Page 12 - Jackpot Magazine Tunica ~ November, 2024

PLAY TO WIN
Video poker players, do what I write, not as I do
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
— Writer George Bernard Shaw
You know that disappointing feeling you get when you realize something you enjoy doing is on a do-not-do list? I know that feeling far too well. Let me start at the beginning. A few years ago, I was at a casino with my sister and brother-in-law. At that time, Double Double Poker was my game of choice. My dad played it, and, like him, I was always chasing the four aces for the big payout.
My brother-in-law, who I had never gambled with before, was playing something different — something that had a unique bonus to it. It was a Triple Play Super Times Pay, where every now and then, the machine would light up and a card would announce the multiplier that would be paid for all hands on that turn. It was exciting, getting the multiplier and then being dealt a jacks or better hand
to start. That meant I was definitely getting a good payoff with three chances to get something even better.
But, in between the multipliers, what I didn’t understand was why my bankroll
was going down when I was getting a pair of jacks or better. It finally dawned on me. I wasn’t betting the standard five coins per hand (five coins times three lines), or 15 coins per game. In order to have the multiplier activated, I had to bet six coins per hand for a total of 18 coins per game. Yet, getting a hand of jacks or better, generally a break-even hand, only paid five coins. When all three hands were jacks or better, I was paid 15 coins even though I had just bet
18. I was losing when I should have been breaking even.
That little losing
bit aside, the game
was fun and when I had a big hand with a multiplier — woohoo — it was even more fun. Imagine, getting an eight- times multiplier and having a full house, a four of a kind, or even just a straight. In those rare moments, the game paid off nicely and was worth playing.
Now to the bad part. Gaming author and blackjack expert Henry Tamburin has placed that game and similar ones on the list of “five mistakes most frequently made by video poker players.” Called high variance or even carnival-style, these games will eat up your bankroll in a flash and you may never get a big win. I also found myself victim to another mistake video poker players make, a costly one. Let’s see if you spot it in Tamburin’s list.
Not Examining the Pay Table
Not doing this results in playing the wrong game. Each video poker game usually has different pay tables. It’s important to know which pay table has the highest return (for perfect play). The information you need to determine the theoretical return for a game is staring at you on the face of the
machine. (i.e., the pay table).
Using Incorrect Playing Strategies
For many hands dealt to players, which cards to hold is a no brainer. But there are other hands where the correct hold is not so obvious, and guessing and ending up making the wrong hold can be a costly mistake.
Where many players err is when they use the same playing strategy regardless of the game they are playing. That’s a big mistake. So think twice about switching games to “change your luck”
than good.
because unless you know the correct playing strategy for the new game, you will do more harm
Play To Win Again
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Not Practicing the Strategy
The easiest way to master a playing strategy is to practice at home on your computer. You can play any number of video poker games with them, and as you play, the software will alert you when you make a playing mistake and then show you the correct play.
Playing High Variance Games
Variance is a fancy mathematical term that describes the swings in your bankroll that occur when you play. Most players unknowingly play video poker games with a high variance, which results in a high risk of going broke because they don’t have enough bankroll to play these games. Until you build up your bankroll, low variance games like Jacks or Better or Bonus Poker should be played rather than the higher variance games, like many of the games that pay more for certain four-of-a-kind hands or have certain bonuses or hooks.
Not Concentrating When You Play
Most video poker players play quickly and they don’t always concentrate on every hand (like talking to another player or eyeing the attractive cocktail servers). By not staying focused on every hand to determine what are the best hold options, players often misplay their hands.
Yes, I made the No. 1 mistake — not paying attention to the pay table, otherwise I would have realized I was betting six coins, while the jacks or better hand only paid five. Truth be told, that hasn’t stopped me from playing those games. I just take my time, know the pay table, keep an eye on my bank roll and have fun.
12 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • November 2024
THE SOUTH’S LARGEST GUIDE TO GAMING & FUN • www.jackpotmagazine.com