Do Casinos Tighten Slots On Weekends?

Is there an ideal time to visit a casino? While there is a common belief that there is in fact a perfect time to head to the casino and win big money, this is sadly not true.

Rather, the ‘perfect’ time to hit the casino is different for everybody and depends a lot on your personal preferences, such as when you’re most focused. 

Do Casinos Tighten Slots On Weekends?

Many people also wonder if casinos tighten their slots during certain times – such as the weekend – to ensure that the house always wins. So is that true?

We’ll be answering that question in our article today, as well as taking you through the advantages and disadvantages of heading to the casino at a certain time. But first, let’s bust some gambling myths. 

Common Gambling Myths

Going To The Casino On Friday Evenings Will Boost Payouts

Some believe that they will win more money if they visit a casino on Friday, particularly after 6pm, as this is when casinos start to get busy.

This increased payout myth leads people to want to spend more. 

Casinos Increase Payouts During The Weekend

A lot of people believe that casinos increase payouts on the weekend because attendance is higher. 

Visiting A Casino On Monday Boosts Your Likelihood Of Winning

Another popular myth is that because people leave casinos on Sunday evening/Monday morning, the slots will have a higher payout to entice people to stay in the casino. 

Most of these popular myths arise from the fact that gamblers believe casinos alter their gaming systems to encourage people to spend more.

However, it is impossible for casinos to alter every single one of their gaming systems to make people win more or increase payouts during certain times of the week.

Does Time Really Make A Difference To Success At The Casino?

It’s important to always remember that there is no perfect time to visit a casino and boost your winnings or increase payouts. Winnings are all down to chance, with the probabilities unchanging no matter when you play. 

Slot machines don’t have increased payouts on certain days, and changing the gaming systems would mean the casinos physically altering the microchips that decide the payout frequency on every machine.

Still, day and time can still have an impact on the likelihood of you winning. For example, if you want a quieter space to really focus on your gameplay, head to the casino on a weekday morning.

However, if you prefer a livelier environment, go to the casino on weekday evenings or on the weekend. 

However, this doesn’t guarantee that there is an ideal time to visit a casino, and the chances of winning a payout are the same no matter when you go. 

Pros & Cons Of Visiting A Casino During The Week

Pros

If you like a more solitary experience without being distracted by other gamblers, then weekdays are a great time to visit the casino since it’s a lot quieter. 

Seats at tables and slots are a lot more available during the week as the casino is not as busy. 

Cons

If you’re more of a social person and enjoy that aspect of visiting a casino then there won’t be that many people to interact with on a weekday. 

If you’re a competitive person and you enjoy the competitive spirit of gambling, this will be lacking during the week. 

Pros & Cons Of Visiting A Casino During The Week

Pros & Cons Of Visiting A Casino On The Weekend

Pros

If you like to socialize and mix with other gamblers, then weekends are the best time to drink and have fun with other gamblers, as weekends tend to be the busiest times for gamblers.

If you like to visit the casino with friends, then it’s more fun to do this on the weekends. 

Cons

If you like to be totally focused while gambling, then it’s best to avoid casinos on the weekend, as they are busier and therefore louder. 

Because casinos tend to be busiest on the weekend, it’s harder to find spots at your favorite games. 

Is There An Ideal Time Of Day To Visit A Casino?

While there is no perfect time to receive higher payouts during the day, if you have a preferred time to visit the casino – such as off-peak hours – then heading to the casino in the morning will give you a quieter, calmer environment to play.

Let’s take a look at a few pros & cons of visiting the casino in the morning and the evening. 

Pros Of Gambling In The Morning

Much like visiting the casino during the week, casinos tend to be quieter in the morning (or any time between 10am and 5pm), if you want a relaxing environment to gamble. 

Cons Of Gambling In The Morning

Although some casinos are open 24 hours and provide table games all day and night, some will have particular opening hours later in the day.

If you’re a fan of table games, then some table games might not be open in the morning. 

Pros Of Gambling In The Evening

Many table games are open from late evening to the early hours of the morning. Most gamblers like to visit the casino after midnight when it’s less busy and their chances of betting against high rollers are better. 

Cons Of Gambling In The Evening

Much like visiting a casino on the weekend, casinos are a lot busier during the evenings and slots are at their peak traffic in the evening. This may result in fewer available games to play. 

Final Thoughts

We hope our article has given you a better idea of the busiest times of the day and week to visit a casino, and has helped you organize your gambling for the most optimal times for you (see also “Gambling As A Full-Time Job: Is It Possible?“).

If you want to play as many games as possible when the casino is quieter, visit the casino in the morning during the week.

However, if you like the buzz of a busy casino and want to inject some competition into your gambling, then visit the casino during the weekends and evenings. 

Richie Thames

Hi, my name is Richie Thames and I have been a software developer for 12 years. I have worked on some of the most popular online slot machine games, including ones you still see in online casinos today. While there is no simple trick to win the jackpot, there is power in learning about your game before playing. With several decades of experience under my belt, I created this website in the hopes of helping newbies on their journey. Please, enjoy my website, and I hope you learn something valuable about the art of gambling. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next jackpot winner?

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