“The counter is gettin’
smarter. They’ve got to
where they don’t try to
win a big amount of
money. They jus’ go
around and kinda nibble
you. You know, you never
feel gettin’ nibbled on
‘til they bite you.” —
Benny Binion, 1973
interview by Nevada
historian Mary Ellen
Glass.
Benny Binion was talking
about the annoying
blackjack card counters
that started using their
math skills to gnaw into
his profits as early as
the 1970s. Binion
accepted a certain
amount of this behavior,
differentiating between
skillful play and
outright cheating by
card-crumpers or markers
(small scratches on aces
and 10-pointers) in
blackjack.
Having worn out his
welcome in Texas after
killing two men in
separate incidents (one
was labeled
self-defense, while the
other was a n’er do well
sort, so Binion got a
light sentence), Benny
was not a choirboy.
Still, he ran an honest
game and considered
cheaters as having a
total lack of
self-respect; this new
card-counting racket,
however, was right on
the line.
Never did Benny Binion
expect the math whizzes
to extend their skills
into the slot machine
arena. That’s because it
was 1973 and the first
video poker device
wasn’t on the gaming
floor until the late
seventies. Ironically,
his statement about the
new breed of blackjack
players who used their
math skills to gain an
advantage over the house
now applies to smart
video poker players as
well. Just like back in
the early days of
blackjack counters,
there aren’t many with
the ability to play
almost perfect video
poker and most casinos
have downgraded the pay
schedules, so the house
doesn’t need to worry
too much. For those who
take the time to learn
the games you’ll have
good odds of getting an
inexpensive or free
vacation. Once in a
while you’ll even find
an outstanding video
poker play and you’ll
want to recognize your
big edge. Here’s a guide
to doing both.
Getting Organized: Years
ago Taz, one of my
students, was referring
to a new teacher when he
said, “Mrs. Boyd you
should talk to him, the
kids are all out of
control. He needs to get
organized.” Wise
statement and true for
most things in life and
video poker is no
exception.
Notebook: Your objective
is to have all the
information you need
with you and to make
sure you can locate
everything quickly and
easily. A small book,
indexed alphabetically
with tabs and everything
neatly printed works
best. (I just hate it
when I can’t read my own
writing.)
Tax Information: To keep
things simple I suggest
you record session
win/loss numbers in the
same notebook as your
casino data. Although
the CP 2000 is not my
favorite valentine, if
Uncle Sam sends it
you’ll have an easier
time copying/mailing a
response to this paper
audit of your gambling
activities. This method
also serves to
authenticate the
contemporaneous
requirement (the IRS
wants the records
completed at or close to
the time of the event),
plus it’s a fast and
efficient way to locate
the information when
required. (You’ll find
an inset in my book,
“The Video Poker Edge,”
listing data needed for
gambling tax records.)
Game/Machine Location:
You won’t want to waste
time hunting through
paytables to find the
machines with the games
you want to play. Just a
few quick notes in your
indexed notebook is all
it takes. If you write
down the machine numbers
then it makes it even
easier for the next
time.
Number Of Machines:
Indicate the number of
machines for future
reference. If you know
there are only a few
devices with your game,
then plan to go when
it’s not crowded or make
sure you note an
alternative game in your
book.
Slot Club: Write the
cashback rate and
policies as well as the
comp requirements for
each casino. If you
don’t have the data,
then make sure you
record it once you get
there. (You can do this
by making a trip to the
slot club before you
start to play.)
Route: Whether you
decide to take the
scenic route through the
beautiful Midwest or to
breathlessly rush from
the Strip to Downtown,
to local’s spots while
in Vegas, you’ll want to
have a plan in place.
A) Midwest Travel: If
you’re going on a trip
and visiting casinos
along the way, the
Midwest is loaded with
great spots, most with
excellent promotional
offers. For those who
subscribe to Midwest
Gaming & Travel use the
Casino Beat,
entertainment,
tournament, news and
Casino Locator sections
to help map your course
and make annotations in
your notebook.
B) Casino Runs: Not too
long ago I read a
“casino run” report on a
forum that can only be
described as sheer
genius. This guy was so
focused and thorough
that it was
mind-boggling, and
that’s not an
exaggeration. You, too,
can be fast about doing
what you came for and
getting out of there if
you’ve arranged your
coupons in a logical
order and made notes on
anything else that’s
special. (The order may
not be alphabetical, for
example, but in the same
sequence as the casinos
you’ve mapped.)
C) Games Other Than
Video Poker: Even though
this is about video
poker, don’t say ‘no’ to
a great offer. Case in
point is match play
coupons (there’s one in
Midwest Gaming & Travel)
for blackjack, it’s
almost a crime not to
use them. Record good
offers for other casino
games in your notebook,
say craps or roulette,
so you don’t miss them.
