Will the Casinos Ever Get Rid of Video Poker Altogether?

We were astonished at how the casinos are limiting video poker machines. Caesars has for a long time been downgrading VP, but now it's hard to just find a machine. My question is this: Do you think there will be a time when casinos get rid of video poker altogether? Even with the poor pay tables, we still do better at VP than slots.

[Editor's Note: This was a natural to hand off to Bob Dancer.]

If you’re talking about Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (rather than Caesars Entertainment), it’s not hard at all to find video poker machines. There are hundreds of them. The more relevant questions are whether you can find games in the pay schedules you like, for the denominations you like, without paying a huge premium for playing them?

Although you can find some Ultimate X machines there that are vulturable on occasion, you won't find what I call decent pay schedules, except in the High Limit area for $5 and higher. And the two best pay schedules, 9/6 Jacks or Better and 8/5 Bonus Poker, require $25 coin-in per Rewards credit (compared to $10 per RC on the other video poker games). As bad as this is, these same games in certain other Caesars properties require $50 per RC.

Players demanding good video poker, simply put, do not play this game at Caesars properties in Las Vegas. Numerous venues in greater Las Vegas still offer decent video poker, but not as many places and not as many machines as previously and the players clubs are less generous today.

Will there ever be a time without any video poker? Well, “ever” implies a long time long after you and I are both long gone. My crystal ball is imperfect for predicting things next week (which is why I don’t bet on sports). It’s even worse at things further out.

That said, I think that for the foreseeable future, there will be video poker. Perhaps not what you or I would call “playable” video poker, but the game itself will still be around. A number of gamblers continue to enjoy the game and pay no attention to pay schedules. So long as players sit down at 95% video poker games, you can bet the casinos will keep them around.

As for me, I’m preparing for the day that I can no longer support myself playing video poker. I’m looking at other games within the casino (being one of the hosts of the Gambling with an Edge weekly podcast presents me with lots of information about how others do this, but different things appeal to different people and you’ll have to plan your future yourself), as well as investigating opportunities outside the casino. Although I’m 75 years old and certainly could retire, I’m hoping I don’t have to do that for decades to come.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Has Clark County ever considered legalizing prostitution?

Comments

Dorothy Kahhan Oct-03-2022

The most important thing I got out of this QOD is

that Bob Dancer is 75. I never would have guessed that.

On a serious note, I'm one of those who pays little attention to the pay schedule, as it's getting harder to find good ones. Instead, I focus on trying to play as perfectly as I can on any given machine.

Reno Faoro Oct-03-2022

new game - bingo ?

craps at $25 -$50 not for me , blackjack @same -nope . video poker , not sounding like previous  times --- hmmm , 'BINGO' ??  I FIT--- I'M 80 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BUT , NO BLUE HAIR !!!!

rett98 Oct-03-2022

VP at Bars

The more important question to me would be if casinos get rid of VP machines at bar tops how do I still get "comp" drinks???

Brent Peterson Oct-03-2022

Dorothy

In order "to play as perfectly as [you] can," you have to know the pay schedules. There's different strategies to play perfectly depending on the pay schedule.

Kevin Lewis Oct-03-2022

No matter what...

The worst VP machine is better than the best slot machine. So don't give up in disgust.

gaattc2001 Oct-03-2022

According to Internet Sources, and my own recollections...

Video Poker first appeared in casinos in the late 1970's. Since then, it's been going downhill just like most other forms of gaming in the corporate era.
A rival blog reports that Caesars Palace has opened a new bar featuring 8-5 DDB (96.8%). These machines have drink meter lights to assure that customers have "earned" their "complimentary" $27 cocktails--which, to be fair, do look good. But clearly I'm not in their primary target demographic.
On our last Vegas visit two years ago, there were still playable video pokers at some off-strip places. We did visit Caesars that trip, for the first time in many years, because someone in our party wanted to try a certain restaurant there; but did not even enter the casino. Since then we've concentrated on Laughlin, where it's still possible to get comped playing $1.00 Airport Deuces.
And when everything dries up completely like Lake Mead, My backup plan is to go back into politics; or take up the Banjo; or both. 
Meanwhile, Carpe Diem.

Howard M Oct-03-2022

Other games?

I play very little VP and a tiny bit of Video Keno but I'm sure many people besides me are waiting for Bob's other shoe to drop! He said "...I’m preparing for the day that I can no longer support myself playing video poker ... I’m looking at other games within the casino ..."
Pray tell, what games is he "looking at" and why?

Question of the Day - 03 October 2022

Comments