Bankroll for video poker

My wife and I have been playing .25 for the last year and have found $500 to last all night.  We are going to Vegas next week and are excited to play good pay tables.  If we switch to $1 machines and DDBP being the highest variance game we play what size of bankroll should we bring for 4 8hr days?  

I'd bring $5K.  I've easily had bad sessions on $1 NSUD where I've lost $2K in 2-3 hours.  DDBP is much more volatile.  You string 2-3 of those together and you could approach $5K.  I don't think it would happen but the worst feeling is making the drive-of-shame to bank while in Vegas.  My guess is $5K will be enough on most trips.  Let us know how you do.  

Thanks for the advice.  I'll write up a trip report on the flight back.  We've never put thousands thru before, excised to see the mailings we get

  Peter, one word of caution - if you are having a very bad losing session(s), I would advise you to reassess the possible value of future mailings - in other words, don't gamble for comps.

First of all, $5K would be my recommended minimum. And by that, I mean absolute minimum. After all, that's only 1,000 bets. And only 250 bets per planned 8 hour session.

But I'd strongly advise against ramping up your bet size (quadrupling it) AND switching to an extremely volatile game. That could produce swings that, while you may be prepared for them, are hard to handle psychologically. How would you feel if, say, you were down $3,300 after the first two days?

Here's what I'd do. You can find single-line 10/6 DDB at Stations, Palms, and a few other places. Why not start with quarters? Ride the roller coaster that is DDB and see if you're comfortable. You get slaughtered the first couple of days, you'll still have most of your bankroll.

If, on the other hand, you do well initially, set aside the profits for a session of .50 DDB. See how that goes. If you drop back to even, dial it back to quarters. If you hit AAAAkicker or a royal, use the profits as a $1 denom session bankroll.

All this may seem overly cautious, but your goal is to have fun. And DDB can be No Fun if you can't hit anything. So much of the payout is tied up in the big hands that you figure to lose 100 bets/hr if you're not hitting any of them.

And while it's a logical fallacy as such, it does feel better to play with "their money."

        This is very sound, thoughtful advice. 

Do you play full coin?  If so, you give $5.00 vs $1.25 per pull.  Do the math.   Maybe you two are lucky types, but count on it going fast.  And not sure what you mean when you say you are "excited to play good pay tables."  As opposed to where?  Just playing devil's advocate here.

Count on $1000 per day.  Put $1000 cash in an envelope for each day.  Only take that day's envelope with you to play.  Put the rest in the room safe.    And be determined to quit if/when that day's money is gone.   Going up to raid some of the next day's money is a real walk of shame and you'll hate yourself.

But, why change?  You do well at the .25 level.  Playing higher doesn't guarantee winning more.

I agree with Jerry Ice 33.  Bring $5000, if it doesn't plunge you into mortal debt.  See how it goes. 

I like to play Bonus VP.  Two coins paid for two pair.  Plus some bonus hands. 

But I understand the fun of DDB with all those real sexy bonus hands...if you get them.   DB is good too.

Try your $1 play for a day and see how it goes.  You can always go back to .25.  One time I had a great session playing 10 hands for .10.  Just dumb luck, but it happens.

Good luck, and most of all just have fun. 

Candy

The rule of thumb I've heard is that your bankroll should be 3x to 5x of the value of the royal. So assuming you chose 3x, that is $3,000, once you are below that figure you should drop down to quarters, according to that rule anyway.

But bankrolls are as much mental and emotional as they are physical. If you're comfortable with possibly losing more, there are plenty of banks with ATMs in Vegas.

There is a lot of good advice there from everybody.  I'd recommend staying at quarters or maybe .50 to get your feet wet in that game.  

This just isn't pre-2010 or even before that anymore.  I personally don't think the expected value (EV) is there anymore to play $1 or more.  But to each his own.  I racked up $50K in profit from VP in early 2000s to early 2010s when EV was good and I can easily afford $1 VP but I'm not throwing that profit back at bunch of breakeven at best games these days.  But like I've said, to each his own.  

the reason we play .25 at home is because we live in MN.  By law a slot can't pay back more than 98%.  That being said, 97% gets very expensive at $1 denom.  $45 an hour losses add up fast, x2 $90 an hour ouch!  This is why we play .25.  As for DDBP this is the most volatile we will go.  BP and DW is our comfort zone.  We only play DDBP when all other pay tables suck.