Cashing out during a hot streak. What do you do?

[OTABILL]

What's a hot streak? Hadn't seen a real one in years prior to our sabbatical due to too much smoke in local casinos.

[FAA]

What's a hot streak?---------------------------I see one on 50% or more of my visits. The key is to fully exploit the hot streak and leave when even 25% of those profits have vaporized. Not 99%, not 75%.

[POKERKAT]

If I start with a $20 in a machine and it has a good run, I'll cash it out at $100 and put in another $20. If it sucks up that $20 (sometimes $40), I figure the streak is done for that session/machine. I play nickles, quarters and occasionally dollars. This does seem to help me control giving back all the money at one time.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=pokerrat]If I start with a $20 in a machine and it has a good run, I'll cash it
out at $100 and put in another $20. If it sucks up that $20 (sometimes
$40), I figure the streak is done for that session/machine. [/quote]As mostly a recreational quarter player, I agree with this strategy.  If you value your session results on an individual basis as I do, your cash out level is critical.   If you consider all your play as one continuous life long game, I agree it doesn't matter.  Cash out at the end of your life and count your chips... 

[Lucky Larry]

The original question was centered on what "you" do when on a hot streak. I'm sure many of us have continued to play until we lose much or all of it back; or we continue the ride as it grows; or in a money management move we cash out and recommit a new amount putting back a certain amount. In the case I described my timing with the machine had been in sink but then I lost the timing after I cashed out. This was not the first time.

Side note:
Since I play this machine much of the time, I can confirm it can be tempermental. Part of the issue, as I understand from the slot tech's, is that the fans in this bank of machines are too small for cooling the machine causing it to heat up or slow down operations. Often after lots of continuous play banging away players will notice the slow down, screen configuration issues, etc. Stop playing and let them cool down and the problems disappear. While I doubt the heat issue could affect the RNG I don't have the technical background or expertise to know if this could impact the operations. Anyone know?

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=Lucky Larry]While I doubt the heat issue could affect the RNG I don't have the
technical background or expertise to know if this could impact the
operations. Anyone know?[/quote]Larry, this is an interesting question.  Over my years as a computer tech I have seen many instances where the CPU or the motherboard would heat up and cause problems.  Usually this is due to a faulty fan or dust build up blocking the cooling.  Under these conditions the speed of the CPU could be affected.  I suppose this may have some affect on the numbers being generated.  The CPU is so fast that I doubt there is any way to notice a difference in the cards being dealt.  I also doubt hard play by humans could cause this condition, but it could exacerbate it.   I suspect it's due more to maintenance or hardware issues.   From my observation, some VP games (computers) are pretty old and are probably being patched up with spare parts.

[Tedlark]

Double L are you heavy breathing on the machine???

[alpax]

While I doubt the heat issue could affect the RNG I don't have the technical background or expertise to know if this could impact the operations. Anyone know?

I can say for modern day computing systems from 10 years back to now, the machine will shutoff itself as a precautionary measure to prevent further damage.

If there is too high of a threshold for heat, things will slow down as you've suspected or if it reached its capacity, it will fry up in smoke (law of thermodynamics) and no longer function.

[Lucky Larry]

Ted, if I thought that would help create a "hot streak" I'd try that too.

Phil and Alpax, based on the frequent shut-down of the machines - including locking up/freezing the screen I'm guessing the heat build up must be having an impact. The interesting thing is these are machines that replaced old Game Kings which rarely had a problem.   

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=Lucky Larry]The interesting thing is these are machines that replaced old Game Kings which rarely had a problem. [/quote]Sure.  Like Alpax said, the newer machines have software protection that shuts down the computer if the CPU is overheating.  Also, the hardware is new and not clogged up with dust.Playing VP faster or longer will not affect this issue.  I have worked on many network servers running 24/7/365.  This requires a lot more CPU activity than picking 5 numbers each time you hit a button.  It's caused mostly by age, maintenance or power issues.I do find it interesting that some players report their results are different on the newer machines.  It is possible that the speed of these new CPUs might change the timing of the numbers selected, but I doubt the long term results would change. This is total conjecture on my part and would need to be confirmed or denied by a mathematical rocket scientist.  This assumes you don't subscribe to conspiracy theories, which I do not.