What Time Of Day Do Slots Hit
Slots have their peak time of day, just like any other gambler’s destination. But it’s not as simple as daylight vs. darkness or morning vs night. Slot machine usage is split up into several different peaks with distinctive patterns. Understanding these peaks can help you choose a location for your slot machine setup or even plan your trips to the local casino based on when you’re most likely to win something. A slot machine peaks at different times of day for several reasons. The primary driver is how many people are available to play at those times of the day. However, some peak times are also driven by other factors, such as local bars closing and freeing up potential customers or daylight saving time kicking in and making an early evening more appealing than early morning.
Morning Slots
If you play slots in the morning, you’ll have the advantage of smaller crowds and lower expectations. Early morning slots peak around 5-7 AM when many people wake up and get ready to start the day. Many of these players are also likely to be staying in local hotels, so they may not be as attached to the casino as the local regulars showing up in the evening. These players may be likelier to walk away with little or no profit. You could be the only person playing at your machine for a while, giving you plenty of time to get in as many spins as you want and test the machine without other players getting in the way. Mid-morning slots are a bit less busy from 8-10 AM. Many people who are up early are on their way to work and will soon be replaced by a different crowd.
Evening Slots
If you want to play slots in the evening, you’ll want to hit the casino when the people are there. Slots peak at around 5-8 PM when local people get out of work and head to the casino. Evening slots will get some people out on dinner dates or coming home to kids after a long day. Some customers will be sticking around the casino, while others will hurry home to other obligations and may not play as long or as frequently. Finally, evening slots may also be getting some folks at home or in a bar all afternoon and now want to stay out a bit later without having to drive home.
Late Afternoon Slots
If you’re looking for a quieter time to play slots, you’ll want to head to the casino around 3-5 PM, when people are just starting to get out of work and the after-school crowd is just getting home to play. Late afternoon slots may also get some people out on dinner dates who plan to head to the casino afterward. Some of these slots players may also be coming from bars and lounges, where they’ve been winding down after a long workday. Generally speaking, these customers may be less interested in playing long, drawn-out games. They may be more interested in playing a few quick spins to test the machine, see if they win anything, and then be ready to move on to the next thing.
Early Evening Slots
If you want to play slots and avoid the crowds, you should head to the casino during the early evening, from around 4-7 PM. Early evening slots will be getting people just off work, many of whom may be ready for a quick trip to the casino after a long day. These slots’ customers may be less interested in spending as much time at the casino as the folks who will show up later, giving you an advantage if you are playing in the same section of machines. They may also be less interested in testing a machine thoroughly in case they don’t win. Early evening slots may also be getting people out on dinner dates who plan to head to the casino after, as well as customers coming off of a late night in the bar and lounges. If this is the case, you may have to worry about some competition, but overall, the crowd will probably be smaller.
Dark and Late Night Slots
If you want to play slots and avoid other players, hit the casino late at night, after the dinner dates and before the early morning shift. Late-night slots will be getting some customers out on dinner dates or at bars and lounges earlier in the night, as well as some people coming off the morning shift and heading to the casino to unwind. Late-night slots will also get those with a later bedtime ready to stay out a bit longer before heading home. Finally, late-night slots may also appeal to people who work graveyard shifts and want to head to the casino late, perhaps to try to unwind after a stressful few hours on the job.
Final Words: Know When to Play
Keep in mind that all of these slot machine peaks are averages. There will be times when you will hit all of these peaks, and there will be times when you will miss a few of them, but overall, there will be more people playing at certain times of day and fewer people playing at others. You may also find that these trends change based on the day of the week, the season, or even the time of year. For example, summer evenings are busier than summer mornings, while winter evenings can get quieter. If you know what times to play, you can increase your chances of winning at slots. There will always be other people playing, but the machines will be more competitive during the busiest times. So, the fewer players there are, the more likely you will win.
