Sometimes I feel like I need to be Mrs.Gumby, as flexible as one needs to be in today’s video poker world. Changes in game selections, changes in casino policies, changes in promotions – I spend hours and hours every week in my office figuring out where we need to be playing before we actually sit down at a video poker machine in a casino.
Actually I think I spend more time planning than playing! But that works fine with Brad’s and my gambling partnership. He hates to plan; that is my strong suit. I like more nightgown days at home; he likes to go out every day. So I spend several days a week at home in my office, making detailed “war” plans. Brad gets his “orders” every morning and goes out in the afternoon to do battle in the casinos: picking off free play, engaging in video poker skirmishes, gathering gift loot, and finally bringing home the spoils, often some monetary treasures, but at least a comped meal I can heat up in the microwave.
There are so many factors one has to consider to be a successful video poker player. I – and many other writers – have discussed these down through the years. Some have never changed: playing good games, learning accurate strategies, and having an adequate bankroll. But in this rapidly changing VP world, we need a lot more help. And a recent article by Bob Dancer is a great summary of some new factors that are becoming necessary for a video poker player to continue to be successful. You might want to read this piece and see if you can pick up some ideas that might put some jingle in your pocket during this holidays season and on into the coming year.
Very interesting item on the Wall Street Journal Law Blog
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2011/12/23/internet-poker-is-sort-of-legal/
It’s a waste of time to outsmart the Casinos. If u have a good game they remove it quickly.As Jean said u need a big payroll which most people don’t have. I play once or twice a week and look for full play. If I find it harder to win i will reduce even that. As I have said it’s not worth it!
Kevin hit the nail right on the head. Many casinos are only offering playable VP on the highest variance games at higher denominations, and then only with a very slight advantage. Your bankroll requirements in this situation go stratospheric, as do your accuracy requirements.
The casino’s have always had the bankroll advantage, but clearly they are now moving more aggressively to marginalize advantage VP players by making bankroll a more significant part of the equation.
Our bankroll has taken hits over the last year or two because we continued to play marginal local plays that were convenient instead of the positive plays that we have to travel for. We have stopped that. We are no longer playing locally. From now on we will be focusing only worthwhile plays, that unfortunately are all in locations that require us to travel.
The point Bob made in his column is you have to be flexible if you want to continue to play at an advantage to casino given today’s VP realities. He is absolutely right.
Jean, I study, plan, and play but, with the ever changing “climate” I have trouble figuring out when a play is “good”. I know you’ve said you’re mathmatically “challenged” in the past and I SO COMMISERATE! Have you found an easy formula for us number-challenged folks to use to figure out a “good” play?
You need three things to succeed in VP these days, and most players don’t have them:
1. A local address. Without mailers/locals’ promos, you will struggle just to break even, and 3/4 of the plays in town are only (barely) positive because of those mailers.
2. A truly immense, gigantic, huge, big honkin’ bankroll. Playing with edges like 0.2%, playing high-volatility games, and having to play dollar or higher denoms to squeeze out a worthwhile return mean that you need to be able to absorb multiple big hits and keep on playing. Ten years ago, $5,000 was an adequate bankroll. Now, $100,000 is barely sufficient.
3. As Jean alludes, lots and lots and lots and lots of available time–to sort out offers, to stay up on promos, to read internet boards, to read the newspaper, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention practice time brushing up on unfamiliar/seldom played games.
I am afraid that advantage VP is simply out of the reach of the average Joe. For the time being, you can still squeeze out $7/hr on some no-points .25 FPDW or $1 10/7 DB, but even that will be extinct by the end of 2012, if not sooner.