Volumes have been set forth on this issue, and the debates and ruckus about where the "hot" video slots are positioned in the casino are still intense – over 60 yrs after slot games were first installed in casinos.
The classic rule is that the most favorable one armed bandits were positioned just inside the entrance of the casino; so that individuals going by would be able to see actual jackpot winners and be convinced to come unto the gambling floor and play. Our attitude is that this is definitely no longer true.
Nearly all of the mega casinos presently are humongous complexes and now you can’t see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to situate the ‘loose’ slot machines near any entrances or exits.
Yet another classic rule is that loose slot games are positioned on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more people could see winning jackpots and be galvanized to play. Notably though, we find that this also isn’t 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 slot machine games 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 machine games.