Pulling Rewards Cards Out of Slot Machines while playing is still practiced by some players. It’s a practice that began when rewards cards were first used. So what is this activity during your session supposed to do? Read on…
Storytime
I recently visited a CT casino. While I was playing, the woman next to me hit a bonus. She immediately took her player’s card out. I thought to myself, “most likely just another superstitious slot player with a crazy irrational thought of casino espionage.” But then she put it back, and the following bonus took it out systematically. Subsequently, I asked her why she did it. She replied that she didn’t want the casino to know when she was making money because of tax purposes. She said, “By stopping the machine from reporting her bonus win money, it can’t possibly report what it doesn’t know is coming in the bonus round.”
Theoretically, she believes she can show more money going in and much less cashing out. But, likewise, the taxman can’t take what he doesn’t know you won. No card – No report. But is this strategy actual? Well, here’s what I found.
The Truth About Pulling Player’s Cards Out of Slot Machines
Players could do this successfully when card readers were initially added to slots. For example, someone is dealt a royal flush playing video poker. In the olden days, it would work. However, before holding and pressing the deal button, the player would pull out the player’s card. This is because the win had not been signaled yet.
When a player puts a card in, the values of certain meters in the slot (e.g., coin-in, coin-out) are sent to the players club software. It would then be used as the starting point for the player’s next session. When the player pulled out the card, the meters’ current values were sent to the club software. The differences between the ending and starting values were used to calculate the player’s action and the amount won or lost.
As the years went by, players club systems became more integrated as part of the machine. As John Robinson of the Casino City Times reported, “slot manufacturers have added ways to delay the pulling of the card information to the casino until after the action of that particular transaction has been finished.”
Related Post – The Ultimate Truth About Casino Players Cards & Slot Machines
Conclusion
So, tax-wise, it is a strategy that doesn’t work in today’s slots.
Besides, as I told her, the casino’s interest concerns her money. Comps are strictly controlled on slots & VP by casino marketing concerned with money in, not money (or lack of) money out.
In other words, to the casino, slot players losing is not as crucial as your wagering bet. The machine instantly communicates this data to the slot system, and the time it takes to credit your machine and make noise is for your entertainment only.
If it makes you feel better, go ahead, I guess. But now, there is no logical, scientific reason to pull your card out of its slot during play.
That’s all for now.
Binbin