Books have been stated on this subject, and the contention and interchanges about where the "hot" slot machine games are positioned in the casino are still intense – 60 yrs after slot machine games were first placed in gambling dens.
The traditional rule is that the better slot machine games were installed just inside the entry of the casino; so that folks walking by would be able to see real jackpot winners and be tempted to come inside … play. Our interpretation is that this is definitely no longer the case.
Just about all of the major casinos presently are monstrous complexes … it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to position the ‘loose’ slot machines in close proximity to any entrances.
Another standard rule is that loose slots are installed on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more fun seekers could see winning jackpots and be roused to play. Notably though, we find that this also is not a universal rule any more.
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 the 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!
In recent times, casinos are constantly changing their philosophy about where to place the loose slot games.