Understand pachislot lending rates, electronic credits and unused cash. Learn the calculations behind 20-yen slots, lower-rate play and machine-specific budget estimates.
How Much Does Pachislot Cost? Medals, Credits and Cash
Read the rate for the exact row
Pachislot rates describe how much it costs to obtain playing units. “20-yen slot” and “5-yen slot” are familiar labels, but the posted number of medals or credits lent for a particular payment is the figure to use. Rate signs can vary between areas in the same venue.
The basic calculation is yen paid ÷ credits lent = lending cost per credit. It does not calculate a prize’s value or predict how many games you will play.
| Example sign | Calculation | Lending cost |
|---|---|---|
| ¥1,000 / 50 credits | 1,000 ÷ 50 | ¥20 per credit |
| ¥1,000 / 46 credits | 1,000 ÷ 46 | About ¥21.74 per credit |
| ¥1,000 / 200 credits | 1,000 ÷ 200 | ¥5 per credit |
SANKYO’s beginner material explains standard and lower-rate sections. The precise rate and lending batch at your seat must be checked on the venue’s sign.
A three-credit bet is not the same as a cash loss
An ordinary pachislot game commonly uses three medals or credits. At a hypothetical ¥20 lending cost, that represents ¥60 of wagered credits. However, a game may return credits or award a replay, so multiplying ¥60 by every game does not measure the cash you actually need.
For instance, 100 three-credit games represent 300 wagered credits under that assumption. They do not automatically require purchasing 300 credits: returned credits can be played again. Conversely, a short run with few returns can consume the balance faster than an average estimate.
The base or games-per-50-credits figure on a machine profile summarizes ordinary-play credit consumption under its stated conditions. It is an average, not a fixed number of games delivered with each purchase.
Separate cash, playable credits and counted medals
| Balance | What it represents |
|---|---|
| Unused cash | Inserted money not yet used for lending. Follow the venue’s refund procedure. |
| Playable credits | Units available for betting in the machine. |
| Counted medals or credits | Playing units recorded for settlement, permitted reuse or prizes under the venue’s rules. |
Suppose you insert ¥10,000 and use two ¥1,000 lending batches. Your unused cash is ¥8,000, assuming no other purchases or fees. How many playing credits remain depends on the subsequent games. The ¥8,000 cash balance and the playing-credit balance are different amounts; do not add “credits” to “yen.”
Bring Japanese yen banknotes for the machine’s lending unit. Check which denominations the unit accepts. Before leaving, follow the venue’s procedure to return the card, count the playing balance and refund unused cash. MARUHAN’s instructions describe a separate cash-settlement machine and same-day refund validity; ask staff about the rules at your venue.
Smart Pachislot removes the need to handle loose medals. It does not remove the distinction between cash and playing balances. The finishing and settlement steps explain what to check.
Where to find the amount needed before a hit
Check the individual machine page for its published ceiling and estimated amount from 0G. The amount depends on the model, counter, lending rate and ordinary-play base. There is no universal budget that guarantees a bonus or AT on every machine.
Here is an invented example to show the arithmetic: 1,000 remaining ordinary games, an average base of 32 games per 50 credits, and ¥1,000 per 46 credits. The expected credit requirement is 1,000 ÷ 32 × 50 = 1,562.5 credits. The corresponding lending value is about ¥33,967. If purchases are available only in ¥1,000 batches, that illustrative average would round up to ¥34,000.
This is an estimate, not a hard maximum. It assumes no earlier hit and play that follows the machine’s instructions and all stop-order prompts without incurring a penalty. Actual small-role returns vary; extra premonition games, points, cycles or reset conditions can make the simple formula unsuitable.
If a ceiling awards a bonus only, it does not guarantee AT. If a machine has no relevant ceiling, a published average hit probability does not create a maximum cash amount before a hit. Set your spending limit independently of the amount needed to reach a ceiling.
Does a 100% payout rate mean my cash comes back?
No. Payout rate compares output and input credits over the specified model or measurement conditions. It is different from a venue’s lending and prize values, and it does not promise to repay a short session’s cash purchases.
Read the glossary’s detailed payout-rate calculation and the machine’s setting table together. For interpreting a cabinet’s recorded results, continue to the data-counter guide. If you are still identifying the game, see pachinko versus pachislot.
Sources and editorial notes
Written by Japanese Slot Guide. Reviewed September 5, 2026. Calculations and worked examples are our own illustrations; they are not records from a real machine or promises of results.
- SANKYO: Lending rates and lower-rate sections (Japanese)
- SANKYO: Bets, credits and replays (Japanese)
- MARUHAN: Slot operation and cash settlement (Japanese)
- Pachislot Summit: Electronic medal management (Japanese)
For our verification approach, see Editorial Policy & Data Sources. For limits and support, see Responsible Play.