP for *your session* is **over 100%**. The accumulated value in a progressive jackpot or persistent feature essentially "subsidizes" your play, pushing the immediate return into profitable territory. You are finding a slice of time where the machine is statistically likely to pay out more than it takes in.

The most important rule is to always be calm, polite, and compliant. Casino staff are just doing their job. If questioned, it's best to be vague but honest. Phrases like "I just enjoy this game" or "I'm waiting for the bonus feature" are fine. Do not lie or become confrontational. If they ask you to stop playing a particular machine (a "back off") or ask you to leave the property, you must do so immediately and without argument. Casinos are private property and have the right to refuse service. Failing to leave when asked can result in being trespassed, which is a criminal offense.