Something to Think About
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- Video Poker Master
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Re: Something to Think About
I'm glad you enjoyed my story. The only professional video poker player I know anything about is the author of my favorite book. All I know is what he wrote in that book. I can tell he is a very intelligent person. I did a lot of data base work myself in those years and I can tell you it's not for dummies.
His book says he started out with nothing. That makes us even. We took two different paths. Success has different meanings to us. He says he wants people to play video poker smarter. I want people to play video poker happier. Doing what it takes to beat the casino is not a happy time. It's got to be hard lonely work. The pressure must be tough on you and the people around you. Why do you think they call it the "risk of ruin"?
Does he really want young people to follow in his footsteps? If it were me and I took his path in life, I would be happy with my millions and never mention it to anyone. This forum is one of the few places in the world where high stakes gamblers are turned into heroes. It's a very strange place indeed.
His book says he started out with nothing. That makes us even. We took two different paths. Success has different meanings to us. He says he wants people to play video poker smarter. I want people to play video poker happier. Doing what it takes to beat the casino is not a happy time. It's got to be hard lonely work. The pressure must be tough on you and the people around you. Why do you think they call it the "risk of ruin"?
Does he really want young people to follow in his footsteps? If it were me and I took his path in life, I would be happy with my millions and never mention it to anyone. This forum is one of the few places in the world where high stakes gamblers are turned into heroes. It's a very strange place indeed.
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- Video Poker Master
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See, there you go again: you telling people HOW to play video poker. And for the umpteenth time: QUIT BRINGING UP BOB DANCER. Your jealousy and obsession with him are reaching new heights.
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- Video Poker Master
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- Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2017 3:11 pm
Phil, please review again the terms of your previous suspension. Take a break from posting if necessary to reflect on it. You've said repeatedly that you wouldn't do what you are doing right now. Here we are, in the Recreational forum, ranting about Bob Dancer again. I don't think any action should be necessary. I've enjoyed your dialog since your return. But now you're quickly returning to the same old habits. Please self-correct. Thanks.
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- Video Poker Master
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- Joined: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:28 am
I will do my best.
During my life, I have had a multitude of leisure time activities. Fishing and boating have taken up most of my time. I have traveled all over the world in pursuit of game fish. I have fished in some places where few people have ever been. I have a USCG Captain's license. In my application, I documented over 3,500 hours behind the wheel of marine vessels from a 20' skiff to a 65' sport fishing yacht. I fished many tournaments and won my share. I can no longer fish or ride in a boat for longer than a few hours due to problems with my spine.
In my youth, I built and raced cars. I gave that up when I was burned in an accident back in the eighties. For a time, I was a competitive hand gun silhouette shooter. I also dabbled in model airplanes. I enjoy classic cars and have written about my TBird. My business interests consumed most of my thoughts during the day. My hobbies are a way to relax and escape from stress.
I first discovered casino gambling at a computer convention in Reo. I liked the excitement. I tried roulette and won $6,000 in one night. I gave it all back the next day. When I got older and my body aged, I couldn't race cars or ride up and down ocean waves. I had to give up bass fishing too. I started looking around for a hobby I could do that wouldn't be physically painful. I went back to a casino. A friend suggested video poker. He told me some people make money at the game. Like everything I do in life, I jumped in with both feet.
To answer your question specifically, there are many good things about playing video poker. I enjoy going with or meeting up with my friends. They are all about my age and we have much to talk about. We meet up every few hours and talk about our experience. My friends play slots as small as possible. I play video poker small because my money lasts longer. None of us goes to the casino expecting the make money. All we want is a pleasant atmosphere and a good time. The casino is a day's escape from the boredom of everyday life. I like puzzle games too. I play Candy Crush on my phone. My wife thinks I am addicted to the game and she may be right. I don't drink and I don't smoke, so I guess it could be worse.
There are some bad things about playing video poker. For me, the worst is losing money. I started out with nothing and worked hard all my life. When I lose money in a casino, I feel like I've been robbed and lied to. I was told the game was profitable, so why am I losing 9 out of 10 trips? I found out later that losing is part of winning. That fact doesn't make me feel any better.
