Everything You Need to Know About Group Slot Pulls – How They Work and More

If you are not familiar with the term, group slot pulls sound like some unusual punishment that P.E. teachers use on misbehaving students. Fortunately, slot pulls are not a punishment. They are a fun and exciting way to play slots.

So, what exactly are group slot pulls?

A slot group pull is an event where a group of people pool their money together to play slot machines. This group shares all wins and losses.

That’s the gist. You’ll even find that this method works at a casino for beginners as well as it does in person.

If you’re interested in group pull slots, I’ll be breaking down everything you need to know about them below!

What I want to do first is answer the question, how do group slot pulls work?

Every host will run their slot pull event differently, but here is what you can expect to happen at every event.

Then, once everyone has taken their turn(s), the group will then split any remaining money. That’s all there is to group slot game pulls.

There are some nuances, of course, which I’ll get into later.

Why do so many people choose to participate in casino slots group pulls? I believe there are two big reasons why.

The Social Experience

Group pulls on casino slots are a social experience. Even the best online slots can feel very isolated , with limited interactions between players. That is not the case at all with group slot events.

Because all the players share the winnings equally, there is a sense of camaraderie between all the participants. When one player wins, all the players win.

The social experience makes the game more exciting for everyone involved.

Play Slots for Higher Stakes

Another reason players enjoy group slot machine pulls is that they allow you to play with higher stakes without risking more of your own money.

Slot machines are programmed with a specific payback percentage. Higher denomination machines have higher payback percentages than lower denomination machines.

You have a better chance of activating jackpots and bonuses when you play on these high-stakes slot machines. This is especially true if you are betting the maximum amount.

Many gamblers know that playing for higher stakes gives you a better chance of winning. But that is not always possible for budget gamblers.

Casino group pulls give players who might have a limited bankroll the chance to play at higher stakes than they typically would.

You have to split the winnings, sure. But you’ll have a better chance of having profits to split than if you were to play low-stakes slots by yourself.

Almost anyone can participate in a group slot machine pull. There are only a few requirements.

• All participants must be of legal gambling age.
• Each participant must contribute an equal amount to the bankroll.
• All players must be present during the event.

There are some minor exceptions to these rules.

For example, some casino slot pull organizers allow couples or friends to share a buy-in. The couple will contribute the base amount and split the spins between each other.

You shouldn’t expect this, though. This makes it harder for the organizer to track the number of spins and remaining money each player gets. Some states or casinos may have rules against it, too.

Another caveat is that many casinos have rules about how many people can congregate in the same area at the same time.

Fifty or more people standing around a single slot machine can cause problems – traffic jams, security threats, fire hazards, and so on.

So, while anyone old enough and capable of being present can participate, keep in mind that there may be additional rules or laws that the group neeeds to follow.

Real money slot group pulls take place in land-based casinos all over the United States. But there are two locations that they are more prevalent.

Las Vegas

Sin City is, of course, the home of group pull slots. There are more than fifty casinos on the Las Vegas Strip alone, so there are plenty of places to host a group pull event.

Casinos do not host group slot pulls because they cannot have an employee act as the organizer. They can host slot tournaments but not group pulls.

But there are plenty of group slot pulls in Las Vegas. Casino streamers or online casino forums will typically host them.

The example I gave earlier, Brian Christopher, hosts group pulls in Las Vegas regularly. You can check his website calendar for information on upcoming events.

Another good resource is VegasMessageBoard.com. This online casino forum is an excellent place to connect with other Vegas gamblers and find Las Vegas group pull events to join on your next trip there.

Cruises

Cruise ships are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about casinos, but casino cruise ships are another viable option for slot pull events.

Because casino cruise ships have so many people on a boat, and they are all looking for entertainment, group slot machine pulls on cruises are very common.

The cruise cannot offer group pulls. You also need to be mindful of international gambling laws.

But, as long as an individual chooses to host the group pull, the cruise casino manager can assist and support them.

And that’s all there is to slot pulls. As I said, there are nuances. The host (which could be you) might take a different approach to organizing the event (which is fine). But the general idea will be the same.

So long as you join a legit group slot pull event, are gambling with money you can afford to lose, and enjoy playing games with others, then I’m sure you’ll have a great time.

Maybe even consider booking a trip on one of the best casino cruise ships.

The idea of hosting your own group slot machine pull might seem a little intimidating because there are many factors to consider. But I’m going to help you out. Here’s what you need to think about.

Casino streamers are good at hosting group pulls because they can invite all their viewers to participate. It’s not tough for them to get a group of slot players together.

Good for them. Unfortunately, I don’t have a YouTube channel with thousands of subscribers. Odds are, neither do you. But you need people to host a slot pull event. So, where do you find them?

