Playing Speed

[FloridaPhil]

Every trip may not be a winner and in fact most aren't, but for me nearly every trip is a winner in many other ways.

Thinking about VP only in terms of profit or loss is shortchanging yourself. We have driven thousands of miles visiting all parts of this country. Along the way we always try to stay in a casino resort we haven't been to before. Has anyone ever been to Buffalo Thunder in Santa Fe? What a beautiful place to stay for the weekend! The VP odds aren't positive, but the overall experience is full pay.

I could make a list of great places like that. When you judge a casino only by it's VP odds, you are ignoring the best parts. A metal warehouse in a slum can have full pay VP. Do you want to play there?

These great casino resorts all are wonderful and many will let you stay there for free. All you have to do is play their games, eat their free food and drink their free drinks. They don't tell me I have to play $5 games either. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.

My biggest complaint over my years on this forum has been the total focus on making money playing VP. There is so much more to the game than that.

[Vman96]

The forum's focus is making money? You post here more than anyone else, Phil! I'm going to go to Vegas next week, and while I would like to win, I will be playing -EV games overall and don't expect to win money.

[stevel96a1]

If you going vegas why not play down towm charlie at 100.92? Or fpdw 100.76?
Its almost like buying same make and model of something for cheaper if your willing to walk a little further

[Tedlark]

What kind of craft beers do they serve?

[notes1]

I'm going to go to Vegas next week, and while I would like to win, I will be playing -EV games overall and don't expect to win money.

vman, you are math savvy and keenly aware of the odds and how they may affect the outcome. each trip you take to vegas you sacrifice better available odds to play elsewhere, for your own personal reasons. some of the strip casinos you play offer similar payouts as local casinos. isn't this essentially the same reasoning that many players use to justify playing local casinos, with poorer payouts, rather than travel all the way to nevada, each time they want to play? not every player can/wants to spend 30-100 days in a nevada hotel.

in other words, playing a lower paying VP (theoretical and based on some long term projections), is not an act of stupidity, but rather a choice, even though a better possible paying machine may be available across town or across the country. i see this as no different the paying some additional expense for a meal provided by a restaurant over making it yourself. change your own oil or do it yourself. sometimes it is just not worth it, when all factors and personal likes/dislikes/situations are considered.

question and after all my play, i thought i knew the answer. on 8/5 DDB, when dealt trip A's or trip 2-4, with available low kicker, does one keep the kicker in both cases?
thanks

[Deloradeuces18]

Some people play lightning fast and seem to be doing well. Like a machine these people. I can't do that... nor would I want to. But it's certainly impressive to watch.

Then there's the folks who play turtle slow in between drags on their cigarette.

Many different people in this world. Learn to appreciate it instead of judging it and you will find yourself more happy.

[FloridaPhil]

Many different people in this world. Learn to appreciate it instead of judging it and you will find yourself more happy.

Great advice. Definitely the quote of the day.

[OTABILL]

I'm going to go to Vegas next week, and while I would like to win, I will be playing -EV games overall and don't expect to win money.

vman, you are math savvy and keenly aware of the odds and how they may affect the outcome. each trip you take to vegas you sacrifice better available odds to play elsewhere, for your own personal reasons. some of the strip casinos you play offer similar payouts as local casinos. isn't this essentially the same reasoning that many players use to justify playing local casinos, with poorer payouts, rather than travel all the way to nevada, each time they want to play? not every player can/wants to spend 30-100 days in a nevada hotel.

in other words, playing a lower paying VP (theoretical and based on some long term projections), is not an act of stupidity, but rather a choice, even though a better possible paying machine may be available across town or across the country. i see this as no different the paying some additional expense for a meal provided by a restaurant over making it yourself. change your own oil or do it yourself. sometimes it is just not worth it, when all factors and personal likes/dislikes/situations are considered.

question and after all my play, i thought i knew the answer. on 8/5 DDB, when dealt trip A's or trip 2-4, with available low kicker, does one keep the kicker in both cases?
thanks

Very good post. I posed a similar choice months ago as to whether one should play a machine with a better paytable in a smoking section of the casino versus one with an inferior paytable in a non-smoking section. For a casual recreational player, the health benefit of not exposing yourself to second hand smoke easily could outweigh the monetary gain of playing the better paytable machine.

[mightwin]

Buffalo Thunder outside Santa Fe, NM is a nice casino. The rooms there are different from each other even when they are the same price. It IS a nice place to have fun. Within 2 miles are 2 different casinos - Cities of Gold and Camel Rock. Both very different. And it's just a couple miles from the famous Santa Fe Opera.

Sandia Resort and Casino is on the outskirts of Albuquerque and a beautiful resort. It's got something for everyone - golf, spa, several restaurants, of course gambling. It also has an outdoor concert venue that's great.

Albuquerque has a couple more casinos just a few miles from the city - Isleta to the south. They just remodeled and it looks better than it ever had. Route 66 is to the west - and has always been cool.

I just got back from Las Vegas and I played where I was at that moment because I didn't want to go out of my way to get to "better games" locations. For me it was convenience - I was already there for a completely different reason - why not just play here. I'd like to mention even though I didn't win - I had a great time.

I lived in Las Vegas for a few years. I hunted down some of the best games in town. It just wasn't my experience that I was winning more on them. I'm sure I was playing longer, but end result the same - empty pockets. Because that's the way I play. I play until I'm broke for the day. It could be an hour, or 22 hours. And I have played back $4,000 royals because I wasn't "done" yet. It's my way of having fun.

Good luck with royals and fun things to do.

[FloridaPhil]

I lived in Las Vegas for a few years. I hunted down some of the best games in town. It just wasn't my experience that I was winning more on them. I'm sure I was playing longer, but end result the same - empty pockets.

My wife and I enjoy taking road trips. We always try to stay at a casino resort overnight. With all the casinos around these days, it makes for a fun trip. A few years ago we drove from Florida to Colorado. Except for a long drive through Texas, we were able to stay mostly at casino resorts. Many of our stays were comped or discounted. We found Buffalo Thunder in a swing into New Mexico after visiting Albuquerque. Great resort in a beautiful place. We played at the little casinos too.

If you pick your casino based only on VP odds, you are short changing your casino experience. As you have discovered, good odds don't guarantee good results. I have had the experience of losing for three days in Reno playing NSU deuces wild and winning big on a 96% game in Tahoe. There are some fantastic casino resorts in this country. Great resorts don't usually have positive games. If someone else wants to play in a dark, smoky, dirty hell hole just so they can play positive VP, they are welcome to. We will be playing lousy quarter games, sipping free drinks and sleeping in a beautiful room with a view.