The absurdity of mythical video poker "payback"

[rayj]

Can someone show this in a .25c machine?  And is a recent hit not one from years ago?

[DAAnMAAn]

My thought is it’s Triple Double Bonus. You may hit some premium hands, have amazing days...but sooner or later, the Devil will have his due and you will give it back with interest...guaranteed. TDB is for the love of the gamble. Expecting anything else and all I can say is, good luck. Lots of casino bills are paid with this game in Vegas.

[Player422738]

Negative games will take all your money and you can’t beat it.

The best for playing one session is leave as soon as you can when your bankroll turn positive and stop playing.

[onemoretry]

So, you drive to the casino, sit down at a 25c jacks or better machine, put in $20, score two pair on your first hand, cash out your $20.25, and drive home?

[Player422738]

So, you drive to the casino, sit down at a 25c jacks or better machine, put in $20, score two pair on your first hand, cash out your $20.25, and drive home?

What you said doesn’t show your wit. Use your common sense.

[billryan]

Negative games will take all your money and you can’t beat it.

The best for playing one session is leave as soon as you can when your bankroll turn positive and stop playing.

When playing at a disadvantage, the less you play, the better you are. Play at an advantage,and the opposite is true.
Just because a machine has terrible pay tables doesn't mean you have to play it. Driving hours to play terrible machines is ridiculous.

[onemoretry]

What you said doesn’t show your wit. Use your common sense.

You're the one who said: "leave as soon as you can when your bankroll turn positive and stop playing".

I thought I was using common sense when I used an admittedly extreme example to point out that what you said was not particularly useful.

If 25c is not positive enough to cause you to leave the casino, what amount is?

[FloridaPhil]

If 25c is not positive enough to cause you to leave the casino, what amount is?

Exactly. What jackpot is big enough to get you to leave the casino? If it isn't 25c, what is it? If you leave when you are ahead, what happens when you go back? These guys are right. If you play negative VP games, there will always be a cost. Sooner or later the odds will take away all your winnings.

Playing negative games may seem ridiculous to some. What if you wish to enjoy a day at the casino and that's all you have to play? You can choose not to play or you can accept the cost as the fee for playing the machines. If you play small, slow and accurate, you can make that fee as small as possible. If making a profit from VP is your goal, it's not going to happen unless you can find a way to gain an edge on the casino.

[Jstark]

If your going to play negative EV games, think of them like a game of Pac-Man. Some players can't get past the first couple of screens while others can always get to that 256th screen or the "kill screen" as it's called. Either way, you'll lose all of your quarters.

[case]

Phil you agree negative games can't be beat over time and that is correct. However you say silly things like most people can't beat positive games over time...and that is wrong. Remember people who take VP serious learn how to play the game properly and find positive opportunities. Many,many "VP professionals" don't live off just VP but use it as a nice added income. Sure there are many negative swings and opportunities are not as nearly as present as they once were but my point is play the correct game and it can be beat. Making a living off vp is not what I am talking about.

Those that find a positive game but don't know how to play it are not serious vp players and will lose.