🎰 Reality Check Calculator

Compare your true slot machine costs to market investments.

The Reality of PA Bar Games

Casinos & VGTs: By law, PA casinos and regulated truck stop VGTs must pay back a minimum of 85% over the life of the machine.

Bar "Skill Games": Unregulated machines in taverns and pizza shops have no legal minimum return. The baseline math is entirely up to the operator.
Average Monthly Loss: $0.00
Total Lost to Machine: $0.00
Fund Annual Return: 0.00%
Value if Invested Instead: $0.00

🚀 How to Actually Do This

Investing isn't just for rich people, and you don't need to manage physical gold bars or complex crypto wallets. You can buy all of these directly from a phone app.

  1. Open a Free Brokerage Account: Download an app like Fidelity, Charles Schwab, or Robinhood. They charge $0 in fees.
  2. Transfer Your "Slot Money": Link your bank and deposit the amount you would normally lose to the machines each month.
  3. Search the "Ticker Symbol" & Buy: Search for what you want to buy, enter a dollar amount, and click Buy.
    Stocks: Search SPY (Top 500 US Cos) or QQQ (Tech stocks).
    Crypto: Search IBIT (Official Bitcoin ETF) or use an app like Coinbase.
    Metals: Search GLD (Gold ETF) or SLV (Silver ETF).

Need more help? Check out NerdWallet's Beginner Guide.

Data Sources & Legal Citations: