Poker, after all, is distinctly American and renowned for drama and action. Similarly, blackjack and roulette are games that come with no shortage of surprise, suspense, and excitement. So why is it, then, that Americans love nothing more than sitting down to spin the online wagering reels? Read on to find out more about USA slot machine gaming.
It is Not Just An American Thing
It is an "us" thing as people. Humans, regardless of their race, nationality, or creed, rank slots higher than any other form of wagering. In the United Kingdom, for example, around £3 billion of the £5 billion that online gambling (in all forms) generates each year comes from online slots alone.
That means that it outperforms every other table game, along with online sports wagering, too, which is impressive in a country where half a million people travel to watch their local football teams on a Saturday.
It is the same story in the special administrative region of China – Macao. This region now has more and bigger casinos than Las Vegas, and rakes in a large amount more in annual revenues than Sin City. It, too, brings in the vast majority of its money from online slots.
Ease of Uptake
When you want to do something new, there are typically barriers in place before you can get set up. Sometimes it is equipment, other times it is intricate and confusing rules, and in some cases it is a fan base that likes to gate-keep.
Online slots have none of these barriers. Unlike their fellow casino games, they don’t have a set of complex rules to get your head around, or off-puttingly large buy-ins. Slots are the definition of plug-and-play, and that simplicity is a hit with the public.
Slots Are Cheap
You can play an online slot now, if you want, for as little as one cent a spin. That would give you a thousand spins for just ten dollars and well over an hour’s entertainment. To add to that, learning how to beat online slots isn’t too complicated. There aren’t any sophisticated strategies required, and the games are easy to get the hang of.
Slots Offer Big Wins
Blackjack and roulette let you play for low stakes. Plenty of poker games do too, but what makes them less popular than slots is that the chance of winning big when you play them for low stakes drastically increases.
Sure, when you wager a cent a spin on slots, you are not going to get a big win from matching a couple of icons. Yet there is still a chance that you could win a massive amount, thanks to in-built bonuses and things like progressive jackpots that pay out at random.
So not only are slots cheap, but they still give the player a chance of winning big even when they make small wagers.
Slots Straddle Mindlessness With Mindfulness
Our final reason is our most persuasive. That is, online slots provide the perfect balance between mindless escapism and mindful presence. To play an online slot, you have to be aware of what is going on the screen in front of you, but you don’t have to be too aware.
You don’t have to pay attention to other players, work out an endless stream of possibilities, or keep a constant eye on your budget. You can simply play and spin away until the money you deposited beforehand has run out or you’ve won big.
In this way, slots appeal to exactly what we want from our gambling. We want a sense of escapism, but we also want a bit of fun and a bit of excitement – but not too much – and that is exactly what they offer. So, in response to the earlier question, ‘Why are Slots the USA’s Preferred Game?’ it is because Americans are humans and humans love the blend of excitement and relaxation that slots afford them.