The truth about slot clubs

6 June 2015

By Jerry Stickman

Once upon a time the casinos were filled with all kinds of video poker games that returned over 100 percent with proper play. A knowledgeable player using the proper playing strategy could expect to make money from his play. Sadly, the incidence of these positive payback machines has been dramatically reduced — almost to the point of extinction.

So how is a savvy player supposed to make money on machines that pay back less than 100 percent? How can you be a winner if you are always playing games returning less than 100 percent? Well — you can’t — that is, unless you have something to increase your return to more than 100 percent. Fortunately, such things do exist. Slot player’s clubs, casino promos and comps all add to payback from your casino play.

Originally, player’s clubs were invented as marketing tools to track play and build loyalty to a casino or brand of casino. Most player’s clubs offer cash back, meals, rooms and more.
Casinos typically offer .1 to .33 percent of video poker play as cash back.

Full-pay jacks or better returns 99.54 percent with perfect play, so adding .33 percent for cash back raises the return to 99.87 percent. This is still not over 100 percent. However, by playing four hours on a dollar machine at an average speed of 600 hands per hour, the player will play $12,000 through the game. The theoretical loss (including cash back) for this amount of play is $15.60. This level of play will also get a meal or two and a room. This pushes the return well into positive territory.

How can the casinos do this?

They know from past experience that the average player will lose between $250 and $300 rather than $15.60 for this amount of play. The casino normally will give back $60 to $80 in cash and comps to keep the players coming back. By playing perfect strategy you will lose only $15.60 but still get $60 to $80 in freebies. Not too bad.

Casinos also offer promotions such as multiple points on certain days. By taking advantage of multiple point promotions you are multiplying the cash back. If a casino is offering even a low .1 percent cash back rate and offering 5 times points, the effective cash back rate is .5 percent. Adding .5 percent to the 99.54 percent return of full-pay jacks or better yields 100.04 percent return. The game now becomes a long-term winner!

Most casinos offer “bounce-back” cash — vouchers or free play credit on the player’s club card that can be used like cash if presented during the proper time period. Even if the bounce-back cash can only be used for free play, it is effectively as good as cash.

Some casinos even offer special promotions such as scratch-off cards paying $2 to $5,000 for getting any four of a kind, or “card of the day” bonuses for getting four of a kind of a particular card. They may even offer gifts at various times during the year for regular players.

Player’s club promotions offer real value that adds onto your normal return. By playing the best games and best strategies, a savvy player who takes advantage of player’s club promotions can achieve significant profits over time.

It only makes sense to take advantage of player’s club benefits.

May all your wins be swift and large and all your losses slow and tiny.

Jerry “Stickman”


Jerry “Stickman” is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. 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 stickmanjerry@aol.com.