Spending time in a gambling town such as Mesquite, Nev., or talking with relatives who love hitting the slots and tables in Wendover, Nev., it's interesting to listen to gaming theories.

Since most casino operators remain hush-hush about their operations, it might be impossible to know if any of these theories have even an element of truth.

For example, many gamblers seem convinced that casinos can set slot machines to be loose at certain times and tight at others. They think some guy in a hidden booth can regulate the machines with a remote control.

Some say the best time to gamble is when the casino is packed. The logic is that the bigger volume of play means the house can afford to loosen things up, and the noise and excitement of people winning entice others to spend more.

Instead of spewing out coins as in the past, modern slot machines issue winning vouchers that can be inserted into ATM-like machines or given to a cashier for cash. My brother-in-law is convinced he does better by always using cash. The idea is that if a gambler uses cash, the slot machine somehow thinks he or she is just starting the day and will be looser to lure gamblers into thinking they are going to win big. Then, in theory, vouchers tell the machine a person has been gambling awhile, so the slot is tighter.

My wife sometimes wonders if using the "player's card" given out by every casino to encourage loyalty doesn't give the establishment too much information. While she enjoys the perks that come from frequent use of these cards, she thinks she does better when she isn't using one. The theory is that if a casino's computers know you might be a newbie to the place, the slots will be looser to persuade you to be a frequent customer.

Then there is the quandary over whether to stick with a "hot" machine or switch slots once you hit a bonus or get a decent jackpot. One school says that a slot might stay hot for a while so it's good to stick with it. But others move quickly after a jackpot under the idea that a machine only gives a few big jackpots a day and, since you were lucky enough to hit one, it's time to find another slot.

Some gamblers like progressive machines because they dream of the big payout. Others think they are tighter and avoid them. Some think the dollar slots have bigger and more frequent payoffs, while others dream of winning a car on a penny slot with a 9-cent wager.

I like to read Mesquite's weekly newspapers, where pictures of people who have won jackpots - often over $1,000 - appear each week. In most cases, the big payoffs come from poker, keno or dollar machines.

I am amazed at the number of people who wave their hands over the monitor for good luck, especially when a penny machine goes into bonus mode.

Blackjack players like being the last person to be dealt a hand under the belief that they have slightly more control over the dealer in knowing when to hit or when to stand pat.

I don't put much stock in any of these theories. I'm pretty convinced I'm always going to lose.

wharton@sltrib.com