Why the RF Bonus?

[FloridaPhil]

Do you ever wonder why there is a video poker royal flush bonus at all when many slots offer the same Grand Jackpot with any sized bet?    If you hit a royal flush playing single coin, you win 250 coins in most games.   Playing 5 coins pays 4,000 coins.  When playing quarters, the difference is $937.50.   When playing dollars the difference is $3,750.  That's a huge difference!To top that off, the casino will reward you with lots of free stuff for playing VP with max coins and practically nothing for playing single coin.  If playing single coin is such a loser for the player and max coins is such a winner, why does the casino want you to play max coins bad enough to pay you that much extra for doing so?Before you think it's just me running off at the mouth again, ask yourself a few questions.    Could it be the more money you run through the machines, the more the casino makes?  Do you think the casinos benefit from players placing bigger bets?   Could it be a max coin royal flush is rarer than we have been led to believe?   Would this matter to you? Would it affect how you play VP?

[edog743]

I thought about the points you made. After considerable contemplation I still believe you are just running off at the mouth. Flip the 45 over let us hear the B side.

[FAA]

I'll play along. I don't think max coin RFs are any rarer than the sub max variety. But we are bonused to incentivize us to bet and likely lose our shirts. This is certainly a consensus. Their motive cannot be any more transparent. What other conclusion can one draw from the pay tables? My hustle is to starve the bandits, but win the bonus.

[Onenickelmiracl]

Gaming used to be ashamed of itself, wanted to prove they're giving you something extra. It's not that way anymore, gaming is proud of ripping people off. Everything else, just mark it off as being deranged.

[DAAnMAAn]

Thinking out loud here...A 9/6 DDB game is at best a 98.9% return. Playing dollars, betting max bet at say 800 hands an hour equals $4,00 coin thru or $44 bucks to the house. Let's take away 1% for lack of Royal bonus and single $1 play for 800 hands is $800 coin-thru or $24 dollars to the casino. It's a rough guesstimate and seems single coin is more economical. I think the argument gains strength as the pay tables get worse...But of course...if one bets less and loses, they will lose less obviously...but on the reverse, win less. And of course, must be fine with losing that royal bonus.

[onemoretry]

I don't think of the 800 for one royal flush payout as a bonus - it is an integral part of the game return. Settling for a 250 for one royal payout and corresponding lower game return is simply the penalty for short coin play.

[billryan]

   In the old days, they'd make you wear a dunce cap for all to see.
I wish casinos would have bells and whistles that go off every time someone hits a short pay royal. If math and logic doesn't prevent them, maybe a good public shaming will.

[FAA]

Casinos are so damn loud on weekends anyway. Your solution would have zero real world impact! It would be squandered in the general cacophony. It would still work M-F, 70% of the time. But for the real shame game, the sound effect must be demeaning. Wa wa wa comes to mind. The ultimate rebuttal: short coiners have no shame. I'm really playing two games simultaneously. VP and financial Russian Roulette.

[Vman96]

    In the old days, they'd make you wear a dunce cap for all to see.
I wish casinos would have bells and whistles that go off every time someone hits a short pay royal. If math and logic doesn't prevent them, maybe a good public shaming will.

LOL

Now I'm sorta curious what the royal breakdown is. More royals at max coins, or more royals without max coins? I think MOST players do want the big royal and play max even if it would cost them more long run than 1 credit at the same denomination.

Went to Tunica early this week, saw a machine where someone bet four coins at the spot I sat at the bar and the machine was waiting for someone to draw. I asked the bartender if I could play it off (mainly to open the machine...the equity is marginal). He said go for it. The dude next to me says it would suck if you hit the royal. I respond, I'll take $250 with a bet that wasn't mine!    I did get a high pair for a buck, fwiw.

[FloridaPhil]

I believe these are legitimate questions for a recreational player to ask.  They are significant for three reasons.  First, it affects the amount of money you need to play the game.  If you play video poker once a week like I do, you need at least $300 a week to bankroll max coin quarter play.  Most of the time that will allow you to play for a minimum of two hours.   A weekly max coin quarter player can easily lose $5,000 in a year playing today's VP games.  That's over $400 a month, which would buy a decent car for most people.  Switching to single coin quarters, cuts this by 1/5th.  Some years you may hit more than your share of royals and come back, but you still need the bigger bankroll.  This is significant to some players.Secondly, I believe very few people in the world can play VP error free continuously for weeks on end. Every error you make puts more money into the casino's bank account.  In addition, the vast majority of today's video poker games are negative taking more money out of your pocket.  By reducing your bet, you are cutting into their share of your money.Thirdly, the biggest advantage the casino has over us is an unlimited bankroll.  You can't hit a royal flush if you bust and walk out broke.  Playing single coin gives you 5 times more ammunition to keep you in the game.Personally, I play max coins most of the time.  I do this for two reasons.  They are:1. Playing max coins is more fun.  The possibility of hitting a big jackpot is the main reason I go to the casino in the first place.  It's cheaper to play a negative video poker game with single coin quarters, but it's not nearly as exciting.2. The casino gives me stuff when I play max coins.  My wife and I stay at least two nights free each month at Hard Rock Hollywood, one of South Florida's nicest resorts.  They pay for our room taxes, drinks and food too.  All they ask in return is that we play max coins.We have a lot of money and time invested in video poker.  It's a lifestyle for us and we both get enjoyment from playing the games together.   Blindly accepting any strategy just because someone else says it's so, doesn't work for us.  We have to work it out for ourselves.   Playing single coin has it's place.   It's not always wrong.  It's smart if you are on a budget or need to cut down your short term losses.  Never ever switch to single coin when you are running out of money.  If you are going to play single coin, start out that way and stick to it.  Some people will never accept single coin VP and that's fine too.  They're not playing with your money.