Multiple short sessions vs long sessions odds

[Disputationes]

Does it make any difference if you play a single long session or if you start a new session several times in a row?

I ask because I have thought that I may as well put in all the money I plan on using at once instead of putting in little chunks at a time, but I don't actually know if having a single long session improves your odds vs starting a new one repeatedly.

[onemoretry]

Your lifetime of video poker playing is one long session. From a game return point of view, it doesn't really matter how you artificially divide it up.

[case]

Put all your money in and get comfortable! It makes no difference as machines are random.

[KingofAmerica]

I'm not a "feeder," I put all my $ in up front, and if I want to stop I just cash out and move to a different machine.

[olds442jetaway]

I prefer to put everything in at the beginning of a session. That way, you know exactly where you stand as the day goes on. If you are constantly feeding twenties to the machine, you might lose track of things. There are a couple of downsides though to going all in. If you have a poor memory, you might just get up and walk away and forget to cash out. You are also a bigger target for beggars and hookers because they usually prey on those who have substantial credits in the machine. This is especially true late at night. I agree with the above. You only have one session in a lifetime of play, so math wise, it makes no difference. Many believe in machine hopping and in fact, I have had some success with it myself. You can't really relax though doing this and it does cut down on your total hands played for the day. I used to think like many that when something good hits on your machine, cash out and don't go back to that machine since it will now turn ice cold. That does happen sometimes, but over the years, I have hit Royals or other super hands by sitting down and playing a machine that someone just cashed out a big hit on. The mind plays tricks on us all of the time. When things are cold, we always look for a reason or something to blame it on other than the math just taking its course over infinity.

[FAA]

I'm not a "feeder," I put all my $ in up front, and if I want to stop I just cash out and move to a different machine.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Very disciplined players can do this. But most of us succumb to the losing on a cold streak or flat out reverse ATM machine!

[DAAnMAAn]

I'm another that puts all my session bankroll in and gets comfortable. Easier to keep track that way imo. As I understand, each spin has the same odds and independent of the other spins, so whether you play 8 separate one hour sessions totaling say, 6500 hands... or one long 8 hour session totaling 6500 hands, it's all the same.I also very rarely move machines or jump around machine to machine. If the buttons and lighting are good, and nobody is bothering me, I'll stay at that machine for hours sometimes. Sometimes I will see 10 or more people jump to the machine next to me in the span of an hour or two, put in whatever they put in, play for a minute or two, and cash out. It's bewildering to me and don't quite understand the jumping machine thing. Thinking it's a superstition thing, that if the machine isn't good in the first 10-20 spins, then it isn't good. Which understanding how video poker machines work, makes as much sense as a football team quitting a game because they didn't score on a first possession. Well, to each their own. I'm personally glad for those players because they rarely ever win because video poker is usually a grind, not a quick pass line bet... and keeps some great video poker games on the casino floor for the rest of us to enjoy.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=olds442jetaway]I prefer to put everything in at the beginning of a session. [/quote]I'm the opposite.  I agree it makes no difference to the machine if you put all your money in first or play it out in small bills.   Jumping from machine to machine may make you feel better, but it doesn't do anything but burn calories.  Random is random no matter what you do.  However, for me it is much easier to manage my money by putting it in the machine $20 at a time.  I am mostly a quarter recreational player.  $20 at a time slows me down and allows me to keep a handle on what's going on that day without finding out after it's too late.  As  a small denomination recreational player, I find it very difficult to manage my bankroll if I am consistently leaving the casino with empty pockets.Every player is different.  Professionals play for completely different reasons and motivations than recreational players. Some players on this forum play high denominations so they can earn and enjoy comps.   Other players enjoy the thrill of a big jackpot no matter what it costs.  Emulating these players is not always the best strategy for every VP player in a casino.  Finding and playing the best games as perfect as you can and managing your money well is the best overall strategy.    What you do and how you manage your money depends upon what you are looking to ultimately get out of the game.

[FAA]

it is much easier to manage my money by putting it in the machine $20 at
a time.  I am mostly a quarter recreational player.  $20 at a time
slows me down and allows me to keep a handle on what's going on that day
without finding out after it's too late. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A great technique. I wish I had followed it last week. When you put too much in, you get too comfortable. The losing misery escalates and I wallowed in it. It's harder and harder to hit Cash Out.

[Mare2548]

I can't imagine sitting at a machine for hours when it won't give you any play. I like to move around until I find a machine that will play with me for at least a little while. I also like getting a machine that someone else has put a lot of money in. Maybe I'm just fooling myself but don't we all have our superstitions??