Playing the slots has been, and continues to be one of the most popular forms of gambling in casinos. This is surprising considering the fact that around 99 percent of those who play end up emptying their wallets in very short periods. Its true, with a house advantage around ten percent, its easy to loose your money to the one-armed bandits. Although there are no surefire techniques to winning consistently, there are many things you can do to ensure youll hear that sweet sound of sirens and falling coins. Here are five hot tips.

1. Find the loosest slots: the first tip is the most obvious; always play the slots with the best payout. In general, slots in Vegas are the loosest. Some casinos will boast a 98 percent payback rate, but his can sometimes be misleading. Upon closer inspection, you may realize that a casino has slots that have up to a 98 percent payback. Its then up to you to figure out which machine in the casino actually has that payback rate. Your best bet is to talk with the locals; they always seem to know which slots are the loosest.

2. Play progressive jackpots: progressive jackpots dont have a set amount of winnings. Rather, the jackpot increases a certain percentage as more money is played on a given machine. Most progressive machines will show you the jackpot as it increases, and this adds to the excitement of playing. When selecting a progressive machine, always seek out the one with the highest payoff. One machine may offer a $3,500 jackpot while a few machines down, the jackpot may be $5,500. Always play for the higher amount.

3. Go where its hot: you should only stick to a single machine if it hits at least every three or four spins. Dont play a cold machine in the hopes that it will eventually heat up. Remember, the longer you stick to a single game, the lower your odds for winning become and the house advantage takes over.

4. Take whats yours: I know this seems a bit obvious, but dont forget to collect all of your winnings out of a machine, and make sure you receive full payment by pressing the cash-out button. Youd be amazed at how much money is lost because players who have had a few too many cocktails neglect to cash in all of their stored credits.

5. Win in other ways: theres more than one way to skin a cat. Even if you dont cash-in huge while sitting before a machine, remember that there are other ways to walk away a winner. Casinos give away millions of dollars in comps in the form of hotel rooms, valet parking, meals, show tickets, and even cash. Be sure to join a slot comp program, and shop around for the best deals. Although comps are another way to feel like a winner, you should never play slots just for the comps. Although it may feel like a good deal, your losses at the slots will usually outweigh any comps that you are given.