As human beings, we’re programmed to see patterns in everything. It’s a survival mechanism, dating back to the ancient days of hunting and gathering in the wild.

It’s stuck around with us ever since, popping up all throughout our daily lives. One place where it likes to pop up is during games of chance. Slot machines, for example.

Slot machines are designed to be the purest game of chance there is. A game of complete randomness. And yet, ask any regular slots player, and they’ll swear up and down that there’s a knack to it. They’ll swear different machines have different tells, and that if you can spot them, you’ll be able to win big.

So, how do you know when a slot machine will hit? Is it even possible to tell? Let’s take a look.

How Do You Know When a Slot Machine Will Hit?

The short answer? You can’t.

I’m sorry, I know that’s not what people want to hear. But the fact of the matter is, slot machines are pure games of chance, and any claims otherwise are just superstition, the same as any other.

Now, that’s not to say that there’s no way to maximize your payout, or your enjoyment, from a slot machine. There are a few things you can do to try and increase your odds of walking away with something.

As with all gambling games, never go into something that doesn’t fit your pocket. Have some money, be willing to lose it if you have to, and don’t go beyond that. Any successful gambler will tell you that knowing when to quit is one of the most important skills they have.

The closest thing to an actual slot machine tell is the difference between video slots and three-reel slots. There actually is a difference in the odds between the two. Namely, three-reel slots have a higher chance at a big payout, but a lower chance of a win overall. Video slots tend to have a higher win chance, but lower odds of a big win.

Going into it knowing that can help you decide what game you’re going to play, based on your wants and what you can afford that night. But that’s as close as we’re ever going to get to an actual tell, and beyond that both games are still completely random.

Don’t believe me? Test out your luck on one of my favorite online games, Rick and Morty Megaways. 

Have Fun With Games Of Chance

How do you know when a slot machine will hit? Unfortunately, the answer is that you can’t tell. Slot machines have been engineered down to the smallest detail to make them as random as possible, so that people can’t game them at the casinos.

Any tells that may have existed and that you may have heard of have surely been removed. Any games you find in the casinos, or online, are pure chance.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t go and play. Just because they’re random doesn’t mean they can’t be a great time. And now that you know better how they work, it’s easier to know what you’re getting into. So go out, find a game, and have a great time.

Improv is the style of theatre that is completely unplanned, instead being created spontaneously by the actors as they respond to each other. It’s commonly used in comedy—just think of the TV show Who’s Line is it Anyway—as the comedian has to tailor their set depending on the audience’s reaction, as well as dealing with any hecklers. Improv is one of the core techniques of acting, stretching the imagination and sparking creativity in a performance, but did you know that you can also bring improv techniques into your day to day life to enhance your social skills and strengthen your connection with people? Here are four situations in which improv can be used to benefit your everyday life:

1. Improve your social skills

Improv is not just for actors and comedians. Whilst you might not think of yourself as a natural performer, acting does make up a large part of your everyday interactions with people, especially in social situations. You might be mingling with new people at a party, telling a funny story at a bar with friends, or out on a first date in which you really want to make an impression. Regardless of the situation, every social interaction that takes place is based on your spontaneous response to the other person’s reaction to you. The core of improv is being fully present, thinking on your feet, and connecting with people—all essential skills for successful social interaction. There are places for you to learn improv skills for use in your everyday life; Vegas Improv Power, for instance, offers classes in Functional Improv both online and at their Las Vegas workshop. By learning improv, you will learn the skills needed to confidently respond to social cues, helping to reduce social anxiety and allowing you to look forward to, rather than fear, parties and meeting new people.

2. Public speaking and presentations

Most people will face the challenge of public speaking on at least one occasion in their life. You might be asked to speak at a wedding—or a funeral. Or you might have to give a presentation at work. Either way, it’s probably a situation in which you’re worried about making the right impression on the audience: being funny but not inappropriate to appeal to the variety of generations at a wedding; providing a fitting tribute to the deceased when you might be finding it hard to control your emotions; disseminating information in an engaging way and responding to any questions or queries from your colleagues. Learning improv will give you the skills to seamlessly adjust your presentation to your audience’s response, whether that is a speech appropriate to the situation and audience, or a work presentation tailored exactly to your colleagues’ needs and current knowledge. You will go into public speaking with the confidence that you can deliver an impactful presentation, perhaps with a little bit of humor.

3. Team building

An improv session is a great team building event for your workplace. You might have recently restructured and taken on new members, or your team might be spread across the country in different cities or even states, not meeting regularly in person. Either way, learning improv is a great way to build connections between colleagues and strengthen your team as a whole, all in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Your team will probably consist of several different personality types who all contribute something important to the team—for instance, a loud extrovert who can talk to clients and bring the sales in; or someone who is more reserved who does the detail work. Improv is a great way of bringing different people together who wouldn’t normally work together, teaching them to respond to their colleague’s social cues and improving group harmony and understanding, and therefore boosting the productivity of your team. As well as being a bonding exercise, your team can learn skills that are transferable to the workplace, such as active listening and adapting to change.

4. Management training

Improv can benefit managers as well as their team. As the team leader, you will probably be expected to give presentations to a variety of audiences, from leading weekly catch up meetings with the rest of your team, to presenting sales presentations and progress reports to clients. You will also have to pick up on different social cues presented by your team and respond to them to ensure the group harmony and efficient running of your team. Improv will provide you with the adaptability and people reading skills necessary to boost your managerial skill set.

There’s something simply quintessentially American about the road trip. Nowhere else in the world has the same car culture as the states, and that means the country is perfect for putting the gas down and racing off into adventure. While there are quite a few classic road trips to enjoy in the states, there’s something very special about the Vegas to Grand Canyon round-trip. Bookmarked on either side by the iconic party city and a unique natural wonder, there’s also a tonne of adventures to experience, sights to witness, and activities to do on your journey. If you want to feel the wind racing through your hair as you enjoy some of the best that America has to offer, here’s a guide to the ultimate Vegas to Grand Canyon road trip.

Route 66

There’s no stretch of road more famous in the US than Route 66, and your first stretch is going to involve seeing some of the best parts of it. If you’re planning on a round trip or are only going one way, then you’ve got a great start to your adventure. Drive all day and you’ll have a good time too. Pull up for the night in either Williams or Tusayan and wake up refreshed and ready for your next stage.

The Grand Canyon

It’s only day two and you’re already at the Grand Canyon! You’re going to want to get out of the car for a few hours if you really want to explore the natural wonder that is the Grand Canyon, and there’s plenty to do if you’re not sure that you can cope with being awe-struck for too long. Go for a hike, catch a helicopter ride, or enjoy a Canyon train journey. Once you’re done, get back in the car and make your way to Page to spend the night.

Monument Valley

You’re going to want to spend the night here, but there’s something so special about the sight of Monument Valley that you’ll appreciate it. You’ll probably be feeling the strain of constant driving at this point too, so take the time to stretch your legs as you explore this incredible and iconic American spot.

Arches National Park

Although it’s not for everyone, if you’ve got the time then it’s well worth taking an extra day to explore The Arches. There’s something unique and surreal about this park, and you won’t regret losing a day just exploring the natural wonders and sights that are ever-present. If you do decide to visit The Arches then you’ll need to head to Moab for the night so that you get a fresh start in the morning.

Bryce Canyon National Park

More than just a park, Bryce Canyon is an experience unlike any other. You’ve already seen the iconic Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, but you should definitely check out some of the best things to do in Bryce Canyon. From horse riding trails to on-foot hikes, Bryce Canyon is one of those places that feels like you’re stepping in back in time to a more wild west.

Zion to Vegas

If you’ve got time to spare then spend another night on the road with a stop off at Zion National Park. If time is running short because you spent too much time in Bryce Canyon then you can just head straight back to Vegas for the final stretch, or stay the night in Zion and head back to Vegas in the morning.

The best thing about road trips is that you can go at your own pace (as long as you keep to the speed limit). Take your time to plan your Vegas to Grand Canyon round trip but be prepared to go with the flow too. You never know what’s going to take your breath away, and this is a road trip that’s worth taking your time over.

Finding work in the bustling city of Las Vegas usually isn’t difficult, especially in most service-related industries. With so many casinos situated in a relatively small geographical area and so many tourists visiting the city on a daily basis, there’s always a need for more employees to accommodate all of that tourism and the societal burdens that come with it.

Of course, any job related to food or gambling should be easy to find in Vegas. If you’ve been thinking about moving to Las Vegas, you might be wondering what other kinds of professionals are in high demand in the region. To help you with that, we’ve compiled the list below.