You can start by inviting your friends and family. Online casino forums are another excellent resource. Just remember that everyone who signs up must be present on the group pull day.

Once you have found people to join you, you need to make sure that they show up at the right time and place.

I recommend using event management software, like Event Brite. That way, you know how many people are signed up and who to expect (for a “roll call”).

The attendees can also use this software to add the event to their calendar so they don’t forget.

Slot Pull Attendee Limits

The size of your group is critical. You may have limits set by the casino, or you may want to set limits yourself.

Because of those limits, you need to make sure that the people who sign up follow through and actually show up on the day of the event.

You can expect that between 10-20% of your participants will cancel beforehand. So, it makes sense to accept a few more people than you can accommodate.

However, you need to be careful with collecting money. Charging a fee for organizing the event could make you a gambling business operator in legal terms.

Some organizers get around this issue by donating the funds from entry fees to charity. This can work because charitable gambling events have different rules than for-profit gambling businesses.

Just make sure you check the laws in your area before you charge and donate any fees. And remember that you cannot collect the buy-in until the day of the event.

Now you need to figure out how much you will bet per spin, how many spins each player will receive, and which slot game you will play.

I recommend giving each person 10-20 spins, and then using that number to determine the demonation you’ll play for and how much you’ll wager per spin. But the choice is yours.

Next, you’ll need to choose the slot machines(s) you will play. If you want to allow the group to choose, narrow it down to three to five options and let them vote. Before you do, you might want to talk to the casino.

The casino will most likely have rules about where the group can meet. Having large groups of people congregate is typically against the rules in a casino because it causes issues for the security team.

So, I definitely encourage you to work with the casino to find the best games – for the casino and your slot pull group,

If you are organizing a casino group pull event, you should set some rules for everyone. That way you address any issues before they arise. Here are some rules you need to think through.

• Are late arrivers allowed to participate?
• Who spins the reels?
• Who handles the money?
• How will you determine which participants get to spin first? Typical options include alphabetical order or the order of sign ups.
• Whose player card will you use?
• How will you tip the slot attendants? Typically, you should round the amount you give to each person down to the nearest $10 and tip the slot attendants the rest.
• Can participants split their spins with another player?

These are just a few examples of group slot pull rules that you should consider before the event. But having the rules doesn’t matter if you don’t have a way to enforce them.

That’s why it might be a good idea to ask all participants to sign a waiver agreeing to your terms. That way, when disagreements arise, you can refer back to your waiver.

Once you have figured all of that out, you need to think through the logistics of how things will go during the actual slot pull event.

You should have determined an order for who will spin the reels first, second, third, and so on. Make sure that you have that list written down and announce the order to participants before you begin.

When the excitement of the game starts, it is easy to get distracted. You need to monitor the number of spins each participant has taken. It may help to use a tally counter to keep track.

Some casino groups host slot pulls with additional prizes. They offer a prize to the person who had the highest win during the event or the person who triggered the most bonuses.

If you decide to offer additional prizes, you need to keep careful notes of every spin. I recommend having a note-taking system ready.

Here is a sample form that you could use. In this case, the ** denotes a bonus.

You might need to have an assistant or two help you with some of the tracking or tallying.

During the casino group pull, the organizer must sit at the machine. Each participant can press the spin button while they are standing next to the organizer (that’s you).

That way, if a participant tries to press the cash-out button, you can collect the voucher before the participant can take off with everyone’s money.

When everyone has had their turn, you will print the cash-out voucher, take it to the cashier, and distribute the winnings to each player.

Again, it is imperative that you work with the casino so that they know what is going on. You will need to get your winnings back in small bills so that you can distribute them among players.

Some casinos have policies against paying significant amounts in small bills. You can avoid issues at the cashier’s box by talking to the casino before your group slot machine pull event starts.

Another thing to think about is who gets to keep the comps points for all these spins?

If you use a player’s card during your group pull, you will probably generate enough comps points for $10-$20 in free play vouchers.

Some casinos are incredibly accommodating. They will create a player’s club card for the group, which allows the comps points to be split between players. However, most casinos don’t have that option.

If you cannot split the comps points, the easiest thing to do is use your player card. Some participants might have an issue with this, but let them know that this protects the group too.

For example, a player who earned a jackpot during their spin may claim that they should receive the whole prize. The casino could then check whose player’s card was in the machine at the time of the spin.

The casino will issue the payout to the player whose card was used. This will (or should) be you. That way, you can safeguard everyone against this type situation.  

So, yes, you will receive the comp points and rewards that come from those. You might even catch some flak for it. But doing it makes things simple and safeguards the bankroll against shady people.

If you make it clear or your event registration page that this is how you handle things, the complaints should be minimal.

This is a good question. The short answer is that the legality of casino group pulls depends. They are legal in the United States, but each state has different gambling laws that you will need to follow.

