Advantage Slots

This game just got installed in my local casino and it’s not even active yet. But I knew it was coming; it’s been talked about in slot circles. Here’s what the game looks like (ignore that white piece of paper on the screen!):

(Update: The game is now everywhere. You’ll find banks of them in many, many casinos across the country.)

Phoenix Link may look like Buffalo Link and Buffalo Lightning Link, and there are some clear similarities. There’s a must-hit feature in the top right corner of the reels, and in this case, that number can’t exceed 1,888. That’s different from Buffalo Link and Buffalo Lightning Link, where those numbers can’t exceed 1,800. It might not sound like much, but in an already-volatile game, it makes a difference.

Secondly, the number doesn’t reset to 100 after being triggered like it does on the originals. Instead, it resets to a random number. That may not sound like a big deal, but it is when you’re trying to find advantage plays.

Because it doesn’t reset to 100 every time and can instead theoretically reset to something much more favorable after triggering, that decreases the strength of a number like 1,340, which is my go-to number in the originals.

After talking it over with some friends, we’re ballparking 1,550 as the number we’ll start with. Even then, you can lose quite a bit with this game if you get unlucky. Don’t get excited about this game, though there will be a point at which it does offer an advantage, however slim and volatile it may be.

If you play it, bring your wallet and hope for the best. Losing 250 or so bets is possible, even on 1,550-type numbers.

I have one video that previews this newer game and one actual play: