Volumes have been written on this topic, and the bickering and disharmony about where the "hot" slot machines are positioned in the casino are still raging – 60 yrs after slot machine games were 1st placed in casinos.
The quintessential rule is that the most favorable slot machine games were installed just inside the main foyer of the casino; so that potential gamblers passing by would see actual jackpot winners and be titillated to come unto the gaming floor and play. Our deduction is that this is not so anymore.
Just about all of the major casinos today are enormous complexes and it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to place the ‘loose’ slot machines near to any exits.
An additional classic rule is that loose one armed bandits are installed on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more fun seekers could see winning jackpots and be inspired to play. Importantly though, we find that this also is not 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 slot games 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 slot machine games.