Video Poker full pay machines (99% and more payback) have become increasingly hard to find in recent years. Many casinos are banking on the fact that most recreational gamblers haven’t a clue about how to tell a full pay machine from a short paying one. Those casinos are hoping to cash in
on ignorant gamblers that place their bets based on emotion or myths instead of the math.
Knowledgeable video poker players don’t like to lose. That’s why they took the time to study the game in the first place. When they see a casino that offers only short paying video poker they feel like they’re being denied a fair game. In some cases the payouts can be so low that it’s almost criminal. But high paying video poker games are still out there. Some may not be quite as good as the full pay games of the old days but playing them with the right strategy can still make sense .
Why Video Poker Is King For Comps
In general, comps like rooms, food and gifts are given by casinos based on the amount of money that’s wagered by the player. Comps are nothing more than incentives to entice people to gamble more. Casinos know that the more money that people gamble with the more likely they are to lose. That’s because the long-term odds are always in favor of the casino. That’s not so true when it comes to video poker. The casino still has an edge but it can be pretty slim.
Proficient video poker players have learned how to get back most of the money that they put into playing the game. They do that by using proven strategies that give them the best statistical advantage. They recycle their winnings in and out of the machines, using the same money over and over again. Those wagers are tracked by the casino through the players club card. Comps and benefits are then calculated by the casino, based on the amount of money that’s put into the machine. Now consider that a well trained video poker player can play 300 to 1,000 hands per hour with little or no loss. At that rate it means betting hundreds or even thousands of dollars per hour, much of it with recycled money – yet every penny counts toward comps and other benefits. And let’s not forget the excitement of winning with a royal flush.
That’s the short story. Just as in any hobby there are different levels of understanding and nuances to playing video poker. There are dozens of different variations of the games and strategies to go with each one. Some worth your time and others not. There are several books that explain the math behind the strategies, statistical variances, analysis of probabilities, and the endless subtleties of the games. The good news is that armed with only a basic knowledge of the games and a little practice, you can do quite well in the casino. And it can change your gambling life.
You can learn the basics and expert strategies at the VideoPoker page. Whether you’re an experienced player or just wanting to learn more about the games, you can practice and play for free there. So consider yourself invited. There’s loads of information about playing the game correctly and you can play the most popular games and new ones that are just hitting the casinos. There’s no real gambling – even though the games are identical to what you’ll find in a casino. It’s just a lot of fun and you’ll get a bunch of free information to help you win more at video poker. There’s options for inexpensive, ad-free upgrades and even Professional Video Poker Training available. You’re welcome to join us anytime – 24 hours a day.
There are only two games in the casino that give gamblers a long-term fighting chance. One is blackjack and the other is video poker. With the possibilities of up to 100% returns, plus comps, it’s not hard to see why so many people chose to play video poker. Invest a little time to learn this exciting game and you’ll understand why video poker is indeed, still the king of comps and cash jackpots.
Please visit VideoPoker to learn, practice and play your favorite Video Poker and Keno games for free.
And for expert Video Poker Training online, visit the Video Poker Pro page.
Hello!
I have one more situation that I went through. I believe that it is a rather important one :). In my opinion, t will show just how accurate this article (and the math of video poker) is
When I used to study video poker, I had moved to California and owned a mortgage company. It gave me a strong enough bankroll to have a chance to win big. I usually played quarters and 50 cents, and would go a few times a month to the Peppermill in Reno, NV (and occasionally to the Atlantis). One night, I was playing a 10 machine bank $1 full pay super aces 5 play ($25 a push- any four aces pay $2000) .. I hit four aces for $2000 right off of the bat! While waiting to get paid, I played the same game on the machine next to me, held two face card hearts and hit a royal for $4000!!! After getting paid on that, I went to the other side of the bank. Within 15 min BOOM – 4 aces $2000. After that I switched to a a game called triple double bonus (You get paid $4000 on aces with a kicker and $2000 for 2,3,4 with a kicker, but 10 credits on a 3 of a kind instead of 15. Because of this it is very volatile lol! First five minutes I held three aces on the bottom and got 4 aces twice (no kicker) for $1630 . Bummer – my worse jackpot lol.. Unreal.. within 10 minutes it dealt me 4 aces on the bottom with two kickers for $10,000!
