Machine Surfing?

[FloridaPhil]

I am a recreational player and have been playing Video Poker for about 8 years. I play at the Florida Hard Rocks about 3-4 times a month and Biloxi about 3-4 times a year.  My Biloxi stays are 3 days of almost constant play. I have had my share of jack pots but these days I find mysef playing .25 games to keep from losing too much money between my wins.   I can play .25 cent low volitility games forever without any real damage.  My favorite game is Deuces Wild and my day usually depends upon whether I get 4 deuces or not.  I really miss the days when I used to play $1 DDB.  It's such a kick to win $400, $800 or even $2,000, but playing this game causes me too lose my backroll so fast I can't enjoy the day.  Lately, I have been using a new strategy and it seems to be working.  My session bankroll is about $300-$400 a session. I like to play for about 3-4 hours at a time max.  I start by playing $50 in .25 deuces.  After that's gone.  I walk around the casino and pick machines at random.  I put in $20 and play DDB .50 until the $20's gone.  Most times the machine eats my $20 and it's over.  After about 3-4 tries, I find a machine that's paying or go back to .25 deuces. It's amazine how many times I have hit 4 of a kind surfing the DDB machines. Sometimes I hit two before my $20 is up.   I know the RNG is generating numbers at random, but it seems that if I'm going to hit a hot machine, it shows up right away.  What do you think about this?

[vpwillis]

I think if it works for you then thats all that matters. Good luck and have fun...........

[Lucky Larry]

Phil,
We feel your pain... Lower pay tables... less hits...less $ to play...playing less volatile games.

Moving from machine to machine is one option but the hits still depend on the nano second that you hit the button. We have tried the same strategy of moving around machines but we now mainly rely on changing the games on the same machine, getting up for a break during a "cold streak" or changing our approach - hitting the deal/draw button or the screen=anything to change our timing.

LL

[shadowman]

No matter what you do ... it will change. Whatever works now will stop working sometime in the future. Whatever isn't working now will start working sometime in the future. Enjoy the good streaks when they occur.

[ansoda]

I'm all for taking a break. Last week I was at the Tampa hard rock. Played bonus poker(not volitile)for about an hour+. No big hits, but enough to keep in the game. Took a lunch break, strolled, and went back to same machine. Within 30 minutes, hit a club royal on a 3 card hold, delt straight flush, and drew  to 2 4Ks! Cashed out at $1440, and was out de door. not bad for $40 in free play. This taking a break thing has been working well for me in several trips now. BUT.... YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GUTS TO LEAVE ... at the first sign of going cold.

[Eduardo]

I'm all for taking a break. Last week I was at the Tampa hard rock. Played bonus poker(not volitile)for about an hour+. No big hits, but enough to keep in the game. Took a lunch break, strolled, and went back to same machine. Within 30 minutes, hit a club royal on a 3 card hold, delt straight flush, and drew  to 2 4Ks! Cashed out at $1440, and was out de door. not bad for $40 in free play. This taking a break thing has been working well for me in several trips now. BUT.... YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE GUTS TO LEAVE ... at the first sign of going cold.

Nice to see you, ansoda. It's been a while since I've seen you post.

[ansoda]

Thanks Eduardo. Took a leave from vp for a time and played in some of the contests, but not much else. I keep a watch on you guys though,just to make sure you stay in line. Really miss CDs wit.
I think that the poor paytables and introduction of "sucker bet " games at the casinos has taken the edge off (for me anyway) of real vp. All the best to you and Shadow.    Ansoda

[royal flush]

nice hits

[FloridaPhil]

Went to the Hard Rock in Brighton on Labor Day.  It's a tiny little Indian Casino near the City of Okeechobee.  Played deuces for about 2 hours with nothing much happening. Once in a while I would throw $20 in DDB .50 just for fun. On about the third try I hit 4 Aces with a kicker for $1,000.  Machine surfing is working for me at the moment. 

[ansoda]

good going!
will be in palm beach next week for a short time. Plan to hit the hollywood hard rock at some point. Have you been there recently, and if so , do they have any decent vp and if so, where in the casino. Haven't been there in years. I think its the closest one to Palm Beach.Thanks