Looking for advice just starting Video Poker as side-hustle

The lighter side... playing for entertainment, less concerned about "the math."
SLasVegas
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Re: Looking for advice just starting Video Poker as side-hustle

Post by SLasVegas »

@billryan, I saw in their forum rules to not talk about online sites, etc. So I'm a steer clear of that one. I'm just gonna do what a few other on here said, and my friends told me in person today: lay off the VP for real money, and recoup losses, etc. Nothing within driving distance to me is worth it or has good paytable. Live texas holdem poker in casinos will be back to normal eventually. I'll just wait it out, and add to my bankroll from work $$$.

I still am interested in what games people suggest to play though. The same ones that a full-time pro would play. Next year I'll be going to Vegas for live poker, but also to check out some VP in downtown casino. I can study the suggested games for the rest of the year to try and be prepared.

Long shot, but maybe sometime I can eventually win something on one of these contests on here, lol.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

I play Deuces Wild 98.91 percrnt paytable. 99.54 JOB. Joker Kings a little. Its only about 98.5. And Double Down Stud a bit which is under 98 percent pay table. That’s how mostly I end up losing about 2 percent for the year.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

It depends what you consider a fulltime pro. There were people in Vegas who played fullpay DW and made $8-12 an hour on it, but I think a fulltime pro would have to know a number of games and play a variety of places. When a pro can get $1.01 back for every $1.00 he puts in, it's a matter of having enough bank to play high stakes and the ability to put in long hours. A game that normally is worth $6 an hour might be worth triple that on a triple point day. A pro has to know how to play the promotions game at least as well as he knows video poker. A pro also recognizes it's a job and can't be bothered taking time off whenever he wants. If a casino is having a great promo on Thanksgiving Day, a pro is there hours before midnite to get the game he wants and might play the whole 24 hours, unless he can hand the machine off to a partner or employee. A pro will also be at an 8pm drawing that he has a one percent chance of winning.
Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
In Vegas, anyone with brains can squeeze out a part time salary from the casinos, and there may be a way you can do so from your local casinos, but evidently it won't be through video poker.

dinghy
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Post by dinghy »

SLasVegas wrote:
Sun Sep 13, 2020 8:19 pm
I still am interested in what games people suggest to play though. The same ones that a full-time pro would play.
I think your best resource will be vpfree2 (Casinos - Browse). You can see the top EV games available nationwide.

Typically the best play at a casino will be the one with the highest EV, but bankroll or other considerations may dictate otherwise. For example, highest EV at Caesars Palace is 99.58% (9/7) TDB, but also available is 99.54% (9/6) JoB. TDB is massively more volatile (variance 98.3 vs 19.5 for JoB), so it requires a much higher bankroll.

onemoretry
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Post by onemoretry »

Both of the two games mentioned above are available at Caesar's Palace in higher denominations only. The TDB is $25 and up, while the JOB is a bit lower, at $5 and up. I doubt that a new player would want to start at those levels.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

Sometimes, the machine with the best EV is not the best machine to play. Some casinos restrict player points and cashback from the best machines. In a hypothetical situation, a casino might offer 9-6 Jacks with no player points, and Bonus Poker with a lesser EV but that earns you cashback and comps.
One Vegas casino requires $50 per reward point on the better machines, but $10 per on lower paying machines.

dinghy
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Post by dinghy »

onemoretry wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:01 pm
The TDB is $25 and up, while the JOB is a bit lower, at $5 and up. I doubt that a new player would want to start at those levels.
Agreed, thanks. $25 TDB should come with a warning label :ouch:. I only mentioned it as an example of why you might choose a lesser EV game.
billryan wrote:
Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:38 pm
Sometimes, the machine with the best EV is not the best machine to play. Some casinos restrict player points and cashback from the best machines.
Great point, thanks. Slot club considerations can be huge. Four Queens just had a pretty good slot-play bonus promo during the summer months. Top EV game is 100.17% DB, but it has a $16 countdown per point. Or you could drop down to a lesser EV game for only $8/pt.

At the faster accumulation rate, the bonus added 1.25%. At the slower rate, bonus value was halved.

Subsequent mail offers are another element of value that can vary depending on your game selection.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Mohegan Sun in Ct requires about 500 bucks cycled through for just one point you can spend. Not only that, the machines that return over 99 percent, give you no spendable points at all. One point equals one dollar you can spend at inflated casino prices. I have few points, but those I do have, I usually use at their fas station. Even there, the pump price is jacked up.

FAA
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Post by FAA »

$25 TDB should come with a warning label.
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I hate any gimmick game. Too much trouble to learn and the variance is brutal. But they do help keep the games I do like on the floor.

olds442jetaway
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Post by olds442jetaway »

Yep! Ditto

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