Books have been written on this topic, and the debates and interchanges about where the "hot" slot games are installed in the casino are still bubbling – over sixty years after one armed bandits were 1st added to the gaming floor in gambling dens.
The standard rule is that the very best slot machines were placed just inside the door of the casino; so that individuals passing by would be able to see actual jackpot winners … be impressed enough to come inside and play. Our observation is that this is not so anymore.
Many of the big name casinos today are gigantic complexes … it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to position the ‘loose’ one armed bandits close to any entrances.
An additional classic rule is that loose one armed bandits are placed on the major aisles in the casinos, again so that more people could see winning jackpots and be energized 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 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 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!
In recent times, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slots.