What Can You Tell Us about the Fortune Cup Horse-Racing Game?

I've read with interest QoDs relating to the Sigma Derby game at the D and the retired one at MGM. Visiting downtown I found the Sigma game and also its updated version by Konami called Fortune Cup at both the D and the Plaza. There are obvious differences in that the Sigma game runs on coins with five horses, while the Konami version is fully TITO and runs with eight horses. The Sigma game only allows quinella bets, while Konami's accepts win, place, and quinella bets. But what can you tell us about the modern version of the game? Is it proving popular? Are more such machines in Las Vegas? Is it easier to maintain? In a game of constantly changing payoffs is it possible to indicate the house edge? Your inside information will be read with great interest.

Before we get to anything else, yes, it’s easier to maintain a Fortune Cup machine, because it’s a recent Konami Gaming release (2016), so parts and technical support are readily available. The inevitable doom of Sigma Derby was spelled by the fact that Sigma itself was defunct, forcing MGM Grand to wing it when its machine malfunctioned.

The house edge is substantial, with Fortune Cup paying back between 82% and 84%, according to Michael “Wizard of Odds” Shackleford.

Konami spokeswoman Tanitha Wortham told us that the game is proving very popular and is doing particularly well at drawing players who are averse to slot machines. Since the 2016 beta tests at MGM Grand and Venetian, Konami has tweaked certain features of the game, partly to address the differing tastes of Strip and locals-casino players. For instance, some casinos have asked to have the progressive-jackpot feature removed, in return for giving bettors a higher win percentage, and Konami has obliged.

You can find the nearest game by using the “Fortune Cup Locations” subforum on the Konami Gaming page at Facebook. (Go to the home page, then look for a link in the left-hand column.) We won’t belabor you with the name of every casino involved, but 25 play host to Fortune Cup so far, including the Cosmopolitan and the Plaza, where CEO Jonathan Jossel has shown a willingness to try every idea imaginable.

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Comments

Grant Crawford May-07-2019

Hold vs Return

I think you meant to say the game returns 82-84% because holding that much would be illegal, and not a lot fo fun to play.

Don the Dentist May-07-2019

Plaza

but 25 play host to Fortune Cup so far, including the Cosmopolitan and the Plaza, where CEO Jonathan Jossel has shown a willingness to try every idea imaginable.
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They have to do something in that dump.

Deke Castleman May-07-2019

Grant's comment

Yes, the wording got mixed up there; it's corrected now. Thanks so much for catching it. Our readers always make sure we don't publish dumb mistakes!

O2bnVegas May-13-2019

late reply

Just got back from Las Vegas, so late responding.  To my observation, Fortune Cup at Bellagio isn't getting much action. A former huge Sigma Derby  fan, I walked up to FC at Bel, but my brain couldn't figure out how to play, and didn't appeal to me to even try.

Question of the Day - 07 May 2019

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