Back from AC again--success...

[aslan]

Yes, the AC grind didn't get me this week. In fact, I had an all around good time! Got plenty of sleep relatively speaking:angel: , played shorter sessions :angel:, and had some phenomenal luck besides :grin: .

This trip I incorporated some back counting:angel: , along with wonging out, :angel: but didn't really need to do so much because pen was good, counts were good, and winning hands predominated. I played several two or three hour sessions and two 5 to six hour sessions. I had only one losing session, the six hour one. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get back to even. I finally surrendered $200 down after about six hours. All the other sessions were successful, netting after tips and drinks, about $1,500.

I tried a strategy I read about in Blackbelt in Blackjack and it worked well for me, but I have serious doubts about some of its premises, and will devote a new thread to it.

The great luck I had was due to a $70 free slot play the casino gave me even though I don't play slots anymore. I played the $70 in the high roller area on a $5 video poker machine, deuces wild. I figured if I was going to win, I might as well win big. I played one "coin" at a time and when I was down to $20 remaining I hit a straight flush without wild cards for a $1,250 jackpot. Yipeee! Ironically, I have never hit a straight flush playing VP. so doing so on a $70 BR seemed all the more incredible. :celebrate

The comp meals at the casino were fabulous and I now have over $800 in cash comps in the two places where I play the most. Also, of course, my rooms were free, and Monday evening I laid back in an over-stuffed recliner and watched MNF on the "big" screen sipping my comp vodka gimlet :grin: as Pittsburgh sloshed their way to a skimpy 3 point victory over the Dolphins.

Life is good!

 

[Preston]

Good to hear.

One of my favorite parts about the grind is when I have a losing session on my next session I am really sticking to my game plan and playing really good cards.. .and winning feels so much better that way.

Did that last night. I only spread 1-4 in a DD game but after last Saturday's big loss it felt pretty good to get half my money back.

Good luck!

 

[bj bob]

Good job

Aslan, Nice to see you turn it around this time. Hope our imput helped after your last debacle up there. After all, it's all about having fun while making money. No use punishing yourself while on "vacation". Just hope you didn't take Pittsburgh to cover(except mud) in the MNF game.

 

[toastblows]

The great luck I had was due to a $70 free slot play the casino gave me even though I don't play slots anymore. I played the $70 in the high roller area on a $5 video poker machine, deuces wild. I figured if I was going to win, I might as well win big. I played one "coin" at a time and when I was down to $20 remaining I hit a straight flush without wild cards for a $1,250 jackpot. Yipeee! Ironically, I have never hit a straight flush playing VP. so doing so on a $70 BR seemed all the more incredible.

I play VP frequently after playing BJ if i have a good night, (to show that im dumping it back to them as a stupid gambler)....put $40 in a $5 VP machine one night and hit a royal on my 3rd hand. You only hit big when you dont care is my theory

Good work! :cool2:

 

[aslan]

Aslan, Nice to see you turn it around this time. Hope our imput helped after your last debacle up there. After all, it's all about having fun while making money. No use punishing yourself while on "vacation". Just hope you didn't take Pittsburgh to cover(except mud) in the MNF game.

No, I enjoyed rooting for the fish to win their first one of the season, but I had a feeling it was going to be a losing battle even with Mother nature trying to even things up a bit.

Yes, all of the comments on the forum were helpful and encouraging and I'd like to thank everyone for them. Together maybe we cause the house a little sting, although I'd just as soon they didn't realize our effect on their bottom line.

Two words jump out in your remarks, "fun" and "vacation." That's exactly what it's all about for me at this stage.

 

[aslan]

I play VP frequently after playing BJ if i have a good night, (to show that im dumping it back to them as a stupid gambler)....put $40 in a $5 VP machine one night and hit a royal on my 3rd hand. You only hit big when you dont care is my theory

Good work! :cool2:

Conversely, you seldom hit big when you do care in my experience, or if you do, it doesn't even get you back to even. Know what I mean?

 

[ChefJJ]

Congrats Aslan

Don't know about you, but I was pulling for the 0-0 OT tie for the MNF game. Oh well

good luck

 

[aslan]

Congrats Aslan

Don't know about you, but I was pulling for the 0-0 OT tie for the MNF game. Oh well

good luck

I was too, because I think it would have been the first time in history probably! Did you see that punt that landed in the sod, kerplunk, and didn't bounce or more an inch (except straight down)? lol:laugh:

 

[EasyRhino]

Were conditions really that much better, or did they just seem better because you were winning?

Also, did I read correctly that you weren't playing video poker with max coins? Why would you do that? short-paying yourself on the royal flush really hurts the payout % of the machine. If you wanted to bet $5 a spin, just find a dollar machine and bet max coins.

 

[aslan]

Were conditions really that much better, or did they just seem better because you were winning?

