Tips for Winning at a Wheel of Fortune Slot Machine

Download Article

Casino gambling expert Matthew Bourie shares exclusive slot machine tips

Co-authored by Matthew Bourie and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: April 3, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

Managing Your Bankroll

|

Choosing a Machine

|

Casino Promotions

|

Avoiding Mistakes

|

Video

|

Q&A

|

Warnings

Wheel of Fortune slot machines are some of the most popular slot machines in the world. Launched in 1966, these dazzling games have captivated gamblers for years with high jackpots and spinning money wheels. There isn’t much you can do to affect the outcome of your spin, but we partnered with a casino gambling expert to help us explain how you can make the most of your trip. Read on for tips on bankroll management, choosing the right machine, using casino promotions, and avoiding common mistakes.

How to Improve Your Odds at Wheel of Fortune Slots

Casino gambling expert Matthew Bourie recommends choosing a slot machine with a higher return-to-player (RTP) percentage for the best odds of winning. Other strategies include:

Set hard limits on your losses and winnings.
Play a max bet of 1–2% of your spending limit.
Choose lower-volatility games if you want to play longer.
Go with higher-volatility games if you want to win more and can sustain bigger losses.
Use your casino player card and take advantage of casino promotions.
Avoid chasing losses or “near misses.”

Section 1 of 4:

Managing Your Bankroll

Download Article

1
Set a hard spending limit before you start playing. The best bankroll strategy is to plan to come home empty-handed, so decide how much you can afford to spend before you ever enter the casino (or log in online). Make a hard rule with yourself that once that money is gone, your gambling trip is over.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Have a stop-win target, as well. Once you win a certain amount, stop playing, or at least set aside those winnings and only play with the amount you originally brought.
- Treat the money like you would any other entertainment expense. Ask yourself, “How much can I lose while still feeling like I had fun?”
- Never gamble with money that you can't afford to lose. Never bet with rent money, mortgage, utilities, car payment, or other funds you need to live.
- Do not use credit cards for cash advances for gambling; you’ll pay steep cash advance fees, and the interest rate can approach 50%.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Matthew Bourie is a casino gambling expert based in Hollywood, FL. He’s part of the father-son duo known as the JackPot Gents and is the co-author of the American Casino Guide Book.
2
Choose a max bet of 1–2% of your spending limit. Once you decide on your spending limit, calculate how much 1–2% of that would be. Then, set that amount as your maximum bet on any single spin. You can bet less than that if you want, but not more. This will help you prolong your gameplay, increasing your chances of winning.
- For instance, if your spending limit is $100, your max bet should be $1 or $2. If you bet $1 per spin, you’d get at least 100 spins, or 50 spins at $2.
Advertisement
3
Know when to stop playing. Once you reach your spending limit or your win target, it’s time to call it quits for the day. Sticking to your limits will help you have more fun overall, and it will keep you from losing more than you intended (or giving all your winnings back to the casino).^{[2]
X
Research source}
- It’s a good idea to take regular breaks and set a time limit for your gaming session.

Section 2 of 4:

Choosing a Machine

Download Article

1
Choose a Wheel of Fortune game with a higher return percentage (RTP). If the RTP (Return to Player) percentage is posted, choose one that’s a little higher—your odds are better on a machine with 95% RTP (returns an average of $95 for every $100 spent) than one with 90% RTP (returns an average of $90 for every $100 spent).^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Bourie says that the denomination of a machine often affects its RTP. “On average, a penny slot machine is probably going to pay back 87 to 89%. A nickel slot machine is probably right around 90. Once you get to a quarter denomination machine, you’re probably in the 92% range. The dollar can get up to 94% or 95%.”^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Matthew Bourie
  Casino Gambling and Video Poker Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
- It’s estimated that most Wheel of Fortune machines have an RTP of around 94–96%.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
- This doesn’t mean that everyone who spends money on these machines will win their money back! For every person who wins a big jackpot, there might be several players who lose everything they spend on the machine.
2
Play a low max bet, low-volatility machine to increase your play time. If you're on a budget, choose a lower denomination slot machine, says Bourie.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Matthew Bourie
Casino Gambling and Video Poker Expert

