Don't get behind..

[FloridaPhil]

I just completed my forth trip playing one coin quarters.  I've yet to have a winning session, but I've cut my losses to about $20 a trip and increased my playing time to 3-4 hours a session.   I am enjoying playing video poker more than ever.  I don't have that depressed feeling when I leave with empty pockets.  Now, I leave with cash in my pockets and it feels sooo good.  One thing I've learned about playing at low denominations.  When playing max coins it's very easy to get substantially behind especially playing DDB.  When you take $300 into the casino and you're down $200 you start making dumb decisions in an attempt to catch up.   Things just get worse from there.  If you play single coin quarters, you can start with $100 and you never get to the panic stage.  The worse thing that happens is you lose $100.  According to my figures, I'm actually up over $800 from my max coin play over the last 4 sessions and I lost all four times. 

[mammajamma]

I just took my calculator and tossed it in the trash. It's definitely not working.

[FloridaPhil]

OK.  I lost $300 a week over the 4 weeks previous to switching to single coin quarters.   You do the math.. 

[FloridaPhil]

What I've actually done is switch to nickel play.  8/5 DDB single coin quarters is a 95.5% game.  I think that's about the same as full coin nickel pay where it's available. For me, the secret to enjoying video poker is to have the denomination to a level where I don't give a damn if I win or lose.  Then, it's about the game itself and having a good time.  It took me a long time and a lot of money to get this into my head.  Hope it helps someone else who may be struggling with this issue.  

[Vman96]

What I've actually done is switch to nickel play.  8/5 DDB single coin quarters is a 95.5% game.  I think that's about the same as full coin nickel pay where it's available.

Not really, in decent markets anyway. I can play 8/5 DDB for nickels (or pennies!) w/Super Times Pay in St. Louis for max coin. That's the game roveer plays for quarters to dollars and returns 97.06% max. Even today I briefly played 50/8/5 DDB w/Quick Quads (97.14%) at Four Winds in Michigan for pennies.

In crappier markets, if 7/5 DDB is the best offered for nickels, then yeah, playing just one credit of 8/5 DDB quarters is almost the same expected return.

However, at many casinos today, short playing a higher denomination can be a better play than max betting the lower denomination. It definitely is this way at my two nearest casinos between the quarter and nickel level (~99% vs ~97%).

[FloridaPhil]

In the South East the lower denomination odds are pretty similar. 8/5 Jacks and 8/5 DDB are about the norm for quarters.  The Beau Rivage in Biloxi has the worse odds at 7/5, but you can find 8/5 if you look around the casino.  The main reason I play single coin quarters is to keep my losses to a minimum.  At these odds playing 800 hands an hour, your losses add up quickly.   No number of royals or quad aces will ever overcome negative odds long term and that's a fact...  
 
I could play for free on my PC or on this website, but it's just not the same.  I could also switch to regular slots, but I find them extremely boring and I have no idea what the odds are.  Video Poker is a very challenging game that I enjoy very much.  I can learn to play as perfect as possible and at 25 cents a spin, it's one of the best entertainment bargains around.   

[Vman96]

Yeah, Beau Rivage has terrible odds. It baffles me why anyone would play VP there. Other Biloxi locations seem a lot more promising via VPFree2.

Although it would be probably a significantly longer drive for you, but playing for cheap is a little easier in Tunica. The Roadhouse has 9/5 DDB (with optional Double Super Times Pay bet) for as cheap as 2c credits. And Fitz also offers 9/5 DDB for nickels. And 9/6 DDB exists for 5-play nickels at Horseshoe or 1-play quarters at Roadhouse. Roadhouse even used to offer 40/10/6. :( But Cherokee is 3 hours closer to Tampa though than Tunica is. :(

I'm fortunate I am a ~decent casino market. I just go to Tunica a lot for the comped booze...lol

[FloridaPhil]

I'm on my way to Cherokee the week after next. The last time I was there they had 9/5 DDB quarters.  Nice place.  The main reason the Beau Rivage odds are so bad is that they fly you there for free and give you free rooms and food.  It's a great hotel and we love it, but if they don't fix the odds they are going to lose me.  I don't think they care because their regular customers will play anything that's in front of them.  I found 9/6 Jacks quarters at the new Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville and the Island View has 9/6 quarter Jacks at the bar.   9/6 Jacks in quarters is about as close to 100% as you are going to get around here.  Never been to Tunica.  I'll have to try it sometime.