Books have been stated on this subject, and the debates and discussion about where the "hot" video slots are positioned in the casino are still bubbling – over sixty yrs after one armed bandits were first installed in casinos.
The classic rule is that the more favourable slot machines were put just inside the main entry of the casino; so that everyone passing by would see actual jackpot winners and be smitten to come unto the gaming floor and play. Our determination is that this is not so anymore.
Nearly all of the major casinos today are grand complexes … it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to situate the ‘loose’ one armed bandits close-by any entrances.
An additional classic rule is that loose slot games are positioned on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more persons could see winning jackpots and be galvanized 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 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!
Nowadays, casinos are constantly changing their philosophy about where to place the loose slot machine games.