Books have been set forth on this issue, and the conflict and discussion about where the "hot" video slots are positioned in a casino are still taking place – 60 yrs after slot games were 1st placed in gambling dens.
The classic rule is that the superior slot games were placed just inside the entrance of the casino; so that potential players walking by would be able to see real jackpot winners … be impressed enough to come unto the gambling floor and play. Our presumption is that this is definitely no longer the case.
Almost all of the big name casinos presently are super-colossal complexes and it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to put the ‘loose’ one armed bandits near to any exits.
An additional classic rule is that loose slot machines are put on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more persons could see winning jackpots and be roused to play. Importantly however, we find that this also is no longer a universal rule.
What casinos found over the years is that people walking down the busy aisles were frequently on the way to somewhere else. If they played slots at all, they would simply put in their loose change because they happened to be walking by. Win or lose, they would very often not stop to keep playing. And the very last thing a casino wants is for someone to win a jackpot by playing only a few coins and then not stay to put it all back in!
In recent times, casinos are constantly changing their philosophy about where to place the loose one armed bandits.