Winning Play Strategy/System

[olds442jetaway]

Below is the simple explanation for the way I play most of the time. Remember though, last year was a disaster for me. Not because my Martingale Clone didn't produce periods of being ahead a nice chunk, but because I did not cash out samller wins like ten bucks or so and keep them in case the method busted me later in the day. Also, my goal was to be 1k ahead for the session which is way too much for a quarter game. I posted below somewhere how I had been ahead between 300 and 900 many many times during the session only to go home a loser. All of these games are like a sine curve only the snake is tilted down a little and not in our favor. Here goes.

1. First pick a game that has a premium hand that will return at least 100 times your bet and long term should show up every 2,000 to 5,000 hands. That way, since most of our sessions fall into that range, you have a good shot of hitting that premium hand or others at least once before you pack it in. For simplicity, I will just choose regular Deuces Wild due to its fairly low variance and how often the deuces quads are scheduled to hit. I usually check the Wizard paytables first if I have any doubts. My method is designed strictly for single line games, though I have also had success with it on 3 line games. Variance is higher though and you need a bigger bankroll.

2. The goal, like Phil is to be even or so for the session. The big hits will come on their own once in awhile. The goal also is to have fun and not get bored by zombie playing the same thing for 8 or 10 hours. I usually do not vary the game itself or switch to other games, but I see where that could come in handy especially going between bouns, DB, DDB or even TDB.

3. It helps a lot to find a machine with a good or at least decent paytable that lets you not only bet more that 5 quarters and also to switch denominations within the same game. Luckily, Mohegan Sun offers both. Though I prefer playing Double Down Stud over regular draw poker, most people do not have access to that game, so my example here is for draw poker.

4. Start by playing 1 unit ( 1 quarter for most of us ). Stay at that level until you have lost one hundred quarters remembering to cash out all tickets that put you 10 bucks to the good. After you do cash out that small winning ticket, the easiest way to proceed is to drop in another hundred and start all over like you just got there.

5. Once you lose a hundred quarters, you start betting 2 quarters. Any time you win a little at that level so that is brings your loss to less than 100 quarters, return to betting 1 and remembering to cash out those winning ten buck tickets. If you are in a dud cycle while betting two, and lose another 200 quarters ( remember you are betting 50 cents a hand now ) start betting 3 quarters. Anytime you win a little you money wise are back to where you were somewhere in that 200 quarter play, return to that level betting 2 and if the machine is still hitting and gets you back to where you have lost less than 100 quarters, drop your bet back to 1.

6. Most times, hitting one of the premium hands will make you a winner for the day. If not, make sure to return to a lower bet level depending on how much that hand gave you. For players with a big bankroll, you can play the same way except start at 5 quarters in case you happen to catch a Royal.

7. This method might be a little too conservative for most, but it keeps my losses down. You can seed it up by making your bet change point at half the loss of this way, but your bets will get higher faster. You also have the potential for much bigger wins. Good luck. One final note. Most players will not want to bet 4 after they have lost the required amount at betting 3 in case the Royal shows. I don't worry about it since I rarely hit Royals anymore so I just pretend they don't exist for me. I know betting 4 instead of 5 is a real no no, but I am concentrating on hitting that premium hand some levels below the Royal I just forget about it. At least on Double Down Stud Deuces Wild or Bonus Deuces Wild which I usually play, getting dealt deuces quads with 5 in still gives me a grand. Good luck and health to all....Olds....

[OTABILL]

i will throw my two cents in. the way the paytables are now, the way the comps have been reduced, there is only one way to break even or win....luck. you need luck if you have a system and you need luck if you always bet the same amount.    you are not supposed to win over the long haul. even our esteemed expert from vegas, who plays the best machines, knows most of the games/odds better than most of us, admits that it has gotten more difficult. and, most of us are forced to play inferior machines.  it is a game, have fun, be disciplined, know your limitations and your loss limit.

Absolutely correct

[olds442jetaway]

Can't argue that point at all....

[wildman49]

Olds442, The game I use is Bonus Poker Deluxe. It pays 80 coins per one coin bet  when the 4 of a kind hits. Its easy to pay without any real thought. Find a 10 coin max bet machine, put in a $20 (80 coins) play one coin (25 cent) at a time. Lose your $20 put in another 20 spot then bet 2 coins. Keep this going till 4 of a kind hits. We also have 20 coin nickles with this game ,one could go up 20 steps if they want to play cheap.Cash out on the 4 of a kind hit and start over. You will not get rich but will rack up comp points and play very cheap.You could put in a 100 bill play 5 coins per had, once you burn your 400 coins then put in  $20 at a time and raise  your bet one coin to 6, burn that 80 coins put in another $20 raise to 7 and so on, if the 4 of a kind don't hit and your out 800 coins ($200) you would have to move to $1 play and start at $3 per hand. One would need a big bank roll to play this way, but I have found that the 4 of a kinds hits very often in this game for whatever reason. Any 4 of a kind odds are to hit about every 423 hands.Jackpot Frequencies
Odds


