Wouldn't the oddball slot just require a bigger denomination that when multiplied by the payout net makes that machine have net (winnings) 25% greater?
The answer is simple. Someone is skimming profits. The most reasonable explanation is that the casino is a "family" run operation in the tradition of the mafia movies that depict casinos being owned/run by the mafia. As everyone knows, the mafia skims profits at the expense of the company and its shareholders. However, it just so happens that the gumbas responsible for skimming off the top have lost the key for this particular "winning" slot machine. So in fact, they all pay out the same, just this machine contains a full payout, while all the other machines have been skimmed.
Ding Ding Ding Ding. We have a winner. Congratulations to Ursus, and to everyone who contributed to getting him(her) there. This question was posed by Charles Munger of Berkshire Hathaway during a recent presentation. Below is a quote taken from a transcript of his presentation prepared by Whitney Tilson of T2Partners: "What is different about that heavy winning machine? (Silence) Can anybody do it? Male: More people play it. Charles Munger: No, no, I want to know why more people play it. Whatâs different about that machine is people have used modern electronics to give a higher ratio of near misses. That machine is going bar, bar, lemon. Bar, bar, grapefruit, way more often than normal machines, and that will cause heavier play. How do you get an answer like that? Easy. Obviously, thereâs a psychological cause: That machine is doing something to trigger some basic psychological response. If you know the psychological factors, if youâve got them on a checklist in your head, you just run down the factors, and, boom!, you get to one that must explain this occurrence. There isnât any other way to do it effectively. These answers are not going to come to people who donât learn these mental tricks. If you want to go through life like a one legged man in an ass-kicking contest, why be my guest. But if you want to succeed, like a strong man with two legs, you have to pick up these tricks, including doing economics while knowing psychology." For those who would like to read the complete transcript, the fourth paragraph of this article includes a link to the PDF: http://www.fool.com/news/commentary...t.htm?source=eptyholnk303100&logvisit=y&npu=y
The machine that always has more in profits at the end of the day has been sprayed by some intoxicating gambler perfume/pheromone.
I know only 9 hours have elapsed, but I can see you're online, so please put everyone out of their misery by posting the solution.
Stop watching the Sopranos bro. The "gumbas" lost Vegas years ago. Now, like almost everything else in America -- Vegas is plastic...
I guess ol' Albie's 2nd pillar of success was spot on. Things really should be made as simple as possible...