Betting Sequencies

27 April 2024

By Jerry Stickman

From Joey:

Hi, Stickman,

I’m Joey, I’ve read a few of your articles and like them all.

If you don’t mind me asking, what do people do in VP with their bets? I noticed I get stuck going back and forth with the same amount of money, and typically bump up the bet to win more, or play the double.

Is there a type of bankroll strategy like martingale that popular for VP?

Thank you,

Joey

Hi Joey,

Thank you for your comments. They are nice to hear.

You ask a great question (or questions).

Many years ago, when I first started playing video poker, I had the same questions. To find the answers,

• I read books on video poker.
• I subscribed to several newsletters that catered to video poker and other potentially player favorable games.
• I also researched online.

There was lots of information … and it was all over the map.

Various gaming gurus and pundits pushed several video poker betting systems. It seems each author had his (or her) own twist on the ultimate winning video poker betting system.

The betting systems being pushed included everything. There were bet up as you win systems. There were bet up as you lose systems.

One system I remember quite clearly involved starting a betting sequence with one unit. It went like this.
• Bet one unit.
• If you lose, bet one unit again and repeat until you have bet one unit four times.
• If you win at any time during the four bets, start the count over with the first one-unit bet.
• After losing four times, bump the bet by one unit and repeat the procedure for up to four bets or until winning.
• Any time you win, start the sequence from the beginning at one unit.
• Continue the betting cycle until you have lost four consecutive times at one unit, and four consecutive times at two units and four consecutive times at three units and four consecutive times at four units – a total of 16 consecutive losses.
• If that happens, start the entire sequence from the beginning – betting one unit.

The logic behind this system was, losing 16 times in a row is unlikely. If you raise your bets after losing a few times, you will win more and recover more of your losses.

Don’t be fooled. None of these methods will help you win more in the long run.

When it is all over, you will end up losing at the house edge determined by the game and pay table. That edge will work against every dollar you feed through the machine – the more you feed through, the more you will lose. An additional problem with the last system is you will never collect the royal flush bonus (800-for-1 rather than 250-for-1) that comes from betting the maximum of five units.

My preferred (and promoted) betting system is bet the five-credit maximum to get the royal flush bonus on every play. Make sure the total bet is something you can easily afford so you won’t sweat the inevitable losing streaks. Never vary the bet - period.

To get the most from the game, learn, practice, and play the proper hold strategy for the game and pay table you are playing.

The double-up bet is a push in the long run, so there is no reason to play that (or to not play it, for that matter).

That is what I do and that is what I recommend.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com