Dear Mark,

I know that slot machines are the worst game to play at a casino. Be it as it may, does it make any difference if I pull the handle or press the spin
button? Julie J.

Right off, Julie, there’s many a goofier flunkey wager than slots in the casino, like the wheel of fortune, online keno, certain crap table wagers, or parlay
bets in the sports field. Even a “loose” slot machine pays off better than does shabby play at blackjack. As for pulling the handle as opposed to pushing
“spin reel,” neither will alter your probability of winning. Each method gives a random outcome.

Dear Mark,

I have seen slot systems advertised in the classified section of our local newspaper. Do you think there truly is a system that exists that can beat the
slots? Millie F.

There is no system for slots, or any other casino game for that matter, which can beat a game, based on pure chance. There are plenty of quacksalvers
advertising, and selling to the naive, systems they claim can beat such games of luck as the lottery, online roulette, keno, and slots. But it’s better to save
your hard-won money, Millie, than to help Snake-oil Sam pay for a TV spot or a $6 newspaper classified. It is impossible to beat the house at games of
chance with any system bought from some charlatan advertising in your local paper.