You won't get the shaft
if you toss a good hand
16 June 2000
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
One of my greatest fears in a casino is playing
over a jackpot, especially one that has a big
payout like a royal flush. Does this horror
story happen often? By the way, I normally play
in Atlantic City. Thomas R.
No cause for concern, Thomas. The New Jersey
Casino Control Commission requires that all
machines lock-up when the top award is hit. So
if you are dealt a natural royal flush, you
won't screw up and chuck those terrific cards.
Which is a good thing because casinos offer free
booze alongside gambling.
Additionally, all reel slot machines lock up
when awards are higher than $1,200. Not because
the casino wants to avoid payment and give you a
blooper award instead, but because it's an IRS
regulation. Uncle Sam wants his piece of the win
as well.
Dear Mark,
Is it true that the minimum required payout on
slot machines in Atlantic City is 83%? Millie L.
It depends on the type of slot machine that you
are playing, Millie. For a pull handle slot
machine, yes, it must be programmed to return
"at least" 83%. But for a game of skill, like
video poker, the return must be two percent
higher. Why the additional two percent? Because
characteristically recreational players never
bother to include skill in video poker,
resulting in mistakes, creating 2-4% lower
paybacks. If a video poker machine was
programmed to return just 83% and had a non Deal
Me In reader playing it, the return would be
less than 83%. Hence, games of skill need to
return a higher percentage.
Dear Mark,
In past columns you have informed your readers
how to identify a good jacks-or-better video
poker machine from a poor one. I exclusively
play Deuces Wild. Is there a way of determining
one machine from another? Jeff N.
It is very simple to tell the difference between
an excellent Deuces Wild paytable and an
inferior one. Simply look at what you are paid
for four-of-a-kind with one coin inserted. If
the machine returns 5 coins, you are on a
full-pay machine. By playing perfect basic
strategy, your return can be 100.76%. If the
video machine returns just 4 coins, your yield
will be considerably lower-94.34%. It makes
sense, Jeff, to always shop for value and play a
premium paytable.
But also note, Jeff, theoretically, the machine
is pre-programmed to return $100.76 for every
hundred dollars inserted if you implore "optimum
play"-that is, play every hand perfectly. Plus,
"theoretically" means over the long haul, not
each and every time your posterior is sitting in
front of the machine.
Dear Mark,
I have been told that there is no way of telling
how much the machines return to the players on
the Indian reservations in Michigan. Nor have I
ever seen it advertised anywhere. Is this true?
Jenny G.
Yes, to a point, Jenny, that statement is
correct. The Indian casinos of Michigan are not
required by law to release information on their
slot machine percentage paybacks. But, according
to the Michigan Racing Commission, which is
responsible for regulating the tribes' slot
machines, the casinos must meet the same
standards for machines as in New Jersey or
Nevada. In New Jersey the minimum return is 83%;
Nevada it's 75%. Thus, Michigan Indian casinos
must return at least 75% in order to comply with
the law.
But it is competition or a lack of it, not laws,
that really dictates the return to patrons. All
casinos in Nevada and Atlantic City return well
over 90% because the competition is fierce for
your greenback. The same can't be said in
Michigan where the Indian casinos are spread out
all over the state. Let's hope, Jenny, with the
three additional casinos coming on-line in
Detroit, casinos up north will start advertising
payoff returns to keep current patronage.
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