What do you think of this theory?

[damule]

Damule, you seem to be making a distinction without a difference. If you don't like the term "looser" that's all fine and well. 
 
In addition, with you and Shadow, there seems to be a lot of blind faith in the regulating authorities going on around here. Securities firms are not supposed to issue derivatives that are worthless BUT THEY DO -- sometimes. Boards of Elections are not supposed to look the other way when frauds are perpetrated BUT THEY DO -- sometimes.  Look at the Texas Athletic Comission. They recently cleared Margarito to fight Pacquiao even though Margarito was the guy caught redhanded with a plaster-of- paris like substance in his gloves which could have literally killed a couple of his prior opponents.  There's the world as it should be and then there's the world as it is and it's probably a good bet that the world of "legal" gambling plays it fast and loose with slots & VP's every now and again.  When there is money involved people resort to a brutish state of nature.

 
Dyno,
 
You're obviously part of the segment of the population that likes to believe in conspiracies and corruption in everything. Yes, I do believe there are a very small percentage of casinos that are corrupt. However, there would be way too many people involved for video poker rng programs overall to be not what they're supposed to be. There would have been whistle blowers all over the media by now.
 
You can keep believing in your conspiracy theories and you probably are blaming your loses on corrupt machines rather than looking for the best pay tables and perfecting your game. I, and most others on here, will continue to improve our games and play the machines with the best pay tables available.
 
I personally did an experiment a couple years ago that I posted about on this forum labeled "rng experiment" where I played and tracked over $1,000,000 through video poker machines in one year. What did the  "small" sampling of play show? That the pay tables are consistant with the returns. And this was not done at one casino. Play was measured throughout Nevada and Arizona including indian casinos.
 
The other examples of corruption you wrote about involve isolated cases with very few individuals involved. It's much easier for a few to be corrupt rather than a whole industry. The other glaring fact about those other examples is that in all cases the corruption was easily exposed. Where is the exposed corruption with video poker programming? 
 
 

[faygo]

Video Poker machines are one of the most honest things we deal with. Right there on screen they tell us , based on probabilities, expect to lose.       

[shadowman]

Dyno, I would suggest you actually take the time to read the regulations. Otherwise you will be treated as simply uneducated. I suspect your view will change when you spend the time to become informed.
 
http://gaming.nv.gov/stats_regs/reg14.pdf
 
Also you should understand that the casinos DO NOT program the machines. This is done by fortune 500 corporations that, if found cheating, would lose their licenses. That would put them out of business. Explain what would motivate them to do that? Remember they do not get any share of the profits. It would buy them zilch to gaff the machines.
 
The only historic evidence of cheating by a manufacturer was American Coin where they were both the manufacturer and the casino. In other words, they did profit from cheating. Even then they were caught and put out of business.

[Dynomite]

Thanks damule and shadow. I appreciate your thoughtful but somewhat naive responses. For the record, I am not a conspiracy theory person at all. Gambling is gambling and when I lose I only blame myself. With this said, I am not so naive to think that when there's people & money involved that there isn't a bit of monkey business every now & again. If the whole United States economy can melt down like it did in 2008 due to "smoke & mirror" derivatives, anything is possible. With regard to VP machines, there are certainly differences in the programming but I am not claiming that's bad or illegal. Corporations offer different products. Just take a walk up and down the boardwalk in Atlantic City or the Vegas strip and sample the casinos.

[Dynomite]

By the way, thanks for the link Shadow. Very interesting.

[shadowman]

Thanks damule and shadow. I appreciate your thoughtful but somewhat naive responses ...

Most people are naive in most areas, there isn't time to be experts in everything. However, most of us are knowledgeable in certain areas. Playing VP just happens to be one of those where I am quite knowledgeable.
 
I started playing VP about 20 years ago. I learned expert play principles about 12 years ago. I applied those techniques for 4 years and did fine. However, I lost money in 2002. So, at that time I decided to become MORE informed. One might say it was a good thing.
 
I read all the regulations and studied the mathematics behind VP. I also started tracking my results. I have won money every year since then because I'm more than an expert VP player now. I'm also an expert at understanding the entire framework of my play.
 
Anyone can do this. Most people won't because they aren't interested or don't have the time. Some people will make uninformed comments without having a clue about the topic. Hopefully, this is the last time you fall into that category.

[luigi1]

I do not usually chime in, but my best friend since I have been 14 (never mind how long we have been friends) is a CPA.  The firm she worked for about 10 years ago audited Indian casinos in AZ and a few on the of border CA/AZ.  I asked her point blank if the casinos and the machines were ''crooked''.  She answered unequivocably, NO.  They make too much money from the dummies that DO win and put it all back (not saying whom). The only way VP-wise they manipulate favorability is via paytables as stated umteen times on here. That was 10 years ago and I would think the safeguards and technology now has exponentially evolved. By the way she did find some discrepancies in the books.  Seems one of the mid-managers padded an expense account to cover some hanky panky that did not involve a slot machine.... 

[Dynomite]

[QUOTE=Dynomite]
Thanks damule and shadow. I appreciate your thoughtful but somewhat naive responses ...

Most people are naive in most areas, there isn't time to be experts in everything. However, most of us are knowledgeable in certain areas. Playing VP just happens to be one of those where I am quite knowledgeable.
 
I started playing VP about 20 years ago. I learned expert play principles about 12 years ago. I applied those techniques for 4 years and did fine. However, I lost money in 2002. So, at that time I decided to become MORE informed. One might say it was a good thing.
 
I read all the regulations and studied the mathematics behind VP. I also started tracking my results. I have won money every year since then because I'm more than an expert VP player now. I'm also an expert at understanding the entire framework of my play.
 
Anyone can do this. Most people won't because they aren't interested or don't have the time. Some people will make uninformed comments without having a clue about the topic. Hopefully, this is the last time you fall into that category.[/QUOTE]

No need to be thin-skinned or make ad-hominem remarks. I am quite informed. Civlized folks can agree-to-disagree and then go forward with a respectful discussion. This is a terrific website and I appreciate the wonderful insights. Just come down out of the ivory tower a bit.  GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU!

[Dynomite]

I do not usually chime in, but my best friend since I have been 14 (never mind how long we have been friends) is a CPA.  The firm she worked for about 10 years ago audited Indian casinos in AZ and a few on the of border CA/AZ.  I asked her point blank if the casinos and the machines were ''crooked''.  She answered unequivocably, NO.  They make too much money from the dummies that DO win and put it all back (not saying whom). The only way VP-wise they manipulate favorability is via paytables as stated umteen times on here. That was 10 years ago and I would think the safeguards and technology now has exponentially evolved. By the way she did find some discrepancies in the books.  Seems one of the mid-managers padded an expense account to cover some hanky panky that did not involve a slot machine.... 

Very interesting. And always remember where there's smoke, there's fire!

[ruddy]

I know how this is going to turn out!! Just let it cook a while longer.