Killing Time?

[FloridaPhil]

My wife and I take frequent long vacations where we stay at casino resorts for extended periods of time.  We find many of these resorts a real treat and would live in some of them if we could.   Sometimes you just get tired of video poker and we don't like table games. Other times you get tired of losing and want to play some mindless slot for a break.  If you were going to play a penny slot for .30 a throw, what would you play?

[WhitneyReed]

Hey Phil, have you played live poker at all? When playing 3-6 Limit Hold Em (which they recommend for beginners) it's easy to make a $100 tray of $1 chips last a few hours. I find the low-stakes games casual and friendly for the most part, particularly on a weekday afternoon.

I don't really remember slot names because I don't play them enough, but some of the video slots with bonus features are fun. There's one that's all "manly" which is kind of funny; the symbols are chainsaws, hammers, etc. and in the bonus round you check out items in a hardware store.

There used to be a game around called Cash King Checkers that was interesting because it was a game of skill that wasn't poker (the only one I can think of off hand). I haven't seen it in years, though.

[olds442jetaway]

Hi Phil. Funny, I just read your post after posting my admission to playing a little mindless penny slots. See my post a few minutes ago in the Bonus Deuces wild topic. I like that Asian game a lot where the minimum is 38 cents. I hit one of the progressives up top the other day for over 200 bucks just playing 38 cents. If I remember, you had to match 2 cards on the first and fifth line. Nice animation, music, firecrackers, and the usual spray of big win with the gold coins flying up. See Phil. They are working on our minds with these new machines. It is a nice diversion though. I also like the old and hard to find select lines games where I can play the Phil system or my Martingale clone on them. Clara T comes to mind as well as hoot loot, and the one with the storms, etc. I think those are from the early 90's, but offer lots of choices on your bets. Good luck and maybe catch up with you folks this summer.

     Edited to add. I am working on getting special permission to fish one of the Native American ponds that I know is loaded with big Largemouth Bass after eating their fill of sunnys and pond shiners. I think though the pond is on sacred ground and I don't of course want to show any disrespect to them in that regard. Would be another nice diversion though to vp and everything would be released. Could even use barbless hooks if I had to. I know there are some 7-9 pounders in there which is huge for Ct.
     Edited to add again. Phil, I found on the net the type of slot just put in that I played. It is a version of Duo Fu Duo Cai. Almost identical to the one you can watch on youtube. Minimum bet at Mohegan is 38 cents. Even that amount was good enough to hit a nice progressive. The bonus round usually yields wins in the 20-40 dollar range so not bad at all. I wish I knew what the long term win percentage is, but I don't. Anyway, good luck if you and the Mrs. try it. It is by Bally and there are lots of versions of them all very similar. They are getting tons of play at the casino.

[Vman96]

Hey Phil, have you played live poker at all? When playing 3-6 Limit Hold Em (which they recommend for beginners) it's easy to make a $100 tray of $1 chips last a few hours. I find the low-stakes games casual and friendly for the most part, particularly on a weekday afternoon.

I don't really remember slot names because I don't play them enough, but some of the video slots with bonus features are fun. There's one that's all "manly" which is kind of funny; the symbols are chainsaws, hammers, etc. and in the bonus round you check out items in a hardware store.

There used to be a game around called Cash King Checkers that was interesting because it was a game of skill that wasn't poker (the only one I can think of off hand). I haven't seen it in years, though.

I miss Cash King Checkers!      The only place I saw it was Ameristar St. Charles, and not for long. It didn't help they used the the crappiest paytable (94%). As of April last year, they still have it at Rampart casino with a 96% paytable for nickels. I know where I'm visiting next trip to Vegas!!

Also you can play it online for free with a 100% paytable.

http://www.ledgaming.com/game/cash_king_checkers

As for the original post, I like "Family Guy" slots, but those are 50 cents a pull, and I can no longer find them anywhere but Vegas. I also got into Playboy Hot Zone slots for awhile (40 cents). I also like really old IGT slots, can range from 9 to 30 cents. I rarely play slots long enough to really enjoy them. They usually just suck my money away.

[alpax]

I learned from the American Casino Guide that the slot machines that are themed after a TV Show, Movie, or any other Intellectual property, it pays out less than usual machines as it has to pay a small amount (which grows into a big amount) of royalties to use the theme.

Table games are slow paced and time flies fast. Ultimate Texas Holdem is a really popular table game though it is not an even money game. There is a human element of error in the dealer, but downside is that you are expected to tip after winning or you will be frowned upon by the dealers and the pit boss.

Killing time is not an issue in Las Vegas though you will not have plans to go there, not having enough time (or money) there is the bigger issue.

[alpax]

Hi Phil. Funny, I just read your post after posting my admission to playing a little mindless penny slots. See my post a few minutes ago in the Bonus Deuces wild topic. I like that Asian game a lot where the minimum is 38 cents. I hit one of the progressives up top the other day for over 200 bucks just playing 38 cents.

I've seen that game, its becoming popular on the casinos lately, at least 20 of them.

The bet structure is the strangest I've seen, something like

38, 58, 88, 178, 358, 538, 888

Those machines, can pay out big if and when hits.

[olds442jetaway]

Wife and I are playing these for a little diversion after vp. Very hard to get on these machines except for in the middle of the night. So far, neither of us have been burned on them. I wonder though. Do they have them set to return a high percentage because they are new, and then shortly after everyone is sucked in, greatly reduce the return percentage. Since this bank of machines is directly behing my favorite spin poker and multi strike machine, I was able to see a lady turn a twenty dollar bill into 800 bucks in a couple of hours. She started out playing 38 cents to boot.

[onemoretry]

I wonder though. Do they have them set to return a high percentage because they are new, and then shortly after everyone is sucked in, greatly reduce the return percentage.
Can't you tell from the pay table?

[alpax]

Slot machines do list out payouts for hitting symbols on a line for 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind, 5 of a kind, or even 2 & 6 of a kind for some games along with scattered symbols.

For video slots, millions of possible outcomes which may be winning or losing ones are programmed into the machine, the spinning is just for animation purposes. The fact is that we the player do not exactly know the odds of each possible outcome.

The slot attendant under the supervision of a gaming authority personnel can adjust the payback percentage on the machine, thus there will be less winning combinations if the return percentage is down, there will be more winning combinations if the return percentage is raised. Olds has mentioned witnessing this at Mohegan Sun.

The probability space for video poker is more defined. 2,598,960 combinations for a 5 card deal, 19,933,230,517,200 (got it from Wizard of Odds) combinations outcomes from a 5 card deal and redraws.

[onemoretry]

Rats! I overlooked the statement about playing a slot.