To show you how hot I was , my wife and I got there at 10pm and upstairs at 7am. I had $40,100 in my pocket. My host (nor cage) could even cashier the money because you have to get cashiers checks with individual wins. Luckily, I had a very nice room with a safe in it. I walked away with $36,000 (A $31k profit) .. I also hit a reservation just above Santa Rosa with the same type of 5 play machines and hits (a few less obviously) for $17,000 more and then went back to Peppermill the next weekend and got dealt 4 aces with 3 kickers on double double bonus for another $7600 .. over $60k for the week! CRAZY!!
Long story short — you will see how I am the “guinea pig” of the math of video poker. That year I hit $119k in taxable jackpots (at the Peppermill alone) and ran over 1 million dollars through the machines (coin in, coin out).. Guess what my net profit was for the year there??? $1000.. Yes, $1000- almost 100% to the tee (and I am not a person that keeps putting money back in the same machine). If you want to see just how accurate the math is on a little bit larger sample size, this does it!! It doesnt mean you cant win (or wont have good sessions) I proved that to say the least. As a matter of fact, when I owned a mortgage company and had the bankroll to sustain streaks, I won $30-$90k a year for a bit. But in the end – the math catches up. Casinos bank on math- not luck! .. But my wife and I had the best rooms, all of the best food that you could think of, the best service, $500 weekly free play and all that we needed to do was call our host to come in an indefinite number of times …. Whats awesome is that even the newest player (or player that takes it to the next level of commitment). can get great comps or even the best — and break even with some very nice winning sessions!
Good luck to all!
Hello!
Boy, is this correct! Ever for the recreational (or beginning) player, what a great place to start! The best odds in the house if you study it (and play the right machines). If not, you get more play than other games with a reasonable budget based on denomination and the volatility of the game that you play!
Long story short, before my wife and I learned about Keno we played nothing but video poker. We knew that overall the payback was significantly better than slots, less volatile, and that we would get more play with more possibility of good payoffs. My wife mostly played recreationally, but I was pretty serious about it. I studied implicitly. and played at an elite level. We lived in the Phoenix area and started in Laughlin, NV. I seldomly played more than quarters or 50 cents at the time, yet it didn’t take very long to get to platinum due to playing at a very fast (and accurate) level. Dont get me wrong. Just as Bob Dancer (and I am certain TMG would say), it takes discipline. It takes a computer like mind and the willingness to play for 10-15 hours straight or 20-30 hours over a weekend. I wont say that I was pro, but I would say that I played at an elite level. Mystic gambler is right. You can profit with comps, drawings, free play and the occasional hot weekend. Also for most people, the “high roller” lifestyle that you get with comps can be wonderful! Playing at even that reasonable level on VP it doesnt take long to build up to it. Going from free buffets to free rooms and free play to offers of suites and even plane rides, limos and all of the filet mignon, champagne and prime rib that you want with the most gorgeous rooms you can think of. You can get these perks with other games, but video poker gives you that with only medium bets with long sessions (on single line or especially multi line games) or less time with large bets!
The only thing that I suggest is that you bring enough cash/bankroll to sustain streaks. Like any type of gambling, there are stretches that you cant catch a thing no matter what you do. Play the domination that suits you – but with the bankroll to sustain the time that you need to win (or grind it out to get the comps that you want). Understand the possibility and risk of ruin (losing it all – many times before you intend to leave the casino). With these principals and the discipline to either recognize that a machine is stable or will persist to “keep you in the game” or is “crushing” you, you will do well over time
Just my two cents! I hope that this helps, that you enjoy and success to all!
Thanks for the great comment Ken.