Playing Bad VP Games?

[wrxrob]

if nobody played bad VP, casinos would remove VP altogether, since slot machines are more profitable for the casino anyway. Usually the worst VP games still have better payback percentage than your typical penny slot machine in 2017.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=wrxrob]if nobody played bad VP, casinos would remove VP altogether, since slot machines are more profitable for the casino anyway.[/quote]If we are not there already, we are quickly approaching a time when VP paybacks are in parity with slot returns.  The economic reality is,  if a machine doesn't produce enough profit for a casino it's out of there before you can say free Mai Tai.Playing better games better lets you play more hands with the same money.  What happens after that is up to the RNG.  All VP, unless it's done on paper or in a computer lab is "short term".  There will always be winners and there will always be losers.   The winners will think they have the game all figured out and the losers will continue searching for a winning strategy.  

[billryan]

Slot games come and go. Casinos constantly have to bring in the newest machines and phase out older ones.
Video poker machines last for years without being replaced. V.P. machines don't pay licensing fees to creators or to character owners.
Just because a slot machine takes in more money than the VP machine next to it, don't think it is more profitable to the casino.
If for nothing else, the slot machine gives out comps at a much higher rate., sometimes three or four times more comps per dollar played.

[FloridaPhil]

[quote=billryan]If for nothing else, the slot machine gives out comps at a much
higher rate., sometimes three or four times more comps per dollar
played.[/quote]For sure.  At our local casino they actually penalize VP players.   When we receive multi point flyers in the mail, printed in tiny letters at the bottom are the words "Video Poker Not Eligible".   VP comp points accumulate much slower than slots as well.  Ten years ago this wasn't the case.   Since then, VP odds have dropped all over country.  If you factor everything in, our slots and VP have close to the same payback.   Playing cheap saves money on these games, but it knocks the heck out of your "coin in" average, so I pull my card when I play that way. In the past, we never played slots because we thought you couldn't win.  A few years ago, Bob Dancer stated on this forum that playing slots with your free play increased your offers.  We tried it and found it to be a great tip.  These days we play 50% VP and 50% slots and our free play has increased significantly.  I've only hit two small royals this year playing VP.  Slots have kept me out of the red so far this year.   Like VP games, slots have different variance.  Some are like TDB and only pay out when the stars line up and others are more like Jacks or Better.   After you play them for a while, you can tell the difference.  There are some slots that can pay the Grand Jackpot with as little as an 8 cent bet.  A friend of mine hit one of those last spring which had to be a new record for return on investment.   It's all about sitting in the right seat at the right time. 

[billryan]

Slots have ALWAYS earned much better comps than VP.
On occasion, you might find a VP game that accidently earns points as a slot but its pretty rare.

[FloridaPhil]

Personally, I find modern slots a lot more entertaining than VP.   They have much better graphics, sound, free game bonuses, multiple progressive jackpots and they earn comps at a higher rate.  There are even slots that allow a player to make interactive decisions that affect the outcome.  Back when you could play 9/6 Jacks with full comps and multiple points, VP was the only game to play.  Today that 9/6 VP game is now 7/5, the deal button sticks, the screen is bad and your points are cut for having the "intelligence" (sarcasm) to play a beatable game.  No offense, but VP for most of the country is not the best gambling entertainment experience.Every now and then you find a decent VP game on the floor.  It's usually stuck behind the craps tables where you have to endure shouting hillbillys, obnoxious drunks and chain smokers or it's a standup machine that you can only play for 40 minutes before your back cramps up.  When you finally hit a jackpot, the tape dispenser runs out of paper.   If I sound negative about VP,  I am.  I am convinced today's casinos hate VP and only tolerate it because they have to.  Some day the odds will be 5/4 and players may give it up.  Even then, I'm sure there will still be some players who believe these machines can be beat as they are being carted off to the dump. 

[FAA]

A decent VP game on the floor, usually stuck behind the
craps tables where you have to endure shouting hillbillies, obnoxious
drunks and chain smokers or a standup machine that you can only
play for 40 minutes before your back cramps up.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Yep. My six decent quarter VPs are stuck right at the CW door. I've really come to hate these women with a passion. I'm sure the feeling is mutual as I never order drinks until after a quad, which means I'm thirsty a lot. Last week right as I was starting my FP, smoke from two machines over drifted down right on cue! If I play dollar machines, I bust in record time. I've never gotten a mailer, as all I play is VP. You probably have to play for hours on end or lose a small fortune for that mail. I'm pretty down on VP. It's been a bad year.  

[FloridaPhil]

You never see these issues on slots.  VP games are being "rigged" in a number of subtle ways that don't trigger inspectors.   Placing the best games in areas where there are a lots of distractions.  Limiting the number of the best games making it hard to get a seat.  Leaving the buttons broken, causing errors or discouraging players from putting up with the aggravation of playing through all kind of maintenance problems.  Limiting the best VP games to machines with uncomfortable or awkward seating positions.  Leaving bad screens or faulty open door switches.  We've seen it all.Complaining about it doesn't help either.  The casino slot managers believe the hype that someone can make a nice living off these games, so they have no interest in helping players beat them.  Have you ever seen a bad button or screen on a 88 Fortunes or Buffalo slot?  No way...

[Eduardo]

Are you suggesting casinos have machines on the floor that they don't actually want people to play?

[FAA]

Have you ever seen a bad button or screen on a 88 Fortunes or Buffalo slot?  No way.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------No idea what those games are, so no. I guess I'll go next door next time. A change of scenery is again in order. Voting with my feet. I'll tolerate their uprights for forty minutes, then go to lunch. Hopefully I won't bust and still have an appetite.