[antoko]

..., I figured I could at least nickel and dime the casino.

This means SHE was avoiding the losses not actively trying to make a profit. That's how I read first time and still how it reads now. I guess the use of the term "hacking" in this sense wasn't a great idea.

The term is being used like life-hacking.

I have to be in the casino,

I have to play slots (no blackjack)

How do I make this work?

... I play for penny stakes instead of dollar stakes.

The fact that she did actually win something was just dumb luck.

You should really go back and read the rest of it, it is well worth it.

[jholman]

Einh, she specifically claims she had a system.

"I walked out of the casino at a profit just by being aware of what the actual odds were and sticking to a system that would milk the machine of as much money as possible. That it did this bit by bit was irrelevant. Cash is cash."

It's certainly conceivable that the A.C. slots have a negative vig under some circumstances, but I'm skeptical. My conclusion from the references to the slots is that the author probably isn't as smart as she thinks she is. Preliminary finding.

I agree that this usage is idiomatically consistent with the HN-standard use of "hacking", though.

[DanBC]

Reading the thread she says that she was given credit by the machine owners. She could not cash out those credits, but she could cash out the winnings. Thus, spend all the credits on low-stakes machines and cash out any win over 10c. She claims a return of 60% to 70%. She's aware that with her own money that's a loss, but it wasn't her money.