Video Poker "Manipulation"

[Sea Lion]

I've noticed over the last several months that playing "10-Play" machines, no matter what the payback scale" is or whatever, but it seems that money played is disappearing at a record pace.  Not too long ago that you could catch plenty of "fish" (quads) playing 10-play, but now I'd say that over 90% of the hands dealt are crap, and the draw is not much better. I've experienced this at Red Rock, Rampart, Suncoast, Orleans, Gold Coast, Sams Town. I do know that a lot of casinos are turning down the payback scale on a lot of VP games ($10 8/5 DDB at Wynn ), and I know that if they got caught manipulating the RNG that they could lose their gaming license. I thought we were on a rebound from the recession? What gives?

[Lionqueen]

I completely agree with you. Every player I know complains about this and you just can't help but feel the machines are being manipulated even though I understand about the RNG. Playing single deck you are dealt flushes, straights and 3 of a kind and it is rare on a multi-play machine. It's strange

[olds442jetaway]

Ditto....I'm back to single line games for the most part now. I have noticed this situation since 2011. If I do play a multi line game at all, it is only multi strike. It doesn't seem to happen at least to me on that game and most times I can hold my own. You do need a bigger bankroll though since on a cold streak on the bottom line, your money will go fast. I also play a little spin poker on low denomination machines and I seem to get some decent dealt hands on that game too. Not so though on other multi line games. By the way, my experience is all from one casino since I only play at one for the last several years.

[onemoretry]

My wife and I play almost exclusively multiline games.

Based on our results, I have to say I totally disagree with the "multiline games play differently" notion. I do not have numbers, but I can say we have not consistently come away from sessions feeling we had not received a "fair share" of decent dealt hands, i.e., quads, full houses, flushes and straights.

Some notable really good dealt hands over the past six or seven months: straight flush on 5 line 50c bonus poker, four deuces (playing deuces wild) 5 line 25c, four deuces (playing deuces wild bonus) 50 line 5c, four deuces plus ace (again, on deuces wild bonus) 50 line 5c, four aces (playing bonus poker) 25c spin poker, and a royal flush on a 3 line 25c progressive.

The other side of the coin, however, is that multiline sessions can, indeed, be brutally awful at times. You have to be willing and able to tolerate these bad sessions so that you can enjoy the really good ones.

[Tedlark]

I agree with onemoretry.

[spxChrome]

VPoker isn't what it used to be.. changed paytables or not it's not the same game. Nobody knows why but the proof is in what happens not what is suppose to happen. Unless you are playing nickels or quarters casinos don't care about a couple of hundred dollars. It's the people who spend $5k to $20k per session, that's the ones that pay the bills.

[DrawingDead]

Red Rock usually has decent multi line VP. So does the M and Green Valley Ranch. I hear South Point isn't bad either.

[jetermacaw]

I agree with onemoretry.

[Vman96]

VPoker isn't what it used to be.. changed paytables or not it's not the same game. Nobody knows why but the proof is in what happens not what is suppose to happen. Unless you are playing nickels or quarters casinos don't care about a couple of hundred dollars. It's the people who spend $5k to $20k per session, that's the ones that pay the bills.

And they mostly care about slot players...for obvious reasons.

[olds442jetaway]

     Vp players are like the empty glasses sitting around the machines in the casino. They can't wait to get rid of them and of course have the other (slot) patrons order new alcoholic drinks. (feeding more money into the slots). I get the biggest kick out of most people who go to the casino who always say...oh we only play the penny machines...what they don't usually divulge is that most are playing 2-4 bucks a pop....
     I also have a friend who plays only dollar slots at 2 or 3 bucks a shot. Granted, when he hits it is big, but there can be long dry spells and for multiple sessions. Per his own admission, his average cost when the machines aren't hitting well is 300-400 dollars per hour. The casino must love that because his comps exceed mine by at least a factor of ten. My average bet most of the time on vp is 2 bucks a hand and I put in 4 or 5 times more hours a week than him playing. That tells you right there who the casino's friend is.