Yeah, but when you bet more, you lose more in the long run, and even though I'd win $12 instead of $2.40 if I bet $1 instead of $0.20, I'd spend 5 times more before hitting those 3 scatters. And since, as you rightly said, it can take more 100 spins before reaching, it can lead to substantial losses. That's why I'm trying to play slots with a lowest bet possible, $0.10 or $0.20, and normally avoid slots with a minimum bet above $0.20.
Playing with minimal is a good choice to plaing for fun, because when we lose it, it doesn't matter. I still remember when I told @mu_enrico when I lost IDR 6m in a week, I was laughed at by him, because he had reminded me before, play for fun, deposit USD 20 for a week, so when you lose it doesn't hurt your finances. But, I can't control, even whenever I play, I can't stop. After 2 months playing slots, Instead of playing with the smallest bet, I often make a bet $ 0.8 lol. so IDR1m deposits often run out in 1 hour or less. when I remember that , I want to laugh, how ambitious I was to find a win and forget about the amount of money I lost.
Yes, IDR 6m, or $400 USD, in a week is a huge loss. Something like this, in regards to gambling, has never happened to me, but in other fields of life it has, so, I think I know how it feels.
Just stick with the smallest bets possible, mate, that's my advice. And it can be both, for fun and for money, sometimes. You can stake just $0.20 and win $200 if you are lucky. I know it's possible because it happened to me once
If you feel that urge to start raising your stakes, turn off your computer right away and go for a walk. It will be beneficial for you in many ways.