Volumes have been stated on this subject, and the controversy and face-offs about where the "hot" slot machines are located in the casino are still taking place – over sixty yrs after one armed bandits were first installed in gambling houses.
The quintessential rule is that the superior slot machine games were positioned just inside the door of the casino; so that people walking by would be able to see actual jackpot winners and be convinced to come into the casino … play. Our opinion is that this is definitely no longer the case.
The great majority of the mega casinos these days are monstrous complexes … it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to place the ‘loose’ slot machine games near any doors.
An additional classic rule is that loose one armed bandits are positioned on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more folks could see winning jackpots and be inspired to play. Notably though, 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 one armed bandits 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!
These days, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slot games.