Volumes have been said on this topic, and the conflict and discussion about where the "hot" slot games are located in a casino are still rampant – over sixty yrs after slot machines were 1st placed in gambling houses.
The quintessential rule is that the better slot games were put just inside the entry of the casino; so that individuals passing by would see actual jackpot winners and be tempted to come inside and play. Our disposition is that this is no longer the case.
The majority of the mega casinos nowadays are grand complexes and it is not possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there’s no longer a reason to have the ‘loose’ slot games in close proximity to any of the doors.
Another classic rule is that loose slot machines are placed on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more folks could see winning jackpots and be energized to play. However, 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 one armed bandits 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 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 slots.