Video Poker Forum

Do you feel that VP machines pay off better at higher denominations or playing more lines i.e. Ultimate X 3line at .25 OR 10 line at .05.     

Higher denominations often have higher pay returns. For those of us who have access to high return lower denominations multi-hand it becomes a personal preference. Sweet C prefers single hand while I'm addicted to multi-hand lower denomination 25-50-100 hands where I get something back on almost every hand. Each to their own poison/pleasure. The long-term pay return is the same regardless if the pay tables are the same.

Higher denom has worked for me in a small sample size my last two trips. It's so uncomfortable to put five times the money at risk. Min betting, which is my method, stinks too because of the Royal Flush penalty. It is great for building up points toward free food and other stuff from the various shops. Time is money too. Quarter JOB marathons have poor return on time investment.

This is an interesting question.  If you are into the best long term return, the overall odds are where it's at.  Higher denomination and/or multi-line games magnify the highs and lows.  They also earn more comps, but the game odds and your accuracy eventually determine the long term outcome.Many recreational players choose to play low denominations or even single coin to stretch their playing time.  Personally, I'm OK with this type of play as long as you understand the ramifications.  At the casinos where we play, good quarter odds are rare and giving away the royal flush bonus takes another 1.5% or so out of the game.  However, playing cheaper allows you to play more hands with the same money letting you to experience more frequent smaller jackpots.  Playing a negative game longer increases your losses, giving up 1.5% to play single coin obvious does, but playing cheap can be a viable option for players on a budget or for those who have problems stomaching big losses.   In my opinion, paying to play is not a bad thing as long as I am getting my money's worth.  Some players criticize this type of play, but they are missing the point of recreational play.   Not everyone plays for the same reason.I believe there is no difference in the hands the machine deals in one denomination or another or the number of coins you play.  You may "think" single coin pays better because you only remember the good outcomes and you will see more of them playing single coin.   If you find yourself in a winning streak, you will assume what you're doing at the time is the best choice.   A few days or weeks later, you will wonder what happened and start the process all over again.  That's what makes video poker so challenging and fun.

Pay schedule trumps everything else --- in my opinion.For a given pay schedule, multi-line games have a MUCH lower variance than single line games for the same total bet.That is, if you compare $1 single line with 1 cent Hundred Play (both games require the same $5 bet to fully load), the variance on the Hundred Play is less than 10% of the variance of the single play game. That means smaller swings, both up and down, so your money lasts longer.Personal opinion, multi-line is more fun. If you're playing for stakes that generate W2Gs, such as $1 Ten Play versus $10 single line, you will get fewer W2Gs with the multi-line version --- even though you have the same EV.

I was surprised to find the same odds on dollar machines in the vicinity. A bit easier to rack up points, as you're in for a buck at all times. Of course, I must willingly swallow a heavy RF penalty if the blessed hand appears. 

Pay schedule trumps everything else --- in my opinion.For a given pay schedule, multi-line games have a MUCH lower variance than single line games for the same total bet.That is, if you compare $1 single line with 1 cent Hundred Play (both games require the same $5 bet to fully load), the variance on the Hundred Play is less than 10% of the variance of the single play game. That means smaller swings, both up and down, so your money lasts longer.Personal opinion, multi-line is more fun. If you're playing for stakes that generate W2Gs, such as $1 Ten Play versus $10 single line, you will get fewer W2Gs with the multi-line version --- even though you have the same EV.



     Agreed and that is why it is so rare to find multi line games with the same 99% or better paytables as single line games. The casino wants your money as fast as possible. They can offset the low variance somewhat by lowering the paytables for multi line games.

I have seen a few multi-line machines with excellent odds, but they are rare.   In Florida, multi-line machine odds are normally worse than single line games.  Even with the lower variance, you could need a serious pile of cash to last through the inevitable dry spells of a high denomination multi-line game.   This isn't a problem for some players, it is for your average guy or gal on vacation.

I was surprised to find the same odds on dollar machines in the vicinity. A bit easier to rack up points, as you're in for a buck at all times. Of course, I must willingly swallow a heavy RF penalty if the blessed hand appears. 

Am I interpreting this correctly? You have the option of identical games, and rather than playing full coin quarters, you are choosing single coin dollars?

[QUOTE=FAA] I was surprised to find the same odds on dollar machines in the vicinity. A bit easier to rack up points, as you're in for a buck at all times. Of course, I must willingly swallow a heavy RF penalty if the blessed hand appears. 

Am I interpreting this correctly? You have the option of identical games, and rather than playing full coin quarters, you are choosing single coin dollars?[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I would tell Phil not to do this when he was flipping between one and five coins. He would move up to one coin at $5, even though the $1 level had the exact same paytable. Max betting dollars instead is freerolling the Royal Flush payout!

Playing a single dollar on a game with the same paytable as quarters is exactly the same as playing 4 quarters on the quarter machine. I think that's a very, very poor decision if you believe VP machines behave like they are legally supposed to.