Slot Rankings - How Wide Receivers Score More Touchdowns in the Slot
Slot machines function the same way for every spin, which means you won't be able to find any secret hacks to beat them. However there are a few things you can be aware of to maximize your winning potential.
Check out the RTP of a game before you start. This number shows how many players could win on average over the long term.
Slot Efficiency
The goal of slot efficiency is of increasing the number of slot switches that can be made while not violating a set of predefined constraints. These constraints typically include the minimum permitted operational delay (usually expressed in terms of scheduling delays), fairness and equity access and competition, environmental targets and many more. The process of allocation of slots is a complex one, and optimizing it to reach the desired performance metrics requires careful analysis of all factors involved.
The process starts by identifying the different types of requests to prioritize in accordance with precedents from the past. Once the type has been identified, the slot allocation model is then employed to reduce the delay criteria. However, numerous research gaps have been identified in the optimization of slot scheduling models particularly when it comes to balancing efficiency and fairness.
A common method for prioritizing slot assignments is the ABC (assigned by velocity) strategy, which collects information about the history of items and then determines a velocity group. Items with the highest velocity receive the most slots, while lower velocity items are placed further back in the warehouse.
The distance factor is a important element in the efficiency of slot machines. It is a measure of the amount of space needed to facilitate the pick-to-ship process. The calculation takes into consideration the velocity group of the items, as along with their rack placements and the characteristics of handling equipment.
It is important to also be aware of the costs associated with a slot change to improve slot efficiency. Managers can estimate the cost of a typical change to a slot as well as its impact on other aspects of slot efficiency, such as speed by studying a typical slot.
After spending one or two months proving the data and back-dating recommendations, the casino began to use the solution more regularly. The gaming operations team estimates that they will save between 10-12 hours a month on their traditional analysis. This is not including the time spent reviewing the data of customers or creating a new practical strategies.
The team was able with the help of the new recommendations offered by SRE to make a number of game changes that resulted in more the revenue of players. Particularly, Dancing Drums Explosion and Twinstar Wave XL both by Scientific Games, saw big gains in the premium lease and WAP rankings. The casino was also able to shift their budget from marketing and other expenses to enhancing floor performance.
Perimeter Efficiency
We all know wide receivers are more likely to score touchdowns when they're in a position to hit perimeter targets rather than slot targets. Rain Bet is due to the fact that they are typically targeted downfield, and often are in one-on-one coverage. But what might surprise some is the difference between the top five slot receivers and the rest when it comes to scoring on perimeter targets.
Mike Evans, Amari cooper, Tyler Lockett, and Michael Gallup were the top five scorers in the slot on perimeter routes. They were among the 66 wide receivers who saw at least 40 targets in each of the two previous seasons. The bottom half of this list is filled with receivers who are more possession-based such as Chris Godwin and Diontae Johnston. The Bucs are likely to shift the latter two players into the slot more often this season, which could increase their targets. However, they'll need to improve their scoring on the perimeter in order to maintain their high standard.
Speedy wideouts are the main beneficiaries of moving into the slot as they typically are more likely to be open in the field in the event that their route isn't blocked by a linebacker or cornerback. Corey Coleman is the only wide receiver who isn't a speedy wideout but would benefit from more slot work. He's a solid player for intermediate and short routes.
Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and other possession-based receivers are at the low end of the list. They're better on shorter and intermediate routes than deep areas. Jeudy is expected to be the Rams main slot receiver this year, is a sleeper pick. Courtland Cooper and Amari Sutton are likely to play a bigger role in downfield targets. Hamler is expected to be a natural on short-to-mid-long and intermediate routes, as this is where he was at his best when playing for the Bills in 2021. He could be an excellent replacement for the departed wideout Jordan Matthews.
Percentage of Snaps in the Slot
The proportion of snaps a receiver takes in the slot is an excellent indicator of their ability to play deep routes. However, it's not always a true representation of a receiver's skills because certain receivers excel in the slot, but cannot play deep, and vice versa.
For example, the Eagles Alshon Jeffery is the leader in the league in targets per game (4.8) however, he is placed sixth in the slot receiving score (58.5). This is due to the fact that most of his targets are from outside and it's difficult to get a first down when playing a wide-open, deep and wide-open route.
On contrary, some receivers excel at playing inside and can't do much on the perimeter. For example the Panthers handed Robby Anderson 978 snaps last season, and he completed 74 percent of his slot routes as opposed to only 26% on boundary routes. That's a huge improvement and indicates how much more efficient he is when aligned in the slot.
Chris Godwin, a Buccaneers player, lines up in the middle of the field most of the time on his passes and is among the top five slot receiving scores (58.5). However he also ran 51 percent of his perimeter routes last season and is a stud in one-on-one coverage.
Speed receivers are typically more effective when lining up inside, as they can get targeted way down the field and often are in one-on-one coverage. This is why you'll find names like Julio Jones, Mike Evans and Amari Cooper in the top five of our list.
On the other hand, we've got some great slot cornerbacks such as McDuffie and Moore in this group. McDuffie leads the NFL in forced fumbles having seven, and Moore has the best tackle-stop performance (-3.5) on this list. Spagnuolo made McDuffie's abilities more effective by placing his slot to play nickel and dime packs and then shifting him to the outside while playing base defense. In addition, Moore's capability to stop big run plays has been an enormous benefit when playing in the slot.
Percentage of Snaps Outside
While the NFL's top receivers like Baldwin, Golden Tate and Larry Fitzgerald excel on the perimeter, it's important to note that their slot counterparts are also good. Wide receivers who have a high slot grade score touchdowns about the same as those on the perimeter. This is due to the fact that quarterbacks have a more stable target distribution when throwing to outside and slot receivers compared to other inside options, such as tight ends and backfield pass-catchers.
This is why it's fascinating to see a receiver such as CeeDee Lamb on this list in 2022 since he plays slot in three WR sets, and flanker in two of the sets. In fact Lamb is running a greater number of routes in the slot than the majority of players on this list. This is a great way to create matchup benefits for your team and clarify why Lamb is the highest-rated slot receiver in our system this season.
Lamb also plays at the X-position and makes big plays from outside. Lamb isn't as powerful as the players in this ranking but he's highly skilled and is a great fit for the Cowboys' scheme.
Mecole Hardman, another player who puts huge numbers on both types of targets, is another example. He is one of the top players in the game at catching throws from behind his shoulders. He's also a great player who can play contested catch.
Another player on this list who's an authentic slot specialist is Baltimore's Jalen Hilton who has been positioned in the slot on 85.7 percent of his defensive plays this season. He's allowed the third-lowest target EPA and the fifth-best run stop EPA among cornerbacks who are aligned in the slot, which makes him a crucial part of his team's defense. He's struggled to stop passes from outside, and his EPA against this type of target is negative. This has been a result of playing with subpar linebackers and safeties that aren't able to match Hilton's size and speed. He also has a great ability to run routes.