There is one rule that applies to all group slot pulls across America, though.

Gamblers cannot legally take someone else’s money and use it to gamble on their behalf.

Therefore, online slot group pulls are not legal in the United States unless all the participants are gathered together in-person.

But if you are going to meet in-person anyway, you might as well choose a land-based casino and host the group pull there, right?

One of the significant concerns with slot game group pulls is who will pay the taxes on them.

In the United States, you are required to report slot machine winnings of more than $1,200. That income gets taxed at 24%.

Some states demand that the person who presses the slot machine button is the one who pays the tax. Other states require the person whose player’s card is in the machine to be responsible for taxes.

The organizer also needs to think about how the taxes will be paid. For the event to be fair, the tax amount should get split evenly among all participants. But the organizer may have a different system.

For example, Brian Christopher says he will cover up to $5,000 worth of taxes, which means if the group wins $5,000 or less, he’ll pay the taxes. Beyond that, everyone will need to chip in to cover them.

This has only happened to Brian once, so you shouldn’t stress over it. But you do want to know how the organizer plans to handle taxes, or how you will handle taxes, in case you win big.

It’s a good idea to know everything you can about online gambling laws, so you don’t run into any additional issues.

One way to better understand how group slot machine pulls work is to watch them in action.

Fortunately, multiple casino streamers record their slot group pull events and post them online. Here are two casino slot streamers I like to watch.

I’ve mentioned Brian Christopher a few times already, and for good reason.

He is one of the most prominent American casino streamers on the internet. Brian has over 338,000 subscribers on Youtube, and his videos have more than 212 million views!

His page is full of videos that show him playing slots by himself, but his group pull slot videos are some of the most watched on his channel.

The most popular video on Brian Christopher’s channel is of a casino group pull at the Cosmopolitan casino in Las Vegas.

In this BCslots group pull event, eight people contributed $500 each, for a total bankroll of $4,000.

The group decided to split their bankroll between two machines. Each participant got eight or ten spins, with four players on each machine.

Their first game was Crazy Money Deluxe, and they bet $2 per pay line for a total bet of $60 per spin. The group was lucky enough to activate the Sky Wheel jackpot bonus three times.

When they cashed out of the first machine, they had $2,252, which means they made $252 in profit.

The next game was a high-limit Lightning link for $50 per spin. This game features lantern bonuses that feature sticky wilds and respins.

One player got a lantern bonus worth $1,600. However, the other players did not do so well in the second game. They cashed out with $2,112 for a $252 profit.

Between both machines, the group ended with $4,364, which was divided between the eight players, who each went home with their original stake of $500 plus $45 extra.

Brian Christopher Slots hosts game group slots regularly, so he has plenty of videos that you can watch to learn more about how group slot pulls work and what to expect if you participate.

Another casino streamer with group pull slot videos is the Slot Queen.

In one of her videos, she hosted a group pull with 17 people that paid $200 each. Their starting bankroll was $3,400.

They played a game called Egyptian Jewels at the Plaza Casino in downtown Las Vegas. Each participant had eight spins, and they were betting $25 per spin with a ten-cent denomination.

When all was said and done, the group cashed out with $1,226.42. Each person received $72 in return, which means they lost $128 per person.

What I liked about the Slot Queen’s group pulls is that you can see that these events do not always end with a win. You are not even guaranteed to break even.

That’s because there are no guarantees when you gamble. And slot game group pulls are just another form of gambling. There is always a risk.

If you want to know how to become a professional slot player, keep that in mind.

Also, be sure to always play within your means and keep the information I covered in this guide in mind; I have no doubt that you’ll have a great time participating in group slot pulls.

Not convinced she’s the Slot Queen? Check out Danielle Aragon’s biggest slot wins, and maybe you’ll change your mind.

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Now you know everything there is to know about slot group pulls. You can join a slot pull in Las Vegas or on a cruise in the future and know exactly what to expect.

If there are no casino group slot machine pull events happening in your area, you can always host one yourself at your local casino. Just make sure to check the local laws and casino policies first.

It will be smaller than traditional group pulls, but pooling money from five players still gives you a chance to play for higher stakes than you would if you played on your own. It will be your very own high limit group slot pull event.

Either way, what are you waiting for? Join, or host group pull slots today!

If you’re wanting to find out more, I recommend reading up on the history of slot machines.

A Complete Guide to Slot Machine History – One-Armed Bandits, Online Slots, and More

The history of the slot machines began in 1876 with the world’s first proto-slot: The Guessing Bank. One-Armed Bandit machines were mechanical and reigned until video slots arrived in the 70s. Slots at online casinos make it easier for gamblers to win...

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Footnotes:

• Information on Brian Christopher’s upcoming events are courtesy of BCSlots.com.