My Best Recreational Money Management Strategy

[JoB Hero]

Did you prefer the machines where “all 4 of a kind pay 175 credits”? Or the bonus with aces? I found an 8/5 bonus poker for quarters at the riverside with the 175. I loved it.. never instantly blew through a $100

[FAA]

ATM scramble produced a -$250 (-$270 Net) last week, before a +$210 a few days later salvaged the week. I'd say never again. But realistically, I'm bound to backslide a couple more times this year. It's been an unlucky couple of years.

[billryan]

FAA,
A simple challenge to you.
Go back and read your posts from two months ago. Then read your posts from six months ago. Finally, go read them from a year ago.
Now, pretend someone else wrote them. Someone you care about and that you had no idea what they were going through.
What would your advice to that person be?

[FAA]

Never to enter any casino again. I can't reliably run my own intervention. Perhaps you can suggest an app?

[billryan]

Never to enter any casino again. I can't reliably run my own intervention. Perhaps you can suggest an app?

Let a couple loved ones read this.

[Vman96]

Did you prefer the machines where “all 4 of a kind pay 175 credits”? Or the bonus with aces? I found an 8/5 bonus poker for quarters at the riverside with the 175. I loved it.. never instantly blew through a $100

If I can find an 35/8/5 Bonus (99.66%) game, I'll definitely play. It's the game I play at my local if I'm looking to earn "more points". Where Phil plays though, they'll never give him 35/8/5 Bonus at quarters like my local does. It doesn't even exist in Vegas!!!

[FloridaPhil]

The best quarter game at my local casino is 7/5 Bonus Poker.  It's the older version that pays 400 coins for 4 Aces.  I have played the 175 coin quad version in Biloxi and I like it as well. My last Royal (shown below) was playing 6/5 Bonus Poker.  I prefer not to play 6/5, but I will play it if I have to.  Odds don't seem to matter that much to me, probably because I stay with quarters.   The big benefit of these games is the doubling of your money for two pair.  In the past I always considered Jacks or Bonus to be boring games, especially in quarters.  After ten years of going my own way, I decided to go with the experts. What I have determined so far is this.  You can approach Video Poker in two ways.  You can play it like a wheel of fortune or you can approach it systematically.  If you are a wheel of fortune player, you take pot shots, move your denomination up and down and generally play hoping luck is on your side.   You may convince yourself you are using a well thought out logical strategy, but it's still based on luck.  I played this way until late last year.   It's exciting to play this way, but costly.   If the excitement is worth the cost, do what you like.  Just be aware it costs you more money to play VP this way.The systematic approach is a long process.  You pick the best game you have available and learn to play it as computer perfect as you are able.  You play max coins and avoid changing games or denomination.  You will find you can play more hands this way and you will earn full value for all your jackpots.   After 3-4 hours of quarter Bonus Poker, I am tempted to take $100 and go for the gusto.   When this happens I don't think about the big jackpot I am going to hit, I think about what it will feel like when my $100 is gone in 5 minutes.   Do whatever works for you.I want to be able to play all day. so I take $400 when I go on one of my day trips.  Playing max coin quarter Bonus Poker ($1.25), I can play all day and have yet to lose it all.  I have hit three royals so far this year, which I am sure is why my attitude is good at the moment.   However, even when I don't hit a royal or 4 aces in a day, I don't lose much either.  In the past, it seemed I was always trying to catch up.  Falling behind caused me to panic and do foolish things.  I get behind playing Bonus Poker too, but not far enough to cause me to go on tilt.  I expect one day I will run into a day without a quad or a royal and lose $400.   The games I am playing are negative.  I expect to lose long term.  I'm OK with that as my cost to play is so small.  So far my experience with "grinding it out" VP has been excellent.   I will report my results on this forum so we can all see what happens.   I am not a VP expert or a high roller.  I am an average player with average skills and a quarter bankroll.   I don't live in Vegas and I don't play positive games with fantastic comps and cash back.  I don't think you are unintelligent or undisciplined for playing any way you want with your own money.  All I can do is tell you what happens when I play VP.If you are wondering why the counter is showing $698.50, I took this picture with my phone while the counter was still running.  I never put more than $20 in the machines at a time.

[FAA]

I was warned. But I have no damn patience for quarter JOB for hours if I'm not at least even. I lost $27 on it fast today and abandoned bank for dollar! I hit a max quad while on tilt in a nosedive. I returned later to find that the guy who took over a hot machine likely hit a RF. Progressive had reset and he was gone. Please shoot me.

[billryan]

I was warned. But I have no damn patience for quarter JOB for hours if I'm not at least even. I lost $27 on it fast today and abandoned bank for dollar! I hit a max quad while on tilt in a nosedive. I returned later to find that the guy who took over a hot machine likely hit a RF. Progressive had reset and he was gone. Please shoot me.


   With your luck, I'd miss.

[Waiting4RF]

FAA, you would have had to hit the deal and draw buttons at the exact same time as the winner did. Also, the winner could have been dealt a 3 of a kind but held the 3 to the royal instead.