Player Perception

by LINDA BOYD

Linda Boyd, a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, writes for “Southern & Midwest Gaming and Destinations”and several other national media outlets. Her book, “The Video Poker Edge”, includes free removable pay schedules and her free strategy cards for the most popular games and can be found on Amazon and other book outlets.

“KNOWING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF A TABLE GAME IS A FAR CRY FROM KNOWING THE STRATEGY.”

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PLAYER PERCEPTION: Who’s the Bad Guy

“So, you’re a tough guy, Like it really rough guy, Just can’t get enough guy, Chest always so puffed guy” from the lyrics to smash hit and 2019 Grammy song of the year “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish Eilish is saying if you must bloviate about being a brawny, lusty guy you’re probably anything but the most rugged guy in town. Older generations would call you a “rough, tough cream puff”. That brings us to the self-proclaimed cool dudes of gambling, felt table game players. Don’t get me wrong, some of them are, especially those highly skilled pros with well-known names; they’re the rock stars of the gaming world. But how about the average Joe? It depends on their game of choice. Are they more worthy of admiration from the gaming community than video poker (VP) players? That, too, depends on their game. Let’s take a look and compare.

Table Games

Gamblers may choose a table game, say blackjack (BJ) or Hold’Em but the rules, rake and side bets determine whether it is a smart choice or not. For example, a roulette game that has both a zero and a double zero has a lower expected return (ER) than one with just one zero. So how can you know whether to play or not?

Study the Game: Knowing the fundamentals of a table game is a far cry from knowing the strategy. The house will tell you the mechanics and sometimes even more. You, the player, are in charge of card-counting to determine the condition of the remaining deck to intelligently alter the size of your bet. You also must know how many decks are in play, whether there is a continuous shuffling device and whether the dealer hits a soft seventeen. There is more, but my point is you must study the game rules along with the strategy to get the best ER. Just playing BJ and screaming every time you beat the dealer does not make you a bad guy. In addition, most side bets favor the house so do not automatically assume that they’re worthy of the extra money. Know the Players: Benny Binion once said, “Trust everyone, but always cut the cards”. Even so, you are taking a big chance anytime you plop down at a poker table and know nothing about the other players. It may not matter as much if you are playing against the house, like blackjack, but it does in any live game of poker.

Traditional Slots

Many gamblers turn their noses up at traditional slot machine options. That is a huge mistake and you could be missing out on the opportunity to win a big or even moderate jackpot with an ER (expected return) of over 100%. That is because casinos offer “must go” jackpots of specific amounts, say $500, and you don’t even have to be playing max bet. Even if it is not a “must go” device there are some games that grow with play, like a progressive royal in VP, and continue with the next player until won. For example, with Buffalo Diamond Edition the amount of bonus games is progressive at each denomination from $0.75 to $400 and the multipliers on the wheel vary from two times to four times the payout. If you see an extraordinary number of games, say 100, on color-coded bonus spins, then it can be an outstanding wager.

Video Poker

During slower times, casinos will offer multiple points for play as well as multiple promotional event entries. Add the ER for slot card points to the game’s ER and see if it exceeds 100%. I never assign a value to contest entries or comp dollars, but both are a bonus.

Final Thoughts

It is a big mistake to dismiss traditional slot machines as a smart gambling choice, because some have an astounding ER as they approach “must go” amounts. How about video poker? You really are the “bad guy” if your choice is video poker and you find a game with an ER over 100% and know the game’s strategy in spite of the fact that table talk and tells are irrelevant. Sometimes excellent VP plays are due to pay schedule glitches. Skilled poker players are still considered the cool dudes of gambling but the operative word is “skilled”. If not, then they are the self-professed “bad guys” in Eilish’s song and the welcome donkeys for the good players.