Should everyone learn DDB?

[JoB Hero]

I’ve always been told DDB is the most “popular” video poker game in America. I’ve also have been told it has very high volitility and Is one of the more complicated games to learn...

With it being 98.98% is this a game that Most AP vp players learn? Do you find this game full pay more often then not?

People on this forum have also talked about DDB having a higher theoretical loss then 98.98% in the casinos eyes. Due to player error

I have a lot of friends and coworkers that play exclusive DDB when we go on trips or to local casinos.. with no regard for pay tables. Simply because it’s “more fun”. I see higher risk of ruin and a roller coaster. What am I missing here?

Can you guys tell more advantages to playing this game then I am seeing?

[FloridaPhil]

Can you guys tell more advantages to playing this game then I am seeing?

You may not be interested in my perspective on the game, but here it is.

I enjoy playing DDB. However, I think it's a horrible game. The most common odds on the east coast are 8/5 making it one of the worst video poker games in the casino. At the max coin quarter level, this game is a more than $20 an hour loser before comps. On a bad day you can easily lose more than $100 an hour playing quarters. It is the most popular game by far for all the reasons you described.

The appeal of the game is the big jackpots. It's not a bad game if you play it with single coin quarters. At 500 hands an hour the average loss is a little less than $6 an hour, less than a movie ticket. The only way to play DDB is the "wheel of fortune" strategy. If quads are coming up all over the place, throw a few bucks into the game and run for the doors on any win.

If I could play 10/6 DDB, I would play it. I would also be in a dream and my dog would wake me up.

[billryan]

The vast majority of video poker players are clueless sheep. If a clueless sheep walks off a building, should you?
Learn the best games, not the most popular.

[FloridaPhil]

The vast majority of video poker players are clueless sheep. If a clueless sheep walks off a building, should you? Learn the best games, not the most popular.

I have an question. If the best VP game involved standing on your head in a swimming pool full of sheep dung, would you play it? Just asking...

[JoB Hero]

The vast majority of video poker players are clueless sheep. If a clueless sheep walks off a building, should you?
Learn the best games, not the most popular.

Thats the problem im having. just because something has a lower house edge dose not necessarily mean its the best game to play. some casinos deal with theoretical loss. some punish for 9/6 jacks. more often then not is DDB the "best game? or how can you tell with slot club?

[FloridaPhil]

Thats the problem im having. just because something has a lower house edge dose not necessarily mean its the best game to play. some casinos deal with theoretical loss. some punish for 9/6 jacks. more often then not is DDB the "best game? or how can you tell with slot club?

That is a legitimate question. I know of casinos that adjust the comps depending upon the VP games you play. My home casino does not. However, video poker earns lower comp points than slots. What you must do is determine the rate differences for each game you play. I would start at the player's club and see if they will help you. You may have to meet with a manager. There are players on this forum who do these calculations all the time. Hopefully some of them will chime in with some advice.

[tech58]

JoB Hero ... Excellent question.Why? Strictly searching for knowledge to improve your understanding of the game we all love(some of the time). Points of input, requests for more input from the numbers experts, so far a desire to help. Well billy may have been a bit, shall we say, abrupt. But he is better in that spot in the lineup than some others i could mention. We are all searching. When we get sidetracked by the elitist/egotists, or the NNN's we all LOSE!

Could we keep it up folks? Lets try for two pages in a row, i know that sounds tough but WE CAN DO IT!

[BobDancer]

I played more DDB over the past two years than any other game --- simply because specific promotions at one particular casino work better on that game.

If you want to know if promotions work better on one machine than another --- DO NOT START ASKING QUESTIONS AT THE BOOTH. They don't know and your queries may cause them to alert their supervisors and they will 'fix' whatever it is that gives you an advantage.

Remember, casinos are not in the business of supporting winning players. If you need somebody to tell you exactly what to do to exploit a promotion, you don't have what it takes to be a winning player anyway. You have to find these things out yourself and develop your contacts in the player community.

Let's hypothetically say I knew several good plays in Florida and was tempted to post them here because someone clueless regularly says 'if BD won't post a positive play for Florida, that proves they don't exist!"

Taunting or no taunting, if I outlined such plays here, I would also be telling the casino of a 'leak' and they would adjust things. Many casinos have employees who check out the various fora regularly. Not so much this forum as such a high percentage of the chatter here is worthless, but still, publishing active blueprints here is not a smart idea.

If you check out my columns, you'll see that the only times I write about a situation is after it is over. There are many reasons for that --- but not wanting to educate casinos in real time is a big part of it.

[FloridaPhil]

Let's hypothetically say I knew several good plays in Florida and was tempted to post them here because someone clueless regularly says 'if BD won't post a positive play for Florida, that proves they don't exist!"

"If I told you, I would have to kill you!"

[FloridaPhil]

With all due respect to Mr. Dancer, does anyone here actually believe a casino is worried he will tell the public when they aren't making money? These machines have software that tracks exactly how much money they make on every game. I have seen the screens for this software myself a few times. With today's networks, they don't even have to open the machine. If I owned a casino and saw him playing one of my machines, I would know in a New York minute something was up. It wouldn't take me long to find out why. Perhaps he wears a disguise? It worked for Michael Jackson.

There is a very good reason he won't divulge any positive games. The casinos want you to think they exist so you will continue to search for them. It's a game of Whac-A-Mole, only it's your money you are using to hit them with. Positive games are real. These days they don't fund anyone's "great lifestyle".