When you hit your first $1,000 royal flush, it's exhilarating. One of the most exciting things I can remember was hitting my first $4,000 royal. That was the day I walked away with a $12,000 profit. Since that day back in 2008, I quit counting royals. My computer is full of royal photos. The problem is always the same, it costs more to hit one than you win. When you hate losing as much as I do, you start to look for a way out. I eventually learned to have fun while playing smaller.
I can afford to play $5 games. Aside from my losses, my biggest expense would be psychotherapy. There is a couple who used to play at the Hollywood Hard Rock when they still had 9/6 Jacks. We often sat next to them when we played. They played triple play dollars all day. I would occasionally ask them how they were doing. Most of the time, they were down many tens of thousands of dollars. I am sure they got a better parking place than we did and their lunch service was better. I imagine they had offers from casinos all over the country, were picked up and driven around in limos and went to free shows. The casino could give me a new Mercedes each year and I wouldn't suffer through those losses. I don't know if they were long term winners and I didn't care.
To me the casino is just like any other entertainment choice. I can go to a movie and eat dinner for the same money it costs me play single coin quarters all day. Do I miss hitting a big jackpot? Occasionally I do. To quench that thirst, I save out a few dollars at the end of the day for the dollar machines. This has worked out better than I expected.
Perhaps you can see how someone could enjoy a casino without taking big risks? It works for me and my friends.
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- Video Poker Master
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4/7/2020 Session One
Starting Credits - 41,063
Ending Credits - 45,263
Quad Ks, 5s, 9s, and another 4 aces w. kicker for 4,000 credits. At the present time I am ahead for the day with 4200 credits. Luck strikes again. I would love to take credit for being a super intelligent highly skilled player who can engineer video poker profit at will. Unfortunately, that person does not exist in my world.
Time for me to ask some questions. Do you believe my score is due to the game's odds? Would I still be ahead if the game was 97%? If I won consistently like this in a real casino, would they ban me or reduce my comps? If I was banned from playing on this website, would I still be a lifetime winner on it?
Starting Credits - 41,063
Ending Credits - 45,263
Quad Ks, 5s, 9s, and another 4 aces w. kicker for 4,000 credits. At the present time I am ahead for the day with 4200 credits. Luck strikes again. I would love to take credit for being a super intelligent highly skilled player who can engineer video poker profit at will. Unfortunately, that person does not exist in my world.

Time for me to ask some questions. Do you believe my score is due to the game's odds? Would I still be ahead if the game was 97%? If I won consistently like this in a real casino, would they ban me or reduce my comps? If I was banned from playing on this website, would I still be a lifetime winner on it?
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- Senior Member
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1) The increase in your score over the past week (1 winning session due to 2 jackpots) is extremely short term and almost entirely due to luck. If you keep up this experiment long enough, you will lose all of your credits, but I don't think you will keep it up that long.
2) You have not won "consistently" this week. You have one winning session out of several losing ones. The casino would not ban you for this. They would continue to offer you comp rooms and encourage you to keep playing knowing that you will not continue winning at this game in the long run.
3) You would be a lucky, short term, lifetime winner.
2) You have not won "consistently" this week. You have one winning session out of several losing ones. The casino would not ban you for this. They would continue to offer you comp rooms and encourage you to keep playing knowing that you will not continue winning at this game in the long run.
3) You would be a lucky, short term, lifetime winner.
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- Video Poker Master
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I was wondering, when casinos open again, whenever that is, does anyone think they may loosen the VP odds to get us back in? I think no is the answer, especially since they seem to be taking VP out anyway.
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- VP Veteran
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Car, I think the pay tables would stay the same but they may offer everyone $10 free play to come back.
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- Video Poker Master
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Not only is no a possible answer, there is at least a good likelihood it could go the other way, as many in casino management think that the road to larger profits is increasing the casino's edge. The concept of increasing their profits by reducing their edge, but attracting a much much higher amount of play seems foreign to them.Carcounter wrote: ↑Tue Apr 07, 2020 7:08 amI was wondering, when casinos open again, whenever that is, does anyone think they may loosen the VP odds to get us back in? I think no is the answer, especially since they seem to be taking VP out anyway.
Bob Dancer's latest Las Vegas Advisor article discusses this very issue.
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- Video Poker Master
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- Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:02 pm
Thanks. Well we are all getting used to not gambling for a while, so we'll see where this goes.