Two identical-looking video poker machines are positioned next to each other on the casino floor. They have the same exact game(s) shown. All the other markings and physical features are identical.
A casual player would sit at either of these machines with the expectation that the games would also be identical. This article explores the fallacy of this idea.
Contents
- Casinos will make money
- How players are deceived
- What players can (and should) do
- Summary
Casinos will make money
In the early days of legal casinos in the United States, mobs were heavily involved in their operations. It was a way for them to add millions of dollars to their coffers.
Were their activities strictly legal? Yes and no.
The actual casino games may have been fair – meaning they probably did not rely on dealing seconds or other such tricks to gain an unfair advantage. They also generally welcomed all players and would welcome them back even if they happened to win big. They knew that eventually they would win back everything they had won, and then some.
Management knew that the casino had the ultimate edge on every game they offered. If the players were caught cheating, however, the consequences were often severe. Management did not abide by players eating into the house edge.
Back then, casinos made enough profit off the games to pay all the casino expenses, as well as tuck away fortunes which were sent to the mob bosses by skimming the casino’s take from those games. That was an illegal part of mob-run casinos.
Today’s casinos are run by corporations. Skimming has for all practical purposes been eliminated. Another big change in casino operations today versus mob-run days is corporations must answer to stockholders. Stockholders are more impatient than mob bosses who knew that eventually they would get back everything gamblers previously won and even more.
Corporations must report earnings to shareholders every three months. There is pressure to increase profits every quarter. Corporations cannot afford handle gamblers as the mob did. They do not have the luxury of being able to wait for the inevitable future losses from winning gamblers. They prefer to get all they can as soon as they can from their gambling patrons.
Consequently, today’s casinos use tricks to improve the bottom line. These tricks may be deceptive, but they are not illegal. One of these tricks concerns video poker returns.
If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like roulette odds and blackjack side bets.
How players are deceived
Most gamblers go to casinos expecting to lose. They gamble for the thrill of potentially hitting a big win. They know very little about the games they play other than how to physically play the game.
It takes little more than realizing the major casino floor contributor to the bottom line comes from players trying to win at slot machines. There is no skill involved. Gamblers simply put their money in and press a button or two – over and over.
Playing video poker is a bit more complex. Players still put in their money and hit a button to deal a hand. They must then examine the hand and select the card(s) they want to hold before pressing another button to draw.
Most video poker players have very little additional knowledge about the game. They may have heard that Jacks or Better is a good game to play and has a decent return – so they play it. Or they may have heard that the best game to play is Double-Double Bonus Poker – so they play it.
Many video poker players are not even aware that most machines have several different games that can be selected to play. They see a machine where the face shows Jacks or Better, so they sit down and begin playing.
Or they see a game where the face shows Double-Double Bonus so they sit down and play that. The players do not know any more about the game they are playing than what the front glass says.
Casino management is acutely aware of this – and casinos exploit that. Since some players are unaware of what game they are really playing (out of the several available to select) and go by what the front glass says, the machine may switch to a lower-paying game when not being actively played.
A far more common practice is advertising returns of up to 99 percent, for example, when only a select few games have a pay table to support that claim.
Even the more discerning players can be fooled. The casino may have a bank of games displaying identical information. Closer examination may prove they are quite different.
One machine can have a Jacks or Better game returning 99.54 percent with the remainder of the bank of machines having Jacks or Better games with a return of 97.3 or less. Normally this is done by changing the pays for the full house and flush, but the pays for other winning hands such as a royal flush or straight flush can also be changed.
Casinos will do whatever they can to take money from their customers.
What players can do
There is one very simple thing that video poker players can do to get the best results from their play. They can be observant and do the following.
Prior to heading to the casino:
- Do some research. Check the possible common returns of games you want to play.
- Know what changes to look for.
- Make notes, if necessary, and bring them to the casino.
Prior to play:
- Select the game(s) you want to play on the machine in the area.
- Examine the pay table on several machines in that area to determine which have the best return(s).
- Check the notes made from your research.
- Remember that any line on the pay table could be different.
- Select the game on a machine with the best pay table.
When ready to play at a machine:
- Make sure the game you are playing is the game you intended to play – whether it is Jacks or Better, Double-Double Bonus or some other game, verify the game that is displayed near the bottom left of the screen is the game you want to play.
- Finally, have fun playing, knowing you are playing the best game possible.
Summary
- Casinos are in business to make money.
- They will do whatever they can to maximize their profits.
- Different identical video poker machines could have very different returns.
- Be observant and prepared with pay table information to select the best possible game.
- Have fun!