Expert Interview} For example, play a machine with a $1 max bet instead of a $5 machine. These machines are often designed to give you more frequent (but smaller) wins to keep you playing longer.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Choose a machine with a smaller jackpot for an easier win. Some gamblers believe that smaller jackpots pay out more often, so your chances may be a little better on these games.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
3
Go with high-denomination machines if you can sustain big losses. Higher-denomination machines or slots with bigger jackpots usually have more volatility. That means that while you might win big, you’re also more likely to go on longer losing streaks. Only play these machines if you have the bankroll to push through these stretches.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- For instance, the Wheel of Fortune High Roller machine has higher volatility, so it’s not a good choice if you want to play casually for a longer period of time.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}
- Only play max-bet progressives if you can afford it. Some Wheel of Fortune games require you to play the max bet to have a chance at the progressive jackpot. That can seem like a tempting play, but if that bet is more than your 1–2% limit, it’s probably better to play a different machine.^{[11]
  X
  Research source}
4
Understand the rules and what triggers bonuses on each game. There are over two dozen kinds of Wheel of Fortune slot machines. Each has different winning combinations and symbols, but they all include a bonus "spin" option that lets you spin the Wheel of Fortune. Learning about each game’s bonus style can sometimes give you a slight advantage on knowing when to play it.
- For instance, in this video on his YouTube channel, The Jackpot Gents, Bourie explains how the stacking wilds work on a Wheel of Fortune Wild Spins machine. He says that if you see one of these machines with a lot of gold rings that’s close to the 10th spin, it’s a good idea to play that, since the gold rings will all be Wilds on the 10th spin.
- You can learn more about each Wheel of Fortune machine on IGT’s Wheel of Fortune page.

Section 3 of 4:

Taking Advantage of Casino Promotions

Download Article

1
Use a casino player card while you gamble. Bourie recommends always using your player club card when you’re playing at a casino. He says this can earn you rewards like free play, hotel rooms, buffets, show tickets, and prizes.^{[12]
X
Expert Source

Matthew Bourie
Casino Gambling and Video Poker Expert

Expert Interview}
- Bourie adds that a player card is free, and every casino has a booth that will print one out for you when you arrive.^{[13]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Matthew Bourie
  Casino Gambling and Video Poker Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
2
Check whether the casino has any promotions. Many casinos will advertise bonuses and promotions on their websites. These bonuses can include extra gambling money, meals, and giveaways. You can learn about any promotions by visiting the casino’s website or checking a guest kiosk when you arrive.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- Some casinos will even offer match bonuses, where they’ll match whatever you deposit into a machine (up to a certain limit).
- Online casinos may also offer promotional spins, free play, or other bonuses, especially for new players.

Section 4 of 4:

Avoiding Fallacies & Mistakes

Download Article

1
Remember that you can’t affect the odds on any slot machine. All slot machines, including Wheel of Fortune, are based on random number generators, or RNGs. They’re designed this way to be fair, so everyone has the same chance of winning—and, of course, to give the house an edge. But because every spin is completely random, there’s nothing you can do to change the outcome, including:^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Turning up the volume on the machine
- Tapping or rubbing the screen
- Playing at a certain time of day
- Repeatedly inserting and removing your player card
- Using only new bills in the machine
- Frequently switching to different machines
- Pulling the lever vs. pressing the SPIN button
2
Avoid chasing losses or near misses. Machines don’t get “hot,” so don’t mistake a close call for a machine that’s about to hit. Slot machines are designed to tempt you into betting more by making it look like you just missed a jackpot. Don’t increase your bet to chase your losses, either—that usually just means you’ll lose money faster, instead of recouping what you’ve lost.
- Don’t increase your bets or go over your spending limit to try to chase a win because you think a machine is “due” to hit.
3
Do not try to muscle a slot machine! Never try to affect the outcome of a slot machine by slamming it, banging it, nudging it, lifting it off its foundation, or using any other form of physicality. The machine will detect the abuse and shut itself down, which also voids any credits you have left. You’ll probably also be escorted off the premises by security.
- Slot machines are built to take daily use. They are armor-plated, have tempered glass, and are equipped with sensors that detect tampering and abuse. They are tested against various types of behavior before leaving the factory, including zapping it with a Taser.

Join the Discussion...

What are the best tips or strategies to win at slots?

WikiCloudDiver157

Hello, wikiHow! I’m a budding casino enthusiast and while I certainly know there are strategies and tactics you can use to win at something like Blackjack or Poker, how do you win at slot machines? Is there any kind of rhyme or reason to slots? I’m assuming there might not be, but the people who are into slots seem really into slots, so maybe they know something I don’t? Any tricks to win?

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Do people generally win on the wheel of fortune game if they play the quarter game as opposed to the $5 wheel of fortune game?

Community Answer

Your chances of winning don't change from game to game. However, your odds of winning improve the more rounds you play. If you are playing on a budget, this means that you'll be more likely to win the quarter game as you'll be able to play more rounds.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 10
Question

What are the odds of winning the jackpot on the Wheel of Fortune machines?

Steve Sedlis

Community Answer

Are you referring to the progressive jackpot or other jackpots? The WOF has made more millionaires than any other slot machine in history. But like any investment, past performance is no guarantee of future earnings. I have played all of the WOF versions, up to and including the $100/play, and it is a wildly volatile machine and very profitable for the casino. For example, a $1 two-coin Double Diamond WOF pays its wins with a one coin schedule; the second coin is a side bet for the SPIN and jackpot. Consider that current-version RNG chips can do 4000 combinations in a half-second, and only 1 combination comes up WHEEL-WHEEL-WHEEL, the chances are minuscule that the progressive will come up.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 11 Helpful 9

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

If you are worried that you have a gambling addiction, contact your local addiction hotline. You can also self-exclude yourself from the casino.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0