What to make of this?

[DaBurglar]

I just found this forum and I wanted to introduce myself by relating some stats I have accumulated over the years playing video poker;  first a bit of info about me and what these numbers mean... I am 44 y.o., single, & disabled (although I worked for 17 years and have a B.A. in Economics & Government, over the last 4 years my health has declined to such a level working full time is no longer the best thing for me so I am now self employed.)  I love games of all type, especially strategy, and of course I love video poker.  I have spent many years in and around Vegas, especially during the incredible "ride" from 1995 thru 2004, and all I can say is I miss the old Vegas!  I have also recently been to Atlantic city quite a bit, from 2009 to the present day I have spent an average of 5 days a month in AC.  I have also spent considerable time over the years in places like Reno, with a few visits thrown in to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Here are (Some of) the numbers I have collected regarding my time playing Video Poker, these represent almost all my time playing the game(s) of Video Poker, and the only reason I am able to share them with you is simply, I am a anal retentive, meticulous person by nature, a habit that has both pros and cons! lol  From early 2008 thru early 2010 (about 24 months) in Las Vegas, playing primarily at the Golden Nugget and Fitzgeralds (now called "D") in Downtown, I logged 476,500 hands of JOB 9/6 25cent max coin:  My net result was a positive cash amount of $2,955.75....the lowest point during this period was at the 10 month juncture when I was down almost $3,300 and the high point came during month 21 when I topped $4,100, but a lousy 23rd month landed me at the final total mentioned....8 Royals were hit...obviously if I include the comps I earned in this endeavor the final total "win" is higher, but I didnt attempt to quantify all the "free food, drinks and t-shirts & mugs" I accumulated (honestly, the food at the Fitz kinda sucked lol) From 2009 (February) thru May 2011 in Atlantic City, playing almost exclusively at the Hilton and Trump Plaza (in the last 7 months, Hilton AC got rid of all its 9/6 JOB 25 cent machines so it was ALL at Trump the last 7 months), I logged 459,100 hands and my net result was a NEGATIVE cash amount of $4,090.00!!!  After the third month I was up almost $900 but was never in the black after that and actually sunk to a low of $5,850 in the red before finishing at the loss above!!  A total of 5 Royals were hit, and since the comps in AC tended to be a handful of Free rooms instead of a bunch of cheap food and mugs and crap, I think I could accurately add $750 of winnings to my final total, but still.... Anyone care to speculate WHY I would have such dramatically different results in one market versus another?  I know my total hands played really ISNT much in the proverbial long run but it isnt exactly insignificant either.... I choose simply to believe this:  Veg

[DaBurglar]

Vegas rules!  AC....not so much

[Frank Kneeland]

I choose simply to believe this: 

Vegas rules!  AC....not so much What you have described is the perfectly normal expected and even inevitable results of the comparison of two events involving a random element. You parceled your AC and LV results into two separate categories and compared them mentally.  You played a game that's very close to break even where a positive result wasn't all that unlikely. The chances of having exactly equal results in both places over that much play are so unlikely as to be nearly impossible, and so you are left with one of your two possible choices as having "outperformed the other".  Welcome to the world of "no big surprise there".Let's say you dislike rain and prefer sunny days. Go over the last year of weather records and record the last digit in all the days where there was rain. Then tally the distribution of odd and even numbered days  in this data set. You will almost certainly find that you prefer odd or even numbered days because one or the other will have been sunnier. Does that mean that the numerical value of the day effects the weather? I think you can answer that one on your own.If you look for patterns you will find them. It's what our brains do best, even when they aren't really there.Oh, nice run on 9/6 JoB. Having that long of a winning streak on a negative game isn't all that likely. It's not extremely unlikely, but it is uncommon. Good job, and I'm especially pleased to hear about your careful and methodical play pace.You may not be making a living, but it seems you have achieved a reasonably priced hobby.  My main hobbies are sword fighting and wine making, I assure you I spend more on them than you do on VP.~FK

[edog743]

Sword fighting, I assume you have never lost because the loser usually dies.

[backsider]

You can't work full time and yet you travel to play almost a million hands of video poker?

[edog743]

four years 250, 000 hands a year. roughly 750 hands a day not that hard to do. 300 hands an hour. 2.5 hrs a day pretty easy to me. backsider do the math before you stick your foot in your mouth.

[Frank Kneeland]

Sword fighting, I assume you have never lost because the loser usually dies.I'm a member of Medieval reenactment clubs like the SCA and the Adrian Empire.~FK

[Frank Kneeland]

I just found this forum and I wanted to intorduce myself by relating
some stats I have accumulated over the years playing video poker;  first
a bit of info about me and what these numbers mean...

You know, sometimes we can be really stupid around here. This was practically your introductory post and no one greeted you properly.Welcome to our forum. And sorry for missing your newness earlier and not saying hi.It's always nice to have new folks to talk to.~Frank Kneeland

[Taurus]

Welcome to the forum DaBurglar!!  I too enjoy keeping stats.  I look forward to reading your future posts - hopefully, you will soon be posting about a nice run on Royals!!

[backsider]

four years 250, 000 hands a year. roughly 750 hands a day not that hard to do. 300 hands an hour. 2.5 hrs a day pretty easy to me. backsider do the math before you stick your foot in your mouth.
 That's pretty good work & travel most likely from a wheel chair. please do the reading before you throw out guesses.