Never be afraid to try a
new game in order to use
your coupons. Somebody
will show you how to
play any game and if
other players growl,
then so what? You’re
just hanging around for
the offer and probably
won’t ever see them
again.
D) Progressives: It’s a
good idea to walk around
the casino checking on
the progressive meters
before you find a seat.
Sometimes it’s worth
waiting for a machine
when the progressive
makes it a strong play.
You could keep the
location of progressives
in your notebook,
indexed alphabetically
by casino.
E) Special Promos: It’s
best to read mailers
before leaving home and
noting exceptions once
you get there. That’s
because some machines
may not be eligible for
the promotion making
another game a better
play. Here’s an example:
You planned on playing
Not-So-Ugly Deuces (NSUD)
with an ER of 99.7283%.
You notice that there’s
a sign on these machines
indicating that they’re
ineligible for slot
points and promotions.
You see that there’s no
sign on the 9/6 Jacks or
Better (JOB) with an ER
of 99.5439%. Let’s say
the regular cash back is
.25% with equal comps,
plus there’s a double
points promotion. The
JOB game now has an ER
of 100.0439% (99.5439 +
.50) in addition to .25%
comps. I don’t count
comps as part of the ER,
but it’s better to have
them than not. Also, be
aware that multiple
points usually apply
only to cash, not to
comps. In this case the
JOB game is a better
play than the NSUD.
Practicing Your Games:
Your long-term results
will resemble the game’s
expected return if you
play each game
statistically correct.
There are too many
possible dealt hands to
rely on “common sense”
so you’ll have to take
the time to learn how to
play. (This process is
detailed in the archives
at
www.midwestgamingandtravel.com.)
Use Strategy Cards and
Software: This shouldn’t
be a problem since there
are many excellent
products on the market
today. I use Dean
Zamzow’s award-winning
software, WinPoker. For
info go to
www.videopokerpractice.com.
Strategy cards should be
accurate and easy to use
during play. You will
get free removable
strategy cards and pay
schedules (over 200
games) with my book.
Bring Pay Schedules and
Strategy Cards to the
Casino: There are too
many games to memorize
all the ERs (there’s a
different one for each
pay schedule) so remove
them from my book or
elsewhere and take them
along. Likewise with
strategy cards, make
sure you have them with
you. I suggest you
quickly review the card,
focusing on frequent
hands, before starting;
after that you’ll only
need to refer to it once
in a while. If you bring
pay schedules, you can
decide to play or pass
after checking the ER.
Best and Worst of Times:
If you want to play on
machines with the
highest expected return
then you will have to
time your visit so that
there aren’t so many
people. Just because you
found progressive 9/6
Jacks or Better on the
previous visit doesn’t
mean the paytable is
still the same. The
technology on the latest
video poker devices
allows management to
change both the game as
well as the pay schedule
without even touching
the machine.
Best Times: In general,
you will want to be in a
casino when you don’t
have to wait or fight
for a seat at full pay
machines. There are,
however, exceptions.
Weekdays: You’ll find
better access to
full-pay video poker
machines, choice of
table games and far
better room rates during
the week. It’s also
easier to get a comped
room and you have a
better chance of getting
an upgrade once you
arrive.
Your Birthday or Wedding
Anniversary: Did you
know that many casinos
offer all kinds of perks
on your birthday? They
range from bonus points
on your slot club card
to free meals and gifts
or cash. Some casinos
will even give you
something special on
your wedding
anniversary.
Popular Non-Sports Shows
on Television: Many
casinos are empty during
American Idol and
Dancing with the Stars,
for example. The
exception is sports
shows, like boxing
matches or football, or
any play-offs that draw
a rambunctious group to
the casino’s bars. Tough
to concentrate on
strategy with all the
commotion.
The Off-Season: If
you’re not sure you can
check with the Chamber
of Commerce to find the
least popular time for
visitors. That’s the
best time for your
visit, especially if you
plan on gambling a lot.
I don’t worry about the
heat in Laughlin’s
summers, for example,
since I’m spending most
of my time indoors.
(Truthfully, they keep
casinos too cold for me;
even when it’s 110
degrees outside, it’s
freezing in many
casinos.)
Family Holidays: You can
plan to have
Thanksgiving or
Christmas dinner at a
casino where everything
will be low-key and sane
during these slow times.
Most casinos do an
excellent job of
preparing special meals
and nobody is stuck with
the hosting and clean-up
work for the group.
Afterwards you can
choose any game you
want, including video
poker, without worrying
about crowds.
Special Promotions,
Multiple Points: You
should check the
calendar or mailed
newsletter to coordinate
visits during multiple
points days or for a
time when there’s a
prize drawing. True, you
may have a difficult
time finding an
available machine for
the best games, but
sometimes it’s worth the
wait.
