Tampa Update

[FloridaPhil]

Phil. Some good relevant points particularly the last few words, "positive outcomes in VP are not always monetary." From the perspective of casual recreational players like my wife and myself this is definitely the case. Of course the goal is to leave the casino with more cash than we had when we arrived. However, the reason to go in the first place is for entertainment and enjoyment. If we had a good time we would count it as a success. No other reason for us to go to the casino. Certainly not to make money. To have a good time paid for is/was a bonus.

Well stated. I have nothing against "for profit" VP. We try our best to make a profit. It doesn't always work out. We don't blame this on the games we play or how we play them. All that matters to us is that we get positive entertainment value for our money. If we don't feel like we do, we find some other activity to take it's place.

[Jstark]

You can't profit from the games you play. Profiting is a lifetime stat. Not what happened today. If you win $2000 today but are down $86,546 lifetime, where's the "profit"?

[FloridaPhil]

You can't profit from the games you play. Profiting is a lifetime stat. Not what happened today. If you win $2000 today but are down $86,546 lifetime, where's the "profit"?

Profit is not always money. If you count all the enjoyment and great times we have had playing VP over the years, we are ahead of the game.

[Jstark]

You can't profit from the games you play. Profiting is a lifetime stat. Not what happened today. If you win $2000 today but are down $86,546 lifetime, where's the "profit"?

Profit is not always money. If you count all the enjoyment and great times we have had playing VP over the years, we are ahead of the game.

You're the exact customer the casino suckers into thinking this is "entertainment." Nothing about betting money is "entertainment."

[FloridaPhil]

Does your family do everything they do together so they can make a profit? Betting is not the most important aspect of VP to us. We enjoy the game itself. It's entertaiment and no one is keeping score. The only people who seem to care are those who claim we are paying their bills. If that's true, why do you care?

[FAA]

I don't take "enjoyment" in mega losses. Players must trim play considerably or disaster ensues. Multiple hour play? The urge to switch to dollar to recoup is too strong. Then the exponential losing starts and you're dead. So is weekend.

[FloridaPhil]

The urge to switch to dollar to recoup is too strong.

I am convinced the damage incurred when playing negative quarter VP games is minimal. It's switching to bigger denominations that causes problems. The switch can be motivated by attempting to recoup losses or by dreams of big jackpots. In either case, a $10 an hour negative game can become a $100 an hour loss all too quickly. After your money is gone, it's too late to change your mind. Ask me how I learned this.

[FAA]

You have not played a Caesars AC quarters progressive. Ice box bandit supreme. Pure frustration.

[olds442jetaway]

If I go to the casino with a thousand bucks, play at a moderate pace on a quarter airport deuces wild game bet 5 for 6 hours, play about 4,000 hands, and win or lose in line with the expected long term results, I can expect to keep all of it less 55 bucks in a perfect world. If I play a dollar deuces wild game following the same rules, I can expect to lose 220 bucks in a perfect world. Unfortunately, every single casino visit is in itself a short term result visit. Running 20,000 bucks through a dollar game in the same 6 hour session, instead of 5,000 bucks on the quarter game could have and has had disastrous results in a bad short term cold cycle where only around 75 percent of your money is being returned. What that means is your 1,000 buck bankroll could be gone in as little as an hour and a half or less long before that 6 hour session is over betting 5 bucks at a time. Been there done that more times than I wish to count.

[FloridaPhil]

Been there done that more times than I wish to count.

My personal problem is wavering from my plan. On my weekly casino trips, I take $300 with me so I know what the worst case damage will be. I also leave my ATM cards at home. I start out playing Bonus Poker and play for an hour or two. Some days I play my free play for an hour and other days I'm down $200 before I know it. That's when the trouble starts. I start thinking about switching games or playing bigger to recoup. I switch to deuces wild going for a quad deuce and four aces show up. I switch to dollar DDB and feed three more $20s in the machine. When my money is nearly gone, I start beating myself up because I should have stayed with Bonus Poker.

My wife never has these problems. She plays quarter Deuces Wild at max coins (5) and never varies her bet or her strategy. The games she plays are between 96.7% and 98.9%. Once in a great while she has a total losing day. Most of the time she either makes money or goes home $50 bucks lighter. She hits her quad deuces and royals on time. I want to play like her, but my lack of discipline keeps derailing me.

I think what I need is a game that I can play all day that keeps me in quarters. I can keep from changing games and moving up in denomination if there is a decent jackpot other than a royal to win. I'm thinking about going back to double double bonus. I know nothing will keep me from losing long term, but a big percentage of my losses are self inflicted. It's a work in progress and I'm not sure there is any permanent solution other than golf.