ken
i picked up on the point you made about no such thing a a "total" empty of a machine as i agreed with that point, yet i have to question the point you make on the last post regards emptying a hopper as in the machine has to be ready or that the owners will still make a profit - this is not quite correct
if you get an emptier ( when i use this term i mean in the sense that everyone usually means - ie emtpy the hopper ) lets say it is a free win one
machine owner puts new machine in site - fills hopper ( to start off to make sure ppl play his new machine )
fills it with £125 coins - and you come along ang empty the hopper with your free win - machine does not record ( for percentage ) the payouts - so is still running to percentage - maybe even a little low so requires to pay some more and the guy is down £125 coins - and it is still wanting to pay ( as you have taken a whole load of free wins it still thinks it needs to pay something )
this way - machine was not ready to pay - nor does the owner make a profit
i have put this into a simple setting to show the example but i hope you get what i mean ?