Worst Times: You may
think that New Year’s
Eve is a great time to
be in Vegas and it may
be, if your goal is to
party. However, if you
came to play, especially
games involving skill,
it’s a very bad idea.
Major Holidays: The most
crowded days of the year
are New Year’s Eve,
Memorial Day, Fourth of
July and Labor Day. Many
people have these days
off and are in a
celebratory mood, making
casinos congested and
noisy. Also, you’ll be
sharing the road with a
lot of drunks, some
overly emotional after
heavy wins or losses.
Monday Night Football:
Need I say more? Super
Bowl Sunday, too, very
rowdy.
Conventions and Special
Events: The traffic is
miserable, restaurants
crowded and, depending
on the event, there may
be a lot of young
children.
Weekends: One local
casino plans on
downgrading their
paytables on weekends
when it’s crowded. With
the capabilities of the
new devices this is an
easy process and I
expect more to do the
same.
Recognizing Pay Dirt:
Sometimes the value of a
play is obvious, like
the “Wacky Wednesday”
promotion, below.
However, many times I
find an outstanding
video poker situation
and few are taking
advantage of it. You’ll
want to know how to
evaluate a positive play
on your own and then
keep it to yourself to
increase the shelf-life.
Marketing Glitches: One
of my favorite stories
is about a marketing
mess-up at Harvey’s and
Harrah’s in Tahoe,
called “Wacky
Wednesday.” You were
paid an extra 100-coin
bonus for all
four-of-a-kinds. This
meant that 9/6 JOB,
which normally has an
expected return (ER) of
99.5439%, suddenly had
an ER of a whopping
104.2697% and the
variance (risk) was only
slightly higher at
22.68428 than the
regular game’s of
19.51468. That’s before
you added possible
bounceback cash (mailed)
and comps. News of this
promotion traveled fast
and machines were manned
as of the previous
evening. In the end,
Harrah’s had to modify
the rules and did so by
posting this notice:
“Wacky Wednesday
Promotion Out of
Control! Our Wacky
Wednesday promotion
really got wacky last
week, as we paid out
several hundred thousand
dollars in bonuses.
Players flocked from all
over the country to
participate in one of
the wackiest and most
lucrative video poker
promotions seen in the
industry. Consequently,
we met with the bean
counters from
Accounting, who reminded
us that while ‘tis the
season for charity and
giving, we are not
officially recognized as
a non-profit
organization, and thus
must cease and desist
with this wackiness. (I
believe they used some
different terminology,
but I will spare you.)
While unfortunate, we
are pleased to tell you
that the Wacky Wednesday
Four of a Kind promotion
will take place this
Wednesday. However, we
have instituted some
minor modifications to
the promotion, as
described below.”
They limited the payouts
to some, but not all,
four-of-a-kinds.
Adding Things Up: You
will sometimes get a
pleasant surprise when
you add the ER to slot
card cashback during
multiple points
promotions. Simply
multiply the regular
cashback rate by the
multiple offered and add
it to the game’s ER. For
example, if it’s triple
points, the regular
cashback is .125% and
the game is 10/7 DB,
then the ER would be
100.5475%. (.125 x 3=
.375; 100.1725 + .375=
100.5475)
Keeping a Poker Face:
There was a great local
play that was frequently
over 104% due to a turbo
speed meter on a bank of
progressive 9/6 JOB
machines. One sad day,
however, I found a seat
only to discover that
loose lips had sunk my
ship. When you find a
great play, it’s best to
keep it to yourself,
Doyle Brunson-style and
increase the chances of
raking in the casino’s
chips a lot longer.
Final Thoughts: Benny
Binion compensated for
his lack of formal
education with an
abundance of street
smarts. He was willing
to put up with some
nibbling by a few smart
players as the price of
doing business way back
in the seventies. Binion
understood the math,
it’s okay to spend a few
thousand to make a few
million.
Today you probably won’t
be able to “bring down
the house” playing
blackjack like the
famous MIT team due to
new rules and eagle eyes
above keeping track of
every move. With video
poker, however, you can
still be the casino’s
“Kato” Kaelin if you’re
organized, play the best
games accurately, take
advantage of promotions
and go when there’s a
better chance of finding
vacant machines with
good pay tables. Now and
then you’ll even stumble
upon a situation with a
major player’s edge
that’s just crying for
you to forget about
nibbling and go for a
big bite.
— Linda Boyd turned to
the more profitable game
of video poker after
years of playing
blackjack and live
poker. Boyd spent many
years as a mathematics
educator, a career that
proved invaluable in
helping her design the
statistical tactics
featured in her book,
“The Video Poker Edge.”
Free strategy cards are
included with her book.
Purchase at
www.squareonepublishers.com