1. Police Officers

It’s no secret that Las Vegas is home to its fair share of crime, with a violent crime rate that’s more than 50% higher than the national average, and a property crime rate that’s 25% higher than the national average.

That doesn’t mean Vegas is an unsafe place to live, as there are also many nice neighborhoods where virtually no crime exists compared to the inner-city areas, which is where most of the crime statistics come from.

However, it does mean that the city, like the rest of the country, is in perpetual need of more police officers. Here are a few facts that explain why Vegas desperately needs more police officers:

• Matching the Nationwide Trend of Declining Application Rates – According to the Police Executive Research Forum, more than 65% of police departments around the country have seen a decline in new applicants.
• Shortage of Graduates from Police Colleges & Academies – Despite the fact that it’s possible for officers to advance their careers through online degree programs and continued education efforts, the number of students enrolled in police college is also declining.
• A Growing Urban Population – The city itself is growing in population every year, which means more officers will be needed to adequate patrol the streets.

With the above factors in mind, it’s easy to see why Vegas could be an appealing relocation destination for a police officer who is in search of an abundant work schedule.

2. Nurses

The city also needs more nurses, as the nursing shortage here is on par or worse than the national average, depending on which hospital or clinic you’re looking at. The city has seen a persistent shortage not only in the number of actively employed nurses, but also in the number of enrolled nursing students.

Some news stations even reported on the shortage in the first half of 2019, covering the dynamics of the city’s nursing shortage in detail.

“It impacts every patient… rehab facilities, hospitals, clinics, everything” said Patricia Strobehn, the program coordinator a Touro University’s Family Nurse Practitioner program.

The fact that there aren’t enough nurses in Las Vegas has created a burden on local hospitals and other healthcare facilities to the extent that some educators are concerned about whether it will be possible to correct the deficit any time soon.

3. Business Managers

Business managers are also in high demand in Vegas, as there are thousands of major corporations and many more small businesses based in the city.

Not surprisingly, entrepreneurs and investors have been flocking to the Entertainment Capital of the World for decades, so there are always new businesses popping up, and all of them will need new managers.

The city creates a highly competitive environment in all industries, so even though business managers are in high demand, you’ll still need to be prepared to perform well.  In the words of Brian Tracy:

“The true measure of the value of any business leader and manager is performance.”

The quote above paints a very clear picture of what most Vegas-based companies are looking for in a business manager.

4. Software Developers

Every neon light that you see lit up on the strip, and every machine you see inside of a casino is controlled by software at some level. With all of that technology centralised into one area, it’s clear that there must be a lot of software development and troubleshooting going on behind the scenes.

You might think that there wouldn’t be a lot of ongoing work to be done once a software has already been built, but in fact most software projects wind up failing or needing significant revisions or maintenance as time passes. Famous programmer Bruce Eckel mentioned this fact when discussing the development of Java 8 by saying:

“Programming is about managing complexity: the complexity of the problem, laid upon the complexity of the machine. Because of this complexity, most of our programming projects fail.”

For that reason, new software developers are continually being added to teams to help solve increasingly complex and challenging problems.

5. Accountants & Auditors

With some people referring to Las Vegas as “Lost Wages” or “the City of Second Chances,” it’s not surprising that a lot of money is spent and earned here.

In fact, the Vegas economy is currently booming, as many new businesses continue to join the race. Inevitably, with all of that economic activity comes the need for an army of competent accountants and auditors.

6. Financial Managers

This one is straightforward because financial managers are needed for the same reasons that accountants, auditors, and business managers are in demand – to keep track of the billions of dollars that change hands in the city every year.

7. Computer Systems Administrators & Analysts

It goes without saying that Las Vegas couldn’t be what it is without computer technology, and a lot of it. From massive casinos to small businesses, they all need professionals who can administer and analyse the cutting-edge computer systems that are often employed in modern corporate management processes.

A High Unemployment Rate Means That Vegas Isn’t Friendly to Every Career

In closing, it’s important to note that Las Vegas has an unemployment rate of more than 7%, which means that finding a job in certain fields might be difficult. Fortunately, if you’re currently working in any of the professions above or you plan on doing so in the near future, there’s probably a job awaiting your arrival.