Video Poker as a Hobby

[FloridaPhil]

My wife and I are avid video poker hobbyists and are thinking about posting information about the game from that prospective.   We can discuss the games and why we chose them, budget requirements, comps, odds, strategies, personal issues or anything else of interest to someone who would like to play VP as a hobby. Playing video poker as a family hobby is enjoyable, but it requires a different mind set than traditional gambling.   Anyone out there interested in talking about this?  If so, do you think it would be better on this website or separate?

[seemoreroyals]

My wife and I approach casino gambling similarly to you Phil. The casino industry was not built on winners and to think you can beat them at a game that is stacked in their favor is pure folly. All you can do is look for opportunities that exist and take advantage of them.

In our case we give almost all of our play to CET as they have a network of casinos located just about everywhere we wish to visit including a property less than 2 hours away from where we live. My wife is a 7 star cardholder and my level of play is at diamond. Year in and year out we lose money but it is an amount that we can live with that is less than the cost of owning a second home or holding a country club membership.

In exchange all of our lodging, food, concerts we attend, air transportation, and other freebies we get along the way are paid for. So to us it is a hobby. Until a better opportunity comes along we will remain loyal to CET. Overall it has been a very pleasant experience for us.

[FloridaPhil]

We don't expect to win either, but we come close most years.   To us, video poker is a fun way to spend time together, visit nice resorts and travel to pretty places. I play one day a week and we take 2-3 day VP trips at least once a month or so.  I think most players would be surprised to find we break even as much as we do.  They would also be surprised the comps we are able to obtain playing quarters.   Many guys I meet tell me their wife doesn't like gambling.  I think they really mean she doesn't like losing.  Playing as a team has a lot of advantages.  I believe there are people on this website who would benefit from some of this information, but are afraid to post.  Strategy discussions aside, I think a discussion like that would benefit a lot of players.When I discovered this website I found it helpful, but everything was viewed from the prospective of a professional player.  I was told that odds and comps were everything and betting bigger was the only way to gain an advantage.  Odds are important, but not as much as some players believe.  Good odds let you play longer with the same money not make jackpots appear with any greater frequency.  I believed you had to risk huge stakes to win.  I found out later that this only makes your loses bigger.Over the years we weeded through the hype and pulled out the information that was most helpful to us.  I think players spend too much time searching for the secret magic that will make them a winner, when all they have to do is learn one game well and have the discipline to stick to it.  There is no need to wager a ton of money playing VP.  There are plenty of ways you can spend your money other than on memories. 

[wilcoxfun]

I really enjoy going to the casino with my wife. We play for a few hours and often we end up very close to even. I love it when I leave with enough winnings to get my haircut. Last week we had a great supper at steakhouse and it was using our credits so only cost was a tip.

[FloridaPhil]

VP is our only recreation.  All our vacations revolve around video poker and we try to play as much as we can.  We both keep separate bankrolls as we have different styles of play.  My wife takes the traditional approach and plays max coin quarters all the time.  Rarely does she go higher.  I change to 50 cents or dollars whenever I double my money.  Over time, her bankroll is pretty level where mine takes wild swings.  I also play slots once in a while, so this adds to my challenges.Playing quarters works well for us.  We never lose enough to cause pain and we get an amazing amount of comps from our quarter play.   We keep much larger bankrolls than necessary as a kind of a mental security blanket. The challenge is finding decent quarter odds.  We both prefer single line deuces wild and prefer a minimum of 98.9% odds.  Many casinos in the southeast do not offer these odds in quarters, so we concentrate our play where they do.  If we are forced to play lesser odds, we'll play for 2-3 hours and move on.Over the years our bankroll swings are never more than $5K a year between us.  Considering the amount we play, the free rooms, drinks and food, we think this is a bargain.  VP can be a great couples hobby and something you both can enjoy together.  We believe many marriages would benefit from that kind of activity.The idea that you need to risk big money to win at video poker is misleading.   Casinos love small time players and are more than willing to make your visit pleasurable.  To make it profitable, you need to pick the right casino and play the right games accurately.   The formula is the same if you play quarters or $100 a coin. 

[FAA]

As Frugal FAA can attest. If you find a hot machine, CS it for hours or try for a quick killing. Dilemma of a small bankroll. Options limited.

[olds442jetaway]

For the Mrs. and I, going to the casino together especially for overnights keeps us from going in crazy directions dealing with all kinds of things. At the casino, most things are forgotten at least for the time you are there. The fun parts are dinner together, the cell phone calls to each other when one of us hits something, hitting the stores a little, and of course the overnights in a room where everything is already done for you and you don't have to do laundry, answer or listen to junk phone calls, read through piles of junk mail, or be bothered in general. The time flys by. Neither of us can believe how fast when it is time to go home comes around. Running into new or interesting people is also fun. In fact, last week I had no idea I was playing vp next to a very famous author. When she realized she left her cell phone at another machine, she panicked and ran off without cashing out her ticket. I saved it from a con who trolls looking for tickets sticking out of machines and I snatched up quickly and placed in my tray in full camera view. An hour later she came back and of course I gave her the ticket. She never expected it to be there. Some other kind soul had saved her phone for her too. We then exchanged names, greetings, and interests, and that is when I found out who she was. I also met her husband. Both super people and very down to earth. Funny thing is when I told her I had two unfinished sci fi books I had written years ago, she insisted I finish them and let her know when they were done. That was a direct order from her. They also met my Mrs. She and her other half have homes on the water on the cape and also in Fla. Would be nice to visit either some day. Anyway, the point is, these are some of the good points of this frustrating yet exciting and stressful and stressless hobby.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=olds442jetaway]At the casino, most things are forgotten at least for the time you are there.[/quote]My wife has been a Realtor for a long time and it's a very stressful occupation.  There's always something going wrong and the phone rings constantly.  I got her into video poker and she loves it because it's an escape from the grind of her career.   She's been trying to back off for a while now, but her clients keep calling.  She'll probably keep going until they all die or she does.  When that day comes, we don't want to say "We should have spent more time playing video poker."  

[case]

FloridaPhil
Take care in next couple days dealing with the hurricane. I know you are in land but it looks like it might cover most of Florida. Keeps us informed.

[billryan]

This month's AARP newsletter has an article on casinos targeting seniors.
One thing I found interesting is by using MRIs, they determined playing slots effects seniors differently than younger players. For the article, they lump video poker into the slots category.
Changes in anatomy and chemical reactions in the brain may render older players particularly vulnerable to machines.
One in eleven seniors admit to spending more in casinos than they can afford to lose. One has to wonder what the real number is if so many will admit it.
They also discuss how compulsive gambling is a regular side effect of medicines many seniors take.
I found it fairly interesting, and a bit eye opening