Random? I don't think so.

[FloridaPhil]

For the vast majority of Video Poker players across America, playing with an edge is a fantasy.  First, you must be able to find such opportunities and act on them.  Second, you must have the stamina and skill to play them accurately.  Third, you must have access to enough disposable cash to weather any and all downturns.  Finally, you must have the discipline to stay the coarse no matter what the game throws at you.  It's easy to say you can fulfill all these conditions, few actually can.The casino makes their money from people who believe they have an edge when they don't.   If you ask players as they walk into the casino what they expect, they will all say they expect to win.  Stand at the exits and watch them walk out.  My bet is you won't see many winners.I am not a crusader for or against gambling.  I want players to know the house edge is real and formidable.  I want them to know a billion dollar industry is betting on them losing their money.  It is possible for the average player to enjoy the game without much pain if you know your limitations and play accordingly.If you have all the opportunities, dedication, skills, attributes and finances it takes to make your living playing VP, you probably aren't spending your valuable time on this forum.   Those are not the players I am addressing in my posts.  My posts and replies are aimed at average players, playing average games with average skills and bankrolls.  That's what I am and that is all I know.

[Jstark]

It's gobbledygook above why the majority of humans are always suffering through life. Too lazy to improve themselves.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=Jstark]It's gobbledygook above why the majority of humans are always suffering through life. Too lazy to improve themselves.
[/quote]I don't call giving my money to a casino an improvement.  Playing with an edge requires a positive opportunity before anything else.   In case you haven't noticed,  that's something most of us no longer have. You can pretend to be a long term winner if you like.   If you are, why are you hanging out on this forum berating quarter players who are trying to have some fun on a budget?   If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time.   I would be in the casino putting my money where my mouth is.

[FAA]

Self improvement occurs off casino property. We just want a couple hours of entertainment at movie prices or thereabouts.

[Jstark]

Self improvement occurs off casino property. We just want a couple hours of entertainment at movie prices or thereabouts.
You pay to go to the movies? I go to the local library and rent them for free!

[case]

[QUOTE=FloridaPhil] Gambling is fun as entertainment.  As a profit center, it's a total loser.

I find it to be the total opposite. "Gambling" sucks and to me is stupid and is a "losers" mentality. Going in with an edge, being profitable, and being the favorite is what's "fun."[/QUOTE]



Exellent reply!

[FAA]

Enjoy Vegas. The rest of us are either resigned to a loser mentality or disingenuous.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=Jstark]It's gobbledygook above why the majority of humans are always suffering through life. Too lazy to improve themselves[/quote]For some reason there seems to be an elitist attitude on this forum among players who profit from playing VP.   If you do, you are among a tiny minority of players and I congratulate you.  You also had the opportunity that it takes to actually pull this off.  Without the right opportunity, you would be a loser no matter how intelligent or skilled you are.I believe we have enough books on how to play VP with an edge.  What we need is information on how to play the games average players see on today's casino floor.  Unfortunately, books telling you how not to lose money don't sell as well as those claiming to tell you how to beat the casinos.Why is this important at this time in history?  In recent years, new casinos have been opened all over the country and new ones are being built.   People that were never exposed to gambling suddenly find themselves making decisions they never had to make before.  Many drop by this forum looking for help.My wife and I travel around this country playing VP.   We see the odds and they aren't near positive.   Right now the most common video poker games average around 98% or less.  Players always want to win.  They also tend to listen to advice they like and ignore the advice they don't.  Playing like you have an edge when you don't can cause you to lose more money.  For example, a beginner who thinks playing dollar games is better than quarters because the odds are better will lose much more playing dollars. This is not a math problem.   This is true because the player doesn't have the skill or the bankroll it takes to play dollar games. No one is telling players to choose lousy games over better ones.  No one is saying that accuracy doesn't matter.  No one is saying to play by hunches or bet the numbers your brother-in-law  likes.   What I am saying is know your limitations, know what you are up against and play accordingly.   Doing otherwise is falling into the casino's trap and you will not enjoy the game as the entertainment it was created to be.  A video poker player that knows his limitations, plays within his bankroll and has the right skills and attitude can find a lot of enjoyment in the game even if the odds are not on his side.   This same player who thinks he has an edge when he doesn't, plays above his bankroll and doesn't understand the casino's marketing is setting himself up for serious depression and possible financial harm.  No one wants to play a game like that...

[FAA]

We are up against no mere potholes, but sinkholes. Quagmires which shall summarily bust us on a weekly basis should we insist on playing above bankroll. Just leave it alone after a couple hundred bucks of coin in, while the mark is still winning or even. Such a state of affairs is merely a transitory state.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote]I believe we have enough books on how to play VP with an edge.  What we
need is information on how to play the games average players see on
today's casino floor. [/quote]The name of this book should not be "How to beat the casinos!".  It's name should be "How to keep the casinos from beating you!". Instead of promoting rare positive games that most players will never find, this book should tell players that the majority of casino games have a significant house edge that no strategy or skill can overcome.  Instead of promoting betting larger to gain better odds, they should be told to play these games less, smaller and slower to hold the house edge to a bare minimum.  The royal flush bonus should be discussed so players know how rare those hands are and how much they may pay to see one.  It should have an entire chapter devoted to discipline and how important that is to your success.  Odds should be also be discussed, telling players that negative games can be entertaining if they use self control to play them.Finally, this book should state outright that most players will never beat the casino long term.  It should say so without questioning their skill, intelligence or belittling their finances.  A book like this will never be written.  The casinos don't want players moving to single coin nickels.  If this happened, video poker would no longer exist or the coin select button will be blocked and the odds reduced to 50%.    They want their casinos full of players who believe they can beat them and the harder they try the better.   Players don't want this book either.  It will destroy their dream and without dreams who wants to go to a casino?