Also, did I read correctly that you weren't playing video poker with max coins? Why would you do that? short-paying yourself on the royal flush really hurts the payout % of the machine. If you wanted to bet $5 a spin, just find a dollar machine and bet max coins.

The latter is a good idea if I were just hoping to get a RSF. But with only $70 free play (I don't play slots otherwise) I decided to play a larger denomination so that if I won anything it would likely be a larger amount than from playing a lower denomination machine. Also, I know that the payback is set higher on the higher denomination machines. I was just trying to run my $70 free play into a $100 or so cash money. With only $70 I only had 2 4/5 pulls at max bet. Yes, I could have played a $1 machine. Then I would have had 14 pulls and my payout if I had hit would have been $4,000. But my goal wasn't to win a WSF with 14 pulls. lol And a minor win at a $1 machine is not as good as a minor win at a $5 machine. Anyway, you might say I exceeded my expectation.

 

[LeonShuffle]

Also, I know that the payback is set higher on the higher denomination machines.

Set higher?

 

[aslan]

Set higher?

There are computer chips in every slot machine that "sets" the percentage payout for that machine. These are within State regulatd guidelines and duplicate chips are on file with the gaming commission for each and every machine. Typically, casinos will set the percentage payout for lower denominations at a lower rate, say 80% or 85%, whereas it will set the payout rate higher for higher denomination machines ($1 and up), say 95%, or even 98% or 99%. I was told by a casino employee in Vegas that casinos have two chips per machine (all legal) so that on big weekends with a full house expected they can switch to the "tighter" chip for greater revenues.

 

[BJinNJ]

Glad You're Off of the Treadmill

and back to success.
What stores do you usually play?

BJinNJ

 

[aslan]

and back to success.
What stores do you usually play?

BJinNJ

All over, uptown, midtown, downbeach, marina. You name it. Rooms at most places are nice, eg, Tal Mahal, Trump Marina, Borgata, Bally's, Harrah's. It is more convenient to stay on the boardwalk since there are a lot more places within walking distance. But when I take my wife she likes the Borgata, pool, spa, restaurants, so I have to drive to and park at these other places.

 

[toastblows]

Conversely, you seldom hit big when you do care in my experience, or if you do, it doesn't even get you back to even. Know what I mean?

yes. i have never won over $200 at VP $5 machine when i sat down to "play VP"...not just to pass the time. I rarely play VP to "play VP"...mostly to kill time while tables clear or to mask a large win by dumping some back. :laugh:

 

[LeonShuffle]

There are computer chips in every slot machine that "sets" the percentage payout for that machine. These are within State regulatd guidelines and duplicate chips are on file with the gaming commission for each and every machine. Typically, casinos will set the percentage payout for lower denominations at a lower rate, say 80% or 85%, whereas it will set the payout rate higher for higher denomination machines ($1 and up), say 95%, or even 98% or 99%. I was told by a casino employee in Vegas that casinos have two chips per machine (all legal) so that on big weekends with a full house expected they can switch to the "tighter" chip for greater revenues.

That's all true of slot machines but not of video poker. That's why I was asking.

 

[aslan]

Set higher?

Yes, higher. The percentage is higher because they don't need to win as high a percentage in order to get the same or better return on investment in real dollars.

 

[aslan]

That's all true of slot machines but not of video poker. That's why I was asking.

Good question. Is there some promise of the same percentage return on VP machines? The prize for the RSF is not hte only determining factor in percentage return. Are VP machines required to give true odds for hitting certain hands? Are they required to use only randomized decks? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I don't think they have to give the same payback percentage for a 5 cent machine and a $50 machine of the same VP game. If their are experts in this field, please chime in.

 

[LeonShuffle]

Well, what I'm trying to say is, there are no settings for video poker machines. The cards are dealt randomly and they are legally required to be this way. The only change from machine to machine is the actual payout for a certain hand might be different. For example, the best Jacks or Better machines pay 9 credits for a flush (for every one bet) and 6 for a full house. While others pay only 8 for a flush and 5 for a full house. And some are as bad as 6/5. But the odds of actually receiving one of these hands is the same no matter what.

 

[EasyRhino]

Yep, agree with Leon. You can look at the paytable for a video poker machine, and, given the type of game and paytable, you can figure the house advantage. Realistically, you'd plug it all into some software to figure the advantage, or if you're lazy like me, just look up the payout % for the paytable you're interested in.

Good free resources:
(Dead link: http://members.cox.net/vpfree/)
http://wizardofodds.com/videopoker

So, if you had two machines, one dollar-coin, and one fiver-coin, and they had the same rules and same paytable, then you'd be a fool not to max out five coins on the $1 machine, because you'd have the potential upside on the RF, and everything else would be identical.

In my very unexpert opinion, higher-dollar VP machines are more likely to have fairly small house advantages. However, they're never going to have paytables over 100%, unless there's been a horrible mistake.

I recommend trying to look up the specific machine you were playing at VPfree.