First-time gamblers may think slot machines, with their hypnotizing images but user-friendly operations, are a safe bet. But the one-armed bandit didn’t get its name for nothing. The odds of winning the top prize at maximum coin play can range from 1 in 4,096 to 1 in 33,554,000. For every $100 you spend on a nickel slot machine, you should expect to lose between $7 and $12.

Odds calculated by British Columbia's Partnership for Responsible Gambling and the American Gaming Association.