Introduction to Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
How Slot Machines & Coin Slots Work Slot machines are the most popular games in any casino, but a lot of people don’t have a clear understanding of how they work. In fact, some people have an out-and-out misunderstanding of how they work, while others are more than willing to take advantage of the gambling public’s ignorance in such matters. Slots machines with a fixed jackpot will have a maximum payout/jackpot amount that does not change. Whereas for progressive machines the jackpot increases the more people play on them. A fraction of their bet falls into the jackpot pool, and the jackpot will continue to increase until won. To see how slots pay less than true odds to give the house an edge, let’s set up an example that’s as streamlined as slot odds can get, a game of the type used in the early decades after Charles Fey invented the three-reel slot machine in 1895. A hypothetical three-reel slot game with one 7, two bars, three cherries and four watermelons per. Additionally, the only kind of slot machines allowed are electronic video slot machines. Therefore, you will not find any mechanical slots that have traditional reels - only video screens According to the terms of the compact between the state and the tribes, however, the minimum and maximum payouts are regulated as follows: video poker. So each INDIVIDUAL play of the machine is random. But in aggregate, or the long run, the machine pays out 90% of what it takes in, back to the player in winnings. The casinos profit is the remaining 10%. In the short term, you can win, and people do all the time.
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling does not include games of chance, which are strictly illegal. Instead, Kentucky has competition-based electronic gaming machines at four out of its five pari-mutuel wagering racetracks.
Theoretical payout limits are not available but monthly return statistics are available for electronic gaming machines.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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How Are Slot Machine Payouts Calculated
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Kentucky*
The minimum legal gambling age in Kentucky depends upon the gambling activity:
Land-Based Casinos: Not available
Poker Rooms: Not available
Bingo: 18
Lottery: 18
Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
Kentucky’s interpretation of legal gambling requires the competitor’s level of skill “must sufficiently govern the results.”
Therefore, competition-based games are legal as well as pari-mutuel wagering. Traditional slots are illegal, including those referred to as Class III, Vegas-style, and games-of-chance slot machines.
Kentucky has competition-based electronic games available in a few of their pari-mutuel facilities. These skill-based games are anonymously-based historical race results.
Historically, Kentucky has had a fascinating relationship with gambling. While casino gambling was never legal, gambling dens were prevalent before the Great Depression of 1929. To this day, the open display of illegal gambling from that time in American history continues to negatively affect the perception of gaming in Kentucky.
If you’re ever in Newport, directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, consider walking the Newport Gangster Tour.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Kentucky
In Kentucky, it is legal to own a slot machine privately.
Gaming Control Board in Kentucky
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulates skill-based games at pari-mutual racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
These devices are Historic Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. The KHRC reports Kentucky offers 2,981 HHR machines.
Casinos in Kentucky
There are five pari-mutuel racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Of these, only four sites offer skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines.
The largest casino in Kentucky is Derby City Gaming with 1,000 HHR gaming machines.
The second-largest casino is Red Mile Gaming & Racing, an HHR parlor in partnership with Keeneland Race Course, with 938 gaming machines.
Commercial Casinos in Kentucky
The four out of five of Kentucky’s pari-mutuel racetracks with skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines are:
Derby City Gaming in Louisville located 74 miles west of Lexington on the Indiana border.
Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson located 105 miles northwest of Bowling Green.
Kentucky Downs Gaming in Franklin located 29 miles south of Bowling Green.
Red Mile Gaming & Racing in Lexington.
Tribal Casinos in Kentucky
How Much Do Slot Machines Payout
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has no federally-recognized American Indian tribes and, therefore, no tribal casinos.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Kentucky slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Kentucky is:
North: Indiana and Ohio Slots
East: West Virginia Slots
Southeast: Virginia Slots
South: Tennessee Slots
West: Missouri Slots
How Often Do Slot Machines Payout
Each link above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Kentucky.
Our Kentucky Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Kentucky? If so, join our new Kentucky slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Kentucky. Join us!
Payout Returns in Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not offer any theoretical payout limits for their competition-based HHR gaming machines.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission offers statistics for HHR gaming under Quick Links entitled Wagering on Historical Horse Races. Its December 2019 report indirectly offers actual return statistics including comparisons to past actuals.
To calculate a player’s win percentage from the report, divide Less: Return to Public by Total Handle. For December 2019, the monthly Player’s Win% for HHR machines were:
State-wide: 91.5%
Derby City: 90.9%
Ellis Park: 93.9%
Keeneland/Red Mile: 91.3%
Kentucky Downs: 92.0%
From this December 2019 report, Ellis Park had the highest player win% at nearly 94% while Derby City had the lowest at nearly 91%.
How Do Slot Machine Payouts Work
Summary of Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kentucky slot machine casino gambling exists as competition-based, games-of-skill Historical Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines instead of games-of-chance slot machines.
No minimum or maximum theoretical payout limits have been set. Monthly return statistics are publicly available for each pari-mutuel racetrack with HHR games.
Annual Progress in Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, Kentucky increased its HHR machines by 9% to 2,981 devices. However, the average daily handle for HHRs increased by 46%. For 2020 so far, it’s an amazing 59% increase compared to 2019.
What Percentage Do Slot Machines Payout
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
Previous: Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Next: Louisiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices! By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President Jon Friedl, LLC
In our series of slots questions and answers we take a look at one of the most commonly asked questions - How do payout percentages really work.
We take a look at the basics as well as some extra questions on the subjects of game payouts.
We often get emails with the question - 'I played a slot game with an advertised payout percentage of 98% but lost all of my money. How can the casino say the game pays out 98% when I get these results?'
Payout Percentage Information
The advertised payout percentages do not relate to an individual game session but thousands of game sessions. Some players will get much less but some players will get much more. Over time and millions of spins the game will pay out 98%.
Slots would not be any fun to play if every time you put in $100 you got exactly $98 out. While you may have lost your bankroll some other players would have walked away winners - luck is the main factor effecting slot players.
Making Payout Percentages Work For You
While there are no real tricks to playing slots there are some well known fact that can lead you to the best paying machines. In short - the higher the denomination you play the better the payout percentage will be.
It's not hard to see why casinos set there slots in this way. The need to keep a much smaller percentage of a $5 or $1 bet to make money than on a quarter or nickel machine where you will always find the lowest payout percentages.
We recommend always playing the highest denomination game you can afford. A one coin $1 machine is not that much more per spin than say a quarter machine with a three coin max bet but most probably has a higher payout percentage.
Of course even playing the games with the highest payout percentage does not guarantee you walking away a winner. Luck is still the key factor.
What about slots with payouts advertised at 99.9%?
This is more of an advertising stunt by casinos than anything else. Even playing a slot machine with a payout percentage of 100% you would not always win.
Why have I seen a casino with slot payouts over 100%?
Occasionally we have also seen the independent payout percentage reports released by online casinos show a monthly payout on slots of over 100%. This is always due to the casino having a very big winner on slots which skews the results. It does not mean that everyone who played slots that month won.