I want to learn VideoPoker and pick up a copy of Wongs book, but there are a few questions bugging me.
What type of POSITIVE edge are we looking at on most of these games?
Are the games with a positive edge extremly rare to find, or common place in your average casino?
There are some VP games that actually over an edge on the machine, such as Full Pay Deuces. However, most versions do have a slight house edge in the pay tables. For example, 9/6 Jacks or Better has a casino of about .5% with best strategy.
However, there are sometimes comps and cash-back available with VP. In evaluating the VP game. You have to compare the value of these with the EV you give up on the machine.
I usually figure that in 9/6 Jacks I make mistakes that probably cost another half percent. Therefore I will usually only play if the cashback./comps pay back more than 1%. Surprisingly, there are times when that is the case, especially if you consider the benefits of the mailing list.
Really good VP players obviously make almost no mistakes, and can therefore play a lot more games.
it used to be that the higher stakes machines had the best odds. Now the full pay machines seem to be easier to find at lower denominations. They put some great 25 cent machines in there so that they can advertise their great odds. But they don't want any high denomination players getting an edge. This is a big generalization, of course, but it is a trend.
are pretty much long gone. If you're just getting into the game now you won't find much in the way of positive eV games anymore.
To get an edge at VP you need one or more of the following (possibly all).
1. High Return Machines
2. Slot Club Cashback
3. Monthly Mailed Coupons
4. Lots of VIP tournaments and drawings
5. High Rate Progressive Accumulation on Progressives
6. Multiple Points, Holiday Gift Points, and other promotional gimmicks.
7. Very Strong Comp Rate that can be used to buy things convertable to cash.
To make a good living playing VP, it's much much harder to just find a standing play that will enable you to just sit down and accumulate postive EV without some or all of the above conditions also working in your favor.
But I still play some VP and quite often the places I stay when on a roadtrip are on a comped/discounted VP offer. Look out for the multiple point days as these are your biggest ally after learning perfect play.
