"IF YOU BELIEVE IT'S RIGGED, WHY PLAY?"
Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:31 am
Ok, it was raised AGAIN (and again....and again) in another recent thread, so here, finally, we'll have a thread that is devoted to this ongoing question that seems to perturb so many of our erstwhile forum members (most of whom are reasonable, intelligent, fair decent folks)......For the record, I actually (partially) addressed this very same question inside a post I made somewhere on this forum perhaps as recent as two weeks ago but for the life of my I cannot find it....I would have thought certain other forum members, who in the past have demonstrated a certain ZEAL for cataloging and keeping track of my own personal posts far in excess of what I myself do, would be able to locate and cite my comment(s) but alas I guess they missed that one (or perhaps what I actually DID post on this question topic was something that was too reasonable, logical and incompatible with their "agenda" vis-a-vis little ol' MOI)The short answer to this annoyingly germane and persistently logical question is....."I have no idea".....or "It depends on the individual player".....or "None of your business, leave me alone or I'm calling the cops...or my mother....or Webman...." Another terse-yet-sophisticated response would be <Bill Clinton Voiceover> "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'RIGGED' is..."</end Bill Clinton Voiceover>ALl I can do is amplify what I have previously stated and expressed in numerous other posts, albeit never in the specific concentrated manner in which I now do in this thread specifically DEVOTED to this question. I strongly urge/implore OTHER people who have thoughts on this question/issue to post here and add their voice to the conversation......My first statement is that I DO NOT BELIEVE Video Poker is RIGGED.....(I could end on that note but I won't).......I have REPEATEDLY, EMPHATICALLY explained and expounded that I am OF THE OPINION, based on my actual specific play results (and the analysis thereof) since 2010-2011 in the city of Atlantic.....um, City.....that certain casinos in AC have been offering VP games/machines that somehow are producing play results which are statistically abnormal in terms of Negative/losing results. I formed this conclusion based on:-- Comparing my previous 18-20 years of VP play (1992-2010'ish) that primarily took place in Nevada Casinos in Vegas/Reno and what I saw and perceived with what was happening in AC casinos (2011 thru 2016); I used to keep meticulous records on my play in Nevada, since this was before computers and the explosion in data retrieving/storage devices.....I did this the first couple years playing in AC but when I immediately began to see and experience abnormal results, I focused on just playing PERFECT and doing all the right things to make sure I myself was NOT responsible for the aberrationally bad results....it didn't help.-- The continued "losing streak" did not abate for any significant period of time or amount of money, it did not matter what games I played either in AC.....one small factor that did fluctuate was the fact that when playing at the four (and then three) Caesars -CET casinos in AC, the bad or negative results seemed somewhat MORE profound starting in 2013 when they made the wholesale switch to SERVER BASED operations for all VP games. -- I am not saying I never EVER won or saw other players win during my years playing in AC.....certainly people were still hitting Royals and other good hands......but the end results, the bottom line NEVER truly improved, it only became WORSE, if anything. As I pondered this situation, and more importantly, as I frequently and persistently ASKED OTHER PEOPLE & Players, particularly CET Seven Star Players with whom I developed at least Casual Friendships over the years starting in 2010, I discovered I was FAR from the only person who noticed these changes and differences in play results. It was NOT a coincidence and NOT a case of Confirmation Bias; Other players, far more prolific and experienced players than MYSELF, were seeing and experiencing some sort of statistically abnormal play results in AC casinos that they previously had never seen before, ANYWHERE or at ANYTIME.-- Thus, after much deliberation and analysis and discussion (including on THIS forum), I made the conscious decision in mid-to-late 2016 to significantly cut back/curtail my total OVERALL video poker play in the casinos of AC. Whereas, from 2010 to late 2016, I used to go to AC once a month for a minimum of 5 days (and more often for as long as 7-10 days...with a set, NON-fluctuating average Bankroll of $2000 for each trip devoted to VP), I now go 3 to four times A year for a MAXIMUM of 5 days a trip (albeit with a slightly Higher Bankroll of $3000 that I allow for Video Poker). SO right there, for those people out there who have expressed particular, and pointed, exasperation and annoyance with what they seemingly view as hypocrisy or stupidity or stubborn pride on MY PART for continuing to play Video Poker that I believe to be "rigged" (even though, again, THAT too is not the actual situation) ...... NOW you have your answer, at least as far as Da Burglar is personally concerned with the casinos of AC, I have indeed cut wayyyy back but have not "eliminated" playing VP in AC. As mentioned many times previously, I often focus my time, energy and money on LIVE poker and games like Texas Hold 'em and tournaments. Of course, I cannot speak for anyone else......I would also throw these thoughts out there.....-- It is still very conceivable, even logical, that a certain number of "rigged" (or controlled, non-perfectly randomized set to spew out results for payoff that are 97% when they advertise 98.9%, or 99.2% or whatever) Video Poker machines in a overall population of normal machines is a more desirable target for one's bankroll than a sea of SLOT machines that are 100% legit which offer payback of 92-93%!!!-- It is possible that casinos in question do not (or are not) ALWAYS have their machines set in the "Rigged" or "Controlled" mode 100% of the time.....this would be logical assuming there is something nefarious going on in the first place. CAsinos would periodically set, and then re-set, and then re-re-set etc. according to ongoing inspections and analysis by the regulatory powers that BEEEEE.....And of course, ultimately, even when human beings KNOW that a specific fight or contest is NOT going to result in an outcome favorable to them, they STILL fight the FIGHT anyway.......there are many many reasons for this happening.