My video poker strategy. It has served me well.

[Nudgra]

Having just returned from a recent Las Vegas  trip. I have had time to crunch the numbers from my last 10 visits, and have done reasonably well with this VP strategy.First this is not a way to play the games. Doing research as to how to read pay tables, how to find the good paying machines, and the proper strategy for each game is well documented (Bob Dancer, Avery Cozad, Wizard of odds, etc) and practicing these on free software is essential.My strategy is a form of money management that seems to work well for meThe advent of multi-game - multi-denomination machines makes this easier. I will take my bankroll , (typically $400 per day)and do not exceed this. I will find a full pay machine (got to get off the strip) and start out at the quarter level with a game with a low variance . I usually pick 8/5 Bonus game which has a 20.90 variance. I will put in a twenty. sometimes it just sucks it away like a vaccuum, but will often get you enough win ( i chose double $40) then I will switch to a game with a higher variance such a Double Bonus (28.25 variance) I will play this back down to the original $20 or, if I should get a quad that will get me near $100 then I will play this game at the dollar level until I am back down to the original twenty, but occasionally will get a big win ( the last trip I hit a $500 st flush and in the past as much as $2000) I am still looking for the 4 grand royal, but it has not happened yet. Once I play down to the original twenty, I switch back to the original game and amount. This does not always come out a winner, but I seem to be usually able to play a long time with the original bankroll. After ten trips to Vegas using this strategy , my Vegas account is ahead $700 , not a fortune to be sure and at times I lose the whole bankroll, but usually come home with some of it , and occasionally ahead. But always have a great time being able to play with the money lasting longer and keeping me in the game. Hope there are a few tips here that may help someone.

[shadowman]

A betting strategy cannot change the return of a VP game. That is a mathematical fact. What it often does is increase variance. That means it takes longer to get to the expected return.
 
By starting with a low variance game you somewhat reduce the variance. Your biggest losses come slower when you are having a bad streak. But, the fact remains, playing a progression is no different than playing X hands at one denomination and Y hands at the next and so forth. It only seems different. Also, by playing at higher denominations only with winnings you reduce the chances of hitting a bad streak that would devour your bankroll.


The fact you play the best games is likely the biggest factor in your success.

[marie meijer]

Thank you for your interesting post, Nudgra. I have a similar compulsion. Set X amount to play per day. Or X amount to withdraw from ATM per day when not at home casinos. (ATMs are off limits when playing home casinos. I force myself to leave when I run out of my bankroll. This is very hard at first but then eventually becomes habitual! This enhances my self respect. LOL) I do better starting out at .25 or .50 and then going up when I win...and back down to lower denom when I start losing on playing $. Whenever, I start out playing higher, I tend to lose my bankroll too fast and regret being so greedy in the beginning.

[Lucky Larry]

Welcome to the forum Nudgra.

While Sweet C prefers high volatility games DDB, TDB, and Dbl BDW, I prefer playing high pay return low volatility games like NSUD, 9/6 JOB, and 8/5 Bonus for 25¢/50¢. When playing multi-hand 5¢, about 90% of the time I'll play low volatility DW, DWB, and 9/6 DDB only giving TDB and Dbl BDW a few hands to hit or I'm out.

My strategy is to stay in the game long enough for the big hits.

[jm002546]

Thank you for your interesting post, Nudgra. I have a similar compulsion. Set X amount to play per day. Or X amount to withdraw from ATM per day when not at home casinos. (ATMs are off limits when playing home casinos. I force myself to leave when I run out of my bankroll. This is very hard at first but then eventually becomes habitual! This enhances my self respect. LOL) I do better starting out at .25 or .50 and then going up when I win...and back down to lower denom when I start losing on playing $. Whenever, I start out playing higher, I tend to lose my bankroll too fast and regret being so greedy in the beginning.Enhancing your self respect is essential to enjoying your play, at least, for most of us. 

[backsider]

A betting strategy cannot change the return of a VP game. That is a mathematical fact. What it often does is increase variance. That means it takes longer to get to the expected return.
 
By starting with a low variance game you somewhat reduce the variance. Your biggest losses come slower when you are having a bad streak. But, the fact remains, playing a progression is no different than playing X hands at one denomination and Y hands at the next and so forth. It only seems different. Also, by playing at higher denominations only with winnings you reduce the chances of hitting a bad streak that would devour your bankroll.


The fact you play the best games is likely the biggest factor in your success.
 Geez, whats wrong with someone reporting something they tried with excitement and why rain on his sunny day? I didnt see the guy say he was trying to alter the return of a game, so all those theories you believe in are safe and sound. i saw him say he has found a way to manage what he does that helps him play longer and have a better chance of coming out a winner. Lets give the fellow some encouragement and keep the "id never do something like that because of whatever"scolding to a minimum please.  

[jm002546]

  Looked to me like he was telling him it was already raining and he might be making it rain harder.  I guess you took it quite otherwise.

[shadowman]

[QUOTE=shadowman]A betting strategy cannot change the return of a VP game. That is a mathematical fact. What it often does is increase variance. That means it takes longer to get to the expected return.
 
By starting with a low variance game you somewhat reduce the variance. Your biggest losses come slower when you are having a bad streak. But, the fact remains, playing a progression is no different than playing X hands at one denomination and Y hands at the next and so forth. It only seems different. Also, by playing at higher denominations only with winnings you reduce the chances of hitting a bad streak that would devour your bankroll.


The fact you play the best games is likely the biggest factor in your success.
 
Geez, whats wrong with someone reporting something they tried with excitement and why rain on his sunny day? I didnt see the guy say he was trying to alter the return of a game, so all those theories you believe in are safe and sound. i saw him say he has found a way to manage what he does that helps him play longer and have a better chance of coming out a winner. Lets give the fellow some encouragement and keep the "id never do something like that because of whatever"scolding to a minimum please.   [/QUOTE]


 
Once again backsider goes all Gilda Radner on us. I never said anything "scolding" whatsoever. I simply pointed out a few facts that might interest some people.

[EDC1977]

  Many of us know that the math doesn't lie but people do.

[royal flush]

taking longer to reach the expected return can be good on the games below 100% as the player can hit a big hand while playing the higher denomination this can give the player the hope that he has found the magic to "beat the game" hope springs eternal