Advantage Play Glossary
Key terms every advantage player should know.
A-E
Advantage Play (AP): Using legal methods to gain a mathematical edge over the casino on specific games.
Bankroll: The total money set aside specifically for advantage play.
Base Game: The regular slot game excluding progressive jackpots and bonus features.
Base Game Return: The expected payback percentage of the base game, typically 85-92% for modern slots.
Coin-In: The total amount of money wagered (not the same as money lost).
Counter: A visible or hidden tracker that accumulates toward triggering a feature.
EV (Expected Value): The mathematical average outcome of a bet over infinite repetitions. Positive EV (+EV) means profitable long-term.
F-M
Grind: The process of playing through +EV situations, which often involves small edges and many sessions.
Linked Progressive: A progressive jackpot fed by multiple machines, causing faster meter growth.
Meter: The display showing the current value of a progressive jackpot or counter.
Meter Rate: The amount wagered per $0.01 of progressive meter increase. Lower = faster movement.
MHB (Must-Hit-By): A progressive jackpot guaranteed to trigger before reaching a specified ceiling value.
Midpoint: The baseline expected trigger point of an MHB progressive, assuming uniform distribution — halfway between the current value and the ceiling. Note: some implementations may be biased top-heavy (more likely to trigger near the ceiling). Treat as a starting estimate, not a guarantee.
N-R
Negative EV (-EV): A situation where the expected outcome is a loss.
Persistent State: A game feature that carries over between players, such as collected wilds or counter values.
Progressive: A jackpot that increases with each bet placed, funded by a small percentage of each wager.
RTP (Return to Player): The theoretical percentage of wagered money returned to players over time. A 95% RTP means $95 returned per $100 wagered on average.
S-Z
Session Bankroll: The amount allocated for a single playing session.
Standalone Progressive: A progressive jackpot fed only by the individual machine.
Trigger Point: The specific conditions under which a game becomes +EV.
Variance: The natural fluctuation of results around the expected value. High variance = bigger swings.
Vulture / Vulturing: The practice of finding and playing machines left in +EV states by previous players.
Walk: Scouting the casino floor for +EV machines without playing.