Royal Flush dealt
1 / 650,000


Royal Flush ending hand
1 / 40,000


Four of a kind
1 / 423


Four Aces
1 / 5,761


Four Aces with a kicker
1 / 16,236


Four Deuces
1 / 4,909


2’s – 4’s
1 / 2,601


2’s – 4’s with a kicker
1 / 6,984


Full House
1 / 90


Flush
1 / 85


Straight
1 / 80


Straight Flush
1 / 9,150


 

[olds442jetaway]

I have played it and like that game too. I did play a progression similar to yours. I got stung a couple of times when I had no quads in 5 or 6 hours of play. The 2 pair paying 1 huts if no quads come in, but I like the game pretty well and in fact posted something similar to yours some time ago. I can play that one for nickels at Mohegan Sun.
     I guess the reason I like Double Down Stud Bonus Deuces Wild better is there are 8 or so nice premium hands I can hit on that game and do well. In draw poker, you have to rely on the quads or the elusive ( at least for me ) Royal.
     I have found this in spite of what the math experts say. Flat betting all of the time is usually a disaster. IMO, you only need a few hits with a losing progression to make up for all of the prior losses. You will bust once in awhile, but I bust every time flat betting. The key like anything is not to get greedy and I agree that cashing and keeping small tickets helps in case of a bust later in the day.
     Edited to add...If Bob D can't win based strictly on cash in and cash out with his own money, ( not counting free play ) that tells me all there is to know about winning long term just flat betting.

[Vman96]

The way Bob wins is he gains more comps/cash back than what he expects to lose playing the actual game. In vegas you can pull this off much easier than other places.

[FloridaPhil]

I totally get this.  For example, in the casinos where we play there is no such thing as "cash back" and the comps are mostly free food, drinks and overpriced hotel rooms. In Florida they also don't allow video poker play to count on multi-point days and most of the games are in the 96% range.  There is no way to beat these odds unless you get lucky on a pot shot or two.  Given this situation, the best strategy is to play as cheaply as possible, try to break even for the day and take a high denomination pot shot with any of your day's winnings. If you play this way and get lucky, you can have a decent year or two or three....  

[alpax]

That is very much the dilemma that most recreational players face when they are geographically situated outside of the Vegas jurisdiction.

I get cashback at a meager rate of 0.02 or 0.05% with an additional 0.10% going towards comps towards food/resort amenities/gift shop. On point multiplier days on a random midweek day, VP is excluded. What is key about Vegas casinos is that cashback rate is higher and it is included for multipliers. It scales along with play so there is no need for a personal stop limit when you have the advantage.

Most tribal casino mailers are graded on a curve based on play and are awarded on a weekly basis. I personally have experienced levels of $15/25/30/40/50/75, and that covers a big big range of coin in. I do not know how much the 10-line $1 video slot players get (they'll lose extremely big). Free play is supposed to cover some gap of the theoretical losses, but the more you play, the less free play becomes relevant as it scales downward and not constant like a good cash back system would. It is vital (if possible that travel expenses) to break a long session into many smaller weekly ones to get as much free play as possible.

The best promotions like additional free play, slot/blackjack tournaments, and giveaways are held during a mid-weekday afternoon, which is the most inconvenient time for majority people. In addition, it is hard to find good pay tables at the quarter denomination so a larger bankroll requirement is necessary to last longer.

[onemoretry]

Tell me why you disagree when VP is a negative game? Everyone knows that VP is a negative game and the only way that you stand a chance of walking out a winner is with perfect play and or good luck. Over the long run you will always end up a loser.In order to have any kind of a edge or chance of winning over the long run a person needs to have some sort of a good system/ Strategy. As another good example, check out Florida Phils single coin system, he has had real good success with it.
A betting system does have some benefits, and Florida Phil has pointed them out.

What a system cannot do, however, particularly in the long run, is change the game's return. So, to suggest that changing denominations or the number of credits wagered can turn a negative game into a positive one is wishful thinking.

[olds442jetaway]

Yes, it is wishful thinking long term, but I would rather take home some samll or sometimes decent wins on almost every trip and give it all back on one bad run on another day than come home a loser on almost every trip. That way, if I meet my cronies at the local diner, I can justify ordering ham or bacon with my eggs instead of just the daily special with coffee for 3.49. I am fortunate in that regard since I go out to breakfast every day I am not at the casino and have a choice of 8 places less than 10 minutes from home. All of them really good too and everything made from scratch. Ordering the bacon at a buck seventy five extra bothers me if I was a loser at the casino the day before. I know that is crazy, but that is how my mind works. I won't drive 20 miles to save a dime a gallon on gas though, but that is only because the casino is for now paying for it.