M casino progressives turned on; thanks, bob dancer

I have been a progressive specialist, when possible, since my first 2k with 5 quarters played fell my way at NOLA about 2003. Last month the riv was very good to me. So I read with interest that bob dancer has convinced the M resort to try a rapid advancing progressive meter, and today's dancer column is just greek enough to me to convince me to try. I accept having to play short pay to get progressive dough... but not usually down to 7/5. If any reader thinks of posting the amounts of these (especially quarter) jackpots are, when taken, I'd be interested. hope it lasts long enough to show up in trip reports. Good Luck!

I'm (obviously) a Prog. NUT too. And I seem to recall answering a question similar to this,
in another thread...........but those machines would ONLY see me when the Progressives are HIGH.
Theres No way I'd be sitting there Playing it into + territory.
If its not there? I won't be sitting there playing.

This may be a stupid question but I'll ask.
My wife and I play quater level vp and are interested in playing on the progressive machines(like at the M). At what level is a quater machine progressives' jackpot considered a good time to sit down and start playing it? I know the base is 4000.

Any choice of timing goes along with the belief that the magical cards are "due", "overdue","ripe", "hot",etc.

I note that there is some theoretical, and maybe some magical, mental energy in the thread. That's cool. If I were to 'imagine' myself picking when to sit down, i would want to know when the progressive made the game a positive expectation game. I don't own the right program, but I know it's possible to compute when 7/5 JOB would become +. I remember reading @LVA the positive break for 8/5 JOB is around $2400. I have taken two jackpots at that game, less than that payoff, and consider it time well spent. In re: 7/5, maybe i shouldnt guess, and hope someone does the math. Good Luck!

Some good back and forth on this over on VPFree on Yahoo.

What it seems to boil down for me is you need to wait until the game turns positive for it to make sense for you to sit down at it otherwise you are just feeding the progressive meter. And once it does turn positive, especially as it continues to increase. it becomes a magnet for the pros so what do you think your chances of getting a seat are?

Someone put it in context. It requires you to hit the Royal to make it a positive play (talking statistics folks, I know anyone could sit down at any time and on their first draw hit a Royal). Keeping it simple you get a Royal roughly every 40,000 hands (once again see comment on getting one on first draw but then also possible to go 80 or 120k hands without one). You play 1,000 hands an hours. You need to be there 40 straight hours, no breaks and also hope someone else doesnt hit it! Now pros, playing as teams........

Seems even 8/5 BP is better play for most of us "recreational" types then a progressive at 97%.

I'm NOT a Math person.

The Easiest way for me to spot a High progressive (since I scout out fairly quickly).........

I look for Progressives that are Close to Double, or Over Double, their Starting amounts.

Starting amounts for these denom Progressives, at MAX coin:

Quarters start at $1,000

Fifty centers start at $2,000

Dollars start at $4,000

I'm Looking for Double, or close to Double of these amounts, to get my attention.
The Math guys can give you an exact dollar amount, but this is "basically" what I Look for........
Do they Get that high before they hit? Usually not.
But to Grab someones attention, at lousy starting machines like the dancer machines mentioned?
I would want to See some HIGH Prog., or would keep walking........

i love when you talk like that!!

got back last night. It's pretty impressive at M resort. As of may 29, the joker poker RF pays over 3500 dollars with 5 quarters in. Uhhhhh... I guess I'll be going back to M! One thing about the quarter machine progressives that I found odd, though. The monetary distance between several was in 500 dollar increments. The next highest progressive on the quarters (sorry, I cant fathom thinking in dollars) was (?deuces,maybe) at 3 thou, and my slobber at looking at a 2500 dollar JOB Royal flush is still on the floor. So, I suppose some of the others got taken already, but some of these probably havent been taken, and the meter may not have set at one thousand. just sayin'...... Good luck!

It is only "positive" if you hit the Royal. And, since you generally hit it once for every 40,000 hands, or $50,000 of coin in (5 quarters), I find it hard to think this is such a great time to play.